Recommend a Canon fit zoom

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GaryK26

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One of the guys at work has a Canon DSLR (not sure which one, but probably 400D or 450D) and we have collected £500 for his 50th birthday.

I beleive that he only has the kit lens and would like a zoom.
The lens is going to be purchased from the US (probably BH), so that'll give us a bit more bang for our bucks.

Having a 70-200 F4 L myself, I'm tempted to recommend that. BH sell for just under $650, so it would stretch the budget (we would like to get him other non-photography stuff as well).

So, should I recommend to 70-200, or something else that would leave us with money for other stuff?

Cheers
Gary
 
The 70-300mm IS is supposed to be pretty damn good, not sure how that fits with your budget though. Another option is the 55-250mm IS, but it's definitely the 'weaker' of the ones mentioned.
 
70-200m f4 L all the way! No contest. Have a word with Kerso on here, I'm sure he does it for less than £500!

I hope he appreciates he's a lucky guy!
 
Oh yes, he certainly is a lucky guy.
One of our colleagues in the US is due over here next week and is happy to go to B&H Photo in Manhatten.

The 70-200 would work out around £400 and the 70-300 is around £330.
So, it's a case of better quality for an extra £70, or slight compromise - save £70 and get an extra 100mm.

I'm certainly leaning towards the 70-200.
 
Sounds good to me! With the surplus, you could go for a top class CPL to go with it, don't bother with a protection filter, not required as it has a deep hood!
 
This is another of those posts which prompt the question: what is his main photographic interest?

If it's wildlife, sports or other forms of action photography, go for the 70-300mm

If he's more inclined towards portraits go for the 70-200mm or even shorter

If he's into landscapes buy him a very short zoom, around 10-24mm (these tend to be pricey, though).
 
How serious is he about his photography?
Although many will argue that there is no substitute for quality glass, would he fair better with a Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM, considered by some to be almost on a par results wise as the L, just for the range. Can be had for around £375 new. Come to think of it the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS kit lens I've read produces good images around £180 new.
I guess I'm asking what you know about his experiences, his expectations and where he feels his current set up is lacking.
A Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM or the Nifty Fifty may open up a whole new world of low light/shallow depth of field to him, a decent tripod for long exposures or maybe a flash gun may help him nail indoor shots.
With you not being sure what his current camera is, it makes me wonder if you know him well enough to recommend blowing the budget on the one item.
I recommend talking to him about his kit and what he likes doing and what he wishes he could do better.
 
I have the 70-300mm USM IS and have never yearned for the 70-200mm f4. The picture quality is excellent on my 10mp sensor. You may want to consider the 70-300 plus a 'nifty fifty'.
 
Thanks for all the recommendations guys.

TBH, I'm not sure how serious he is - probably a keen amatuer. What does he like shooting? Again, I'm not sure.

Maybe the 70-300 would be better with the extra 100mm and £70 saving.
I remember when I bought my first DSLR (350D) and aquired a 75-300 for next to nothing. Ok, so the IQ was nothing to write home about, but it certainly opened up a whole new world in terms of what I could shoot.
 
He may prefer the £500 going on "the complete works of Laurel & Hardy" dvd set or something equally bizzare. If you can't talk to him, could you find someone who maybe knows him a bit better? Spouse perhaps? I think it is admirable of you to take on the role of finding camera equipment for his present. I just fear for you if it turns out he gives a luke warm reaction to something you have taken your time and effort to sort out just because camera's aren't really his thing. I have a car but I don't desire lowered suspension, bodykit, low profile wheels or anything else. I require it to do the job I bought it for and nothing more.
 
Sorry, I should have made myself clearer....
I have been approached by a lady at work who knows the other guy (also a colleague) and she knows his wife.
His wife has told her that he would like a longer zoom lens for his birthday. In fact, his wife suggested that they ask me as they know that I'm into photography.

They want it to be a surprise present, so asking him which lens he wants is out of the question. I wouldn't put him into any particular category (wildlife / birding / sports) - I'm assuming that he just has a general interest in photography. He certainly hasn't expressed any intentions to turn pro!

So, bottom line is that he actually wants a longer zoom (longer than his kit lens). The dilema is which of the lens' to recommend.
 
This does make a difference from my original answer. It is an item he has expressed an interest in. If he has researched just a little he would understand the significance of the red ring (and the price tag that normally accompanies it). I'm with Stranways when he says
I have the 70-300mm USM IS and have never yearned for the 70-200mm f4. The picture quality is excellent......
Click to expand...
However, there are little niggles that sometimes crop up with 70-300 that I wonder wouldn't occur with the L lens. Sometimes, it hunts in less than ideal lighting. Sometimes it seems a little slow to lock focus. Sometimes the sharpness at full zoom is disappointing. Do I wish I'd bought 70-200 f4? - No. Do I wish I'd bought 70-200 f2.8? - Yes, I just wish it was black.
In short you get a hell of lot of lens with the 70-300 for the money but if you were to buy me one as a present I would choose the L glass. I think :thinking:
 
LOL - it's a b****r of a dilema!
I have the 70-200 F4 and given the choice between that and the 70-300, I think I'd stick with the L.
Having said that, its not like the 70-300 is a pile of crap. It has an extra 100mm, IS and is £70 cheaper.

