# Telephoto Lens Recommendation



## mep916

My wife owns a Canon Rebel Xti 400D digital camera. For Christmas, I'd like to get her a nice telephoto lens. I don't want to spend more than $500, although I'd be willing if the price was truly worth it. I guess I'm looking for the best lens for a good value. She's basically an amateur photographer, so I don't think she'll need anything highly advanced. 

Thanks.


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## jimmymac

canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM

Had this lens for my 400D for nearly a year now and its been fantastiv, hopefully you can find it for the right price


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## mep916

Thanks Jimmy.

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-70-300mm-4-5-6-Lens-Cameras/dp/B0007Y794O

^ That one? Does that seem like a fair price?


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## jimmymac

aye decent price that I think (cant say for sure as teh exchange rate is all over the place). I think someone else here has the same lens so they should confirm how good it is. One of the key things for me is the image stabiliser (IS), when your using the lens towards the extent of its zoom without a tripod its very difficult to keep your hand steady enough to get a sharp picture. The image stabiliser compensates for it and keeps it rock steady


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## mep916

Okay, I'll shop around on that one and see what others have to say. I don't know anything about this technology...

And would you recommend this as well?

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-65B-70-300mm-4-5-5-6-Lenses/dp/B0007MXVH0/ref=pd_bxgy_p_img_b

Or something like that...maybe something better?


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## mep916

Bump for more input.


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## jimmymac

would have thought there would be a bit more help on this one, theres enough camera buffs on here, come on folks!

As for the Lens hood, cant say I have bothered with one myself as of yet, not enough sun and such to worry about in this country


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## mep916

jimmymac said:


> would have thought there would be a bit more help on this one, theres enough camera buffs on here, come on folks!



I've sent a few threatening PMs to a couple members. 



jimmymac said:


> As for the Lens hood, cant say I have bothered with one myself as of yet, not enough sun and such to worry about in this country



Right, so the lens hood protects the lens from sunlight? If so, then I may get her one since it can get very bright here in California, especially during the summer time.


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## tidyboy21

I know this may be way over your budget, but may be worth looking around for a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8. It's a great lens, f2.8 all the way through the zoom so great for low light conditions. Image quality is far better than any 70-300mm.

I think that vroom skies has one, may be worth asking him what he thinks of it.


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## vroom_skies

Going along with tidyboy, glass is not where you want to skimp. 
Is your wife serious about photography or does she just like to shoot for fun and what not? If she is quite serious I would really encourage you to look at the Sigma 70-200 2.8, however it is 800, but that's its only downside imo. Tidyboy is right, I do own the lens and its been awesome so far.

Also, you stated you want a telephoto lens, are we talking about a 70-300 (if so, jimmy's link looks like the best) or more along the lines of a mid range telephoto?

Either way I would recommend the Sigma 70-200, if she plans on being in the hobby awhile, it always pays to have good glass.

Hope that helps,
Bob


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> Is your wife serious about photography or does she just like to shoot for fun and what not?



She does it more for fun...she's definitely not a professional, but she wants to take the best shots possible, and she feels that her current hardware is her biggest limitation. 



vroom_skies said:


> Also, you stated you want a telephoto lens, are we talking about a 70-300 (if so, jimmy's link looks like the best) or more along the lines of a mid range telephoto?



Right, I was thinking mid-range, although the Sigma is only $300 more than the Canon Jimmy recommended, so it sounds like it may be worth the additional cost. After all, if she takes care of it, she probably wouldn't need another telephoto lens, so it would be a one-time cost, I'm guessing. Understand that I have absolutely no clue about this type of lens accept that I believe it allows you to take long distance shots. 



vroom_skies said:


> Either way I would recommend the Sigma 70-200, if she plans on being in the hobby awhile, it always pays to have good glass.
> 
> Hope that helps,
> Bob



Thanks man. I appreciate it.


