28-135mm EF vs. 55-250mm EF-S, please help me understand crop factor.

[klavender]

Sorry for the newbie question but I've searched Google and couldn't really understand this. I have a 40D with a 28-135mm EF lens. I understand this is a APS-C camera and since the lens is an EF that the effective zoom is 44-216mm. I would like to get more zoom but the EF-S telephoto is 55-250mm. 250mm doesn't seem like much more that 216mm and I'm not sure it's worth it. I've also looked at the EF 70-300mm which would be 112-480mm. It's twice as much money and would think I would want it slightly wider at the low end.

Also, if I go with the EF-S 55-250 would the STM be worth it over the standard? I want a quick focus as this will be used mainly for wildlife. How does the standard and STM compare to the USM of my current lens?

[RobertTheFat]

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@ScottyP wrote:

These telephoto lenses get expensive quick.  Birds are infamously cheap and will seldom pay a dime, even for a first rate portrait. 

Unless  you have a lot of money and a serious interest in birding just work on getting close to the birds instead of getting a monster lens. 

Go to the birds.

Our aviary in Pittsburgh has a room painted sky blue which is full of fake branches. And birds. You walk right in and you compose the shot of a bird 6-12 feet away and use a wide aperture to blur out the background and it looks like you were outdoors with a high power lens. 

Bring the birds to you.

Also you can set up a feeder outside a window. Paper the window over leaving just a shooting hole so the birds don't see you. Hang a dead branch near the feeder for them to sit on so you don't have the feeder in every shot. 

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If you choose the second option, lock the cat indoors during your shooting sessions.

[ebiggs1]

Bob from Boston,

Scott has some great suggestions and some not so great.

As I have said, location is the key and the most important part of most photography.  Where are you and where is your subject.  Number one almost all the time.

"Paper the window over leaving just a shooting hole so the birds don't see you"

What?  Not so good. I would never recommend anyone shoot through a window pane.  You spend, maybe hundreds, possibly thousands and you recommend shooting through a window? Some won't even shoot with a filter made for the purpose.

"...  lock the cat indoors during your shooting sessions."

And pass up an opportunity for a great shot?    OK, I guess so.

[klavender]

So far I've thrown bird seed in the front yard while I sit on the front porch with a camera and a beer. 🙂 Not much luck with birds so far but the squirrels love it! Can't wait until my lens gets here. The cat would make for some interesting pictures. Lol.

[Waddizzle]

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@klavender wrote:
So far I've thrown bird seed in the front yard while I sit on the front porch with a camera and a beer. 🙂 Not much luck with birds so far but the squirrels love it! Can't wait until my lens gets here. The cat would make for some interesting pictures. Lol.

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One trick to getting good bird shots is to learn where they like to feed, breed, or just generally hang out.  Then, show up there before the birds get there, which usually means at least an hour before dawn. 

In fact, I did exactly that this morning at the nearby water front, where I had noticed that a pair of Mallard ducks liked to hang out around sunrise.  Not only did I capture some great shots of the ducks ....

...but, I also captured several baby Canadian geese.

@It reminds a lot like fishing.  You have to get up and get out early.  Being very quiet, still and patient pays its' rewards.  Except, taking photos is a lot less messy and smelly.  Both photos were taken before sunrise, in low light with a 6D and the Sigma 150-600 @600mm.

[TTMartin]

Chestnut-sided Warbler, just a slight crop for composition. Canon 7D Mk II, Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 w/ 2X TC at ~550mm.

[TTMartin]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

The Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens has been discontinued.  It was some time ago. The only resource for one now is used. Possibly not the best lens to buy on the used market. Lot's of problems.

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Then you've never purchased a lens from KEH, never had a problem and the lenses were always much better than you would expect for their rating.

KEH has 2 Sigma 150-500 OS Canon mount lenses one in EX condition and the other EX+ condition. Both include the case, hood, and lens caps. Both around $600, which is a good price for what in my opinion is an underrated lens. 

[Waddizzle]

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@TTMartin wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

The Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens has been discontinued.  It was some time ago. The only resource for one now is used. Possibly not the best lens to buy on the used market. Lot's of problems.

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Then you've never purchased a lens from KEH, never had a problem and the lenses were always much better than you would expect for their rating.

KEH has 2 Sigma 150-500 OS Canon mount lenses one in EX condition and the other EX+ condition. Both include the case, hood, and lens caps. Both around $600, which is a good price for what in my opinion is an underrated lens. 

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That is way too high of a price for those lenses.  Sigma cleared out their inventory of the lenses at that same selling price.

[TTMartin]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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@TTMartin wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

The Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens has been discontinued.  It was some time ago. The only resource for one now is used. Possibly not the best lens to buy on the used market. Lot's of problems.

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Then you've never purchased a lens from KEH, never had a problem and the lenses were always much better than you would expect for their rating.

KEH has 2 Sigma 150-500 OS Canon mount lenses one in EX condition and the other EX+ condition. Both include the case, hood, and lens caps. Both around $600, which is a good price for what in my opinion is an underrated lens. 

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That is way too high of a price for those lenses.  Sigma cleared out their inventory of the lenses at that same selling price.

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In my experience EX rated lenses from KEH are 'Like New'. So getting a 'like new' lens at the 'blow out price' is a good price. 

People who buy at 'blow out' prices get a great deal, be it Black Friday, or a manufacturer clearing inventory. Those prices generally should not be used to determine 'fair market value'.

For example when Canon was blowing out the original EOS M, you could buy an EOS M, EF-M 22mm f/2, and and EX90 flash for little more than the EF-M  22mm f/2 sells for by itself today. Does that mean that the EF-M 22mm f/2 is over priced. No it just means that the market for the lens is no longer distressed. It is priced fairly for what is now a willing seller (Canon) and a willing buyer.

[Waddizzle]

"In my experience EX rated lenses from KEH are 'Like New'. So getting a 'like new' lens at the 'blow out price' is a good price. "

Hmm.  Okay, I'll add KEH to my list of possibilities.  I'll let you know how it works out, if and when I go that route.

[ebiggs1]

Not so fast there cowboy.  You were right on with the first statement.

"That is way too high of a price for those lenses."

That is outrageous for those Siggy's.  I don't care if it is KEH. That doesn't make them worth at least a hundred and more likely two hundred bucks higher.  I have seen 'mint' ones for $500 and if you shop for a while $450.  Box included!  When Sigma closed them out I bought one with a $200 dollar rebate and it was on clearance..  I have had three of them and I still have one left.  It is a pretty nice $500 dollar lens. The other two were junk.

"I'll add KEH to my list of possibilities."

KEH is a good company but it will be the highest in price.  Usually shipping is not included in the price.  I have a bud that buys all his gear used from KEH and he is happy with it.  You can just do much better price wise elsewhere.