So my parents have graciously offered to buy me a telephoto zoom lens for b-day/xmas, so I'm shopping for one now. Here are the deets:
-Canon EOS EF mount.
-Still shooting film but may go to digital at some point. I like having the prints, and scanning the negatives on my film scanner gets me higher res digital than I could afford in a digital body now anyway.
-Lens would mostly be used outdoors, for bike/ski or at the zoo shooting. Faster would be nice, but L series is out of price so it looks like I'm stuck at F4. I'd like it as fast focusing as possible given the sports aspect.
-I just got back from B&H, where the remarkably rude salesman spent his time trying to sell me a digital body rather than answering my lens questions. I've been over it a bit with Toshi and WTGPhoben, and Toshi of course thinks I should buy a half dozen primes instead.
-So far the most promising is the Canon 70-300 IS USM. Mr. B&H said that is more than necessary unless I buy a digi from him and I can't tell if he's right or just being an assclown. The Image Stabilizer is appealing for the sort of long handheld shots at low shutter speeds I'm always taking.
Anywho, if anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.
And for the record I am scouring photo forums too.
EDIT: Suggestions on other manufacturers (Sigma, etc) ok too.
-Canon EOS EF mount.
-Still shooting film but may go to digital at some point. I like having the prints, and scanning the negatives on my film scanner gets me higher res digital than I could afford in a digital body now anyway.
-Lens would mostly be used outdoors, for bike/ski or at the zoo shooting. Faster would be nice, but L series is out of price so it looks like I'm stuck at F4. I'd like it as fast focusing as possible given the sports aspect.
-I just got back from B&H, where the remarkably rude salesman spent his time trying to sell me a digital body rather than answering my lens questions. I've been over it a bit with Toshi and WTGPhoben, and Toshi of course thinks I should buy a half dozen primes instead.
-So far the most promising is the Canon 70-300 IS USM. Mr. B&H said that is more than necessary unless I buy a digi from him and I can't tell if he's right or just being an assclown. The Image Stabilizer is appealing for the sort of long handheld shots at low shutter speeds I'm always taking.
Anywho, if anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.
And for the record I am scouring photo forums too.
EDIT: Suggestions on other manufacturers (Sigma, etc) ok too.