Canon lens question/help with purchase
Deputydawg
Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
I received my trade in allowance from Amazon and I sold my old duty weapon on the same day!! so I have my money for my two new lenses burning a hole in my pocket. lol
We had spoken about using my 70-200 f4 with an extender as an option for my wildlife lens but I did spend a lot of time at the long end of my old Sigma 150-500 for bird and action shots. Living in the heart of the Everglades, I am often stuck on the boardwalks and have to reach to get to my subjects.. I have pretty much decided on the 100-400L lens for that.. coupled with a 1.4 extender... (Down the road) so I don't loose my auto focus.
My problem is this..
since I am starting to set up a cards and prints side business, and larger prints may be required 13x19 or a little larger at times depending on the customers choice with the printer,... will I or a future customer really see a huge difference in the quality between the Sigma and Canon 17-55 2.8 lenses.. The reviews comparisons are all over the place between the two but the Canon usually comes out ahead. The Sigma is pretty close but at half the cost. It also seems kinda of gamble if you get a good copy of the sigma lens where the canon seems to have better Quality Control.
I can go new on both the 100-400 and sigma if go that route or I have to go used on both if I stay with the canon brand. I am stuck to Amazon for one of the purchases since that is where I have the bulk of my trade credit money.. 950.00 I have a concern going used on amazon since its private sellers most of the time where as B&H, Adoroma, and on here I know the product is represented accurately by professionals or above grade hobbyist .
thanks for hearing me ramble and you advise is appreciated!
Another option is going with the 400 prime.. its a little cheaper but I am not sure if I will miss not having the ability to zoom the shot for better framing the picture if something is flying past..
We had spoken about using my 70-200 f4 with an extender as an option for my wildlife lens but I did spend a lot of time at the long end of my old Sigma 150-500 for bird and action shots. Living in the heart of the Everglades, I am often stuck on the boardwalks and have to reach to get to my subjects.. I have pretty much decided on the 100-400L lens for that.. coupled with a 1.4 extender... (Down the road) so I don't loose my auto focus.
My problem is this..
since I am starting to set up a cards and prints side business, and larger prints may be required 13x19 or a little larger at times depending on the customers choice with the printer,... will I or a future customer really see a huge difference in the quality between the Sigma and Canon 17-55 2.8 lenses.. The reviews comparisons are all over the place between the two but the Canon usually comes out ahead. The Sigma is pretty close but at half the cost. It also seems kinda of gamble if you get a good copy of the sigma lens where the canon seems to have better Quality Control.
I can go new on both the 100-400 and sigma if go that route or I have to go used on both if I stay with the canon brand. I am stuck to Amazon for one of the purchases since that is where I have the bulk of my trade credit money.. 950.00 I have a concern going used on amazon since its private sellers most of the time where as B&H, Adoroma, and on here I know the product is represented accurately by professionals or above grade hobbyist .
thanks for hearing me ramble and you advise is appreciated!
Another option is going with the 400 prime.. its a little cheaper but I am not sure if I will miss not having the ability to zoom the shot for better framing the picture if something is flying past..
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Comments
In short, it would be hard to improve on this lens.
In large prints, and depending upon the subject matter and post-processing, yes, you could see a difference between the Canon EF-S 17-55mm, f2.8 IS USM and other standard/normal zoom lenses.
It is one lens that I would sorely miss and surely replace, if anything happened to it.
The Canon EF 100-400mm, f/4.5-5.6L IS USM is a very nice lens, and it will accept a Canon 1.4x teleconverter. You do lose autofocus using a 100-400mmL+teleconverter unless you have one of the Canon bodies which support AF @ f8. You also lose some critical image sharpness, but the trade for length may be worthwhile.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=113&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=10&API=2&LensComp=683&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=5&APIComp=0
Yes, the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM is a bit better image quality IMO but, the 100-400mmL has zoom flexibility plus a very usable IS, making the 100-400mmL much more versatile.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=278&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=113&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=7&APIComp=0
My own outdoor lens strategy (for Canon 1.6x crop body) is:
Travel:
Sigma 10-20mm, f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Canon EF-S 17-55mm, f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF 70-200mm, f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm, f/1.4 USM
Canon 1.4x teleconverter (adding a 2x if required)
Close focus adapter, 3.3 diopter, to fit the 50mm, f/1.4, gives about 1/2 lifesize.
Extended hiking:
Parts of the above kit, depending on the anticipated scenes, plus a Tamron 500mm, f8 SP (55BB) (catadioptric, aka "cat" mirror lens)(21.0 oz. (595g))
Nature/wildlife:
Parts of the above kit, plus a Sigma 50-500mm, f4.5-6.3 DG HSM APO "Bigma", generally coupled to a Canon 5D Mark II FF body. (I was never really happy with the Bigma on a Canon crop body, but it's much better on the 5D MKII.)(4.1 lb (1.8 kg))
Note: I'm not recommending the Bigma over the Canon 100-400mmL, it's just what I have. I don't do much nature/wildlife.
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So my kit is now a Canon 60d, 17-55mm 2.8 IS, 60mm prime 2.8, 70-200mm F4 IS, 100-400 F 4.5-5.6 IS and a Speed light 430ex.
Next purchases will be the Sigma 10-20 wide angle lens, a good powerful macro lens, and another 430 Speed light to give me a total of two for off camera use, and I think that should about do it...Ahh....I think I better kiss up to the Misses for awhile 1st or I might have to add a new place to live to that list !! lol Photography is such a slippery slope...
Fantastic!
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nice addition to the kit
Virtually all true macro lenses are the same "power," if by that you mean maximum magnification. They are almost all 1:1 at minimum working distance. The exceptions I know of are the canon 'compact 50', which goes only to 1:2, and the Canon MP-E 65, a specialty lens that does 1:1 - 5:1. The 1:1 lenses differ in other respects, e.g., internally/externally focusing, full-time manual focusing, hybrid IS (Canon L vs. everything else, AFAIK), and of course focal length. Focal length is important in terms of background blur, reach, and minimum working distance.
Yes, I believe that only the Canon "1" series professional bodies, plus the 5D MKIII with the latest firmware update, will properly autofocus at f8.
That combination, EF 100-400mm, f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 1.4x teleconverter, should manually focus with focus confirmation on most Canon bodies. I think that you can also tape some of the teleconverter contacts to "trick" the camera, which works for some folks (but I don't recommend it, unless you are desperate).
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