Canon eos 400d - Telephot Lens Suggestions

[EvilMunky]

Hey All,

I have the above camera and want a telephot lens for it. Mainly for candid type shots as well as nature and sports events (typicaly motor racing).
I have been using my father-in-laws lens with i think is a tokina xx-400mm . This is a bit too much zoom for me and I beleive I would be looking for something around the 300mm range.

I have only about 200quid to spend so am looking for suggestions please.
I alreayd have the 18-55mm lens.
Also - a quick question - when you see MACRO on a telephoto lens, how does that work? or am i getting confused.

As you can tell I am a bit of an dslr noob when it comes to lens etc so advice would be appreciated.
Cheers

[kalniel]

Also - a quick question - when you see MACRO on a telephoto lens, how does that work? or am i getting confused.

Macro in this case means you can focus relatively closely, so you can get a 1:4, 1:2 etc. reproduction of the object on the sensor (1:4 means the object appears at a quarter of the size it actually is on the sensor, which is itself pretty small. 1:1 is what some people define as the only real macro - but it doesn't take into account crop factor or how much you blow up the image afterwards so the exact macro definition is a bit wobbly).

I'm not that well up on telephoto lenses, but you could probably do okay with the other kit lens for your camera - 55-250mm with image stabilisation I think, and should be available pretty cheaply, even better secondhand as people buy the dual kit then sell on the lens.

[Lee`]

I have a friend at work that talks kindly of this;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...r-21/ref=nosim

Or if you want to stick with canon;

http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...roduct_id=6846

[idimmu]

I'm not that well up on telephoto lenses, but you could probably do okay with the other kit lens for your camera - 55-250mm with image stabilisation I think, and should be available pretty cheaply, even better secondhand as people buy the dual kit then sell on the lens.

yes, get one of these. 55-250mm IS. its a cracking lens for the money. browse around the popular photography internet forums, i got my one of these for 140. it does feel a bit "cheap" and light compared to some of my other lenses but as i said for the cash its exactly what you want.

[Bobster]

im about to stick a MKIII 70-300 USM on ebay

[Clunk]

And I have the 55-250mm IS (as above) for sale, fantastic lens, but sadly I need the cash, so it's got to go.

[Lee`]

Couple of reviews that might help.

75-300mm MKIII

55-250 review

sigma 70-300mm

[this_is_gav]

As a Nikonian, I can't speak for the Canons, but I've used the Sigma and was surprised at how good it was. Not especially fast AF (so you might suffer for motorsport), but you'll not get it at this end of the range anyway. Was sharper than I was expecting and feels better built than expected too. Not a quiet lens though - I'd go as far as saying it's loud actually.

Damn good value lens - certainly better than the kit Nikon lenses (the 18-55 and 55-200) and I'd imagine the Canon equivalents too.

Make sure you get the APO version though. The non-APO is rubbish.

[HSK]

Another vote for the 55-250 IS - For the price, it's surprisingly good. It will compliment your kit lens, but I'd say it is optically better than the kit lens.

I bought it, but i've hardly used it, so I might have to sell it! (and because of moving to full frame)