topic Canon 4000D Lens Options? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Canon 4000D Lens Options?

kriff7 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:43:05 GMT

Hello to all!

I just got my first DSLR camera as a gift for Christmas this year.. very exciting. I was gifted a Canon EOS 4000D with the 18-55mm lens that comes included. Off the bat, I am not a fan of the lens. I am aware of the crop factor and that the 4000D isn't a "high end" camera body, which is all good as I am a beginner.

I am interested in dipping my feet into wildlife photography and landscapes. Definitely showing more interest in wildlife. I was looking into the EF 24-105mm f/4 is usm mk1. I'm unsure though if this lens is the right option.

I am for sure not looking to spend thousands of dollars, but would really like to invest in a good versatile lens as I am unsure what my niche is.

Thank you!

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

rs-eos — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:26:56 GMT

The EF 24-105mm would be a good choice. Nice that it has a constant aperture. Though you'll lose a bit at the wide end (24mm vs 18mm which on your crop sensor body gives the equivalent field-of-view as 38mm and 29mm respectively).

To keep the 18mm and give you more reach, you could go for the EF-S 18-135mm.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

shadowsports — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:47:45 GMT

Greetings,

Wildlife photography typically requires a lens with a decent amount of "reach". Without it, you cannot get close enough to your subjects without spooking them. A 24~105 isn't going to get you there either. Maybe some snap shots, but little else (realistically). You said you didn't want to spend thousands of dollars.

What is your budget?

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

kriff7 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:14:50 GMT

Hello, Thank you for your reply!

My budget is anywhere up to around $700 to $800.

I would like to find a versatile lens option, if any, that could possible have that reach but also sharpness with closer objects / landscapes. I am just starting out so I am unsure what exactly my style is yet.

Thank you!

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

ebiggs1 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:15:32 GMT

The best lens option for wildlife, in your case, is one of the 150-600mm super zooms. You have a lens that handles the "general" stuff so you need to add a lens that has the ability to reach out and touch wildlife. BTW, the ef 24-105mm is not that lens. For one thing you are buying the same FL, 24mm to 55mm that you already have, over again. Don't do that.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:24:00 GMT

As an additional lens for general use I would recommend you add the 55-250 STM zoom. For true wildlife the 150-600 from either Sigma or Tamron is the best addition.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

kriff7 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:11:49 GMT

Hello, thank you for your help!

Would a 70-200mm f/2.8 L be a viable option?

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

Tronhard — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:27:10 GMT

In the following opinions, I have and use all of the lenses I recommend, except for the Tamron, but it has an equally good reputation compared to the Sigma. I have provided images and links to offer some extra information.

Given you have advised a budget of $700-800, you might be able to get a used Tamron, or Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens on the second-hand market as some folks relinquish their EF glass in favour of RF lenses for the Canon R-series Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Systems (MILCS). Either of these is a great optic, but will leave you with a 100mm gap in your focal range between that and the 18-55.

Alternatively, another unit to consider is the Canon EF 70-300 IS USM f/4.5-5.6. As you apparently understand the principle of crop factor, this will render a Field of View (FoV) equivalent to 112-480mm on a Full-Frame camera. The MkII version is an excellent optic: fast focus, good image stabilization and not too heavy for your 4000D camera body.

There is one available from the Canon Refurbished site, where lenses have been serviced to essentially new condition, and come with a 3-month warranty. Here is a link to one for sale on that site, and it is well within budget. I have produced a review of 70-300mm Canon lenses and if you are helpful, you will find it Here .

If such a lens was acceptable, then you would have some budget left to replace the 18-55 that you are not keen on, in which case the EF-S 18-135 IS STM or IS USM would be great options, and they are reasonably cheap. They have a much wider focal range and are a better optic all round than the 18-55 you likely have.Canon 80D, EF-S 18-135mm@135mm, f/8, 1/2000sec, ISO-200, hand-held

If you are prepared to wait a while and find a few more dollars, another excellent lens is the Canon EF-S 15-85mm, which would combine nicely with the 70-300. The extra 3mm on the wide angle end makes a considerable difference when shooting indoors, for example. It is an excellent optic, and has been called the secret L-lens for it's quality of images.
EF-S 15-85@15mm, f/7.1, 1/30sec, ISO-200, hand-held

In the sample image above, the street is on an incline.

