Canon 70-200 F4 (non-is) vs Tamron 70-300 VC

vickylou

vickylou

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Vicky
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I have narrowed it down to these 2 lenses but would greatly appreciate your advice. I am looking for a telephoto lens, mainly for use outdoors to take photos of my toddler, husband playing football, wildlife, and longer focal length candids/portraits.

How much would I miss IS/VC (the IS version of the Canon is waaaay out of my price range, I am looking at buying the non-IS used). I have 2 shorter faster lenses to use indoors and a speedlite but I don't want to rule out using it indorrs altogether. With todat high ISO capabilites and using a speedlite to freeze motion will i be able to get the shutter speed high enough to use the canon indoors hand held? even outdoors will I struggle? How does the AF speed/accuracy, contrast, sharpness compare on these 2 lenses?

Would the tamron have a wider use with the VC and extra range?
 
With regards to indoor shooting, even with IS you are still going to get slower shutter speeds so your bigger risk is subject movement. Personally, I'd forego IS in return for constant F4 aperture. I've had both the IS and Non-IS 70-200 F4 and they both perform the same optically. I was using them for portrait work so found that the non-IS was more than enough for that. Their AF speed is really good but I haven't used the Tamron to compare.

Have you considered a Canon 55-250is as an alternative? The Aperture range is probably similar to the Tamron so not constant F4 but it is considerably cheaper than both lenses and delivers results that are not considerably worse than the 70-200. I downgraded my 70-200 to a 55-250 and haven't regretted it for the amount I use it (zoo visits etc).

Cheers
Steve
 
For me the AF speed and accuracy are important. I want to be able to track my 3 year old running and playing. I am hoping to have a lens that is sharp wide open.
 
I find that the 55-250 tracks my kids ok (5 & 2) but to guarantee that and for sharpness wide open at all focal lengths you should go for the 70-200 F4.

Steve
 
I had two copies of the Tamron 70-300 SP VC in the space of two weeks, both were returned because of two different issues. What I will say about the first one during the time the AF worked, it was quick to focus on static and moving objects and the VC was top notch at doing it's job.
 
Thank you for your reply I have heard of another person ending up on a 4th copy on the tamron before getting one that worked well, do they have a a record of poor qc with this lens?
 
I had read great reviews and watched some good vids on YT about this lens that's why I went for it, sadly though for I must have got two bad ones. I was thinking about buying a used one on here last week.....thinking it may be third time lucky, I held off after being let down twice.
 
Has anyone any experience with the Canon 70-200 f4 (non-is)?
 
vickylou said:
Has anyone any experience with the Canon 70-200 f4 (non-is)?
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Yes - excellent image quality and very fast focus. It is a bit heavier than many lenses (depends what you are used to) but much lighter than the 70-200 f/2.8 for instance.

It's possibly the best value for money L lens.

I'd recommend it (I upgraded from a 55-250mm about 18 months ago)
 
Had the 70-200 F4L for a couple of years and it completely changed my opinions of what a lens can do! Before that I'd only had use of kit lenses and 50mm f1.8, so the colours and image quality blew me away. Toyed with replacing it with the newer 70-300 L recently, but decided to keep my money as I'm perfectly happy with what I've got.

Can't really recommend it enough!
 
Another vote for the Canon 70-200mm f4L, the 'lack' of focal length compared to the Tamron is neither here nor there. Constant f4 aperture is much more useful than Tamron's vc would be with a f5.6 aperture.

Definitely my best lens purchase so far!
 
I have not used the Tamron but the Canon lens is one i used to own. It is a very, very good lens which is as sharp as many of canons much more expensive lenses. With modern cameras able to shoot at higher and higher ISO the lack of IS is not as important as it use to be. Having said that if you can find an IS F4 one second hand you are one to a winner.
 
Thank you but the IS version even used is £750 plus waaay out of my budget.
 
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