Zoom or Telephoto lens?

[Overread]

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.

True, but if you're shooting sports/wildlife or any significantly moving subject then you'll still need the 1/500sec shutter speed to stop the subjects motion. A tripod or monopod can also go a very long way to helping give a stable shot with a long lens.


Whilst I agree that you'll save more money long term if you buy the top end product sooner, sometimes one has to factor in other elements. For example most people starting out don't have the money nor the drive to really want to spend several £100 to several £1000 on lenses. Yeah long term they might move up the market, but when starting out they don't know that they'll find enough interest to warrant spending the vast sums.

Then there is also time - mostly anyone in a stable environment can save for even the big £10K lenses - however if its going to take them years to do so I'd argue that - yeah they can save money by buying only once, but it would be far more sensible to buy something cheaper to use whilst saving for the more expensive option (and of course this time delay to afford something will be different for each person as will the necessity for them to buy cheaper to tide them over - if its just a few weeks most would wait - if its years most would get something for the now).

 

[liquidxt]

Another thought to is there are places that rent lenses, yes you will be spending money on essentially nothing, but it would be better to try the lens and know you like it vs buying it and wishing you wouldn't have. I definitely recommend going for the IS lens. I have seen it recommended many times over, while the other lenses I have seen people always say to stay away from.