Canon 450D Lens

[kennc]

I am a novice and have a canon 450D with fitted with a 75-300mm lens, and would like to attempt to get some decent wildlife photos. Can anyone tell me if there is a decent budget lens that I can get, to fit.
I was told that the sigma 70-300 f4.4/5.6 APO DG was a good lens but would like some advice please.

[MrBuk]

Have you looked at either the Sigma 120-400 or 150-500 ?

[kennc]

Thanks for that
I had not looked at these but I will get some information on them now

Kennc

[chris-p]

An idea of budget would be useful as well...

Also, I'm confused. You've got a 450D with a 75-300mm lens and you want another cheap 70-300mm lens?

What I will say is that the Sigma 70-300's will not be much different to your Canon 75-300. In that range, Canons' own 70-300mm IS is the best one.

[kennc]

Thank you,
There is so much information out there which seems to contradict other stuff and that's my problem. I was told that my 75-300 mm lens was useless for macro etc, so that is why I decided to look around.

I have used my own lens for wildlife, but perhaps because I am still learning, I may have used the wrong settings etc, so I have a long way to go yet.

My main problem is that due to a brain disease I have major problems remembering the settings every time, but I decided early on that I am not going to be beaten yet.
Through all of this I am restricted to a low budget, but I will keep trying with my own lens for the time being till I get better at it.

However I do think that the advice given here is more important than that given at shops, as they just want sales, where here it is advice from those who spend the money when they need to.

The original advice to use a sigma lens came from a shop, and I thought that they were being genuine about it being better than the canon lens.

Like the photography I have a lot to learn, but I am up for the challenge while I can still do it.


Many thanks for your answers

Ken

[chris-p]

Originally Posted by kennc

I was told that my 75-300 mm lens was useless for macro etc, so that is why I decided to look around.

Thats true, but then any zoom lens is useless for macro. The Sigma won't be much better. If you want to shoot macro there are several options, from dedicated lenses to cheaper Heath-Robinson-esque methods.

In your original post you asked about a decent budget lens for wildlife and that's really what you've already got. You won't really gain anything from another "budget" 70-300mm type lens apart from (potentially) image stabilisation - but I'm not sure exactly what lens you have at the moment (I think it's either this or this).

What exactly do you want to get from a new lens? Longer focal length? Image stabilisation? Quicker AF? etc...

[kennc]

Hi Chris

After speaking to a photographer in our local park this afternoon, I realise that I may have been a bit rash and need to spend more time getting the best out of the equipment I have at home.

I would like to thank you for your comments

Kennc

[chris-p]

It's always a good idea to get to grips with what you've got. You'll usually get lots of good advice from people here though. The weekend competition is also a great way to learn more so why not hang around?

[kennc]

Thanks Chris,

I will be around as and when I can as this website has a great deal to offer.

Ken