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## scooter

I just got a Sigma 120-400mm telephoto for my Canon 40D...fabulous lens'. It's a bit more then your preferred budget but at $899.99 Canadian its a great deal.

It's the first Sigma lens I've ever purchased as I'm a purist when it comes to Canon glass but, its slick..very very nice.


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## mep916

scooter said:


> I just got a Sigma 120-400mm telephoto for my Canon 40D



I'll check that out too.


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## scooter

mep916 said:


> I'll check that out too.



Yeah, its nice..especially for us people with 1.6 cropped sensor cameras..

its like 640mm


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## mep916

scooter said:


> Yeah, its nice..especially for us people with 1.6 cropped sensor cameras..
> 
> its like 640mm



lol. I don't know what any of that means, but it sounds good. 

Is this the Sigma that Bob and tidyboy recommended? 

Scooter, is this the lens you recommended? 

If I've got the wrong items, it would help to get some US links with the entire model name and number. Thanks a lot guys.


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## scooter

that one for the 70-200 is for a nikon but yeh...same deal..f2.8 u just want canon mount.

and yeh...thats the one i recommended.


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## vroom_skies

mep916 said:


> She does it more for fun...she's definitely not a professional, but she wants to take the best shots possible, and she feels that her current hardware is her biggest limitation.
> 
> Right, I was thinking mid-range, although the Sigma is only $300 more than the Canon Jimmy recommended, so it sounds like it may be worth the additional cost. After all, if she takes care of it, she probably wouldn't need another telephoto lens, so it would be a one-time cost, I'm guessing. Understand that I have absolutely no clue about this type of lens accept that I believe it allows you to take long distance shots.
> 
> Thanks man. I appreciate it.



Lets see,
Well if that is the case I would probably lean with Scooter and recommend the Sigma 120-400. It's not as fast and has a slight degrade in IQ, I would assume, but it sounds like a great fit for you wife.
The only thing that worries me is the sheer size and weight of them. The 70-200 is 3 pounds and the 120-400 is almost 4 pounds. That's quite a lot of weight to be carrying around. do you think your wife would be up to it?

Here are the links on B&H:
Sigma 70-200 2.8:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533555-REG/Sigma_579_101_70_200mm_f_2_8_II_EX.html#accessories

Sigma 120-400:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549247-REG/Sigma_728101_120_400mm_f_4_5_5_6_DG_OS.html

Whats odd is that I thought the 70-200 from Sigma was stabilized, it doesn't look like the one B&H offers is though. When dealing with lenses of this length a IS or OS lens comes in extremely handy.


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## mep916

scooter said:


> that one for the 70-200 is for a nikon but yeh...same deal..f2.8 u just want canon mount.



Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX = $701.95 after Live Cashback

Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6  = $755.63 after Live Cashback

Not much of a difference in price...

Okay, Bob. I found them a little cheaper elsewhere, but thanks for the links. I think I'm on the right track. If you guys think the 120-400mm would be better, I'll probably go that route, although I need to get an idea of the weight issue with my wife. I'll have to somehow strike up a photography conversation and ease her into giving me some answers. 

The links above, those are correct, right. The links I've provided?


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## vroom_skies

Yup they look like the right ones.

FWIW- You need to be comfy using the equipment. I would really hate for your wife to get a great lens and then not want to use it do to the weight.


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> FWIW- You need to be comfy using the equipment. I would really hate for your wife to get a great lens and then not want to use it do to the weight.



Yeah, I agree. That's a good point. I'll try to talk to her about it without giving anything away. One last thing...

Can you recommend a good lens hood? Is there anything else you think she would need? She has a tripod already.


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## scooter

mep916 said:


> Yeah, I agree. That's a good point. I'll try to talk to her about it without giving anything away. One last thing...
> 
> Can you recommend a good lens hood? Is there anything else you think she would need? She has a tripod already.



Well, what lens' does she currently have.?

