Super Telephoto

vonDrehle · Feb 24, 2007

This summer I have talked my parents into going to Yellowstone National Park. Having seem lots shoes about the park I believe it would be best to have a good lense to get some of the distance animals or landscapes I might come across. I have a EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM with the 1.4x extender so I can currently get to 280mm but I would like to be able to get closer. I am leaning towards the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM because of the price but I wanted to check to make sure there weren't any other good deals that I'm missing. As far as price range goes I think I can get up to around $1500 by the time I would be needing the lens.

Camera: Canon 5D

Thanks,
Chris

Big Mike · Feb 24, 2007

You could rent a lens...or even buy one and resell it later. These expensive lenses hold their value very well. You might even be able to buy a used one and sell it for what you paid for it...basically renting it for free.

What about the 300 F2.8? With the 1.4x teleconverter...it would be pretty long and still have auto focus.

usayit · Feb 24, 2007

Before spending the big $$$, how about start with the cheapest and lightest solution... The EF 2x extender. I know there's lots written out there about the disadvantages of the 2x extender but it still might suite your needs. I've seen results and although some will say there is a loss in quality, I say the combination still produces acceptable results. Besides.. you are going to a national park that usually requires lots of hiking (the 70-200 is already one of the heaviest zooms from canon). You'll be able to take that nice 70-200mm f2.8 IS USM lens w/ the extender and save you the trouble of carrying two lenses.

The extender is cheap enough that you might want to just purchase it and try some test shots before your trip... you just might be surprised. While you are at it, stack the x1.4 and x2 extenders, switch to full manual, mount on a tripod, and take a couple test shots to post here. I'd sure like to see some examples of those extenders stacked.

usayit · Feb 24, 2007

oh yeh.. forgot... I don't have any personal experience with it, but the "Bigma" Sigma 50-500mm zoom is also an option.

SaSi · Feb 25, 2007

Big Mike said:
What about the 300 F2.8? With the 1.4x teleconverter...it would be pretty long and still have auto focus.

That's my favorite lens. I don't have it yet, but am saving towards getting one.

At 300mm on a 1.6x crop body it is a nornal super-tele, very sharp and fast. With the 1.4x or 2x TC, it gets very very long, and both price wise and weight wise, a better option than the 600/4.

And most important: A lens praised by everyone, so should I have to, easy to sell.

I started more conventionally. Between the EF100-400 and Sigma 80-400/OS, I chose the Sigma because it was cheaper and reviews showed that it had similar optical quality. While the quality isn't bad, focus is an issue (not HSM not fast enough) and because it is an odd lens, I am not receiving much interest from potential buyers.