Zoom or Telephoto lens?

[icy_se7en]

Im not sure which to get lol I may sound stupid but what is the difference? I was looking at the two lenses listed below and cant decide

NEW Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS 75-300 4960999214085 | eBay

NEW Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III ZOOM LENS 75-300mm | eBay

 

[prodigy2k7]

They are both the same exact lens by the looks. Zoom just means it changes focal length. Telephoto just means its a longer zoom like 300mm as opposed to like 50mm.

 

[icy_se7en]

They are both the same exact lens by the looks. Zoom just means it changes focal length. Telephoto just means its a longer zoom like 300mm as opposed to like 50mm.

Thats what I was thinking but one is USM Telephoto and the other is just Zoom. So I should go for the telephoto?

 

[SCraig]

They are BOTH telephoto lenses and they are BOTH zoom lenses. In other words they are both telephoto zoom lenses.

 

[Rob99]

It's just wording in the ad, they are the same lens except one is USM and the other is not.

 

[icy_se7en]

It's just wording in the ad, they are the same lens except one is USM and the other is not.

I think i'll go with the USM model when I sell my old camera to pay for it

 

[Tsy72001]

Get the usm with is, I love that lens.

 

[icy_se7en]

Get the usm with is, I love that lens.

Yea I had my heart set on that one, gotta wait for someone to buy my Panasonic G1 first for the money though

 

[fjrabon]

as others have said, the only difference is the USM. USM is just a better, quieter, faster focus motor I believe. That would be the only difference.

 

[TheBiles]

I wouldn't recommend that lens at all. Horrible image quality, slow, and not having IS with a long, slow lens is a nightmare. Just my two cents.

 

[jjdig]

I wouldn't recommend that lens at all. Horrible image quality, slow, and not having IS with a long, slow lens is a nightmare. Just my two cents.

IS is great but if you use the lens correctly (i.e. fast enough shutter speed and/or a monopod or tripod) you can use the lens effectively.

 

[TheBiles]

I wouldn't recommend that lens at all. Horrible image quality, slow, and not having IS with a long, slow lens is a nightmare. Just my two cents.

IS is great but if you use the lens correctly (i.e. fast enough shutter speed and/or a monopod or tripod) you can use the lens effectively.

Yes, but that pretty much limits you to bright sunny days when shooting at 300mm (especially on a crop body). You're going to need 1/500s shutter speeds at f/5.6 without a tripod.

 

[jrizal]

There will always be better lenses out there. And when you get one, there will be another one coming out. So it's a never ending series. An L series lens is ideal but if you've a limited budget and coming from the standard 18-55mm, these will suit you fine.

 

[TheBiles]

There will always be better lenses out there. And when you get one, there will be another one coming out. So it's a never ending series. An L series lens is ideal but if you've a limited budget and coming from the standard 18-55mm, these will suit you fine.

You will waste a lot more money making every incremental upgrade because you are too cheap to save up than you will just biting the bullet the first time. I'd recommend the 70-200 f/4L as a base telephoto lens. But hey, that's just me.

 

[Brandon Hill]

There will always be better lenses out there. And when you get one, there will be another one coming out. So it's a never ending series. An L series lens is ideal but if you've a limited budget and coming from the standard 18-55mm, these will suit you fine.

You will waste a lot more money making every incremental upgrade because you are too cheap to save up than you will just biting the bullet the first time. I'd recommend the 70-200 f/4L as a base telephoto lens. But hey, that's just me.

I second that. Or get a prime and use nothing else for a long time.