Which Lens - Advice needed please!

Happy Hoppy · #1 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 06:40 PM

Hi guys,

I am new to digital photography and have recently purchased a Cannon 400d, and am looking at photographing wildlife and birds. Before buying a lens I would appreciate advice on the best lens to meet my needs. any info would be appreciated.

Brocker · #2 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 06:51 PM

Hi Happy Hoppy. Firstly welcome to WAB. Great bunch here and very helpful. . . There have been many threads based on the same question as yours in the past. Initially, you may find all the info you need by clicking on the 'Forums' tab at the top of the page, then clicking on 'wildlife photography' and then having a read on some of those. That may give the information you require. . . To answer your question in a small way, it depends on how much you are willing to spend and what kind of wildlife photography you are really wanting to do. Personally I use a Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. Fantastic piece of kit but retails at around £800. takes great images of larger animals and smaller birds and a fair distance. Other WABers will give their own opinions on lenses they use but check out the other threads as I know this has been spoken about many times before. Good luck.

Mumby · #3 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 06:53 PM

Hello,
Congratulations on your shiny new purchase

Can you give an idea what budget you are working with?

Regards,

Paul

Happy Hoppy · #4 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 07:36 PM

Hi Paul,

My budget is to about £1000

Mike

Mumby · #5 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 07:51 PM

Nice

In that case Brocker's suggestion of the 100-400 is spot on. But I have noticed that people get really great results from a variety of lenses, so as Brocker says it might pay to have a look around the forum. You could think about some other lenses that are all just about in budget,

Canon 400mm f/5.6 Good for birds, but you don't have the flexibility of a zoom.
Canon 300 f/4 with enough money left over for a teleconverter. Still not a zoom.

Sigma 50-500, monster x10 zoom

I'm sure others will give their suggestions. It's not a bad dilemma to have is it?

I'm looking forward to seeing your shots with whatever you decide to get

Regards,

Paul

glsammy · #6 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 08:09 PM

As said above, there's loads of threads that have covered all sorts of lenses.
The suggestions by Paul are all excellent, in fact when you've decided tell me because I can't make up my mind what to do next!

A lot may well depend on your own limitations, weight for instance. The zooms and the fast primes are very heavy, with all the complications that brings.
The 400mm F5.6 L is a truly spectacular lens for quality, it's relatively light as well, easily hand holdable and just about the best bird in flight lens there is.
If you can manage without the zoom aspect, that's the lens I'd go for.
My struggle is exactly that point, I'm extremely reluctant to lose that zoom capability. It's very useful, especially when the insect season starts. This is where the Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm) comes into it's own. It makes a very good butterfly and dragonfly lens. Whereas the 400mm with it's long minimum focus distance really needs extenders to help for these.
One other lens definitely worth considering is the Sigma 100-300mm F4. From sample images I've seen, and reviews I've read, it's just about the sharpest highest optical quality lens Sigma makes. Put a 1.4X TC on it and you've got a 420mm F5.6 lens.

Decisions...decisions...

Ollie · #7 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 08:29 PM

As others have said the choice is bewildering and I can only speak of the lenses I have experience of. The Sigma 50-500mm is a very versatile lens capable of excellent shots in the right hands. It does take a bit of getting used to but as Graham, (glsammy) mentioned it is an excellent lens for dragonflies and butterflies as well as birds.

If you aren't bothered about a zoom I would highly recommend the Canon 400mm f5.6L USM lens. It's a prime lens or in other words the best quality glass and it's as sharp as they come.

Roger

mh68 · #8 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 08:47 PM

Hi Mike welcome to WaB

Graham and Roger are way too modest to say so, but if you check their galleries you`ll see what can be done with the Bigma (Graham) and the Canon (Roger) in skilled hands. You wont fail to be impressed.

Mark H

Hobjob · #9 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 09:30 AM

"Sigma 50-500, monster x10 zoom"

In previous similar threads Fourwings has commented that
in fact this lens is lsightly over-rated and the Canon L 100-400
is slightly under-rated so the two are virtually identical

except of course one has L glass and image stabilization
and costs a bit more. But worth it IMHO.

zan · #10 (**permalink**) 18-01-2008, 10:13 AM

If you're new to DSLRs and this type of photography I'd recommend the 100-400mm too. It's not a lens I've used but I've read very good reviews of it, and while it's not got (quite) the same image quality as a prime lens (primes are built to be perfect at a single focal length, while zooms have to work over a range) I doubt you'll notice a difference.

The zoom feature would also give you more flexibilty while you work out exactly what you enjoy taking photos of. And if you decide you want a prime in the future you can always sell your 100-400mm. There's not usually a lot of depreciation on L lenses so you should be ok there.

Hope this helps!

Zan