a longer lens?

[perry_cas]

<p>Not quite sure which forum to ask this question, but i have a 5d and my longest lens is the 100mm very infrequently i feel the need for a longer lens. A PRIME, I am not fond of 'affordable' zooms . Lets say a 300mm, or more and maybe a converter. I would be using it for landscape applications with a tripod. I realise there are no miracles and I am happy to use it manually. As i wont be using it very often I dont want to tie up a lot of money in it. A subjective amt I realise. Lets say around $300. I was considering a 600 sigma cat. but seems to mixed posts on these.<br />Anyway, anyone suggest anything in the nature of a bargain given my parameters?</p>

 

[orly_andico]

<p>Sigma 400 5.6 APO. KEH has a bunch of them for $230-ish. You may want to check if it's compatible with your DSLR although I believe KEH has a return policy.</p>

[John Crowe]

<p>From your requirements I think the manual focus Nikon 300mm f4.5 ED AIS is your best bet. The "ED" is very important and is similar to Canon's "L". keh.com currently has them in the $250-500 range. I would have no problem buying their $254 "bargain" one. I have bought "bargain" from them in the past and found it hard to tell from a new lens. This lens would have similar image quality to the Canon EF 300mm f4 L.<br /><br />You would need a cheap mechanical adapter, preferably from jinfinance in China on eBay. Manual focus and manual stopped-down metering. You focus wide open and then stop down to your desired aperture, then using the 5D meter set the shutter speed, and take the photo.<br /><br />Converters to consider are the TC-300/301, TC-14B, TC-14E, TC-17E, and TC-20E.<br /><br />Another telephoto option would be the Nikon 180mm f2.8 ED AIS. Again the "ED" is critical.</p>

<p>I have used many Nikon lenses on Canon bodies in the past and I am now doing it again with the 1Ds that I just bought.</p>

[sjsimmons]

<p>You can get a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L w/o IS for about $800 and perhaps for less than $500 used. Just a thought.</p>

[wolf_weber]

<p>Always, U get what U pay for... As to the nice 400mm or even 300mm APO Sigmas, no, they will not work with Ur EOS DSLR. Too bad. No re-chipping either. The Tokina A-TX's work, if U can find a good one. A better Nikon ED lens, as suggested, will probably cost U more than what U have in mind.<br>

Good Luck!</p>

[William Michael]

<p>REF: <a href="../beginner-photography-questions-forum/00YlzU">http://www.photo.net/beginner-photography-questions-forum/00YlzU</a> <br>

WW</p>

[paulie_smith1]

<p>If you expect to get a 200 f/2.8 Canon for under $500, good luck. They are an underappreciated piece of glass that performs very well. Lightweight and quick to focus.<br>

As long as the willingness to use it manually is accurate the Nikon suggestions are good ones.<br>

A Canon 400 f/5.6 is a good option for staying with the Canon name but will cost a fair amount more.<br>

As one wrote, you are looking for something that is almost impossible to do given your price point.</p>

[sjsimmons]

<p>I met a guy who bought a 200mm f/5.6L for about $550. I agree on the 400mm f/5.6L, though. It's a great lens </p>

[orly_andico]

<p>KEH has a 200/2.8L for $700. it's a fine lens although way over budget. it has one major thing the Nikon ED doesn't have though... lightning-fast Auto Focus!</p>

[philip_wilson]

In general there are no real bargain long lenses - especially for full frame. I would not suggest a cat as they areva fun

amusement but not great performers. Most people (including me) don't like the doughnut Bokah. On longer lenses I

have found TAMRON and Tokina generally outperform sigma But Sigma has more options. The Tokina 400 f5.6 is

supposed to be quite good but hard to find. Then at about twice your budget you should find the Canon 200f2.8 or the

non IS (older) Canon 300 f4. For a bit more there is the TAMRON, Tokina and sigma 300mm f2.8 lenses. I would be

careful of non Canon lenses - especially Sigma as many Sigma lenses will not work on Canon EOS digital bodies.

KEH is very good here as they flag them FO ( for film only). Some of these lenses have been re-chipped but many

have not and it is no longer possible. Sorry I cannot be more helpful but I would also suggest the 70-200 f4 canon

zooms. The IS model is especially good and performs better than some primes. Indeed my old Canon FD 80-200 F4L

performs better than the FD 200 F2.8 prime. I believe the same may be true in EF lenses but I have never

investigated the 200 F2.8. The digital picture test suggests that the prime is no better than the zoom

[mark_pierlot]

<blockquote>

<p>I would also suggest the 70-200 f4 canon zooms. The IS model is especially good and performs better than some primes. Indeed my old Canon FD 80-200 F4L performs better than the FD 200 F2.8 prime. I believe the same may be true in EF lenses but I have never investigated the 200 F2.8.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>My experience with the FD 200/2.8 and 80-200/4 L is the same as Philip's, and I <em>have</em> compared the EF 200/2.8 to the 70-200/4 L IS. And to my eyes, the image quality of the EF zoom is as good as that of the prime.</p>