New Lens for Le-mans

[withoutabix]

Right with being off to Lemans in less than a month I'm contemplating picking up a new lens for the trip

Haven't got huge wads of cash to spend around £300 could be a possibility but looking for something to cover most of the bases and get some decent shots of the cars

I've got a Canon 500D but don't know didly squat about which lens would be best for me as I've only ever used the kit lens

Any help would be greatly received

 

[Feirny]

Do you only have the kit lens at present?

 

[dunganick]

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408181

Obviously sold now, but others exist I'm sure.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408148

 

[withoutabix]

Do you only have the kit lens at present?

Yes dude just the kit lens ATM

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408181

Obviously sold now, but others exist I'm sure.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408148

Cheers dude

 

[Martin!]

If you're on a budget, you really cannot go wrong with the Canon 55-250 IS, it's tack sharp, has image stabilisation, and can be picked up new from as little as £130 from eBay. I've had one and loved it. Regarded as one of the best budget lenses in that reach for optical quality.

 

[Cup_Phil]

If £300 2nd hand would stretch to a 70-200 f4L do that
Superb lens - pin sharp

If not as others have said the 55-250 IS is really good for the money

 

[dk]

rent a 70-200 from http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/

thats what i did when i went away, and i was glad i did as i didn't get on with it so was glad i hadn't spent hundreds on it!

 

[Naith]

riads just bought a 70 - 200 i think, might be wrong though as i dont know much.

get something that you can pan with as well as close ups i'd say

 

[Riad]

This Lens Sigma 70-300 http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...7abIYW7hAf2vvGFCQ&ved=0CLIBEPMCMAA#ps-sellers

its £90 here

produces images like

BTCC 55 by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

BTCC 6 Griffin by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

Bargain

 

[Addicted]

Get a 55-250 from kerso, got mine for £120 posted during the week, lovely lens!

 

[withoutabix]

Cheers for all the suggestions 55-250 looks pretty good value!

DK dont fancy renting think id be paranoid knowing it wasn't my lense and possibly damaging it etc altho saying that the prices are pretty reasonable but i can imagine they wouldn't be prepared to rent it without a deposit if I'm taking it to lemans etc

Cheers riad how many lenses you planning on taking?

 

[Riad]

Cheers for all the suggestions 55-250 looks pretty good value!

DK dont fancy renting think id be paranoid knowing it wasn't my lense and possibly damaging it etc altho saying that the prices are pretty reasonable but i can imagine they wouldn't be prepared to rent it without a deposit if I'm taking it to lemans etc

Cheers riad how many lenses you planning on taking?

Erm

70-300

70-200

24-105

maybe 85 prime

 

[withoutabix]

lol okay ill just rock with my pov spec kit kit lens and either one of the two mentioned above go me!

 

[Riad]

lol okay ill just rock with my pov spec kit kit lens and either one of the two mentioned above go me!

I'm sure it will be fine mate! if your not driving i can lend you something on the way down there but dont fancy chopping and changing when were at the campspite as they will get filthy!

 

[withoutabix]

i would love to mate i just wouldn't be happy if anything happened to your kit dude thanks for the offer tho, i also don't think I've got the skills to do them justice either tbh would be wasted on me ATM!

 

[dk]

Cheers for all the suggestions 55-250 looks pretty good value!

DK dont fancy renting think id be paranoid knowing it wasn't my lense and possibly damaging it etc altho saying that the prices are pretty reasonable but i can imagine they wouldn't be prepared to rent it without a deposit if I'm taking it to lemans etc

Cheers riad how many lenses you planning on taking?

thats the whole point of renting one, you are insured, no extra cost for insurance, its included, and don't worry about taking to le mans, i took one to antarctica and was in and out of rubber boats and stepping in water all the time, they weren't bothered, and apart form taking one to iraq, i can't think of a more likely place to lose or damage one, so le mans will be fine. they are cheap too, and a lot of people recommend them i found them very good too.

 

[dk]

something like this for £50 for 5 days (amazing lens, no real need for IS if you are going to be panning)

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-70-200mm-f28-l-usm-6-p.asp
or
this for £60 with a lot more length, but i think you can get quite close to the action at le mans right?

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-100-400mm-f45-56-l-is-usm-11-p.asp

 

[withoutabix]

something like this for £50 for 5 days (amazing lens, no real need for IS if you are going to be panning)

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-70-200mm-f28-l-usm-6-p.asp
or
this for £60 with a lot more length, but i think you can get quite close to the action at le mans right?


http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/canon-ef-100-400mm-f45-56-l-is-usm-11-p.asp

cheers dude I'm confused now lol for £70 i could have a far superior lens but for an extra £50 can have a decent lens which i don't have to give back!

im leaning toward the cannon 55-250 seems to get great reviews and for the money it looks like great value

 

[dk]

It's an ok lens, but those lenses on that site are over £1000, I used it to see if I wanted to spend the extra money on the thing I hired, it turns out I didn't, I saved myself a packet.

I hear what you are saying about getting one to keep for doube the amount, le mans is a special event though, so for me personally, I'd want the best chance if decent photos I could get.

