Low budget lenses

[Lars]

I show a picture i recently took with my EF70-300 to explain what I want to improve. The shot settings are: Camera Canon 400D, lens: Canon EF 70-300 4-5.6, shutter, 1/200, aperture 5.6, ISO 400, focal length 240mm. I leaned against a wall to avoid shaking. The crop shows actual pixels. I find the picture a bit unsharp (could be shaking, but also the lens) and there is chromatic aberration (look at the branch). Also, the 400D is not brilliant at high ISO, 400 is ok but not good, 800 is worse, and 1600 is for emergency only. By being able to step down to 2.8, I could shoot at higher shutter speed and lower ISO. I tried my (richer) brother's Canon 70-200 f4 IS, and the pictures are much sharper, so it is possible to get better quality even if you have to crop the pictures to get the same view.


So: would a Tamron 70-200 do the job, or do I have to go Canon? Unfortunately, the used Canon L lenses are almost as expensive as the new ones (at least in Norway).


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[Chuck Lee]

So: would a Tamron 70-200 do the job, or do I have to go Canon? Unfortunately, the used Canon L lenses are almost as expensive as the new ones (at least in Norway).

Bryans ISO charts. Tamron 70-200 @ f2.8 & 200mm vs. Canon EF 70-300 @ 5.6 & 200mm Here - You'll have to decide whether a crop will work.


The $1700.00 Canon EF 70-200 L vs $750.00 Tamron 70-200 Here And HereAnd HereYou can also compare the non-IS version of the Canon 70-200 f2.8L with Bryans ISO 12233 Charts.


It looks like a no-brainer. Put the money saved toward a better body. 40D's are a great value. Look what Nate does with his.

[Lars]

Thanks to everybody for sharing their tips on this topic (and my apologises for not doing my homework on the lens comparison). My desicion will probably be to go for the Tamron, and spend the rest (if any) on a new body. If the 60D comes soon, perhaps the price of the 50D will drop to an acceptable level that I can afford.