Yes, another lens question from a newb....

Joemess

Hey folks,


Well, I am in the market for a new lens and really do not know where to begin other than reading a LOT of information on the web and in periodicals that truth be told, has created many more questions than they have solved. Since you guys did not steer me wrong on my last lens question I thought I would give it another go.

I shoot a Canon 30D mainly doing field work. (I am a botanist) My every day, walk around, has never failed me, and is a workhorse lens is a Canon 28-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS. I also have a 100mm 2.8 that I rarely get to use however when I want to get a specific detail it has come in handy in the past. I also shoot almost exclusively from a tripod. This is my "Kit".


Now, here is my question. I have a budget of $1450 to get a new lens. I want it to be at least 200mm. I also would like to stick with a quality brand such as a Canon or a comparable brand. ( I started with a quantaray POS and would like to avoid that little experience again.)

I would like to use it to still mainly focus on wildlife, but at a distance. I would like a prime, but for the most part they are out of my range. However i have found on B+H the following:



Canon Telephoto EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Autofocus Lens $1069

Canon Telephoto EF 300mm f/4.0L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens $1150

is there a fixed 200mm that would serve my needs?

now both of these are fixed focal length. Is this a better route compared with an adjustable zoom?


Anyway, thoughts, ideas, opinions, jokes and recipes welcome. If I can get a good quality lens for less than my initial budget that would be great. However I am limited due to grant rules to the 1450.


Andrew

http://joemess.smugmug.com



edited because I am a dufus at spelling....




http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12129-GREY/Canon_2526A004_400mm_f_5_6L_USM_Autofocus.html

3n-out

Canon 70-200 2.8 L Lens, no IS. You use a tripod. If you want more reach you can go with a 1.4X or 2.0X Extender. The canon 70-200L 2.8 is the best peice of glass you could ever want. That is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Nikolai

Andrew,
For your budget you can get used 70-200 /f2.8 IS USM. I would if I didn't have one already... They pop out quite often, both here and at FredMiranda...

Scott_Quier

There's the Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (import, link) at $1,379 or, slightly outside the budget, the same lens, USA version (link) at $1,510.

This is my next lens purchase!

ziggy53

In addition to the above:

The Canon EF 200mm, f2.8L II is a classic prime, well within your budget. (Less than $700 USD) Couple it with a 1.4x teleconverter and you have a nice, sharp, lightweight solution to many nature and wildlife situations.

The EF 70-200mm, f2.8L (without IS) is also well within your means. Again, a 1.4x teleconverter works well in the 100-200mm range, and gives you a bit more flexibility than the prime. (Less than $1200 USD)

The Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX DG HSM is a serious piece of glass that is often referenced for nature and wildlife photography. ($1000 USD) This is probably the lens I would recommend for the greatest outdoor versatility. It does require a fair amount of light to fuction effectively, and a tripod is definitely your friend.