Motor Sport lens required - tight budget :(
Discussion
My mate offered me his Bigma for £300, which I duly accepted. Now, having not heard from him (god forbid something terrible happening), I can only assume the deal has died a death (won't go into detail here).
I can quite easily get over being shafted (one of them things, s'pose) but it only leaves me 20 days before the GP test sessions at Silvo to get a replacement lens of similar calibre - I really did like that lens .
Absolute max budget is £350. I would like as much reach as poss, minimum 300mm.
Prepared to beg/borrow/buy/steal and not too proud to accept charity
, I am open to all considerations/possibilities. What are my lens choices and associated prices, please?
Please help a desperate man
. Thank you.
Scott
I can quite easily get over being shafted (one of them things, s'pose) but it only leaves me 20 days before the GP test sessions at Silvo to get a replacement lens of similar calibre - I really did like that lens .
Absolute max budget is £350. I would like as much reach as poss, minimum 300mm.
Prepared to beg/borrow/buy/steal and not too proud to accept charity
, I am open to all considerations/possibilities. What are my lens choices and associated prices, please? Please help a desperate man
. Thank you.Scott
). I've been so wrapped up on the Bigma that I haven't a clue what other lenses to consider (not that are within budget, anyway)http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-90-300mm-f4-5-5-6-L...
024QQcategoryZ48552QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
OR, try renting!!
http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-super-telepho...
024QQcategoryZ48552QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
OR, try renting!!
http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-super-telepho...
Edited by 9.3 on Tuesday 3rd June 22:07
Lo Scott, sorry to hear your deal has fallen through.
To be honest your gonna struggle here, the above posted lens is ok, but its the kind of lens you exspect for £120, the 50-500 is more a £600 lens.
Theres this, but its still out of your budget... Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 (Very similar to my canon) Couldnt see what camera model it fits though!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-120-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-DG...
Excellent lens, you will need a converter aswell though... Sigma 70-200mm f2.8
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-APO-70-200mm-f-2-8-EX-...
Coverter 2x, at £55 now, but probably £100 to finish
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-2-0x-EX-DG-TELE-CONVER...
Failing this the 70-300 might be your only hope. Or... hire a lens...
7 days hire of a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
£52.00
http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-telephoto-8-c...
Damm you 9.3 beat me to it
To be honest your gonna struggle here, the above posted lens is ok, but its the kind of lens you exspect for £120, the 50-500 is more a £600 lens.
Theres this, but its still out of your budget... Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 (Very similar to my canon) Couldnt see what camera model it fits though!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-120-400mm-f-4-5-5-6-DG...
Excellent lens, you will need a converter aswell though... Sigma 70-200mm f2.8
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-APO-70-200mm-f-2-8-EX-...
Coverter 2x, at £55 now, but probably £100 to finish
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sigma-2-0x-EX-DG-TELE-CONVER...
Failing this the 70-300 might be your only hope. Or... hire a lens...
7 days hire of a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
£52.00
http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-telephoto-8-c...
Damm you 9.3 beat me to it
Edited by Goldeeno on Tuesday 3rd June 22:18
70-300IS (non-DO) is only £360 new, poss cheaper now, so a 2nd hand one would be well within budget.
75-300 (IS?) is an older lens but still a decent budget zoom and will be cheap now.
Sigma/Tamron xx-300's are a bit soft at the top-end, so I'm loath to recommend them, they're better as a general purpose lens.
75-300 (IS?) is an older lens but still a decent budget zoom and will be cheap now.
Sigma/Tamron xx-300's are a bit soft at the top-end, so I'm loath to recommend them, they're better as a general purpose lens.
Thanks guys,
Due to time involved I may have to consider renting. I don't just wanna buy a lens for the sake of it but, by the same token, I consider renting a waste of money but something I may have to seriously consider.
I've just been eyeballing ebay myself. The only lenses I could think of that may do the job and be almost in budget were the EF 70-300 IS or the 120-400 Sig. I like the look of the Sig 120-400 but have no idea what it goes like? Would like to go down the 70-200 F2.8 + TC but the price is going high again. Have seen a brand new quality, second hand (if that makes sense) 70-300 IS currently at £155. Will watch this and maybe have a stab at it nearer the end.
