New member needs help

[lurechunker]

I am new to the forum and asking for help. Our granddaughter plays basketball and I would like to photograph her. I kayak and would like to photograph birds. Is the EOS 760D the camera for me? Other? What lens or lenses? How can I protect my equipment form damage from saltwater? Thank you.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@lurechunker wrote:
My 80D with 18-55 from Canon store will arrive tomorrow. I think I made a mistake by not getting the 28-135. Should I leave the 18-55 in the box and send it back? I'd like to start with an "all-round" lens and one long enough for back yard birds.

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Do you mean 18-135, instead of 28-135?  The 18-135 lenses are pretty good.  BUT, they will likely cast a shadow when you try to use the flash.  I know that older 18-135mm lenses cast a major shadow on a T5, so I would expect a shadow on an 80D.  The 18-55mm lens has a 35mm equivalent of 29-88mm, which is pretty close to 24-70mm that is very popular for use with full frame camera bodies.

The  STM version of the 18-55mm is a really good lens.  I would hang on to it.  I can guarantee you that whatever plans you have for using the camera, you will find new scenarios to use it.  I would keep the 18-55mm, and pass on buying a 18-135, so that you can budget more money towards your birding lens.  If you can afford to do all of the above, then by all means, buy all of the lenses you want.

[lurechunker]

I received the 1.4 Canon extender from B and H on Friday. I have shot doves, ducks, butterflys, cranes, cardinals and a wasp..even a dragonfly at 50 meters. Some of the shots are sharp and many are not. Would B and H take it back? What should I get? Maybe a Canon 2.8 70-200? A Tamron 150-600? A sig 150-600? Other? I like DPP and would like to stay with it. I understand that I could not use it with "third party" lenses. I look forward to your help. 

[Waddizzle]

B&H has a great return policy.  I have returned a few items because they were not quite what I expected.  You fill out a claim online, explain why, and you get an RMA number and shipping label one buisness day later.

If you can get some sharp photos with the 1.4x, then that should tell you that the extender works, and works well.  If you want to get serious about your photography, then you might want to invest in Lightroom 6, while they still sell a stand alone license.

I would recommend Photoshop Elements, too, if it can stack macro photos.

[lurechunker]

I want something with longer range than my 100-400. I also want sharp inages. I like to do birds and some are not close. Do you recommend the Tamron 150-600 G2 for me? Does Tamron have a program like DPP? I will need to resize the images for email. Thanks.

[ebiggs1]

The big Tammy will not work any better or worse than the 100-400mm with the extender.  It is likely you are inexperienced and will take some time to learn how to use big lenses.

"Does Tamron have a program like DPP?"     No they don't.  You need to get Lightroom or PS Elements.  Probably Elements is better for you.                         

[RobertTheFat]

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@lurechunker wrote:

I received the 1.4 Canon extender from B and H on Friday. I have shot doves, ducks, butterflys, cranes, cardinals and a wasp..even a dragonfly at 50 meters. Some of the shots are sharp and many are not. Would B and H take it back? What should I get? Maybe a Canon 2.8 70-200? A Tamron 150-600? A sig 150-600? Other? I like DPP and would like to stay with it. I understand that I could not use it with "third party" lenses. I look forward to your help. 

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You're giving up far too early on the extender. I bought that same extender a few mnths ago (part of a package deal) and used it for the first time the other day on my 70-200 f/2.8. I couldn't see a bit of degradation in either image quality or sharpness. Conceivably there may be something wrong with your copy, but it's much more likely that your problems are due to your inexperience with it. It will be under warranty for a year, so you have time to try to learn to use it properly.

Remember that the extender increases the focal length of your lens. Which means that you need to be even more careful to avoid vibration or other unnecessary movement. Use that fact as a starting point as you trace the learning curve.

I can't help noticing that you seem to have a short attention span. That's not a useful trait for a serious photographer.

[jrhoffman75]

As Bob points out, camera shake is an issue with long lenses. In film days the traditional approach was a minimum shutter speed of 1/focal length. For a 400mm lens that's 1/400. A crop sensor camera adds a multiplier. Some studies have shown that high pixel value sensors are also more subject to motion since the pixels are smaller. An extender adds an additional multiplier.

For an 80D with a 400mm lens and a 1.4 extender I would use a minimum shutter speed of 1/1000 and activate IS. That should eliminate camera shake issues and as you gain more experience in different shooting conditions maybe you could go lower and rely more on IS.

As a general recommendation, when assessing if there is an equipment problem you want to eliminate as many variables as possible. Long distance wildlife that may be moving is not the best situation for assessing a problem.

[lurechunker]

Of this group of 150-600 lenses, do you like Tam G2, Sig C or Sig S?

[ebiggs1]

Oh, by far, the Sigma S is the best.  But it is extremely heavy as it is built to the level of Canon "L" lenses.  All metal, no plastic.  Even the hood is metal.  I love mine and it is my goto tele lens.  Did I mention it is very heavy?  You need to try it before you buy one.

Of the other two offerings in this class, it is a toss up.  Your choice.  I slightly prefer the Tamron because it has some effort at weather sealing.  The Sigma C doesn't.  But the Siggy C has a dock that lets you update the firmware and soem other stuff of the lens.  That may be a plus or it might not.  Depends on you.  I have both, actually all three of these lenses, and besides the S I prefer the one I am using at the time!

The S is in a class all by itself.  It is a lens that Canon should have or needs to make.  C'mon Canon get with the program here.

[ebiggs1]

BTW, if you were experiencing trouble with the 100-400mm you might want to steer clear of the Siggy S.

[lurechunker]

Canon 100-400 L ll vs Tamron 150-600 G2. I have both but can keep only ONE. I will appreciate your expert opinions if you have first hand knowledge of one or both.