A decent zoom lens for less than e400????

Ninja_scrotum

Anyone have any recommendations?

I've been eying up the sigma 70-30mm which is ~ e150, but I could go higher...

Paulw

Knowing your make/model of camera would be useful to give advice.

Ninja_scrotum

Eh, yeah that'd be handy alright:pac:

It's a 400d...

And I plan to use it mostly at the long end, so if you know a lens that stays relatively sharp & bright at 300mm....

Run_to_da_hills

A full zoom sigma kit on Ebay for the 400d for e200 Buy it now price. Even with duty it would work out cheaper.
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Sigma-Lens-Accessory-Kit-fr-Canon-EOS-450D-400D-40D-30D_W0QQitemZ190208461611QQihZ009QQcategoryZ30070QQcmdZViewItem

Valentia

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

I've been eying up the sigma 70-30mm which is ~ e150, but I could go higher...

70-300 I presume. You wont go wrong there. Here are a couple of examples that I took when I had the lens:




It's also a semi-macro. I was very fond of it

sheesh

Have that Sigma too seems pretty good. yes the macro func is fun.

Dades

Waiting on delivery of a 70-300 myself.

€125 delivered (I hope) from Kea Photo.

Ninja_scrotum

Thanks for posting those pics Valentia.

Seems like I'll be getting the Sigma.

Run-to-da-hills, that 300mm they are offering is missing the red ring around the top. I would recommend getting the one with the red ring as it denotes "prosumer" quality. Not sure exactly what it means if it doesn't have the ring on it - probably worse quality?

The one from Kea photo has the red ring I'm talking about.

Might get it from Kea next week....

But any other suggestions lads? Has anyone used the 28-300mm from sigma?

Thirdfox

The "red ring" one has "special" APO digital coating and SLD glass elements... apparently it's better than the standard one...

Here's a review of the "red" version:
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sigma-70-300mm-F4-56-APO-DG-Macro

Thirdfox

I just remembered - Canon have a 55-250mm IS lens coming out (is it out already?) - I'm sure that will be cheap and cheerful (and have IS built in the lens )

mathias

I was bought the red ring apo version of the sigma for xmas , I think it goes for about 210 in the camera centre , so its bound to be cheaper elsewhere , but I have to say , so far Im loving it , That dinky macro feature is class ! Only works between 200 and 300 though , but useful nonetheless.

Ninja_scrotum

Dades, be sure to tell me if you got stung for tax/duty:eek:

fguihen

if you go for the Sigma 70-300, make sure you go for the APO version. from reviews ive read its leaps and bounds above the standerd version. the glass is made from certain minerals that minimize defects.



Valentia, how did you get such super sharp images with this lens!?!!

I have the Apo version and although its great for the price, i find its not fully sharp ( even in the dead center of the lens) at full zoom. i have to use F8 - F12 to get sharpness from it at 300mm on my 400D.

was there excellent lighting on the day you took those falcon shots? tips please:D

Ninja_scrotum

YO DADES did you get the lens yet?

Dades

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

YO DADES did you get the lens yet?

Oops - only saw this - been busy!

Yah got the lens last week - no tax. Really like it - feels good and sturdy and the few shots I've taken so far are nice and sharp. This weekend should see it get a good run out.

So yeah, for €125 I don't see how you can go too far wrong!

TelePaul

Valentia wrote: »

70-300 I presume. You wont go wrong there.

Cracking shots man!

jackdaw

Dades wrote: »

Oops - only saw this - been busy!

Yah got the lens last week - no tax. Really like it - feels good and sturdy and the few shots I've taken so far are nice and sharp. This weekend should see it get a good run out.

So yeah, for €125 I don't see how you can go too far wrong!

whats the catch ?? those images look super sharp , sharper then the canon
70-300 IS EF lens ..

most lenses that offer more quality then the canon ef is are the L series
and they cos €1000 + ...
so €125 for Sigma ??

Ninja_scrotum

Dades wrote: »

Oops - only saw this - been busy!

Yah got the lens last week - no tax. Really like it - feels good and sturdy and the few shots I've taken so far are nice and sharp. This weekend should see it get a good run out.

So yeah, for €125 I don't see how you can go too far wrong!

Good stuff, I ordered it last week from kea.

Be sure to post some sample pics if you could be arsed!

Dades

jackdaw wrote: »

whats the catch ?? those images look super sharp , sharper then the canon
70-300 IS EF lens ..

most lenses that offer more quality then the canon ef is are the L series
and they cos €1000 + ...
so €125 for Sigma ??

I can only speak as a relative newb - but it does seem too good to be true. No doubt some sharper eyes than mine could tell the pricer lenses apart but I can't afford to be that picky!

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

Good stuff, I ordered it last week from kea.

Be sure to post some sample pics if you could be arsed!

Good for you.
With a bit of luck I'll find something other than pigeons to shoot this weekend! :pac:

jackdaw

Surely those images are sharpened in Photoshop ?

when you look at the review here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sigma-70-300mm-F4-56-APO-DG-Macro

the pics aren't so sharp..

TelePaul

jackdaw wrote: »

Surely those images are sharpened in Photoshop ?

when you look at the review here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sigma-70-300mm-F4-56-APO-DG-Macro

the pics aren't so sharp..

The pics in that are kinda rubbish.

Valentia

jackdaw wrote: »

Surely those images are sharpened in Photoshop ?

when you look at the review here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sigma-70-300mm-F4-56-APO-DG-Macro

the pics aren't so sharp..

Well I used the lens and it is fantastic for the money. I have L lenses too but really don't know what that has to do with anything. Sharpened?? All photos are sharpened, aren't they?

jackdaw

Valentia wrote: »

Well I used the lens and it is fantastic for the money. I have L lenses too but really don't know what that has to do with anything. Sharpened?? All photos are sharpened, aren't they?

When I say sharpened i mean post processing like Photoshop CS2 ..

my point about the L lenses is that you need them to get that kind of
quality, from the source, without post processing.

I can't imagine a zoom for €125 gives that good quality, if it does I bought the wrong lens !

PS please don't take this as an attack on your photos ! , i just checked out your flickr stream .. fantastic shots,
especially of the puffins on the skelligs, I just hope I didn't spend too much on my Canon EF IS 70-300 f4/5.6...