Budget minded wildlife lens for Canon 70d

[SinisterSpeed]

Thanks everyone so far, I thought the 120-400 might be a bad choice which is why I walked away from it when I did. Until I did some more research. At this time I'm not interested in any Prime lenses due to the range of the different animals. As I was saying at the beginning those are the far extremes but there will be opportunities closer as well. This is leaning me toward looking for a Sigma 50-500mm. I missed one yesterday for $483 on eBay. I stopped bidding until I had a chance to come here and learn more about the lenses and what all the other parts of the model numbers mean. I thought maybe there was something I was missing that caused the price to be what it was. Currently there is a *mint* one on eBay for $620 +shipping. Sounds pretty interesting.

However, I'm still reading up on the Tamron 150-600 and the Sigma 150-600 before settling on that one.

Thanks everyone for your expertise on the lenses it's helping dramatically narrow the scope of the search.

Don't get the Sigma 50-500 !! (or 150-500)

Primes are good but for the money ($500- $1000) the newer 150-600 Sigma and Tamron zooms are much better
and the older Canon 100-400 (V1) is still a good value

Awesome picture! if you can get that to freeze without motion blur I should be able to (someday) too. Once I figure out what all these damn buttons do . Thanks for the recommendation!, I'll look much harder tomorrow for one of those lenses and see what I can find, I did find a Tamron 150-600 here locally for $875. At least I think it was a 150-600 maybe it was a 150-500??? I'd have to check my note pad at the office to be sure. But at $875 I had decided already to keep looking since the scope of the search was still so wide open.

 

[SinisterSpeed]

Only had my camera a couple of days. Here is what I took last night. Trying to raise the shutter speed to get the little guys as they're moving around caused the image to get so dark I couldn't get it to brighten back up. I probably got my settings all messed up now. I switch it back to full auto took a few pics, then tried partial auto and played with a few of the settings again. This is one of the pics, I don't remember what setting I was using this time but I do know a can't wait to get into a camera class to get some basics ironed out.

 

[SinisterSpeed]

Thanks everyone so far, I thought the 120-400 might be a bad choice which is why I walked away from it when I did. Until I did some more research. At this time I'm not interested in any Prime lenses due to the range of the different animals. As I was saying at the beginning those are the far extremes but there will be opportunities closer as well. This is leaning me toward looking for a Sigma 50-500mm. I missed one yesterday for $483 on eBay. I stopped bidding until I had a chance to come here and learn more about the lenses and what all the other parts of the model numbers mean. I thought maybe there was something I was missing that caused the price to be what it was. Currently there is a *mint* one on eBay for $620 +shipping. Sounds pretty interesting.

However, I'm still reading up on the Tamron 150-600 and the Sigma 150-600 before settling on that one.

Thanks everyone for your expertise on the lenses it's helping dramatically narrow the scope of the search.

Don't get the Sigma 50-500 !! (or 150-500)

Primes are good but for the money ($500- $1000) the newer 150-600 Sigma and Tamron zooms are much better
and the older Canon 100-400 (V1) is still a good value

We'll it's a done deal, Thanks to beagle100 and a few others for their recommendations! I've got the Tamron 150-600mm on the way. Should be here in 4-7 days.

 

[JacaRanda]

Have fun. While you are waiting on the lens, get that manual out and watch some youtube videos so you have a good handle on things.

Canon：EOS 70D Master Shooting Guide | Select Shooting Style | Viewfinder Shooting

 

[Didereaux]

Hello everyone, looking for some advice from experts as well as other newbies that may have recently been in the same delema. Mainly anyone that might know what lens(es) I should be looking for in the used market.

I am planning a trip in about 18 days that this lens will be used on. So with just buying the 70d camera kit I've already recently shelled out 1200+ so a used lens is about as much as I can swallow in the near future.

I know as far as rifle scopes (I tried googling the conversion I know there really isn't one). I think what I'm trying to achieve is about equal to 12x magnification. I know how close a 10x brings things, it's really not enough. 14x seems a bit much but I'd like it on the tripod. 12x I can hold and see very clearly what I'm looking at. So if anyone knows what size mm lens that might equate to that would be great. I think from what I've been reading that loosely converts to about 600mm?

Budget: is around $500-ish.
Range: desired is around 500-800 yds
Subject: Deer, Fox, Coyote, Elk,
Hold: I can put it on a tripod for some shots. I'd rather be able to hand hold and use it more often.
Expected Motion: Some, usually feeding deer are most likely going to be the target.
Getting closer is not an option, many times there on private property and I'm on the side of the road.

