skidooman Loc: Minnesota

If you want something lighter, the 24-70 f2.8 may not be for you either. Although not quite as heavy as the 70-200, it is still a hefty lens. Most L series are. Do you have a pro shop around you anywhere, where you can put these in your hands and then decide?? If not, may I suggest you rent one (you can do it inexpensively), then you can make a more informed decision.

http://www.borrowlenses.com

Good luck.

Rangerfan

Thanks. I do. Gonna go try em out. I appreciate it!

koolbreez Loc: Bangkok, Thailand

That is a great lens, I would not sell it, or trade it. You will kick yourself in the future.

Getting an IS lens does not automatically mean you will end camera shake. Try shooting in bursts of 3 shot at once, with your elbows tucked into your body, and one hand holding the lens from the bottom, with the other hand holding the camera, and shooting. By shooting in bursts of 3 the first shot handles the shake from clicking the shutter, the second shot will be sharp most of the time because you are done moving, then the third shot is the follow though. Letting your finger off the shutter button can also cause shake. This is what I teach my students, and it helps.

Get a cheap monopod to use with your lens. Then check out the Sigma 24mm-70mm F2.8 as your next lens. The quality is excellent, and the price is more in your range. Don't get rid of that excellent piece of glass you now have.

Just because you have a Canon camera body does not mean you have to use Canon lenses exclusively.

larrycumba

How do you learn to use it if you don't have it?

Rangerfan

Thanks larrycumba. Im getting tired of asking questions on this forum only to be told i dont know what im doing. Is that not the purpose of this forum? People that are not encouraging need to get off this forum, and their high horse! :)

Rangerfan

larrycumba

Do you think it is out of focus or blur that is not giving you sharp images? Set it on autofocus. Put it on a table or tripod. Make sure it is perfectly still and give it a try. That should help tell you if it is the lens or the holding. I bought a Tamron 70-300 is. Shot some fine print on a label across the room about ten feet, handheld. Not very sharp and was disappointed. Looked out of focus but not blur like camera movement. Thought I had bought the infamous "bad copy'. Put it on a tripod and used a remote shutter release. That did the trick. Nice sharp image. A good lesson to myself on not blaming the equipment until I have given it a proper test.

MarkH Loc: Cape Coral, FL

I agree Rangerfan.
You need to have a relatively thick skin on any forum about any subject, especially if you're a beginner or new to the forum.
They all have their share of cyberbullies, smart arses and self-proclaimed know-it-alls, as well as having a tendency to become a little cliquey, although I find UHH to be relatively tame and "most" here, are quite willing to post positive feedback.
Do not stop asking questions as thats how we all learn.
I am brand new to DSLR but not to forums in general.

The only stupid question is the one not asked.

P.S. - Sorry about the series. Being a Red Sox fan, I was rooting for the A.L. team to win this year.

Thanks larrycumba. Im getting tired of asking questions on this forum only to be told i dont know what im doing. Is that not the purpose of this forum? People that are not encouraging need to get off this forum, and their high horse! :)[/quote]

JKF159 Loc: Arkansas

ding ding ding. Larrycumba wins the prize for the piece of advice that makes the most sense. Put that lens on a tripod, trigger with the timer and I'll bet that you will be surprised how sharp the images are. If the exposure and focus are correct you will have a benchmark photo to compare your other shots to.

After reading the post and all of these answers I can see where PWhisperer is coming from. I believe his slightly harsh response was triggered by a question that had no information included that would allow anyone to accurately answer it. No one can tell you if your shutterspeed was too slow since you didnt say what it was. Any answer is just a guess.

You should include an example photo with your question AND the exif information for that photo. Each piece of the exif info hinges on the other pieces. Without this info it is perfectly pointless to try to answer your question. That is like me asking you if I am too fat when I dont send a photo and I dont tell you how much I weigh or how tall I am.

Also, an example photo might allow us to spot a problem that has nothing to do with shutterspeed or hand holding. For instance your mentioning that you get too much grain higher than iso 100 triggers an alarm with me. You cant see an increase in grain from 100 to 400 iso in a normal well exposed photo. This makes me wonder if exposure issues might be part of your problem.

Point is, if you had provided this info I'll bet the first person to respond could have given you a good answer. Just trying to help you get the answers that you are looking for.

Rangerfan

Gotcha. I will upload a few.

Rangerfan

Here's a few. My friend wants to make them 8x10 or possibly even 11x14, and I'm so afraid they are going to come out grainy. I thought about ordering a few from Target to see how they come out first.

Rangerfan

Why are my pictures so bright and cheerful on some programs and so dull on others?

hogbreth

Try using a mono pod.(not a tri-pod, only has one pod) It helps reduce movement due to the weight of the lens.

hogbreth

Try using a mon-pod (only one leg vs. the tri-pod) with your heavy lens. Reduces shaking, blurring, and fatigue.

eddiel66

Kit lenses are generally not crappy. They just have limited zoom range and limited f stop range. That is what makes them inexpensive. If you can use them within their range they take beautiful pictures. Remember, its the guy behind the camera that makes the image, not the camera. Its just a tool. Learn the capibilities, and you will do fine.

Depending on your bucks available, get an image stabilized lens which will give you 2 to 4 times better speed range. You could use a lens in the 4 to 5.6 fstop range; 2.8 is really for low light and makes for an expensive and heavy lens. Invest your money in learning to shoot; equipment is secondary.

Hope this helps and don't be discouraged.