Newbie ?: Recommend a Wildlife lens

digicaman2 · May 31, 2003

it is slow. So, early morning handheld shots would be extremely difiicult.

While I think that the 50-500 has optics that rival or surpass any zoom lens on the market today (including the 100-400 L), at 500mm it is a 6.3 lens. As such, if you are really intent on early morning shots, look elsewhere.

Dave

David Lawson said:
TJS said:

Like many others, I've recently received my 10D and from many of
the suggestions I've decided to go with the 28-135 IS lens.
However I'm looking for suggestions on a longer distance lens.

I'm looking for a lens that can reach out 20-40 yards that will be
used primarily for early morning/late afternoon wildlife shots.
(whitetail deer this fall). I don't have a problem spending up to
$1500 on the lens; however, if I can spend less that would be great.

Tim

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Woody W. · May 31, 2003

It tells the camera it is there, and what the effective focal lenght and aperture are. Sigma's EX teleconverters do the same.

I have a Sigma 2x EX, and a Tamron 1.4x. The Tamron doesn't alter the lens info, so the camera still thinks it has f/5.6 or less.

jim powers said:
Kiran P said:

Will Robinson said:

That combo works well and can be had for your price if you shop
around or find a refurbished/used lens.
It puts your total reach at 560mm

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--

Woody -

Eqiupment: Lots.

Favorite Quote: 'Never let the quest for the Perfect become the enemy of the Excellent'

Hyperfish · May 31, 2003

Tim-

I had some shots for you under conditions similar to what you described, but see this thread:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=5239746

Anyway, the best that I can recall:

I brought 2 10Ds, EF300mm f/2.8, EF 1.4x Extenders, 70-200mm f/2.8 & a 400mm f/2.8.

Approx 30 minutes after sunrise, HEAVY foliage, gorund level, ISO 1600 gave SS of 1/125 - 1/160 with the 300mm f/2.8, 1/320 with the 400mm f/2.8 & 1/15 - 1/30 with the 70-200mm f/2.8. (All wide open)

Using the 300mm + 1.4x wide open dropped SS accordingly. (1/60ish)

Bottom line, I DO think the larger front elements of the big f/2.8 glass allows more light & faster shutter speeds in low light, high ISO situations.

Sorry I don't have the images & EXIF info to prove it, next time I'll use the 1D. (Wanted to show you images using the equipment you have)

For those suggesting slow glass-

Try shooting in HEAVY foliage right after sunrise (HINT---> It's dark as hell!) & see what your shutter speeds are with the 100/400 or 50-500. You'll have to shoot ISO 3200 & be lucky to get SS above 1/30ish...

Brian Kennedy · May 31, 2003

Hyperfish said:
Bottom line, I DO think the larger front elements of the big f/2.8
glass allows more light & faster shutter speeds in low light, high
ISO situations.

Hyperfish, I hate to do this, because I think you've given some good advice, and I don't want you to think I'm "calling you out." But I also don't want to see Tim led astray.

The larger front elements do allow in more light, but it has to travel further. The whole point of having the f-stop being a ratio of the diaphragm opening to the focal length is that exposure is the same at equivalent f-stops no matter what the focal length.

An exposure with a 400/2.8 at f/2.8, 300/2.8 at f/2.8, 70-200/2.8 at f/2.8, and 50/1.4 at f/2.8 will all be exactly the same at equivalent shutter speeds. Modern Canon lenses all transmit light well; there is very little light loss due to internal reflections or off internal glass surfaces, etc. -- f/2.8 is f/2.8 on all of your lenses, it's not somehow "faster" on the big lenses.

That you were seeing differing shutter speeds for equivalent f-stops with the different lenses suggests that the differing fields of view affected your meter. If you kept the same shutter and f-stop settings, the same parts in the various photos would be exposed the same.

--
Brian Kennedy
http://www.briankennedy.net/

Hyperfish · May 31, 2003

Brian Kennedy said:
Hyperfish, I hate to do this, because I think you've given some
good advice, and I don't want you to think I'm "calling you out."
But I also don't want to see Tim led astray.

The larger front elements do allow in more light, but it has to
travel further. The whole point of having the f-stop being a ratio
of the diaphragm opening to the focal length is that exposure is
the same at equivalent f-stops no matter what the focal length.

An exposure with a 400/2.8 at f/2.8, 300/2.8 at f/2.8, 70-200/2.8
at f/2.8, and 50/1.4 at f/2.8 will all be exactly the same at
equivalent shutter speeds. Modern Canon lenses all transmit light
well; there is very little light loss due to internal reflections
or off internal glass surfaces, etc. -- f/2.8 is f/2.8 on all of
your lenses, it's not somehow "faster" on the big lenses.

That you were seeing differing shutter speeds for equivalent
f-stops with the different lenses suggests that the differing
fields of view affected your meter. If you kept the same shutter
and f-stop settings, the same parts in the various photos would be
exposed the same.

--
Brian Kennedy
http://www.briankennedy.net/

Hi Brian-

Check these out:

EF600mm f/4.0:
http://www.pbase.com/image/17303931

EF600mm f/4.0 + EF1.4x Extender:
http://www.pbase.com/image/17304006

EF300mm f/2.8 + EF1.4x Extender:
http://www.pbase.com/image/17304329

EF70-200mm f/2.8 + EF2x Extender:
http://www.pbase.com/image/17304506

I know it's not exactly what we're talking about, but you can CLEARLY see the big glass suffers much less loss of shutter speed losing 1 f-stop (and starts at a much higher shutter speed) than 77mm 70-200mm f/2.8.

The next chance I get I'll drag 'em all out again in low light conditions similar to what I would expect Tim to experience in heavy foliage (Sept. Midwest, pre-first frost) & do another lens/Extender test.

I'd do it tomorrow AM but already have a shooting commitment at first light...

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Newbie ?: Recommend a Wildlife lens

digicaman2

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Woody W.

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Hyperfish

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Brian Kennedy

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Hyperfish

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