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Noob going on Safari

JAGWIRE
Apprentice

Hello,

      My wife bought me a T7I kit for Christmas to use on our Safari next summer. It came with some very nice close range lenses, the telephoto lens however is an older EF 75-300MM. After a lot of testing with the 75-300 I fear it just does not have the reach for pictures of wildlife at distance. I just can't bring myself to pay over $1K for a lens. Here is what I am thinking about (input welcome/needed):

 

- I don't think the the Cannon 1.4 extender works with the EF 75-300MM....?

- Seriously considering buying either the Tamron 100 - 400 or the 150 - 600....

- Does the Tamron 1.4 extender work with the Tamron 100-400 on a Canon T7I? If it does, would it be smarter to buy the extender with 100-400 vice the 150-600?

 

Apologize for what are probably some ignorant questions,

Tom

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend

Tamron and Sigma make compact 100-400mm telephoto zooms.  Both companies also make big 150-600 super telephoto zoom lenses that sell for less than your $1000 cap.  For wildlife photography, you can almost never have to much focal length when it comes to zoom lens.

 

Avoid using a telephoto extender with any of those lenses.  Your camera body will lose the ability to autofocus if you use one.  If you want the reach, then you want a 150-600mm zoom.  When you use an extender, the price you pay for extra focal length is a reduction in the maximum aperture size of the lens you are using.  Your f/6.3 lens will become an f/8 lens, and your camera is not able to focus well with such a small aperture, so the camera’s firmware disables AF altogether. 

 

A lens with the focal length you want is a better choice than using an extender for extra reach.  But, the 150-600mm lenses are big, heavy beasts.  You need to consider how you will safely and securely transport this gear to and from your destination.  Professionals use hard cases.  When using one you will want to use some means of support, like a monopod or tripod, especially for extended periods of use.

 

Wildlife photography reminds me a LOT of fishing.  You will have the best success by knowing your prey.  Knowing when, where, and how to catch the fish, or capture the wildlife in a photograph.  Most of the time it takes patience, just like fishing.  Sometimes you hit the jackpot, and sometimes you don’t.  

If you have ever done much fishing, then you know that the closer that you can get to where the fish are, all the better.  This is why people use boats, after all.  The same holds true with wildlife photography.  Getting closer to the fish is better than trying to cast your line a mile, or using a super jumbo, telephoto lens to get closer to the wildlife.

I will conclude by saying that you will need to practice using a super telephoto lens.  It reminds me a lot of looking at the world through a straw.  Sometimes it is hard to get your bearings, and figuring out where the subject is relative your viewfinder.  Zoom lenses allow you the luxury of zooming out to get your bearings, and then zooming in on the subject.  But doing so can mean losing a great shot.  

 

Practice is the key to putting your subject in the viewfinder.  This does not even scratch the surface of how would you set up the camera’s auto focus to capture wildlife in action.  It wil take hours of practice and experimenting to figure it out.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

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13 REPLIES 13

diverhank
Authority

I have both the Tamron 150-600mm version 1 and the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary. I overwhelmingly prefer the Sigma over the Tamron. Better build, better IQ, better AF and better price.

I don't know about the version 2 because I refuse to buy another Tamron lens after the version 1 mount broke on me and Tamron refuses to fix it under warranty.

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Diverhank's photos on Flickr

" I overwhelmingly prefer the Sigma over the Tamron"

 

Was true before the G2 came out.  The G2 is not only the better choice it is the best choice barring the top of the mark Siggy S. One thing right on top is the Tamron G2 is weather sealed to a degree the Sigma is not. Been using all four for quite some time now and the G2 is a worthwhile upgrade.

 

"Tamron refuses to fix it under warranty."

 

I am surprised!  Tamron has been upping their game in the CS area.  Of course I don't know the details, you could have broken it yourself through miss-use. However, Tamron is not Canon.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@ebiggs1 wrote:

 

 

"Tamron refuses to fix it under warranty."

 

I am surprised!  Tamron has been upping their game in the CS area.  Of course I don't know the details, you could have broken it yourself through miss-use. However, Tamron is not Canon.


I didn't misuse it even though I used the lens every weekend for several years, being a BIF shooter.  This is a bit more than most people who use this kind of lenses.  The Tamron mount is weak and one day the lens just fell off the camera, literally. I caught it in since one hand was on the lens (still proud of myself, nonetheless).  

 

Tamron claimed I misused it.  I really don't know how, though.  I always hold the lens, not the camera during transport.  There are brief times I wear the strap which were attached to the camera, not the lens.  If this is misuse then so be it... None of the Canon lenses have this problem...Tamron uses cheap steel or aluminum...that's all.  There was zero damage to the camera mount, which is made by Canon.   By the way, the lesson learned is, for such a heavy lens, put the strap on the lens tripod mount, not the camera to save the stress on the mount.

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Diverhank's photos on Flickr

Sorry for your experience..  My experience with the big Tamron's (I have/had two, the N mount and the C mount) has been different. But again like I said, Tamron is not Canon. If you expect Canon quality at a Tamron price you will be disappointed.

 

The G2 is a different animal. Don't hurt yourself buy ignoring this good lens. You aren't hurting Tamron!

 

BTW, I never, never attach a strap to the camera when using these bigger lenses. I do use a Black Rapid Sport a lot of the time but like I said it goes on the lens.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!
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