400 f5.6, 100-400, 500 f4 or mortgage? +views on prices returning to pre-crunch levels?

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

I don't actually have that much time for photography - and even less time for actually doing something with my pictures once I've taken them.

I'm going to be straight up with you. In order to maximize the potential of any supertelephoto lens, you need to use it very often, you need to know its strengths and weaknesses. If you only use it once in a while and don't have time to review and study the images that you have taken, don't expect to get good results.


My recommendation for you is to get something cheaper to use for now, like the 100-400 or 400 f/5.6. If you're truly hooked into bird photgraphy after shooting with the 400, then you can always get the 500 f/4.


What you're experiencing right now is not the interest inphotography but GEAR LUST!


I apologize for being so blunt, but I want to get my message accross because I've seen a lot of poeple who bought their 500 and 600 and had to resell thembecause they found out that they didn't use it much or couldn't use it.


Nate,

[Feanor]

Sinh - please don't apologise for being blunt, that's exactly the
response I'm after! I need someone to tell me not to be such a fool, to
be honest. Although, in fairness, even though you're probably not wrong about the gear lust, it is lust borne of having experienced the limitations of my existing kit. I say I don't have that much time for this hobby, which is true - especially for going somewhere just with the single intention of taking photographs. But I do take every opportunity I have. I nearly always have my camera with me wherever I go that isn't my routine commute to the office.


I do find it a bit frustrating that there's nothing above 400
available that isn't a bit cheapo with an unnecessarily large zoom
range, like the Bigmas, and isn't top-end and crazily expensive. It'd
be nice if Canon did a 500mm version of the 400 f5.6, or if Sigma made
something that wasn't such a compromise. One can but wish.


I think you're right - one of the two 400s are probably the best bet. I imagine I'll end up going for the prime to be honest. Thanks