Canon Telephoto Zoom Dilemma

[Dusty]

I currently have a Digital Canon EOS Rebel 300D with the kit lens that came with it, a Canon EFS 18 -55mm.

I would like to add a telephoto zoom lens in the range of 70 or 75 to 300mm.

My wish list says a Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS Image Stabilizer USM Auto focus Lens would be just about perfect but, my wallet does not agree. Nor does my wife. So,

I am currently looking at the following two lenses:

Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM Auto focus Lens

Tamron Zoom Telephoto AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro Auto focus Lens

Any comments or suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

[Digital Matt]

I also have a digital rebel and I have the Sigma 70-300mm APO Super Macro lens, and it performs quite well for the low price tag.

I took this shot with it.

FYI, I did find it cheaper than $209, although I can't remember where now. Some place online. I paid about $170.

 

[Sharkbait]

I shoot the 75-300 4-5.6 on my 300D and have gotten good results with it. It's not much of a low-light lens though...I'm in the process of looking for something faster right now. For a $200 starter lens though, it's pretty good.

 

[Dusty]

Thanks Digital Matt and Shark!!

It was a toss up between the Canon with the USM and the Tamron, but I ended up buying a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super Tele Zoom Lens.

I did find one store that sold the sigma for $168 but the feedback on that particular store was not very good. Ended up at $209 and should have it in two or three days.

My wife and I are planing a fall trip to the coast of Maine so it should prove to be very useful.

Shark, many years ago I shot a hockey game in New Haven Conn as part of a camera class I was taking. I found that most of my pictures were taken with my zoom out all of the way at 300mm. I suspect from that experience that a faster fixed 300mm might be the way to go.

 

[Sharkbait]

Thanks for the input Dusty! I agree, as much as I'd love a zoom, for the money savings, a fixed focal length might be the way to go. I don't have $1600 to drop on a lens right now for a zoom, but can find a fixed focal length for only a few hundred.

You'll have to let me know how that Sigma works out for you--that's basically the sigma version of the canon lens I have now.