55-200 vs 75-300

Joel Santos · Oct 1, 2003

jstolzen said:
I'd been looking for a 70/100-300 to compliment the 28-135
(including the 75-300 IS), but have run around in circles deciding
which one (Sigma, Tamron or Canon). Seems to be tradeoffs with ANY
of them (Canon is soft and lacks contrast, Sigma and Tamron have
slow AF and other quirks).

Now the 55-200 seems to be finally making its way into a few
people's hands, to confuse me even further. (200 just seems too
short of a reach, but it looks like Canon will have a real winner
with this lense on the D-Rebel).

So the question becomes at this point..go with the 55-200 for my
"zoom" lense, using 28-135IS for my "everyday, walkaround" lense?
I'd have to give up 100mm - which I consider pretty significant.
Plus, there's a lot of overlap there with the 28-135.

I've also looked at the better quality, f2.8 300mms and they are
all MASSIVE - 3+ lbs and 7-8'..definitely not something for casual
use, cost aside! The alternative is to settle on one of the
"consumer" 300mms and live with whatever tradeoffs there are (soft
and less contrast with the Canon - esp. at longer zooms) or slower
AF with the Sigma/Tamron.

I'll be interested to hear what you plan to do! Plz keep me posted.

Jim

Joel Santos said:

I ordered 28-135 IS and already saw great, great pics with it!
Besides, IS is a great feature that will allow some photos that
otherwise are difficult to obtain. 28-135 also allows me to have a
versatile lenses, using the 18-55mm only for wide angle...

Now I was considering the 75-300 IS... I want to take some pics at
birds, and 300mm with IS seams better than 200mm without IS... even
if pics are softer, at least I'll be able to get them...

I've ordered a 50mm 1.8 too...

--
Joel Santos
http://www.yupictureit.com/joelfotos/

Click to expand...

jstolzen ,

Well, I must look at the facts, rather than look only to picture quality (even if this is very important...):

1 - I will not give up 28-135 - It's just the most versatile lenses one can get from canon and it has IS

2 - I don't have the money for L/PRO lenses. Even if I had, they're huge and heavy

3 - I'll stick with canon lenses for sure: fast AF and if I get the 75-300 IS I'll get Image stabilization

4 - Forgeting the Kit lenses and the 50mm I've ordered, with the 28-135 and the 75-300, I'll have a focal lenght of 28-300. That's a 40- 480mm in 35mm equivalent! Both with IS!

5 - With this two lenses, during morning till late evening I can leave the tripod at home, because I'm pretty sure that for almost all occasions IS will be enough for the job

6 - True that 55-200 is more light and complementary to the 18-55, but I won't give up the 28-135, and that causes a great overlap and less zoom

Now... It all comes down to money, weight, features and total focal lenght. After giving this much thought, in my case, the solution is pretty obvious: 18-55 + 28-135 IS + 75-300 IS + 50 1.8

With this I get an affordabble package with which I can make all types of photography: macro, landscape, wildlife, nocturns, portraits, arquitecture, etc!

If I managed to do some great photos (look at my gallery) with a Sony 717 (no IS, only 38-190mm, lots of noise at higher iso, slow AF, etc), I think with this I'll be pretty satisfied.

Now I must wait for the order to arrive.... ohhhhhh, boy!!!

Best regards!

--
Joel Santos
http://www.yupictureit.com/joelfotos/

mike bustad · Oct 1, 2003

I have been torn between this lens and the Sigma 70-300 APO still not sure if I am making the right choice. I like the sounds of both of these lenses but but depends on who you ask which is the best. Most of the shops say the Sigma is a good lens but the Canon 75-300 IS is better, it's more quite and better glass.

Tanglefoot47

Chris MacDonald · Oct 1, 2003

Thanks for the help. I have been looking at the same things. I am new to SLR so I have not learned all of the conversions yet (maybe someone can point me to a place that explains it well) does the 55-200 mean that the lens focuses from 55mm-200 and that the 75-300 goes longer. I purchased a 75-300 and it seems fine, but I have only tested it for 2 days now. I was looking at the 55-200 because everyone says they are great, But because of the need for taking pictures 3000 feet above the ground I can not go shorter on the zoom. Any help would be great. Thanks. Chris

Tom Estrella said:
Posted this on Lens forum..thought I'd put it here also.

Folks,

As a new D300 owner...I'm in the market for a decent zoom lens.
I've read everything I can online...including looking at seemingly
100's of online galleries!

My local camera shop got some of the new 55-200 Canon's in
stock...so I grabbed my Rebel and borrowed the 55-200 and the Canon
75-300.

My methodology was simple...set the camera in P mode....shoot a set
of photos with both lens...one after the other....shooting the
exact same material with both lens.

I took two exposures of each shot with the 75-300...one at the 200
setting and one at 300. I thought the 200 would give me a more
valid comparison to the 55-200.

I took signs...foliage........moving cars....people....and birds.

Got home....loaded them up.....wow. No comparison...the 55-200 was
dramatically better in each and every shot. Sharper...better
contrast...more vibrant colors. This was comparing the 75-300 at
its 200 length. The 300mm shots were even poorer.

I emailed a few of the comparison shots to a photog friend (...very
serious about still photography)...I coded the pics...didn't tell
him which was which.

He was 100% on the money...the 55-200 pics are crisp, colorful and
vibrant. He was actuall impressed by what it could do.

Of course...I could have had a bum 75-300...but it is not that it
produced bad pics...they look OK...but the 55-200 just looked so
much better in comparison.

Just thought I'd throw this out there for consideration.
Unfortunately I am not subscribed to anyone databases so I can't
postthe pics....but I'm considering giving Pbase a try.

