Inexpensive yet reasonable way to gain more length?

[jrasche2003]

I know that I am probably going to get ripped to shreds for asking this, but I hope you pro's will be gentle as I am a noob.

So I have the Canon EFS55-250 for my Canon 300D. If I would like to get a little more magnification... what would be the best economic way to do it that would give me decent results? Of course like most, I am on a budget, but want the most I can get without having to sell my home. I see extension tubes, close up filters, snap on filters.. and my head is spinning!! It's like this, I like that bunny rabbit I have in my view finder, but if I could just get him a little closer to me... lol

 

[manaheim]

What is your budget? What do you think you need for length? (what are you shooting? guests at parties from across the room? or birds?)

I mean, basically... it's really pretty simple.

In photography gear you get what you pay for. $100 will get you a lens that works, $2000 will get you a lens of the same focal length that works extremely well. You have to decide what you can afford, then decide roughly what focal length you are looking for, and then find the cross-point of those two requirements and buy that.

 

[Derrel]

CROP in at the computer. It works pretty well.

 

[manaheim]

CROP in at the computer. It works pretty well.

My brother in law once called me up allllllllllllllllll excited because the D3 he was using had this awesome crop mode that "increased the zoom!" I was like "uhhhh... dude, that cuts you down to 5MP." He argued with me about it, so I sent him a link to the page in the D3 manual.

Yeah.

A D3 no less.

 

[Derrel]

The OP asked about getting a little more magnification...cropping will actually do that...it has been done for well over 150 years...still works.

 

[KmH]

The good news is:

To extend the reach of a lens they make tele-converters or TC's that go between the camera and a lens.

TC's come in 1.4x, 1.7x and 2x. A 1.4x TC would make your lens 77 mm - 350 mm, and a 2x TC would make it a 110 mm - 500 mm.

Now for the bad news:

Not all lenses can be used with a TC, because with some lenses the rear lens element extends to far behind the mount and prevents the lens from mating to the TC.

TC's also affect the effective lens aperture. 1.4x TC reduce the effective aperture by 1 stop, and a 2x TC reduces the effective lens aperture by 2 stops.

Your EFS 55-250 is f/4-5.6. With a 1.4x TC that effectively becomes f/5.6-8 and with a 2x TC it becomes f/8-11.

The auto focus system in your 300D is only designed to work at or below f/5.6.
So that lens coupled with even just a 1.4x TC would essentially be a manual focus only lens.

 

[manaheim]

The OP asked about getting a little more magnification...cropping will actually do that...it has been done for well over 150 years...still works.

Yes, I know but the resolution side-effect of cropping analog film is WAY less significant than that of cropping a digital image of any "normal" number of megapixels.

 

[jrasche2003]

Yeah.. I am looking to shoot birds of course.. and make them bigger/closer. And my budget is about that 100 dollar range right now. And with the 300D being 6mp, I think if I crop one time, I lose alot. Hmph. It kind of sucks to have a vision bigger than your budget. That's when you have to say, it's all I can do.. but.. it's hard to say that.. lol

 

[TATTRAT]

extension tubes and the like are more geared towards MACRO. . . as mentioned above, a tele-converter might be your best bet for the time being.

Do you have a shop in your area that does rentals? If not, there are loads of online resources that rent glass. Find a model/range you like and start saving.

Of course, as Derrel mentioned, you can always crop, you just have to make sure your image is correct on the camera first or anything you "zoom" into, will just be enhanced.

Check your local CL, see if anyone is offering a lens that is more to your desired range, willing to trade, or trade + $$. There's more than one way to skin a cat, or shoot a bird.

 

[nycphotography]

About the only way you're gonna get closer to the birds for $100 is a 9' step ladder.

Unfortunate, but true.

 

[jrasche2003]

I had absolutely no idea that you could even rent photo equipment?! 8)

Ok.. so I have to live with what I can do with birds. Ok.. I will start to deal with that.

I think I am chomping at the bit because I just got this camera after many years of having nothing, and with it being winter, I am lost for ideas on what to try to shoot! I love close up photos, but there are no big bugs right now, and I don't have a set up to even go after the spiders in the house..... LOL

Right now what I have set up is an artificial blind set from the window in my house. I can tolerate opening the window for a little amount of time to take photos (removed the screen, and lifting the storm up). But it still remains to be seen if I will see a bird. I bought some better food today in hopes of attracting a better variety. But the photo here shows you the largest I will get for where I am sitting. That is going to have to be good enough I fear. LOL


This is a branch that I see them land on alot. I realize there is nothing there to look at.. haha

 

[nycphotography]

If you can get them to hang out on that branch, you might do ok. At least you'lll have something to work on all winter. Here birdy birdy birdy. Here birdy birdy birdy. ;-)

 

[TATTRAT]

If you can get them to hang out on that branch, you might do ok. At least you'lll have something to work on all winter. Here birdy birdy birdy. Here birdy birdy birdy. ;-)

Line the branches with breadcrumbs prior to shooting? I need to invent some bird spray. . . hunters have it for other animals, lol.

 

[Josh66]

Not all lenses can be used with a TC, because with some lenses the rear lens element extends to far behind the mount and prevents the lens from mating to the TC.

TC's also affect the effective lens aperture. 1.4x TC reduce the effective aperture by 1 stop, and a 2x TC reduces the effective lens aperture by 2 stops.

Your EFS 55-250 is f/4-5.6. With a 1.4x TC that effectively becomes f/5.6-8 and with a 2x TC it becomes f/8-11.

The auto focus system in your 300D is only designed to work at or below f/5.6.
So that lens coupled with even just a 1.4x TC would essentially be a manual focus only lens.

That is assuming that the two can actually physically mate together - I'm pretty sure they can't.

I'm sure there's an exception or two, but the (white) TC's usually only fit on white lenses.


IMO, after 300mm, there are no low budget options left.

 

[jrasche2003]

If you can get them to hang out on that branch, you might do ok. At least you'lll have something to work on all winter. Here birdy birdy birdy. Here birdy birdy birdy. ;-)

Line the branches with breadcrumbs prior to shooting? I need to invent some bird spray. . . hunters have it for other animals, lol.

Hahaha! I am definitely going to have to get creative at my endeavor, there was one Sparrow that was on to me today.. He would land on the branch, and carefully I would move in for the kill, then he would drop down to the ground to feed, and if I would start to slowly move that lens, he would look up at me with that little birdy eye, and fly away! I am sure it was my head he saw.. I don't think the camera bothers them at all.. hmmm... that doesn't make me feel so good...