Help with a 70-300 zoom purchase please.

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33hilton

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Gary
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Hi, I would be grateful for any advice/experience anyone has had regarding zooms in the 70-300 region. I have a 7d and a 15-85 for my walkabout. I have been looking at the 70-200L f4 but cannot afford the is version. Also the 70-300 is usm f4/5.6 and also the 70-300 f4.5/5.6 do is usm. Has anyone had these and has been able to compare? I will be shooting motorsport and hopefully some wildlife if I can.Have thought about the 55-250 to begin with but thought I'd ask for your thoughts.
Are there any others I could look at,perhaps 2.8 from other manufacturers?
 
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There the canon 70-200mm f4 (non IS) which is a very good lens. The Canon 55-250mm from all accounts is a little gem of a lens for very little outlay, the 70-300mm IS is just as good, but a bit extra £££.

The 70-300mm DO not a great lens, ok ideal as a travel lens because of its compactness, but optically similar in performance to the standard 70-300, but for twice the price.

There's the tamron 70-300mm VC supposed to be good, although the canon 70-200mm f4 still streets ahead in performance over any of the above, and other option is the sigma 70-200mm f2.8 (non OS) version which you should pick up 2nd hand for a reasonable price and offered similar performance to the canon MKI IS version.
 
My preference for a zoom in this range, especially for motorsports, is the Tamron VC USD lens (unless you can afford the Canon 70-300mm L, of course). I own the Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS as well (which is very good with a teleconverter) but the convenience of having 70-300 without changing lens means that I use the Tamron instead. The VC works very well, as does the USD focussing.
 
I have the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens and it is a good lens if the focal length meets your needs and you want to travel light. It is my long tel of choice but may be a bit short for some wildlife or more reach (I also have a Canon 100-400)
 
Hi, thanks for the replies, looks like a little more reading up is required.
 
Most 70-300s are weaker at the long end - probably where you're wanting to use it!

My vote would be for the L version 70-300mm which is very good at 300mm. Second would be the 70-200mm f4 (both IS and non-IS), which is great at 200mm - a bit of cropping and its better than the 55-250mm. You can always add a Canon 1.4 tc - the Mk III has very little impact on optical performance. BUT these aren't cheap.

Sadly need to pay to get decent results!
 
I've the Canon 70-300IS and it's a great lens and I've been very pleased with it.

I've currently got it in the classifieds here, as I'm looking to upgrade and can't afford to and keep it...
 
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