Considering New lens for my 300D....suggestions?

SupremeWake · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 322

I'm looking strongly at the Canon 70-200 f4L for my Dig.Reb. Up until now, Ive just been shooting with the kit 18-55 lens. I would like to shoot some wakeboarding, but I also like to shoot alot of 'street' type candid portraits and abstract close-ups featuring contrasty colors and line.

Any other suggestions for lenses I should consider? Any good/bad things to say about the 70-200? Who's got the best deal on the 70-200? I've seen one here for about $550? Anyone have experience with these guys?

http://www.expresscameras.com/cart/prodetails.asp?prodid=79541&start=1

Or these guys:

http://www.canogacamera.com/e/env/1021ltlFKBsKnmszDk1n1p1/price_list/canon_ef_lenszoompro.html?link=-DD-/info_pages/cam_info.html&item=invnew:41642

thanks,
daniel

RD · Addict Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 626 City: Discovery Bay

The 70-400 f4L is a great lens and a bargain compared to many of the Canon L lenses. If you don't want to spring for the f2.8 then that's the one to get. I always get mine at B&H, they are the number one Canon Lens reseller in the world and their prices are usually as cheap as you can get. Check the shipping costs and make sure you don't have to buy anything else before you jump on a slightly cheaper price. Another good all around lens for the Rebel is the 28-135 IS. It's not an L but it's very popular because of the IS and it's high resolution. I also have the 50 f1.4, it's not a zoom but is great for low light street photography and is priced well below L numbers. On a Rebel it becomes around an 80mm which is perfect for portraits too. Your 18-55, considering what it costs, is not a bad lens by any means but you should see improvement in color and contrast with any of the lenses above.

BIGMAC · Posted: May 18, 2004 6:17 am Post subject:

Onecall.com has the 70-200 2.8 IS for $1575 then there is the rebate for $50.
Also heard that buydig.com has lenses for good prices and like already said you can't lose with B&H.

BIGMAC · Posted: May 18, 2004 6:22 am Post subject:

Onecall is now out of stock and they jacked there price up now.

BillJ · Posted: May 18, 2004 10:53 am Post subject:

I have the 70-200 f/4L and it's a very nice lens. Just look at the Wakeworld galleries from Orlando to see the type of shots you can get. I really like it for candid portraits too because you get so much background blur. I bought mine from Canoga Camera and was very happy with their service.

Here's an example of a headshot using the 70-200 f/4L.

SupremeWake · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 322

Cool, Thanks fellas. I actually bought one this afternoon from 17th St. I can't wait for it to come...I feel like its Christmas...I just got a new 120GB HD to store photos on today too.....geez Smile

Nice photos, by the way!

Want2ride · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 182 City: Layton, Utah

Nice descion, I have been going to get that lens for my 300D also. How much did you end up paying for it? Also what did you pay for the HD?

tom · Newbie Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 17 City: Australia

I'm not sure if you can get the Sigma 70 - 200 f2.8 HSM on a canon mount,

I've got one for my nikon and it's excellent for the price.

SupremeWake · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 322

I got the 70-200 f4L for $543 including shipping and with the Canon $30 rebate that is currently in effect. I paid $88 for the HDD. Its 120GB SATA 150 Drive. I also then had to buy a PCI controller card for it as my computer is IDE and not SATA, but the controller was less than $20.

I've got the HDD running already, now I need to fill it up with shots from my new lens! Hopefully, the lens will come before my daughter's dance recital on Friday.

Does anyone have experience good/bad with this lens on the 300D? Specifically, the backfocusing issue that some people complain of?

thanks
daniel

RD · Addict Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 626 City: Discovery Bay

Paste something on the wall with a lot of detail like a newspaper or something. Make sure you've got good lighting on it. Let the lens auto focus and take the shot and then see if you can actually focus it better from there and take another shot to compare. Then shoot an object like a flower with some depth and specifically auto focus on 1 easily identifiable spot. Keep the lens wide open at f4 when you take the picture. Check and make sure the picture is sharp at the spot you AF'd on. If it's more in focus either in front or in back of your spot, well that's where they got the terms. Mike & Garrett may have better, more technical methods of checking but these are some I've heard of people using. If you have a front or back focus problem send the lens and your cam to Canon and they will re-calibrate them together. But I think if you have a bad lens you'll know it even if you don't test.

Tom: Yes Sigma makes a Canon mount in that lens, it's considered one of their better units.

SupremeWake · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 322

RD, Yeah, I know what backfocusing is now, I'm just a little concerned about just paying over $500 for a lens that may have to be sent back with my camera leaving me without it for 2 weeks. That seems a little crazy IMO. I've just been hearing alot about the backfocusing issues with the 740-200 and the 300D, and was wondering how many people have actually had BF problems compared to the ones who have gotten great lenses?

I will test the 70-200 as soon as it arrives....if its backfocusing, I'm just going to send it back within 7 days I think....we'll see.

by the way, I do the simple spice bottle test. I set up several spice bottles staggered and focus on the text on the one in the middle. My kit lens seems to be right on with this informal test. I'll compare it to the 70-200 when it comes.

Another question: when doing a focus test like this, should the test be done at several different focal lengths? And, what is the physical distance your camera/tripod should be away from the target?

thanks,

SupremeWake · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 322

Ok guys, I got my lens today and immediately I did some simple backfocus testing. Unfortunately, I had terrible lighting to work with as it was raining outside, but I used flash and got some results....I'm a little confused by them. Check out the link below for the test shots and see what you think.

Essentially, I did 4 focal length tests for each target. The 2 shorter focal lengths (70, 9 Cool

seemed to be backfocused and the 2 longer ones (131, 200) seem to be perfect.....Why would this be? Just a lighting issue? What do you think?

http://home.insightbb.com/~photographs/index.htm

thanks,
daniel

RD · Addict Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 626 City: Discovery Bay

I believe you want to test wide open (f4) to minimize depth of field. Based on your tests (very well done BTW) it does look like your average focus tends to be a bit behind the center target. However the Rebel isn't known for dead on focusing so it might be the camera itself. If you repeat the test with your kit lens making sure you focus on the exact same spot on your test rule / jars and the "average" spot in focus is more central I would certainly think it's the 70-200 back focusing to a certain extent rather than the body. some of the early 10d's backfocused quite badly. However I see a lot of discussion about this lens backfocusing in the dpreview forums under Canon SLR lens talk so you might want to see what others are saying/showing and post your link to your pictures there. They'll tell you exactly what's up.

BTW Canon doesn't QC any of their production lenses including the "L"s, they just build them and ship them out so it's not unusual to see people returning them 2 or 3 times to get a good one. On the other hand you can drive yourself crazy being a "pixel peeper" (you get too carried away with this stuff!)