Tom

mike bustad · Oct 1, 2003

I think the 300 will suit your needs if I figured it right the 75-300 will give you a 480mm zoom. So I would guess that will help you at 3000 ft. How can you take pictures from that height and still be able to flap your arms? lol Just kidding of course. Did you get the IS? that is the lens I will order this week unless someone can talk me out of it.

--
Tanglefoot47

Chris MacDonald · Oct 1, 2003

No I did not know enough then to buy the IS. I will be taking back this model and getting the IS Model. Thanks for the advice

mike bustad said:
I think the 300 will suit your needs if I figured it right the
75-300 will give you a 480mm zoom. So I would guess that will help
you at 3000 ft. How can you take pictures from that height and
still be able to flap your arms? lol Just kidding of course. Did
you get the IS? that is the lens I will order this week unless
someone can talk me out of it.

--
Tanglefoot47

jstolzen · Oct 1, 2003

Didn't Adam T write recently that the 75-300 is not as crisp optically as the Sigma 70-300 APO? The Canon seems to have better AF, though.

The one thing I'm confused on is that he didn't seem to compare 75-300 IS to Sigma 70-300. BUT..wouldn't the optics of the lense be pretty much the same as the non-IS?

I was also going to order the Canon until I read the threads with Adam's comments. Now I'm not sure WHAT way to go!

Jim

Chris MacDonald said:
mike bustad said:

I think the 300 will suit your needs if I figured it right the
75-300 will give you a 480mm zoom. So I would guess that will help
you at 3000 ft. How can you take pictures from that height and
still be able to flap your arms? lol Just kidding of course. Did
you get the IS? that is the lens I will order this week unless
someone can talk me out of it.

--
Tanglefoot47

Click to expand...

Pidi · Oct 1, 2003

Joel,

Joel Santos said:
With this I get an affordabble package with which I can make all
types of photography: macro, landscape, wildlife, nocturns,
portraits, arquitecture, etc!

Which of the lenses you mentioned is a true Macro lens?

--

Pidi

AltaChinook · Oct 1, 2003

about the 75-300 IS and his answer is here http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=6186449

Cheers
Steve
--
http://www.pbase.com/hangman/galleries

Chris MacDonald · Oct 1, 2003

thank you very much i appreciate the link

Hangman said:
about the 75-300 IS and his answer is here
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=6186449

Cheers
Steve
--
http://www.pbase.com/hangman/galleries

charles schuler · Oct 1, 2003

Chris MacDonald said:
No I did not know enough then to buy the IS. I will be taking back
this model and getting the IS Model. Thanks for the advice

My 75-300 with IS arrived today and I'm glad I got it. Took some nice shots hand-held. This lens and the Rebel seem to get along well with each other.

jstolzen · Oct 1, 2003

Charles - when you get a chance, can you post some sample pics?

I'm still trying to decide on this one myself.

Thanx -

Jim

Charles Schuler said:
Chris MacDonald said:

No I did not know enough then to buy the IS. I will be taking back
this model and getting the IS Model. Thanks for the advice

Click to expand...

My 75-300 with IS arrived today and I'm glad I got it. Took some
nice shots hand-held. This lens and the Rebel seem to get along
well with each other.

Joel Santos · Oct 1, 2003

Pidi said:
Pidi said:

With this I get an affordabble package with which I can make all
types of photography: macro, landscape, wildlife, nocturns,
portraits, arquitecture, etc!

Click to expand...

Which of the lenses you mentioned is a true Macro lens?

--

Pidi

None of them! But, despite that, as you might know, you can do macros with them anyway. Not extreme closeups, but you can. There are several examples in this forum.

Best regards
--
Joel Santos
http://www.yupictureit.com/joelfotos/

Melvin Shaffer · Oct 1, 2003

Tom Estrella said:
Posted this on Lens forum..thought I'd put it here also.

Folks,

As a new D300 owner...I'm in the market for a decent zoom lens.
I've read everything I can online...including looking at seemingly
100's of online galleries!

My local camera shop got some of the new 55-200 Canon's in
stock...so I grabbed my Rebel and borrowed the 55-200 and the Canon
75-300.

My methodology was simple...set the camera in P mode....shoot a set
of photos with both lens...one after the other....shooting the
exact same material with both lens.

I took two exposures of each shot with the 75-300...one at the 200
setting and one at 300. I thought the 200 would give me a more
valid comparison to the 55-200.

I took signs...foliage........moving cars....people....and birds.

Got home....loaded them up.....wow. No comparison...the 55-200 was
dramatically better in each and every shot. Sharper...better
contrast...more vibrant colors. This was comparing the 75-300 at
its 200 length. The 300mm shots were even poorer.

I emailed a few of the comparison shots to a photog friend (...very
serious about still photography)...I coded the pics...didn't tell
him which was which.

He was 100% on the money...the 55-200 pics are crisp, colorful and
vibrant. He was actuall impressed by what it could do.

Of course...I could have had a bum 75-300...but it is not that it
produced bad pics...they look OK...but the 55-200 just looked so
much better in comparison.

Just thought I'd throw this out there for consideration.
Unfortunately I am not subscribed to anyone databases so I can't
postthe pics....but I'm considering giving Pbase a try.

Tom

--

Received one today, pics at 55mm are not bad, but IMO the 200 is simply not useable. Mechanicaly sloppy, lens zoom element flops around, autofocus is off. Camera is not at fault, pictures with my good Sigma's are striking, even with a Russian mirror lens the pictures are good as any I have made with several ditigal cameras. Here are a couple of the Russian lens pics. http://www.worldisround.com/articles/22188/photo6.html . In fact none of the rebel lenses have proven to be anything but very ordinary.

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55-200 vs 75-300

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