 

[dunganick]

If you buy a used lens you can sell it for the same price when you get back. You will only loose postage.

Bare in mind you want a lens that is good in failing light conditions and ideally as fast as possible as otherwise you won't be able to shoot at night.

 

[Brazo]

£300 will buy you a brand new Tamron 70-300 USD. Much better resolution than the 55-250 but keeping the same slow apertures (actually its fractionally faster being 4-5.6)
Could be a compromise between the faster lenses and the 55-250.

That said I can also see the merit in hiring a fast lens or even buying a second hand one and punting it on when you get back.

 

[withoutabix]

Cheers for the advice guys just managed to pick up one of these second hand

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-75-300mm-f4-5-6-usm-iii-lens/p12851

Decent purchase for £65?

 

[Addicted]

I've used this very briefly (borrowing from a friend at work), it seemed ok though I'm pretty sure it doesnt get too good reviews. Has no IS but don't know if you'll need that anyway

Must be worth a punt for £65 though tbh

 

[withoutabix]

I've used this very briefly (borrowing from a friend at work), it seemed ok though I'm pretty sure it doesnt get too good reviews. Has no IS but don't know if you'll need that anyway

Must be worth a punt for £65 though tbh

ye can't see IS being that usefull in panning shots and @ £65 not exactly hurting the wallet if i don't get on with it

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

Cheers for the advice guys just managed to pick up one of these second hand

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-75-300mm-f4-5-6-usm-iii-lens/p12851

Decent purchase for £65?

Not in the same league as the 55-250 IMO. The one I used was garbage.

The 70-200's are a bit more specialised IMO. The 55-250 makes a superb addition to the kit lens. Given it's rock-bottom price there's really no reason not to have one.

 

[withoutabix]

Not in the same league as the 55-250 IMO. The one I used was garbage.

The 70-200's are a bit more specialised IMO. The 55-250 makes a superb addition to the kit lens. Given it's rock-bottom price there's really no reason not to have one.

Thanks for the advice dude

why didn't you like the 75-300?

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

Slow, soft, poor AF and in anything other than bright sunlight, 300mm without the aid of IS is a real b**ch to use (although, I must admit, I don't have the steadiest of hands). I was just disappointed with pretty much everything that I did with it. Admitedly I only used it for one afternoon but I didn't take to it at all. Unlike the 55-250 which I loved immediately.

 

[dunganick]

300mm is a very hand holdable focal length even on a crop body. IS for motorsport really makes little odds. Only the Pan mode helps (which none of the lenses discussed so far have).

If you want to shoot anything when it is getting dark you will need F2.8 and a High ISO. AF doesnt work well in the dark even on £2k lenses/bodies.

I've never been to LeMans, but most of the spectator images i have seen are Pans (as there arn't many headon shots available). You can use prefocus with manual focus for these, so AF ability shouldnt matter too much.

I would of personally bought a used Sigma 70-200 F2.8 for about £350 and then sold it once i got back.

Having said this, 90% of the people i know that take cameras to LeMans wish they had just not bothered and enjoyed the racing/event.

 

[withoutabix]

Slow, soft, poor AF and in anything other than bright sunlight, 300mm without the aid of IS is a real b**ch to use (although, I must admit, I don't have the steadiest of hands). I was just disappointed with pretty much everything that I did with it. Admitedly I only used it for one afternoon but I didn't take to it at all. Unlike the 55-250 which I loved immediately.

Ohwell ill see how i get on with it can always punt it on if I'm not impressed

300mm is a very hand holdable focal length even on a crop body. IS for motorsport really makes little odds. Only the Pan mode helps (which none of the lenses discussed so far have).

If you want to shoot anything when it is getting dark you will need F2.8 and a High ISO. AF doesnt work well in the dark even on £2k lenses/bodies.

I've never been to LeMans, but most of the spectator images i have seen are Pans (as there arn't many headon shots available). You can use prefocus with manual focus for these, so AF ability shouldnt matter too much.

I would of personally bought a used Sigma 70-200 F2.8 for about £350 and then sold it once i got back.

Having said this, 90% of the people i know that take cameras to LeMans wish they had just not bothered and enjoyed the racing/event.

thanks for the info dude ill have a look out for that lens and see what come up!

That last bit is hugely relevant for me last year i was very much looking forward to shooting, but in the end i hardly took anything as i was too busy enjoying it!

 

[Riad]

This was the best i could produce in LeMans at Night

Taken with a D90 and s**t Lens so i'm looking forward to this year with the 5D and better glass plus i the 5D handles ISO better.

LeMans 2011 - Night time by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

 

[withoutabix]

^^ showoff ^^

 

[withoutabix]

Ive now picked up a 55-250 IS lens aswell

think that will do me!

 

[MikeoftheQuays]

I would of personally bought a used Sigma 70-200 F2.8 for about £350 and then sold it once i got back.

I had a Sigma 70-200 and really rated it. It was bastardly sharp and the HSM AF was pretty good on it. The only problem is that 70-200 f2.8's are weighty bits of glass! I'd be reluctant to recommend one to the casual photographer simply because they're not much fun to lug around all day long!

 

[dunganick]

Man up

With a shoulder strap they are no issue at all.