Thanks for the links - a couple there cheaper than I have spied so far.
If anyone else can make my head spin some more, please jump aboard
[off to look at 150-500's and other Bigma's, just for kicks!!]
Due to time involved I may have to consider renting. I don't just wanna buy a lens for the sake of it but, by the same token, I consider renting a waste of money but something I may have to seriously consider.
I've just been eyeballing ebay myself. The only lenses I could think of that may do the job and be almost in budget were the EF 70-300 IS or the 120-400 Sig. I like the look of the Sig 120-400 but have no idea what it goes like? Would like to go down the 70-200 F2.8 + TC but the price is going high again. Have seen a brand new quality, second hand (if that makes sense) 70-300 IS currently at £155. Will watch this and maybe have a stab at it nearer the end.
Thanks for the links - a couple there cheaper than I have spied so far.
If anyone else can make my head spin some more, please jump aboard
[off to look at 150-500's and other Bigma's, just for kicks!!]
Hang on a mo, surely the IS makes very little difference for motorsport? You need fast shutter speeds, not slow shutter speeds that are IS stabilised. IMO you might as well save your money and get a boggo consumer grade 70-300 type lens. Better still one with USM for faster focusing.
Personally I'd go for the 70-200 F2.8 which is fast and sharp, and crop if need be, then maybe look at TCs if the budget allows.
Personally I'd go for the 70-200 F2.8 which is fast and sharp, and crop if need be, then maybe look at TCs if the budget allows.
I just ordered a 70-200mm F4L from Kerso for £350 delivered, with £40 cashback it will eventually cost £310.
Not as much reach as my 70-300 sigma, but hopefully the better quality and quicker focusing will make up for it at the hill climb, the lens should arrive later today so i can test it out soon.
Not as much reach as my 70-300 sigma, but hopefully the better quality and quicker focusing will make up for it at the hill climb, the lens should arrive later today so i can test it out soon.
Get the Sigma 70-200 2.8.. it will offer much better quaility pictures over a cheaper 70-300 so cropping wont be a problem if you find it a little short... the AF will be quicker (a big bonus with the F1s)... and being f2.8 will allow you to get more shots if its dull/ rainy.
With the classics the following weekend and a 3 week old baby times tight at the moment.. but Ill certainly be doing at least one day so let us know what you get.. and Ill keep and eye out and maybe see you there?
With the classics the following weekend and a 3 week old baby times tight at the moment.. but Ill certainly be doing at least one day so let us know what you get.. and Ill keep and eye out and maybe see you there?
sidaorb said:
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 is normally plenty enought, but you can add a 1.4x if you wish.
That's what I've got and I love it! Sometimes I could do with a bit more reach but normally it's ok, as well as being a great lens for "discreet" potrait shots such as kids playing in the garden etc etc.....Considering the Sig 70-200 F2.8 - would the use of the 1.4 or 2x TC still allow me to autofocus (the 2x TC will drop the lens to... F4 or F5.6?).
The 50-500 is F6.3 at full length so I know I won't be losing any stops if I added any of the TC's to it, which is a bonus. Would I need a Sigma TC or would Canon work, also? Will image quality drop significantly with a TC added?
The 70-200 is a serious contender. Thanks.
Scott
BTW - the 50-500 is now £350 if I want it. Still a bargain worth buying? Or pay a bit more for 70-200 + 2x TC? Aaaahhhh, choices.
The 50-500 is F6.3 at full length so I know I won't be losing any stops if I added any of the TC's to it, which is a bonus. Would I need a Sigma TC or would Canon work, also? Will image quality drop significantly with a TC added?
The 70-200 is a serious contender. Thanks.
Scott
BTW - the 50-500 is now £350 if I want it. Still a bargain worth buying? Or pay a bit more for 70-200 + 2x TC? Aaaahhhh, choices.
kybo said:
Considering the Sig 70-200 F2.8 - would the use of the 1.4 or 2x TC still allow me to autofocus (the 2x TC will drop the lens to... F4 or F5.6?).