So far I've been looking at these lenses have any pro/cons as to why one vs. the other. They're all used lenses as the prices dictate. I can't afford any of these lenses new at this time.

Sigma 120mm-400 ($475 local pawn shop)
Sigma 170-500mm F/5-6.3 APO ($275 local camera shop) - I think the price is because it's old and no IS.
Sigma 50-500mm (Ebay 5-600)
Sigma DG 150-500 mm F/5-6.3 APO HSM DG OS ($500-650)
Sigma 150-600mm C (Ebay around 5-$550)

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD (Ebay $700 local $875)

Canon 100-400L (750+) <- seems to be just a bit out of reach as far as price and not as much focal length as some of the 3rd party lenses.

Any better ideas?

If you can actually find a Sigma 150-600 C in that $5-600 range (evenmfr refurb) BUY IT! I own it as well as the Canon 100-400 L, Canon 70-200 L. we, the wife and I shoot a lot of birds and wildlife. That Sigma is a dammed good lens. Have used it on both the 6D, and the 7D. Holds focus on flyng birds. Before I bought one I tested one on R/C airplanes. With AI-servo on it nailed anything I was capable of holding in the frame.

 

[SinisterSpeed]

Hello everyone, looking for some advice from experts as well as other newbies that may have recently been in the same delema. Mainly anyone that might know what lens(es) I should be looking for in the used market.

I am planning a trip in about 18 days that this lens will be used on. So with just buying the 70d camera kit I've already recently shelled out 1200+ so a used lens is about as much as I can swallow in the near future.

I know as far as rifle scopes (I tried googling the conversion I know there really isn't one). I think what I'm trying to achieve is about equal to 12x magnification. I know how close a 10x brings things, it's really not enough. 14x seems a bit much but I'd like it on the tripod. 12x I can hold and see very clearly what I'm looking at. So if anyone knows what size mm lens that might equate to that would be great. I think from what I've been reading that loosely converts to about 600mm?

Budget: is around $500-ish.
Range: desired is around 500-800 yds
Subject: Deer, Fox, Coyote, Elk,
Hold: I can put it on a tripod for some shots. I'd rather be able to hand hold and use it more often.
Expected Motion: Some, usually feeding deer are most likely going to be the target.
Getting closer is not an option, many times there on private property and I'm on the side of the road.

So far I've been looking at these lenses have any pro/cons as to why one vs. the other. They're all used lenses as the prices dictate. I can't afford any of these lenses new at this time.

Sigma 120mm-400 ($475 local pawn shop)
Sigma 170-500mm F/5-6.3 APO ($275 local camera shop) - I think the price is because it's old and no IS.
Sigma 50-500mm (Ebay 5-600)
Sigma DG 150-500 mm F/5-6.3 APO HSM DG OS ($500-650)
Sigma 150-600mm C (Ebay around 5-$550)

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD (Ebay $700 local $875)

Canon 100-400L (750+) <- seems to be just a bit out of reach as far as price and not as much focal length as some of the 3rd party lenses.

Any better ideas?

If you can actually find a Sigma 150-600 C in that $5-600 range (evenmfr refurb) BUY IT! I own it as well as the Canon 100-400 L, Canon 70-200 L. we, the wife and I shoot a lot of birds and wildlife. That Sigma is a dammed good lens. Have used it on both the 6D, and the 7D. Holds focus on flyng birds. Before I bought one I tested one on R/C airplanes. With AI-servo on it nailed anything I was capable of holding in the frame.

I did close, I found the Tamron 150-600 "like new" for $727. So just a touch out of my budget. However, based on all the recommendations I think that extra might just be money well spent. It has VC so maybe the tripod will have to wait due to the extra spent on the lens. Nevertheless I look forward to getting my hands on it and trying it out before the trip!

 

[beagle100]

[/QUOTE]


If you can actually find a Sigma 150-600 C in that $5-600 range (evenmfr refurb) BUY IT! I own it as well as the Canon 100-400 L, Canon 70-200 L. we, the wife and I shoot a lot of birds and wildlife. That Sigma is a dammed good lens. Have used it on both the 6D, and the 7D. Holds focus on flyng birds. Before I bought one I tested one on R/C airplanes. With AI-servo on it nailed anything I was capable of holding in the frame.[/QUOTE]

I did close, I found the Tamron 150-600 "like new" for $727. So just a touch out of my budget. However, based on all the recommendations I think that extra might just be money well spent. It has VC so maybe the tripod will have to wait due to the extra spent on the lens. Nevertheless I look forward to getting my hands on it and trying it out before the trip![/QUOTE]

at that price the Tamron 150-600 is good value