Camera Labs

In June I'm going to buy a canon 60D (unless its been replaced) Im intending to get the Canon 18-135mm because its pretty versatile and not that expensive. I walk in the mountains a lot so I don't really want to carry a lot of kit (currently just a ixus 100is) What I really want to know is would the purchase of a Canon 70-300 make any sense if I already have a maximum focal length of 135mm. Will there be a major difference in the distance away from my subject I can be (for example Birds)

Or do I buy this then save up for a replacement macbook pro and then a 24-70 2.8 L

Hope someone could understand that ramble

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Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

Imagine that leaf in the middle of the frame is a bird.
The first one taken at 135mm, the second one at 300mm:







Comment: You could save some money by buying the Tamron 70-300mm VC USD - it is newer than the Canon version, has a better image stabilizer, a ring USM insead of a micro USM, is said to be sharper and it's cheaper.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Thanks for that. What kind of distance are you from the leaf? And would it be more cost affective to move further forward.

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Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

Wel... I guess the distance is about 15m. Getting closer to the subject means jumping out of the window. There are times when you just can't get closer. If the leaf was an animal, it would run away seeing me getting closer.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

A 4 years ago (when i was 14ish) i thought that the second I brought a DSLR i would be able to take photos of things a ridiculous distance away from me. Turns out thats not the case.
I probably won't bother purchasing a 70-300, from your photos, it gave more but not enough to justify purchase.
I had a look at that sigma you suggested. Unfortunately, (probably very minor) the zoom ring turns the opposite way to the canon lenses. I have been using a couple of old Pentax SLR's recently and two lenses zoom one way and the other the opposite. It gets me rather confused when I'm trying to zoom.
I probably would be better looking at the 400mm 5.6 prime or the 100-400 from canon
They could be potentially in my budget if I sold a leg or an arm

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

You can use the Pentax lenses on a Pentax DSLR.

I suggested the Tamron, not the Sigma But actually I don't know which way they turn. After all it might confuse the seconds after having changed them but I had no problems with it.

But for my shots I used the Canon 100-400mm indeed so I'll add the 400mm shot as well:




EDIT: But if you want even more reach and as we talked about Sigma: There is the Sigma 150-500mm, which is even a bit cheaper than the Canon 100-400mm.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Ohh I meant to reply Tamron!!
The 400mm is much closer than the 135mm

I can buy a £12 adaptor for the pentax lenses for the canon. But is it worth the £12, i mean no IS no auto focus.

Thanks for the replays

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

*not replays, i meant to say "replies"

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

I'd be unlikely to take a zoom into the hills with me unless I had a particular shot in mind. One of the issues I'd worry about is getting dust in the sensor changing lenses.

If your shooting wildlife or similar then the 400 prime is the way to go I reckon, it gets good feedback from the birders. Any thing less wouldn't be worth the weight or the cost

The 18-135 is a great starting point. Get out and use that and see what you feel your missing

Bear in mind if your in the mountains you'll likely find a wide lens handy. The 24-70 might not be wide enough on a crop sensor like the 60D. Consider the 15-85 USM lens that is crop sensor specific. It's supposed to be a good lens and the right range for a genera purpose zoom on a 1.6 crop camera, the 24-70 is designed for full frame

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Canon EOS 550D (with Magic Lantern)
18mm - 135mm Kit Lens, 50mm f1.8, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
430EX II Flash with Phottix Strato Wireless Tigger Set
Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 with 496 Ball Head. Gorilla Pod SLR
Canon Powershot A720IS with CHDK and intervalometer script. Pentax Optio W90

My Blog - http://www.ianganderton.wordpress.com

Actually the Pentax K-5 costs about the same as the Canon EOS 60D but looking at the features the Pentax has some advantages:
- full weather sealing
- IS built in - working with any lens, even the old ones. Plus you don't have to pay for the IS with every lens you buy.
- 7 fps (K-5) vs. 5.3 fps (60D)
- slightly bigger sensor
- better dynamic range and better noise performance ( http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essay ... eras.shtml )
- ISO range 80-51200 (K-5) vs. ISO 100-12800 (60D)
- 11 AF points (9x cross) (K-5) vs. 9 AF points (9x cross) (60D)
- Magnesium (K-5) vs. polycarbonate body (60D)
- AF light
- 100% viewfinder (K-5) vs. 96% viewfinder (60D)
- Personally I love the RAW button. You don't have to use the menu to change between RAW and JPG.
- And you can use your Pentax lenses without an adapter (with IS!)
- A friend of mine showed me that if you set the camera body to AF but the lens is an MF one, you can press the shutter and turn the focus ring on the lens and as soon as it's in focus it takes the shot. Maybe not as good as full AF but still very nice if you are using older lenses.

In comparison the 60D's advantages:
- better video mode
- 18MP (60D) vs. 16.3 MP (K-5)
- articulated screen with a slightly higher resolution

So if I was in your position I think I'd go for the Pentax. By the way: What lenses do you have for Pentax?

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

The lenses are pretty poor. I inherited the cameras from my father.
They are:
Hoya 80-200mm
Takumar-a 38-70mm
And a 50mm f2 but Im unsure on the brand
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththom ... 309705074/
(images of them)

Major cons of these lenses are the 100% metal construction. they are like bricks.

I have become a canon fanboy over the last few years so I'm too drawn to the 60d to move over to a different brand.
Therefore i have the same range in the 18-135mm

(when I say used i have never bothered developing a film, in my opinion probably a bit of a waste of money)

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

Is the Hoya lens a f4 or variable aperture?

OK, yeah... metal bricks - but at least they are built like tanks and if somebody tries to steal your camera you can throw one of the lenses at him damaging his head more than the lens.

_________________
Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

No its a variable aperture. I may just buy an adaptor for a bit of fun.

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/