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Urgent camera & lens advice please (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Penny Clarke
- Start date
Sandpiper
Mike Powell
Hi Penny,
Just one or two personal thoughts on your situation. My carry-round lens is a 100-400 IS which I find to be very versatile. It focuses down to six feet, just near enough to obtain a passable shot of a butterfly or dragonfly. When I need to get closer for a bigger image I attach a 21mm extension tube which allows me to get within 18 inches of the subject.
Camera choice, as has been previously mentioned, is also important. You should be able to buy second-hand in good condition any one of the recent canon models. My wife has had excellent results with a 350D/ 100-400 combo. I currently use a 10D and a 20D, both give me results I am happy with. Some of the pics in my gallery have been taken with this combination. From personal experience it is wise to spend your money on a good quality lens which will give you better results and last for years. I have made the mistake several times in the past of buying a "cheap" lens and regretting it later.
One instance of this springs to mind. My wife and I were stood side by side photographing the same bird. I was using a 500mm non-Canon lens. The shot that my wife took with her 100-400, when cropped to give the same size image as mine, was sharper and more detailed than mine. Needless to say I invested in a 100-400 soon after.
I too have purchased a lens from Kerso and can heartily recommend his prompt service.
Just one or two personal thoughts on your situation. My carry-round lens is a 100-400 IS which I find to be very versatile. It focuses down to six feet, just near enough to obtain a passable shot of a butterfly or dragonfly. When I need to get closer for a bigger image I attach a 21mm extension tube which allows me to get within 18 inches of the subject.
Camera choice, as has been previously mentioned, is also important. You should be able to buy second-hand in good condition any one of the recent canon models. My wife has had excellent results with a 350D/ 100-400 combo. I currently use a 10D and a 20D, both give me results I am happy with. Some of the pics in my gallery have been taken with this combination. From personal experience it is wise to spend your money on a good quality lens which will give you better results and last for years. I have made the mistake several times in the past of buying a "cheap" lens and regretting it later.
One instance of this springs to mind. My wife and I were stood side by side photographing the same bird. I was using a 500mm non-Canon lens. The shot that my wife took with her 100-400, when cropped to give the same size image as mine, was sharper and more detailed than mine. Needless to say I invested in a 100-400 soon after.
I too have purchased a lens from Kerso and can heartily recommend his prompt service.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Thank you ALL very much for your advice.
I will be digesting all the information and making a decision by the weekend!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
I will be digesting all the information and making a decision by the weekend!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Cashie
Hello folks
Hi Penny,
Have a look here,There is one on the forum for sale at the moment.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=112026
Have a look here,There is one on the forum for sale at the moment.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=112026
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Penny Clarke
Well-known member
If I bought the Canon 40D and the Canon EF 300mm f4 L IS USM lens, would I be able to use my Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x converter does anyone know (I was told I would be able to use this when I went digital, when I bought it about a year ago) and also a 'Jessops' member of staff said that it would not be as good as a Canon converter with that lens. Do you agree with this and if so, should I go for a Canon 1.4x Converter, or a 2.0x Converter? Also would I lose AF or IS with either of these converters?
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
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paul goode
Well-known member
Hi Penny,
Your Kenko tc should work fine with the 300mm. Whether the canon tc is better I reckon is debatable. I've used both and strangely the Kenko worked better on my zoom but not so well on my 500mm compared to the Canon. I'd try the Kenko as yu've got it. If the images are fine you've saved a couple of hundred quid!
Don't just go for the 2x though!! You'll lose af and the image quality will suffer. If you want a 2x as well as the 1.4x for record shots then fine but don't expect too much from it.
I do think that the 300mm will need the 1.4x on most (all?) of the time for bird photography. I appreciate that it is possible to get close to some birds, indeed some people photograph Wheatears with wide angle lenses but my experience is that those opportunities are few and far between for birdwatchers taking photographs as they move around.
Your Kenko tc should work fine with the 300mm. Whether the canon tc is better I reckon is debatable. I've used both and strangely the Kenko worked better on my zoom but not so well on my 500mm compared to the Canon. I'd try the Kenko as yu've got it. If the images are fine you've saved a couple of hundred quid!
Don't just go for the 2x though!! You'll lose af and the image quality will suffer. If you want a 2x as well as the 1.4x for record shots then fine but don't expect too much from it.
I do think that the 300mm will need the 1.4x on most (all?) of the time for bird photography. I appreciate that it is possible to get close to some birds, indeed some people photograph Wheatears with wide angle lenses but my experience is that those opportunities are few and far between for birdwatchers taking photographs as they move around.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Thank you Paul and Roy for your advice re: converters.
I think I will go with the 40D and the Canon EF 300mm f4 L IS USM lens unless anyone can persuade me otherwise!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
I think I will go with the 40D and the Canon EF 300mm f4 L IS USM lens unless anyone can persuade me otherwise!
