Canon Digital Rebel XT - Lens help

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

> A beginner, I bought a Canon Digital Rebel XT and looking for two lens.
>
> One that has a good zoom, EF75/200 ?
> One good macro lens?
>
> I need to take pictures of dogs working, they may be 50 to 100 yards
> away, and really close shots.

To get close shots of dogs that are 100 yards away, you will probably want
something with a bit more range than a 200. Also, if the shots are pretty
close, then 75mm will probably be a bit too long. A 28-300mm L lens would
seem the most appropriate, but of course, it's a pretty expensive lens.
Sigma makes a 28-300 that's about 1/5th or 1/6th the price of the Canon "L"
lens, but with a commensurate drop in quality.

steve

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Robert R Kircher, Jr. wrote:
> "Steve Wolfe" <unt@codon.com> wrote in message
> news:3iiqfjFlge2pU1@individual.net...
>>>> To get close shots of dogs that are 100 yards away, you will
>>>> probably
>
>> Sure, if he had all the time in the world and money to burn, he
>> could go with a 100-400 "L" and a 24-70 "L" - or even primes - but
>> from his description, it sounds like he doesn't exactly have that
>> luxury.
>
> Two bodies!!!! Yeah that would solve the problem. ;-)

And generate others.

The multi-body solution was a handy one back in the F-1N, A1, AE-1,
AE-1P era. My arrangement was the first two hanging ready and the
other two in a big bag, also hanging.

Couple weeks ago I went to a luncheon-picnic and as another fellow
present said, was "loaded for bear": 20D / Canon 24-70 L and RebXT /
EF-S 10-22; Nikon CP 8700 in a fanny-pack worn in front.

I'm not as strong as I was twenty years ago, and apparently not as
staminous, either. After an hour or so lugging that load around,
minding their trajectories in all dimensions, I was ready for a break.
It was much more pleasant and productive to leave the bag and one
camera under the eye of a companion, and hit the high spots with the
other camera, coming back to switch. All that to avoid changing lenses
in a dusty environment.

I'd reckon a few weeks of every-other-day practice at that, I'll be
ready for an upcoming three-and-a-half-day project. Adjusting to the
weight will come naturally. Perfecting the two-heavy-camera ballet has
the potential to be costly. It is no trivial exercise to move into
position, choose and swing into readiness a camera while keeping
another safe and unobtrusive.

In such circumstances I'd seriously consider a super-zoom trade-off of
convenience for slightly diminished quality. If I weren't beginning to
learn to appreciate some of the subtle differences between "regular"
and "L" products. And if the zoomer would start a good deal wider than
the currently available examples. 28-300? Yes, but ...

Decisions, decisions.

Reminds me: weight and size not withstanding, I wish I'd waited that
couple months and saved up for a second 20D: the RebXT is a nice
camera with excellent output, but the 20D is much easier to control.
Rather, it makes me a much better controller with less perceived
effort.

I'll start on that weight training and conditioning program after this
long weekend. Yes I will.

--
Frank ess

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

A newbie thought here (i.e. take with a grain of salt)

What about the EF 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM (i.e. 45-216) and then a macro
lens in addition? Or would 216 not be sufficient for the 50-100 yard
range?.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Have you thought about the Canon 70-300 DO lens? It's reasonably fast and
small enough that you're not going to be worrying much about it.

I've shot with a 70-200 f/2.8 L lens. Beautiful photos but too much weight
for the kind of application your are looking for.

Steve


"k9malinois" <k9malinois.1rg06a@no-mx.Newsgroup.Gateway> wrote in message
news:1120140186.8b70ef4856d2711af6e0a3732c3191d6@teranews...
>
> A beginner, I bought a Canon Digital Rebel XT and looking for two lens.
>
> One that has a good zoom, EF75/200 ?
> One good macro lens?
>
> I need to take pictures of dogs working, they may be 50 to 100 yards
> away, and really close shots.
>
> Bev Peabody
>
>
> --
> k9malinois