The 50-500 is F6.3 at full length so I know I won't be losing any stops if I added any of the TC's to it, which is a bonus. Would I need a Sigma TC or would Canon work, also? Will image quality drop significantly with a TC added?
The 70-200 is a serious contender. Thanks.
Scott
BTW - the 50-500 is now £350 if I want it. Still a bargain worth buying? Or pay a bit more for 70-200 + 2x TC? Aaaahhhh, choices.
I've used my 70-200 F2.8 Sigma many times with a 1.4x extender attached - no problems at all with autofocus etc The 50-500 is F6.3 at full length so I know I won't be losing any stops if I added any of the TC's to it, which is a bonus. Would I need a Sigma TC or would Canon work, also? Will image quality drop significantly with a TC added?
The 70-200 is a serious contender. Thanks.
Scott
BTW - the 50-500 is now £350 if I want it. Still a bargain worth buying? Or pay a bit more for 70-200 + 2x TC? Aaaahhhh, choices.
I'll find a pic and upload from recent snapping
Pic from triathlon last Sunday here:-
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1579/img9619wm1.jpg
Only thing done was to resample the image to 300dpi as I can't access my own server ftp in work and had to get the filesize low enough to upload to imageshack - all image data should still be stored
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1579/img9619wm1.jpg
Only thing done was to resample the image to 300dpi as I can't access my own server ftp in work and had to get the filesize low enough to upload to imageshack - all image data should still be stored
Edited by baz7175 on Wednesday 4th June 15:18
I have the Sigma 70-200 and a Sigma 2x t/c
I have no problems with autofocus and it works well for me as a combo.
t drops the speed of the lens to f5.6, but I felt that it was an OK compromise to have the extra reach at f5.6 (which is no different to a cheap 70-300 anyway) and have the speed with no t/c attached.
This was taken at Stansted with the 2x attached (I was bored waiting to collect the wife)
HTH
Chris
I have no problems with autofocus and it works well for me as a combo.
t drops the speed of the lens to f5.6, but I felt that it was an OK compromise to have the extra reach at f5.6 (which is no different to a cheap 70-300 anyway) and have the speed with no t/c attached.
This was taken at Stansted with the 2x attached (I was bored waiting to collect the wife)
HTH
Chris
Kerso (Ian Kerr) is the chap I bought my Sigma kit from.
He's a power seller with really good feedback on ebay, but you can but from him "off ebay" so to speak and save the fees as well...
I found him great to deal with and my Sigma 70-200 f2.8 was way less than list - brand new, warranty, boxed etc!
I'll PM his address to you.
Chris
He's a power seller with really good feedback on ebay, but you can but from him "off ebay" so to speak and save the fees as well...
I found him great to deal with and my Sigma 70-200 f2.8 was way less than list
- brand new, warranty, boxed etc!I'll PM his address to you.
Chris
Edited by chris.mapey on Wednesday 4th June 17:14
My 70-200mm F4L arrived today from Kerso.
I just put it on the camera and its smaller than i expected. Seems odd that the barrel doesn't extend when you zoom like my Sigma does, but thats ok, and its nice that the end doesn't spin round when focusing so if you want to mount a graduated filter on its no problem. It seems to be pretty high quality, and its focus speed is insane compared to the sigma i had before, its also much quieter as well.
Definitely worth £350 (£310 after cash back). Hopefully give it a good workout at the hill climb this weekend.
I just put it on the camera and its smaller than i expected. Seems odd that the barrel doesn't extend when you zoom like my Sigma does, but thats ok, and its nice that the end doesn't spin round when focusing so if you want to mount a graduated filter on its no problem. It seems to be pretty high quality, and its focus speed is insane compared to the sigma i had before, its also much quieter as well.
Definitely worth £350 (£310 after cash back). Hopefully give it a good workout at the hill climb this weekend.
Edited by BlueMR2 on Wednesday 4th June 18:18
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