Next best lens??? I currently have a Canon Xti with a 24 - 105 lens. I am thinking about upgrading to 7d - or perhaps one of the 'new' canon's once we know exactly what they are. I...

jekbeck60

I currently have a Canon Xti with a 24 - 105 lens. I am thinking about upgrading to 7d - or perhaps one of the 'new' canon's once we know exactly what they are. I also want a lens something like the canon 100 - 400 mm, however, I don't feel comfortable with the white lenses, I know they are the best, but just do not want to draw attention. What might be the next best lens in the 100 - 350/400 category.
I'd be grateful for any assistance anyone can give me.

14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

They make camo covers for the white lens. That will hide the white color.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

They also make spray paint! No seriously all of Canons bigger lenses are white. You might take a look at some of the other brands but I certaily don't know anything other than Canon to be able to suggest anything.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

jekbeck60 wrote:

I currently have a Canon Xti with a 24 - 105 lens. I am thinking about upgrading to 7d - or perhaps one of the 'new' canon's once we know exactly what they are. I also want a lens something like the canon 100 - 400 mm, however, I don't feel comfortable with the white lenses, I know they are the best, but just do not want to draw attention. What might be the next best lens in the 100 - 350/400 category. I'd be grateful for any assistance anyone can give me.

Canon used to have a 100-300mm lens in the "L" category, black. You can find good used copies on eBay. They have a couple of non-L 70-300 and 100-300 items as well.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup

jekbeck60

Thank you all for your suggestions, I'll certainly look into the camo jacket and the black L category 100 - 300.
I have looked at some of the other brands and was hoping someone on here had experience with some of them to be able to tell me if they were any good.

coondog Loc: Lost in Vermont

jekbeck60..you look rather young, would you be able to handle a large zoom??

jekbeck60

Ha ha, your'e funny, thanks for making me laugh.
That photo was taken 60 years ago, but I love it.
Not too sure I AM able to handle a big lens though.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

jekbeck60 wrote:

I currently have a Canon Xti with a 24 - 105 lens. I am thinking about upgrading to 7d - or perhaps one of the 'new' canon's once we know exactly what they are. I also want a lens something like the canon 100 - 400 mm, however, I don't feel comfortable with the white lenses, I know they are the best, but just do not want to draw attention. What might be the next best lens in the 100 - 350/400 category.
I'd be grateful for any assistance anyone can give me.

The Canon EF 24-105L is the lens that stays on my camera. The 100-400L is excellent but very heavy and is the not the best for handheld shots. I use mine on a tripod most of the time. I find that my EF 70-300/4.0-5.6 IS USM is great for most handheld shots depending the light. I would make that my next lens and then later you might want to add the 100-400. It does not necessarily have to be a Canon lens. Tamron and Sigma also makes a 70-300.

PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

jekbeck60 wrote:

I currently have a Canon Xti with a 24 - 105 lens. I am thinking about upgrading to 7d - or perhaps one of the 'new' canon's once we know exactly what they are. I also want a lens something like the canon 100 - 400 mm, however, I don't feel comfortable with the white lenses, I know they are the best, but just do not want to draw attention. What might be the next best lens in the 100 - 350/400 category.
I'd be grateful for any assistance anyone can give me.

The white lenses are only the bigger telephoto lenses, not necessarily the best. Canon places a red stripe at the mouth of its best lenses. If you get over your reservations about white lenses, the best all-round lens is the Canon 28-300mm F3.5-5.6 IS. IT has the widest zoom, allowing it to serve effectively in most photo situations. There is no other Canon lens that can take you from upper end wide angle to super telephoto.

The lens does everything fairly well. If is good in low light, but not as good as a very fast prime lens. The lower end of its zoom goes down to the upper ends of what is considered wide angle, and the upper ranges provide reasonable super telephoto. Fast super telephoto primes, of course, are even better for long range. The bottom line is that no other lens can do so much as well.

coco1964 Loc: Winsted Mn

Check out Sigmas 150-500 zoom or their 50-500 zoom. May be more lens than you're looking for but give them a look......

jwpulliam Loc: New Harmony, In

I have had pretty good luck with Tamron's new (as of last year) 70-300 with vibration control (image stabilization), but I wouldn't put it in the same class as the Canon L lenses of the same focal length. (It does well in the f8 to f16 range but I think it is a little soft outside the sweet spots.) If I were going to buy one of those I would get the 70-200 f2.8 with out the IS. Then get one of Canon's doublers. I've found that I rarely use the 70-300 and think that 70-200 is a better general purpose size especially in an L lens on a 1.6 crop camera.
I'm using a 40D right now and like you am awaiting a paradigm shift from Canon before I shell out another wad of cash

the f/stops here Loc: New Mexico

Jekbeck60, So whats wrong with a putty colored lens. Get a black or camo lenscoat, or ... look into the Sigma 150-500mm lens. I own one, as well as the Canon 100-400mm lens and the Sigma operates equally in sharpness. The IS is not as good and focusing is a tad bit slower but great lens for the price and it comes in black!

Remember the f/stops here! Have fun, J. Goffe

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

the f/stops here wrote:

Jekbeck60, So whats wrong with a putty colored lens. Get a black or camo lenscoat, or ... look into the Sigma 150-500mm lens. I own one, as well as the Canon 100-400mm lens and the Sigma operates equally in sharpness. The IS is not as good and focusing is a tad bit slower but great lens for the price and it comes in black!

Remember the f/stops here! Have fun, J. Goffe

Everyone needs to keep in mind that you give up speed in most of these long telephoto zooms. The Sigma 100-500 has a max aperature of f6.3 at 500mm.

pigpen

jwpulliam wrote:

I have had pretty good luck with Tamron's new (as ... (show quote)

I owned this Tamron. Bought it without hesitation because my wide lens is a Tamron and I love it, and not a fan of any Sigma. I was dissapointed in this lens. I've been told the Canon 70-300mm IS 4-5.6, is a much better lens by a few people and is under $600. It has 600 reviews on B&H.

jekbeck60

Wow, thanks to all of you for taking the time to give me your advice.

I don't like the putty colored lenses as I am an 'older' woman, often out on my own photographing and I just wouldn't feel so 'safe' as with a less inconspicuous lens. I looked for lens coats but couldn't find any black ones - I'll keep looking though.

I like the sound of a 70 - 200 f2.8 (if there is a black jacket for it) with a doubler, that's something I will look at along with the Canon 70 -300 IS 4-5.6.

Not sure I could handle something like the Sigma Big lenses.

Again. my thanks to all of you, you have been really helpful.