T3i lens help

[maxclifton]

I have a T3i with a cheap lens for everyday shooting. I would like to find a lens that will take good pictures of my sons hockey games. I'm able to produce clear, crisp photos, but he is too small(far away) to be identified. My question is what kind of lens should I be looking for. I am a complete noob. The biggest concern for me is cost, as this is a hobby. Do any manufacturers offer discounts on lenses? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Max

 

[weepete]

What you are looking for is a telephoto lens, where the longer the lens the more magnification you will get. Just how big the lens needs to be will depend on how far away you are from your subject. If your budget is limited then the Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 IS USM might fit the bill and is probably one of the best consumer level telephoto lenses. Though it will not perform well in low light.

 

[AKUK]

As Weepete mentions, you need something with more pulling power to it. There are a multitude of lenses out there that would suit your needs but, budget is going to be a determining factor. For an all-rounder you could look at an 18-300mm. That will cover you from wide-angle group shouts, to telephoto and picking your son out in the crowd. Those tend to be more expensive and not as good optically as the 70-300mm lenses, which also tend to be a bit cheaper too.

Look at Canon, Sigma and Tamron's offerings. Compare them in terms of image quality on DXOMark. See which one gives the sharpest images at the longer end of the focal range, as that is most likely where you will be shooting the most. If the price is right, buy it. Whether you go for brand new, refurbished or second-hand is up to you. You can certainly save money by going with the latter two. Usually a refurb will have a few months warranty with it.

 

[beagle100]

I have a T3i with a cheap lens for everyday shooting. I would like to find a lens that will take good pictures of my sons hockey games. I'm able to produce clear, crisp photos, but he is too small(far away) to be identified. My question is what kind of lens should I be looking for. I am a complete noob. The biggest concern for me is cost, as this is a hobby. Do any manufacturers offer discounts on lenses? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Max

how much are you willing to spend? one of the 70-200 2.8 zoom telephoto lens is good but could cost $$

 

[Ido]

If the lens you've been using is the 18-55mm kit lens, the 55-250mm STM is probably the best option for you.

 

[KmH]

Note that using a lens with more 'reach', or magnification, substantially complicates making sure the camera is motionless during an exposure, compared to using a much shorter focal length lens.

All-around superzoom (10x+ zoom range) lenses have a multitude of image quality (IQ) issues at various points in the focal length range, often with the significant issues at the long end (most 'reach')of the range.

Shooting quality action sport photos puts extra demands on both the photographer and the camera gear.