Just starting..need some help with lenses

[therustytracks]

Ok so for the past few months I've been using my girlfriend's cameras. She has a canon rebel xt and an eos 40d. I've decided to buy a canon eos 30d because I absolutely love the 40d but can't afford it. I'm really getting into wildlife and nature photography. I've been using a canon ef 28-135mm is usm lens that came with her camera. It's working great, except for the fact that I have to be within 20 to 30 feet of my subjects in order to get a good shot. Which is really hard with wildlife considering most animals are instinctively afraid of humans. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what lenses I should look at that would help with this problem. I've been looking at telephoto lenses but they're in the $1000 range and I don't have that kinda cash right now. Is there a decent lens for this application in the mid priced range like $300-550? Would they be worth it?

[BBPhoto]

In that price range your best bet would probably be the Canon 70-300 IS USM. There are 3rd party offerings in this focal range that you can check out it you want to save a few dollars but seeing that it fits the budget, this lens would be the one to check out. The regular price is 549$ but you can get some excellent used ones for around 450$
.

The lens would definitely be worth it for a wildlife enthusiast. Most serious wildlife shooters would go longer but longer comes at a much greater cost for the most part. You'll find many people who use the 70-300 as their primary wildlife lens and get along fine with it. Most people would consider the 100 - 400L the ultimate walk-around wildlife zoom but that would cost you around 1150$ for a good used copy. If you wanted to go that route later on, your 70 - 300 IS would still have a pretty good resale value.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. Good luck with the decision and let us know how it goes.

[TheWengler]

I would recommend the same thing. You should just offer your gf a nice dinner in exchange for her XT. Or maybe try to win it in an arm wrestling match. Then you'll have more money for a telephoto lens.

[therustytracks]

thanx guys. I was looking at the cannon 70-300mm is usm on amazon and on ebay. The reviews all over the internet were mixed but it's like that with pretty much anything. Everyone thinks they're an expert. It seems like a solid lens and it will probably be my next purchase.

What about a 1.4x teleconverter? to my understanding it reduces the amount of light entering the sensor but increases the range of the 300mm to 420mm. Would this cause any problems in overcast conditions or sunrise and sunset?

Can anyone suggest a good tripod at a decent price?

[therustytracks]

http://www.expresscameras.com/prodetails.asp?prodid=439646

i found that lens for $399.99.

[TheWengler]

make sure you buy from a reliable seller. trying to save a buck can turn into a nightmare. i'm not saying the sellers you linked were bad (i actually have no idea). just a warning.

i believe if you use a 1.4x teleconverter it will cost you one stop and will reduce the quality of the image produced. if you use it on a slower lens then i believe it can have a negative affect on auto focus as well.

[therustytracks]

thanx. I'll definitely look into that before I drop $400 on it.

[coldrain]

You can not really use an 1.4x TC on it, since you will lose AF. Only on very contrasty subjects in very clear weather you will still get it to AF... the reason being that the cropping the TC does will mean less light to the AF sensors.

The 70-300 IS USM (not the different "DO" version) is a very sharp lens still at 300mm, which makes it special among the 70/75-300 breed.

The Tokina 80-400 and Sigma 135-400 are the only options to get a longer range for under $1000, they both are around $600. But they are not super optically at 400mm, and you will have to stop down (use smaller aperture) to get reasonably sharp results, meaning they will only be good in sunny light.

So... the 70-300 IS USM does seem to be the lens to try for you, with its IS and good optics.
The next step up to longer focal lengths would be the Sigma 80-400 OS, the Canon 100-400 IS and the Sigma 50-500.

[D Thompson]

http://www.expresscameras.com/prodetails.asp?prodid=439646

i found that lens for $399.99.
I wouldn't trust this place at all. Their rating is one of the lowest I've seen.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Express_Cameras

[BBPhoto]

Dennis is giving you some good advice. Don't touch that place with the 399$ lens. Go for a used one before dealing with one of those outfits. There are a lot of good used copies around. People most often sell gear because they are upgrading and not because they have a bad lens. Bad copies go back to the dealer more often than not.

Don't worry about teleconverters and such right now. Get the lens and work with it. Patience is the most useful tool that you will ever use in wildlife shooting. I waited for the better part of an hour for each of these shots. I don't think that I would have gotten a better shot if I had been there with a 500mm lens clicking away like a madman.

Both of these with the 70 - 300IS @ 300mm

[therustytracks]

thanks for all the advice guys. I just realized there's a bunch of scams on photo equipment all over the internet. I was looking at some stuff on bestpricecamera.com and that place is terrible. I did some research and apparently it's a huge scam, which makes sense. they're selling the 40d body for like $450. It was way too good to be true. I think I'll probably just buy all of my equipment from ritz, bestbuy, or circuit city. They're all within a few minutes drive from my house, and if I have any problems I don't have to worry about shipping or scams.


I agree patience is definitely a necessity with wildlife. Here are some pictures that my girlfriend and I took.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21793414@N08/

[Howie]

I just purchased a 70-200 L IS and a ef 1.4 xII extender I am very very pleased. I kinda hate this site for making me spend all my $$...:) Best items so far for my Canon 40D...Heavy lens but awesome!!!

I took my chances with Adorama I was shocked . They are the best sellers I ever dealt with. All spanking new sealed stuff super prices. I DO NOT WORK FOR THEM. I just seem to get taken on every other e bay transaction. It was a nice coincidence when I saw this post. I wanted to spread the word about this company somewhere.. E mail me if you wish so you know I am not conected with them. I tried a lot of different sellers out there some sell you used stuff as new...Good luck