stephen_sullivan1 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 what is the best telephoto zoom lens for eos models, to be used for wild animals and/or sports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stock-Photos Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The 10+ yr old 100-400 IS is a great lens but expensive. I use mine extensively: http://www.photo.net/photo/4954071 http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=756888 It's a heavy lens, the zoom travel is not so smooth but it makes great images. The IS feature gets the user sharp hand-held shots which would be impossible without IS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_sullivan1 Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 hm.i will definitely have to check that out.nice photos by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stock-Photos Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 A much lower priced model is the canon 100-300 USM, which I used for 10 years until mine died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DickArnold Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I have one and I agree. Did you have trouble getting into Fenway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin carron Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Midway between these in price but giving very good image quality is the Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM. It also has Image Stabilisation. For crop sensor cameras the new Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS is getting favorable reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peza Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 EF 400/2.8L IS :) If you leave the sports out, EF 600/4L IS or 800/5.6L IS - depending on type of animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stock-Photos Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Dave, No trouble getting into Fenway. I had a ticket. :-) They check the contents of backpacks but they had no problem with the lens. http://www.digitalrailroad.net/spo123/gpgs.aspx?pgid=13359985&e=0&p=0 I attended a Red Sox game at Tropicana Field last week and they let the lens in no problem. Petr, the OP asked about the best ZOOM. The lenses you mention are not zooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 A zoom lens is really desirable since you never know how close or far you will be. The 100-400mm is a great lens by all reports, but it is pricey. For less costly options, the 70-300 IS and the 55-250 IS are both good. However, both have rotating front elements, so use of filters like polarizers and split ND can be a little awkward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff_foale Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 All the previous suggestions are good lenses but more specific information is required from you. What sort of wildlife/sports? You may require a long distance lens or a medium range with close focus option. Possibly a long prime lens or a macro. You may need a fast lens. Will you be using a tripod? Also what is your price range? If you can fill in some of the missing information, I feel sure that someone will suggest the best lens for your requirements. ps. I mostly use the 70-300 IS for wildlife. It is an excellent general purpose lens but sometimes I find it a bit on the short side, especially for small birds etc. But with a close focusing distance of around 4 ft it also doubles as a reasonable butterfly lens, especially when used with extension tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo7hs2 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I've been pretty happy with my 100-300/5.6L, which is a discontinued model. The AF is too slow for flying birds, but works okay for pretty much everything else. The images are sharp and contrasty, and that outweighs the obnoxious autofocus for me. Like the 100-400 it is a push-pull zoom design, but unlike the 100-400, there is no friction device to hold the lens at a specific focal length, so it tends to creep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo7hs2 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I meant that as a used solution, obviously the 100-300/5.6L isn't for sale new anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_howdeshell Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Hvae to agree with Jim and others on this. The 100-400 has served me well. For a long zoom telephoto, it is hard to beat. Then add in that you can find used for a reasonable price. Hey Jim my son ball in Lynn for two seasons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Michael Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The 70 to 200 f2.8L IS and a x1.4MkII: Then IMO it is a toss up between that lens with the x2.0MkII and the 100 to 400L. The 100 to 400, I do not like for various reasons, though I acknowledge that from 280 to 400mm regarding the competition between the two options might tip in favour of the 100 to 400. WW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefkeefe Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I'm a novice, so it took me some time working with it before I felt comfortable. It is big and heavy. The push pull zoom and loosen/tighten zoom creep ring take a little getting used to as well. Overall, I think it's a pretty amazing lens. Here's a pic I took with it over the weekend: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefkeefe Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 In JPEG format...<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunyu Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I'm sorry but that image isn't exactly making me want to rush out and buy the lens. Is that a 100% crop? Post-processed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefkeefe Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 The original raw image looks pretty good. I'm extremely inexperienced with any type of processing and screwed it up while getting it to be the right size. Sorry...was trying to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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