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Canon Digital Rebel XT with 75-300mm lens - Who has used it?
augustmelody
Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 74 Big grins
This is my very first DSLR, and I wanted more than just the lens that it came with, so I got the 75-300mm lens. I show horses and I love shooting horse shows, so I needed something that could get me all the way across the arena. However, this is the ONLY lens that I'm familiar with, so I'm wondering just what I can get out of it. I've had no photography training, so I really don't know how to work with my equipment to it's full potential, or even what its full potential IS. Any advice? I would love to see some shots you've taken with the setup I have or something similar so I have something to work toward :ivar
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Start by reading the manual that came with the camera. From cover to cover.
Glass: Sigma 70-200 f2.8 | Sigma 20 f1.8 | Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 IS USM
I've read most of it, but much of it is so far above my head that I don't know where to look. I get the very basic stuff, but when you get into the details, I don't even know where to begin.
If you stay between 70-200mm and use f5.6-f8 at the wide end and f8-f11 at 200mm, it can produce very, very nice results. Around 300mm you also need f8-f11 and plan on some UnSharpMask (USM) to really punch the image up a bit. Try to shoot less complicated subjects beyond 200mm for best results.
In strong, contrasty light, you can get some very pleasing images from this lens, especially with the right subjects.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
spot on... you're really buying a 70-200 ~f/8 lens...
I agree with Ziggy. I had the USM II version of this lens going back to my film days and then with the 300D. What is interesting is on a 1.6x crop 200=320 so you should be OK.
On your response that most of this is so far above your head because it is your first DSLR, I would recommend reading Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure. It'll help you understand the relationship between Aperature (lens opening or f/ stop), shutter speed, and ISO (film speed). Yeah, there's no film but it still part of your camera settings.
Given what you are trying to shoot, you should also understand what flash can, and more importantly can not do, especially the little pop-up thing on the camera.
The reason I mention all this is because the flash on your camera will not be effective to shoot horses across an arena. And as bright as those lights may seem, they really aren't. So you are going to have to bump up your ISO, shoot with the aperature as wide as possible (see Ziggy's comment on the f/ stop needed), and maybe a slower shutter speed just to get a good exposure. And all that means you may need to use a monopod or tripod to get non-blurry images. YMMV but practice, practice, practice and you can get great shots with that camera/lens setup.
-Fleetwood Mac