Canon Rebel 2000 lense advice, Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6

[chito_baclig]

AAA.) Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III -58mm- $154.89

BBB.) Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III (USA) -58mm- $174.89

CCC.) Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 IS USM -58mm- $414.89

 

I will mostly be using in nature hike, wedding snaps and portaits. Do

I need to get the one with IS? Without the IS, is the lense still

able (with my experience ofcourse) when attached to a teleconverter?

 

My photo experience is 1.) since a kid amateur photo hobby using

point and shoot and 2.) I am about a year assisting a professional

wedding photographer using a SLR (was borrowing his Minolta). Mine is

a Rebel 2000 packaged with 28-80 zoom, 50mm 1.8, bought 2 months ago.

Most important, I will use what I earn (meager) to invest in lenses

that I can also use when I upgrade to another EOS body.

 

Side note: I had an experience last week when I was tasked to shoot

by myself a graduation party in a ballroom. I am using my rebel, body

battery pack, 420EX speedlite and bracket. A relative in 40s (semi

Pro) gave me an unsolicited advice by telling me how much better his

Nikon and accessories (I am amazed too) and mine is not capable

specially without a flash battery pack. I just politely shrugged and

told him that my equipment is enough.

 

Thank you and God bless America in its independence day.

 

Jude

Fair Lawn, NJ

[wgpinc]

I would suggest 2 other additional lenses to consider;the 100-300 4.5-5.6 USM ($249 grey mkt) or the 70-200mm L 4.0 (a real bargain right now with rebate at $589). I believe that optically either of these lenses is a bit better than the lenses you were considering. The 70-200 is an L zoom and more expensive with less range but sharper throughout it's range and usable wide open or even with a 1.4X extender. I use the 100-300 zoom which I believe is the best Canon lens in this range but of course a tradeoff between price, image quality and size. When I was deciding I tried this one and the 75-300 and bought the 100-300. I also use the 28-135 IS zoom and the IS is definitely worth considering if you are going to hand hold the lens with slower film. Good luck.

[isaac sibson]

For a start, forget about trying to use a teleconverter on a consumer zoom. The three lenses you mention are not compatible with the Canon TCs. AF will be unreliable on any third party tc, since the effective aperture of the lens will drop to F8 or F11, for a 1.4 or 2X TC. The optical quality will not be acceptable, since these lenses are soft enough to begin with.

 

For optical quality, better to look at a shorter range lens, such as the Canon 80-200 (small and cheap, but not bad optically), Canon 70-210 F3.5-4.5 USM (discontinued, but available s/h. Good optically, with fast AF also) or Canon 70-200 F4L (Excellent optics, great handling, but at a price). If you MUST have the 300mm, look to the 100-300 USM for its faster AF and better build than the 75-300s, or the 75-300 IS, as IS will make the slow consumer lens usable in many situations it would otherwise not be.

[chito_baclig]

Thanks, great to have this forum. I will try to expand my choices since I still have a week before my next trip.

 

jude

[ricardojmendez]

Hi Chito,

 

First of all, I believe there's an error on your (CCC) description. Are you sure that's an IS lens at that price?

 

I've compared the Canon EF 75-300 4.0-5.6 III USM, which a friend owns, with the older Canon EF 100-300 4.5-5.6. After the tests, I ended up buying a used version of the 100-300 because, as Gil mentions, it is overall a better and sharper lens.

 

Cheers!

[ricardojmendez]

Hmm, just noticed I confused your name with your user name. Sorry.

[yakim_peled1]

Go for the 70-200/4 USM L. You'll never regret it.

[chito_baclig]

2 concerns

 

1.) With Rebel 2000 plastic casing, how much len weight can it handle? I see that the L lens can weigh from 500 gm to more than a kilo (>3 lbs).

 

2.) With my little SLR experience, should I just buy Canon Lens brand? Just to avoid mistake and to not keep on posting everytime I find something to buy until I am confident.

 

Thanks,

 

Jude

[ricardojmendez]

Hi again Jude,

 

As for (a), I own a Rebel 2000 as well, and it can take the almost 700g of the 100-300 4.5/5.6 USM I mentioned without complaining. That's my heaviest lens, so I can't say if there would be a problem with heavier lenses, but up until that it works fine.

 

Now, for (b), all my three lenses are Canon, but that's mostly a matter of circumstances. For my future purchase of a 20mm lens I'm considering a Sigma, which from reading the forums I've gathered is about the same quality (and has a faster opening) than the Canon version. What you would be losing if you don't go with Canon USM lenses is the simultaneous manual/auto focusing, which I can tell you is delicious after using it with the aforementioned 100-300 USM. Can't say if Sigma's HSM provides the same feature, but I believe it doesn't (or was it Micro HSM that didn't?).

[chito_baclig]

Hi Ric, check this post re: SIGMA lens

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003Sbb

 

Hi Gil, you mentioned "70-200mm L 4.0 (a real bargain right now with rebate at $589)", if it is proper in this forum, any chance you can email/post the web site where I can buy?

 

To all, with all your post and web site lens review, I give up Canon EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 (whew almost bought an experience again). And as adviced, if I cannot afford prof versions (L?), it is a must to get an IS lens if considering a telephoto.

 

jude

 

hmm, really nice professional forum!!!

[chito_baclig]

Okay, to all, after reading this post and checking the reviews and other threads in this forum, I bought a CANON 70-200 F/4 L USM. My very first "L". This is a good timing since I will be using this in a church priest ordination. No need to go near to get a good shot. I will be using this in combination with my 50mm 1.8 and the 28-80 that came with the body. I will be using the "L" for the church and portrait shots, 28-80 for table shots (they won't enlarge it anyway, hope so) and the 50mm the rest.

 

Thank you all.jude

 

Ric, still doubt this rebel 2000 can hold a 700gm. I hope this 2 rolls will get me confident before the main events. Thanks.

[chito_baclig]

Hope you all still there.

 

Bought the Canon 70-200 F4L, in my test, great in low light to almost none, with flash. I went and shoot a Client yesterday and today: a big cathedral and a small church with just ISO 200 (my boss forced me to, I am an assistant doing the photo and he shoots the video) with flash. He wants me to use the flash in a very solemn ceremony "priest confirmation" !!! I really have wished to be way on the sideline, almost unoticable, with just a zoom lens and a tripod and no flash. I have not seen the output yet, but I am sure it will come out well lighted because of the 550EX flash even when lens zoomed to 200mm.

 

And my question is:

 

1.) With just this F4L and a tripod and no flash and a dimly lit cathedral, what film and speed should I use for a professional output? Right now I only have a 50mm 1.8 prime and I want to prove to my boss that its worth it to have a few rolls too without the flash.

 

2.) Using in this cathedral, and other low lit, shall I return this lens and replace with 70-200 F2.8L? Or can the film speed compensate the F4.0. Money is not much of an issue, but I wish to buy the Canon 1v in the very near future and use my rebel as backup.

 

Your advice will be greatly appreciated. If I am not to replace the lens, I will surely go back to that cathedral and test.

 

Thank you in advance:)

 

Ric, you are right, the rebel 2000 held well.