End of the day, the guy is going to be thrilled whichever lens we get him.
 
woodbutcher said:
This does make a difference from my original answer. It is an item he has expressed an interest in. If he has researched just a little he would understand the significance of the red ring (and the price tag that normally accompanies it). I'm with Stranways when he says However, there are little niggles that sometimes crop up with 70-300 that I wonder wouldn't occur with the L lens. Sometimes, it hunts in less than ideal lighting. Sometimes it seems a little slow to lock focus. Sometimes the sharpness at full zoom is disappointing. Do I wish I'd bought 70-200 f4? - No. Do I wish I'd bought 70-200 f2.8? - Yes, I just wish it was black.
In short you get a hell of lot of lens with the 70-300 for the money but if you were to buy me one as a present I would choose the L glass. I think :thinking:
Click to expand...

Yes you are correct that it can hunt in bad light sometimes before it locks focus, and as with most long zooms it can be a bit soft at it's extreme. I also have a Mk1 non macro Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 which produces a similar IQ to the Canon 70-300, but if I had to choose just one of them it would be the Canon every time. So much smaller, lighter and easier to use that I don't mind taking it everywhere with me.
 
He is a lucky b****r, what kind workmates !

I would get the 70-200mm L, he will be delighted.
 
Is your job to recommend or purchase? If it is only to recommend then go with the 70-200 as being the best lens within budget but mention the 70-300 as being almost as good and the saving it provides if they need the money for non photographic gifts too. BTW where are you seeing 70-300 at around £330? Camera Price Buster shows it as £374.30 at Amazon so not that significant a saving from the £400ish you can get the 70-200.
 
The prices are taken from B&H (US retailer) website.
We work for a global company and one of our US colleagues is going to buy it from there and bring it over next week. (Let's hoep that they dont collar here for tax when she gets to Heathrow)!

Here's what I have told them....

1. Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/397663-USA/Canon_0345B002_EF_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_IS.html)
Pros:
- The cheaper of the 2, coming in at around £330
- Extra 100mm length (zoom)
- “IS” (Image Stabilization) - Slightly lighter than the 70-200mm
Cons:
- Not quite as good as the 70-200mm
- Image quality issues at 300mm
- Doesn’t hold its value quite as well as the 70-200mm


2. Canon EF 70-200 F/4 L USM (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/183198-USA/Canon_2578A002_EF_70_200mm_f_4L_USM.html)
Pros:
- You can’t get better (build and image quality), basically Canon’s top of the range lens series
- Considered by many to be the best value “bang for your buck” lens that Canon makes
- I’ve got one and swear by it
- It’s got a red ring (see Cons!) the red ring only appears on the L series professional lens’
- Holds its value well if Andy ever wants to upgrade
- Faster, more accurate focusing than the 70-300mm
Cons:
- At around £400, it’s £70 more expensive and will eat into the birthday budget
- 100mm shorter than the other option. Being a typical bloke, I always want a “longer one” ;o)
- No “IS”
- It’s a creamy colour with a red ring at the end (some see this as a call of “look at me and my expensive lens”, but this really doesn’t bother me)
- Slightly heavier than the 70-300 (bearing in mind that Andy is getting on a bit now!) ;o)

It’s difficult for me to recommend one over the other – especially as I don’t know what Andy likes “shooting” or how serious he is about his photography.
If I was given the choice of my 70-200 or a 70-300, I would definitely keep the 70-200.
But, you do get an awful lot for your money with the 70-300 (extra 100mm, “IS”, extra £70 for other stuff).
 
Yep, pretty much sums it up. You pays your money, you makes your choice. The ball now firmly back in friends court and you can relax knowing whichever they choose should serve him well for years to come.
One more thing you may want to consider. Although I haven't read a plethora of post to the fact (or indeed any) The lens is from america comes with what sort of warrenty? It's just the IS unit on the 70-300 is one extra thing to break compared to the L. Again not read anything but would it be an issue in years to come if it infact did break down?
Seem to recall reading somewhere that all lenses are covered by international warrenty but maybe I dreamt that.
 
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Good point about the warranty - the thought had crossed my mind.
If it is not covered by an international warranty, then it's no major hassle as we have people going back and forth to the US on a regular basis. So if it came to it, then we could get the lens back to B&H in the US without too much trouble.

Anyway, I have just spoken to the lady and she was still unsure which to go for, so I advised that the 70-200 would be the better choice.

Thanks again for all your input.
 
Canon lens warranty I believe is international, body is not.

Look at it this way, do you think he would ever be able to afford to treat himself to L glass? if not get him the L glass, he can still add a 1.4tc to it if needed and have a 300 F5.6 and it may be the only opportunity he ever gets to have an L lens.
 
It would appear from HoppyUK's post on Monday that the 70-300mm also uses L glass. It's just not white with a red ring. Link
 
For correctness it is actually I-S who points out that the 70-300 uses the UD glass of the L series.
HoppyUK does say something very noteworthy in his last paragraph
Canon L is now a brand like Zeiss or Leica, in that people buy L lenses because just of the red ring, regardless of anything else. Fortunately, they are also very good, which is more than can be said of some Zeiss etc lenses, despite the price, but that's another story.
Click to expand...
 
woodbutcher said:
For correctness it is actually I-S who points out that the 70-300 uses the UD glass of the L series.
HoppyUK does say something very noteworthy in his last paragraph
Click to expand...

I stand corrected, it was indeed I-S :bang:
 
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