What Telephoto Lens for Canon 600D?

[G-P]

While at Goodwood at the weekend I was getting increasingly frustrated with not having the ability to get those longer shots.

Therefore I am after a affordable (under £400) lens for my camera. I have been looking at these two can anyone recommend either of them or a alternative?

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cam...

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cam...

It needs to be easy to use as I am not a photography expert.

Thanks in advance.

[RobDickinson]

55-250 without a doubt

[Magog]

I've got the 55-250 which I find perfectly acceptable on my 650d, though I have nothing to compare it to.

I think the 70 - 300 is the good one isn't it?

It's the 75 - 300 that's supposed to be awful?

[Killwilly]

For your budget, I would definitely suggest the 70-300. I have a 55-250, which was great on my 450D, but on the 7D it is very mediocre. Not quite sure what it is about the 7D, but it sure does demand better lenses. I tried a friends 70-300 USM at the weekend and it was a big improvement on the 55-250.

[NNH]

For daytime use, I'm pretty happy with a Sigma 18-200 OS on my 450D. It's got low distortion compared to most superzooms, which is the key thing unless you're printing at A3, and it's handy not to have to change lenses in a dusty place like Goodwood. However, as soon as dusk approaches, the f6.3 aperture at 200mm becomes a problem pretty quickly.

[S47]

Best VFM is the now discontiued - sigma 400mm F5,6 APO HSM, I paid £95 for mine on ebay about 5years ago, though like everything else prices have risen so you may get one for ~£150 or so.
good luck

[SlidingSideways]

The 70-300 IS USM is the decent 7x-300, the rest are a little on the soft side.
If you don't mind buying used kit, a 70-200 F4 L should be doable for under £400 and will be razor sharp and fast focussing.

[LongQ]

SlidingSideways said:

The 70-300 IS USM is the decent 7x-300, the rest are a little on the soft side.
If you don't mind buying used kit, a 70-200 F4 L should be doable for under £400 and will be razor sharp and fast focussing.

If action shots are the primary driver of the decision I would tend to agree about the 70-400 L.

To be realistic the 600D (I have one) is viable for quite deep crops if fed by a good sharp lens and getting the focus (assuming you use AF) in the first place is a large part of the battle.

Better still if, at some point in the future, you want more length the 1.4x extender should offer a relatively low cost option to do so.

[nellyleelephant]

SlidingSideways said:

If you don't mind buying used kit, a 70-200 F4 L should be doable for under £400 and will be razor sharp and fast focussing.

£1 under budget

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

[flat-planedCrank]

nellyleelephant said:

SlidingSideways said:

If you don't mind buying used kit, a 70-200 F4 L should be doable for under £400 and will be razor sharp and fast focussing.

£1 under budget

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

That 70-200 is really nice, suppose it depends how much you want 300mm & IS too.

[rehab71]

I bought this for Le Mans this year for my 550D and am delighted for it!

Just reduced too!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-70-300mm-4-0-5-6-USM...

[LongQ]

flat-planedCrank said:

That 70-200 is really nice, suppose it depends how much you want 300mm & IS too.

If the primary requirement is motorsport action shots, maybe panning and stuff, I'm not at all convinced that IS is useful - other than to give a nice stable image in the viewfinder. Sometimes I think it may be the source of less than totally sharp results.

[Magog]

Real world example of the 55-250mm lens on my 650d.

Iso 800
1/1600 sec
f/5.6

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/9310650658_a4dd...

Edited by Magog on Wednesday 17th July 20:49

[flat-planedCrank]

LongQ said:

flat-planedCrank said:

That 70-200 is really nice, suppose it depends how much you want 300mm & IS too.

If the primary requirement is motorsport action shots, maybe panning and stuff, I'm not at all convinced that IS is useful - other than to give a nice stable image in the viewfinder. Sometimes I think it may be the source of less than totally sharp results.

Agreed, quite like the one-axis mode for long pans but you can't do it at an angle. Can feel a bit limiting.

I really meant in terms of how close you can get to the action. 200mm may feel a bit short at some circuits?

[LongQ]

flat-planedCrank said:

LongQ said:

flat-planedCrank said:

That 70-200 is really nice, suppose it depends how much you want 300mm & IS too.

If the primary requirement is motorsport action shots, maybe panning and stuff, I'm not at all convinced that IS is useful - other than to give a nice stable image in the viewfinder. Sometimes I think it may be the source of less than totally sharp results.

Agreed, quite like the one-axis mode for long pans but you can't do it at an angle. Can feel a bit limiting.

I really meant in terms of how close you can get to the action. 200mm may feel a bit short at some circuits?

True, however if it is a shot that really comes together in the technique and focus departments the potential for a deep crop (with the sensor in question) probably at least compensates for the lack of "distance".

Might depend slightly on whether one is seeking absolute technical sharpness at pixel peeping levels or a solid image at the visual level.

It's a tricky one. The optional extender, albeit at extra cost, might provide the future flexibility that tips the scales. Or it might not.

Edited by LongQ on Wednesday 17th July 22:35

[alistair1234]

I'd definitely get the 70-300.

I've got a 600D and got that lens last year. Use it at Oulton Park all the time and that is fairly close to the track, I can imagine at Silverstone etc, the 55-250 wouldn't be long enough.

[checkmate91]

flat-planedCrank said:

I really meant in terms of how close you can get to the action. 200mm may feel a bit short at some circuits?

Strongly agree, and at others a bit too long. At Goodwood if you're standing along any of the straights, 200mm can be way too long. Last year I used my 15-85 for most of my shots, the longer lens stayed in the bag. The 55-250 on a 600d would be a nice compromise though, especially on a budget

Edited by checkmate91 on Thursday 18th July 08:34

[Mattt]

300mm on a crop body is a nice focal length - you don't really need longer.

As an example on my 60D with a 70-300mm (albeit L) lens here are two shots:


_MG_0869 by M@IQ, on Flickr

Which was taken from roughly the same spot as:


_MG_0845 by M@IQ, on Flickr

[G-P]

Great thanks, I will be getting a 70-300mm