I have 9 lens' and can recommend a variety of them depending on what she might like to shoot.


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## mep916

scooter said:


> Well, what lens' does she currently have.?
> 
> I have 9 lens' and can recommend a variety of them depending on what she might like to shoot.



Well, I'm thinking of a hood for the lens you recommended. If I get that lens, I want to get a hood for it as well. She likes to shoot landscapes, animals, people...


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## scooter

mep916 said:


> Well, I'm thinking of a hood for the lens you recommended. If I get that lens, I want to get a hood for it as well. She likes to shoot landscapes, animals, people...



You want a 77mm hood.


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## mep916

scooter said:


> You want a 77mm hood.



Any 77mm hood, or is there a brand or something that is better? Does the hood need to be compatible with that particular lens, or are they universal?


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## Ramodkk

What does the hood do?


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## vroom_skies

The Sigma 120-400 should come with a hood, afaik all Sigma lenses come with hoods.
At least they have it listed (Lens hood LH 830-01), maybe Amazon stripped it, but I doubt that:
http://sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3347&navigator=3

Ramodkk: A hood protects the lens and also blocks unwanted rays of light.


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## mep916

Okay great. Again, thanks a lot everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I've sent DCIScouts a PM, so I'll wait to hear if he has any additional comments, and I'd also like to get a better idea of exactly what my wife is looking for, especially the weight issue.


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## scooter

vroom_skies said:


> The Sigma 120-400 should come with a hood, afaik all Sigma lenses come with hoods.
> At least they have it listed (Lens hood LH 830-01), maybe Amazon stripped it, but I doubt that:
> http://sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3347&navigator=3
> 
> Ramodkk: A hood protects the lens and also blocks unwanted rays of light.



Okay that may be true...I got mine from a store used so I musta lost out on the hood...oh well..I dont use them anyhow.


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## vroom_skies

scooter said:


> Okay that may be true...I got mine from a store used so I musta lost out on the hood...oh well..I dont use them anyhow.



Really? 
I'm always using a hood. Any reason why you don't use them?


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## scooter

vroom_skies said:


> Really?
> I'm always using a hood. Any reason why you don't use them?



I dunno, I've never really liked them..I typically just get a good quality uv filter or something like that and I've been like that for ages./


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## Geoff

jimmymac said:


> canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM
> 
> Had this lens for my 400D for nearly a year now and its been fantastiv, hopefully you can find it for the right price


I have that same exact one, excellent lens!


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## mep916

My wife was discussing a photography contest with me - a MySpace contest - so I asked her about the lens weight issue. She seems to believe that a heavy lens wouldn't be a problem, so I'm gonna eliminate that as a negative, or deciding factor. 

The "F" value of the lens determines the distance that the lens can reach. Is that correct? So, if she wanted to take an up close shot of, say, a flower, a lens with a lower "F" value would be better. For a long distance shot, a higher F value is what you would want. Is that right?


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## vroom_skies

mep916 said:


> My wife was discussing a photography contest with me - a MySpace contest - so I asked her about the lens weight issue. She seems to believe that a heavy lens wouldn't be a problem, so I'm gonna eliminate that as a negative, or deciding factor.
> 
> The "F" value of the lens determines the distance that the lens can reach. Is that correct? So, if she wanted to take an up close shot of, say, a flower, a lens with a lower "F" value would be better. For a long distance shot, a higher F value is what you would want. Is that right?



That's great to hear.
The F# or aperture setting is one function that determines the amount of light coming into the camera, as well as controlling the depth of field (DOF).

So the lower the F#, the better the lens is for low light shooting. So the Sigma 70-200 2.8 would be the best in that regard. However it doesn't have the extended reach of the Sigma 120-400. If it was up to me, I would say she would benefit more from the 120-400 for the sheer versatility of it, but your starting at 120mm, so you are missing the lower focal length with can be annoying.


