I have a Canon EOS 650D camera at home, and I would like a lens with greater zoom (I want to use it in bird watching in the future). Any recommendations? I really don't have much idea as I am not familiar with lens.
Question about camera/lens
- Thread starter aardvark250
- Start date
Sigma 150 - 600mm with a 1.4 converter should do really well for both zoo work and bird watching.
Not really a canon user but have heard good reviews of this combination
Not really a canon user but have heard good reviews of this combination
@aardvark250 Your camera, known here in the USA as Rebel T4i, has what is know as a crop sensor. That means it gives lenses a more telephoto look than a camera with a full frame sensor, like the 5D or 6D or 1DX series. So for telephoto that is a good thing.
Professional telephoto lenses can cost over ten thousand dollars and weigh enough to require a special tripod head, but I think it is safe to assume you want something affordable and portable. There are lots of options, but as a general rule the more expensive a lens is and the shorter the zoom range is, the better the quality.
I am a semi-professional photographer and follow a Canon photographer's forum and most people agree that the sharpest long telephoto that is easily portable and affordable (for Canon) is the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS ii. There is a ZooChat thread on it here: the perfect zoo lens
Affordable is a relative term and this is still a pricey lens, at around two thousand US dollars (though it has a good instant rebate at the moment). If you can afford it that is the way to go, but if not there are other options. Canon makes a similar 70-300 f4-5.6L IS that is smaller and a bit less expensive, but still amazingly sharp. If you do not know, Canon lenses that are professional have L in the title. For telephotos, they are also white instead of black. I think this lens is just over one thousand USA.
If that is still too expensive, you can get a non-L Canon 70-300 f4.5-5.6 for a few hundred dollars. You can also get either a Sigma or Tamron 100-400 for several hundred. These are both newly released lenses and very sharp.
As someone stated above, Sigma and Tamron also make somewhat new 150-600 lenses. These are bigger and heavier and their sharpness gets mixed reviews (some people say they are great and some say they are poor quality in the 450-600 range). There is a ZooChat thread on those as well: 150mm - 600mm zoom lens
That is a lot of information but I hope it helps. If you can afford the 100-400 f4.5-5.6L ii (make sure it is the version ii), then my advice is get it and look no further.
Professional telephoto lenses can cost over ten thousand dollars and weigh enough to require a special tripod head, but I think it is safe to assume you want something affordable and portable. There are lots of options, but as a general rule the more expensive a lens is and the shorter the zoom range is, the better the quality.
I am a semi-professional photographer and follow a Canon photographer's forum and most people agree that the sharpest long telephoto that is easily portable and affordable (for Canon) is the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS ii. There is a ZooChat thread on it here: the perfect zoo lens
Affordable is a relative term and this is still a pricey lens, at around two thousand US dollars (though it has a good instant rebate at the moment). If you can afford it that is the way to go, but if not there are other options. Canon makes a similar 70-300 f4-5.6L IS that is smaller and a bit less expensive, but still amazingly sharp. If you do not know, Canon lenses that are professional have L in the title. For telephotos, they are also white instead of black. I think this lens is just over one thousand USA.
If that is still too expensive, you can get a non-L Canon 70-300 f4.5-5.6 for a few hundred dollars. You can also get either a Sigma or Tamron 100-400 for several hundred. These are both newly released lenses and very sharp.
As someone stated above, Sigma and Tamron also make somewhat new 150-600 lenses. These are bigger and heavier and their sharpness gets mixed reviews (some people say they are great and some say they are poor quality in the 450-600 range). There is a ZooChat thread on those as well: 150mm - 600mm zoom lens
That is a lot of information but I hope it helps. If you can afford the 100-400 f4.5-5.6L ii (make sure it is the version ii), then my advice is get it and look no further.
Thanks for all those advice. However, I don't really have much money to work with as I'm just 16 years old and I just want to do it for interest.
I think these should be enough for me at this time.
I think these should be enough for me at this time.
In that case I think Canon's basic 75-300 will suit you fine. It's only two hundred bucks here in USA.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. | EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
Canon U.S.A., Inc. | EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III