Hi,

I own a Canon EOS50 and would like to buy a new zoom lense. Which below lenses should I buy? Which below lense have a better optic quality and with a reasonable price? Canon 75-300/4-5.6 USM Tamron 75-300/4-5.6 LD Sigma 75-300/4-5.6 APO Macro super

Thanks.

-- Tang Song Kean (songkean.tang@motorola.com), November 06, 2001

Answers

All of the lenses you mention are of similar optical quality, and I'd go with the Canon for USM and also for the assured compatibility. If you can stretch a little further, look also at the Canon 100-300 USM and, if you can find one, and the slow focus and old design do not bother you, the Canon 100-300 F5.6L. Both of these lenses are a step up from the lenses you mention, for not too much more money at all.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), November 07, 2001.

In the consumer price range, you can find some decent telephoto zooms (like the Canon 75-300 you mentioned and the Canon 100-300 f/4.5-5.6 USM that the previous response mentioned; I don't know the Tamron and Sigma models so I can't comment) but you won't find any great ones. I have the Canon 100-300 USM; its mechanics are great (it's the only x-300 you'll find that has ring USM and FT-M, and unlike some others, its front element does not rotate) but optically it has the same limitations you'll find in other lenses in the price range. The Canon 100-300 f/5.6L has professional-quality optics at a price that, while more than the consumer lenses, is pretty darn reasonable.

For some other thoughts on the three Canons that have been mentioned so far, try http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/x-300

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), November 07, 2001.