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> However it doesn't have the extended reach of the Sigma 120-400. If it was up to me, I would say she would benefit more from the 120-400 for the sheer versatility of it, but your starting at 120mm, so you are missing the lower focal length with can be annoying.



Okay, I think I see what you're saying. So, if I got the 120mm lens, she'd begin at 120mm, so, in some situations, that would make real up-close shots difficult? She'd easily be able to take long distance shots, but not as easily with shots where you really need to zoom in? Sorry, you'll have to forgive my ignorance here.


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## vroom_skies

Ha no problem man,

I'll just steal a link from google:
http://www.digitalartform.com/archives/2004/12/telephoto_and_w.html

Yup, the lens starts at 120mm, so she wont get anything below that. 
See if this helps (pretend A-H is a physical distance, say 100 feet across):
A...B...C...D...E...F...G...H

With a lens in the wider focal lengths (lets take 18mm) you'll be able to fit all of A through H in the frame, however with a lens that starts at 120mm, you'll be lucky to fit just one or two letters in the frame. This is with standing at the same vantage point.

I really have no idea why I laid it out like that, just some weird urge. That's why I included the google link, to put pictures to ideas.

Hope that helped,
Bob

BTW- The minimal focal distance for the Sigma 120-400 is 4.9' (1.5 m).


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## mep916

Many thanks, Bob. I do understand what you're saying, I think. I'll read through the link you provided, and post back with more questions, if necessary.


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## vroom_skies

Ha, sounds good. I'm going to call it a night here, so I'll be here to help in the morning if no one beats me to it.


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## mep916

Thanks brotha


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## logies

my suggestion is if you want a lens that you don't care much about...theres always Ebay!


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## mep916

I'm about to pull the trigger on the Sigma.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sigma-120-400mm...14&_trkparms=72:1199|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

At ebay, I can get $200 (25%) cash back with this Live Cashback promotion from Microsoft.


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## vroom_skies

Awesome, let us know how it goes


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## cudenver

> At ebay, I can get $200 (25%) cash back with this Live Cashback promotion from Microsoft.



Can someone explain to me how that cash back thing works, 
thanks


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## mep916

cudenver said:


> Can someone explain to me how that cash back thing works,
> thanks



Go to www.live.com. Search for "PS3." You should see a banner above the search results that advertises up to 25% cash back at ebay. 

Gotta have two things: 

A Live/MSN/Hotmail related account and a PayPal account.

Also take a look at this


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## logies

Canon Rebel Xti 400D is very good digital camera. Ok I might check that out. Thanks,


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## vroom_skies

You receive the lens yet man?
If not I'd expect any day now.


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> You receive the lens yet man?
> If not I'd expect any day now.



Monday! I'll post pics of everything in this thread. Thanks again man. I think she'll really like it.


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## vroom_skies

I can't image the lens would be over a week late, right?


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> I can't image the lens would be over a week late, right?



It came on time. My wife was home when the package was delivered, so I quickly opened to make sure everything was there and wrapped it up. Didn't have time to take any pics, but man, that thing is HUGE. I now understand why you were concerned about the weight. She assured me it wouldn't be a problem, so I'm gonna hold her to that statement.


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## vroom_skies

Glad to hear that's the case.
I'm sure that lens is a doozy, make sure to tell us your wifes reaction when she see it and then when she picks it up lol.


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## vroom_skies

Does she like it, or does she love it?


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## mep916

vroom_skies said:


> Does she like it, or does she love it?



Loves it. She suspected that I was getting her a telephoto lens because of our conversations, but she had no idea I would get her this Sigma model. It was the perfect gift.


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## mep916

She took some pics with the lens yesterday.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=234175233

The first eight pics were with the lens.


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## vroom_skies

Nice
Tell her congrats on the new lens and that she seems to be putting it to great use.


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## cudenver

Tell your wife she has some great photographs there
She really captures the mood, 
I hope she has years of enjoyment with her new lense

Brett


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