I hope you will find this information of some value and encourage you to ask further questions as you need to.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

rs-eos — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:24:57 GMT

That would be a very versatile lens. Though it wouldn't be wide at all, so not necessarily good for landscapes (assuming you want wide angle for that). Also not too much reach as the other lenses pointed out for wildlife.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:50:47 GMT

Excellent lens, but well outside your stated budget. The 70-300 USM discussed above would be a better choice if you want that focal length category.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

Wandalynn — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 22:07:37 GMT

Congratulations on your new camera! I like the 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS mark ii for nature and definitely get the mark ii, not the mark i. I had a mark ii and when I upgraded to a 100-400, I gave the 70-300 to a friend. Then I wished I hadn't (because the 100-400 was too heavy to carry on hikes) so then bought a used mark i, trying to save money. I was extremely disappointed in the differences between the mark i and mark ii, so much so that I sold the mark i as soon as I could.

For wide angle, you might consider the economical but very worthy EF-S 10-18mm (equivalent to 16-29mm). I had one of those as well as the EF-S 15-85 mentioned above and loved both of them.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

Wandalynn — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:01:15 GMT

One more thing I thought of, and I didn't go back to see if anyone has mentioned this: minimum focusing distance capability of a lens. For me, it's very important because I like to photograph butterflies, dragonflies, etc. which are small enough that a long MFD not only creates a challenge for your auto focus system to "find" your small subject, but by the time you have to crop the picture down, you may not like the (pixely) results. I just noticed a chart on this forum showing that the Canon EF 70-300 ii has a MFD of 47" (1200mm), which isn't too bad, but some of the longer less expensive lenses have very long MFD's. Just something to be aware of when selecting a lens--look at the specs.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

Tronhard — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 18:59:39 GMT

For Wandalynn:
Is this something that you are asking for yourself? As I observe you seem to specialize in close-up imagery, I would suggest the addition of a set of automatic extension tubes to give you a much larger image with any lens that you have. I stumbled upon this video just after writing this as I have the Sigma 60-600, but it refers to the use of extension tubes, so have included this for added information. If you go to timestamp 7:23 in the video you will see a demonstration of the use of extension tubes - just ignore all the stuff about focus breathing per se.
Sigma 60-600 vs Sony 200-600: BEST WILDLIFE ZOOM LENS! - YouTube

For the OP
We don't know that the OP's definition of wildlife covers very small objects close up. In any case, if it is critical, I would expect that they would look that up in the specs. As the OP's combination of wildlife and landscapes is a wide one, it is hard to find a single lens that is capable of both, especially if one is then extending that definition into close-up photography. By close-up photography I do not include macro capability in its strictest sense.

In the OP's case, it is for that reason that I suggested two lenses: the EF-S 18-135 IS STM or USM, and the EF 70-300 MkII. While they each have a range that is complementary, with some degree of overlap, they are both reasonably capable of getting close-up shots. For example: these images are taken as indicated with the two different lenses, hand-held in available light.

Canon 80D, EF-S 18-135@135mm USM, f/8, 1/2000sec, ISO-200Canon EOS 80D, EF 70-300 MkII@300mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO-100
In this image the subject is about 2.5cm (1") in diameter, so I think that would qualify.

The other criteria of the OP we know is budget, and that lens combination would likely be within, or very close to the $800 maximum specified. One of the most important criteria is what is going to be produced, and while that is not specified, it is unlikely that the OP is going to attempt large, detailed prints - especially with a Canon 4000D. Most likely we are looking at output on digital devices - either monitors or via social media - where both of these lenses are quite capable of generating acceptable results. For example on this site, the resultant images are drastically reduced in resolution.

Re: Canon 4000D Lens Options?

Wandalynn — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:45:08 GMT

All good points. I'll check the video. Thanks, Trevor!

Wanda