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Adey Baker
Member
Good luck with your purchase, Penny. Can I just add a note of caution - don't expect a converter to perform miracles for you! As they fit behind the lens, they can only magnify whatever the lens is able to resolve. So if your subject is too far away for fine details to be differentiated by the lens then even the best converter in the world will not be able to help out!
Your chosen 300mm is a good optic and if you use it at reasonably close range the addition of a converter shouldn't be very noticeable in the final image - basically and a bit non-technically, if you can use it where it can 'out-resolve' your camera's sensor by a factor of 1.4x or more then fitting a 1.4x converter shouldn't show up any difficiencies at all!
Your chosen 300mm is a good optic and if you use it at reasonably close range the addition of a converter shouldn't be very noticeable in the final image - basically and a bit non-technically, if you can use it where it can 'out-resolve' your camera's sensor by a factor of 1.4x or more then fitting a 1.4x converter shouldn't show up any difficiencies at all!
stuartlawrie
Well-known member
Hi Penny
You should keep AF with the 1.4x convertor but not the 2x cannot speak for the Kenko converters, you should not lose IS with any.
You should keep AF with the 1.4x convertor but not the 2x cannot speak for the Kenko converters, you should not lose IS with any.
a.dancy
Registered User
Hi Penny, from what I have seen the Kenko should be just fine. Because of the cameras cropped sensor your using the best part of the glass.
If you want to use a 2X converter you will need to manually focus and have your lens firmly based on a tripod and take extra care to firm the rig up. In good light and with good technique you should get acceptable results though I woud emphasise good light.
Good luck
If you want to use a 2X converter you will need to manually focus and have your lens firmly based on a tripod and take extra care to firm the rig up. In good light and with good technique you should get acceptable results though I woud emphasise good light.
Good luck
Roy C
Occasional bird snapper
No problem getting the Canon cashback from a Flash Camera (Kerso) invoice, I have done it a few times.
GYRob
Well-known member
Others will know for sure but i think you can use it -IS and AF will work on the 40d with a 1.4tc on the 300f4isL.
No AF with a 2x tc and the IQ drops off BUT IS Would still work so can aid Manul focus to be honest a 2x tc is not the way to go .
Rob.
Eddit i did not see there was page 2 lol.
No AF with a 2x tc and the IQ drops off BUT IS Would still work so can aid Manul focus to be honest a 2x tc is not the way to go .
Rob.
Eddit i did not see there was page 2 lol.
Penny Clarke
Well-known member
Thank you ALL very much for the spending the time to give me advice, especially to AD who has sent me several PM's too.
Got the Canon 40D with the 17-85 lens (kit), the 300 f4 L IS lens and a proper camera bag. I did a test with my Kenko 1.4 converter - took the same shot with the Kenko and the same with a Canon 1.4. Then I asked the Assistant Manager which shot he preferred - it took him a while to say which one, and he had picked the Canon one, but he said he was suprised and that there was hardly any difference. Initially when I first walked in the shop he smiled and said that the Canon one would definately be much better. So that saved some pennies!
Going on BF Minsmere meet tomorrow, pity I have not got time to take it out of the box and charge the battery up!!! Very pleased and excited with all of this!
Thank you all again.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
Got the Canon 40D with the 17-85 lens (kit), the 300 f4 L IS lens and a proper camera bag. I did a test with my Kenko 1.4 converter - took the same shot with the Kenko and the same with a Canon 1.4. Then I asked the Assistant Manager which shot he preferred - it took him a while to say which one, and he had picked the Canon one, but he said he was suprised and that there was hardly any difference. Initially when I first walked in the shop he smiled and said that the Canon one would definately be much better. So that saved some pennies!
Going on BF Minsmere meet tomorrow, pity I have not got time to take it out of the box and charge the battery up!!! Very pleased and excited with all of this!
Thank you all again.
Best Wishes Penny:girl:
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1.4X will work no problem with that combo, I would stay clear of the 2x as the loss is image quality far outweighs the gain in reach.
Kenko Tc is pretty good and a definite saving over buying the Canon one, I would try the Kenko on the 300 and decide for yourself before ditching it and getting the Canon version.
I also recommend Kerso ( Ian ) far cheaper than Jessops or similar, I have bought about 5 items from him and luckily being local I can collect to save on postage, email him for a quote and stock check here : [email protected] and remember you can still claim the cashbacks available until June this year on the 40D ( £100 ) Ian provides full UK warranty and Invoice on all his sales. Oh and be quick Canon prices are on the increase due to the dollar/yen values.
If you want any more info please don't hesitate to ask,
Mike.
PS: just read the thread fully and realised that you have spent your cash already DOH!
Oh well so much for speed reading :-O
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