Canon EF 24-70mm

This is great, I did not know that there was a place in Wichita to rent canon lenses. I am needing to rent a lens in Jan. to shoot some Eagles at Milford Lake and I am torn between buying the 100-400 or the 28-300. Now I can rent them and decide for myself. I would hate to drop some major dollars on a lens and not be happy with the outcome. I recently bought a 40D this summer and I was wondering if I would be better off to get the 100-400 or the 70-200 f2.8 with an EF 2x extender for better versatility. Do you have any suggestions? Do you have a store location?

Jeffery,

Thank you for your questions. We do not have a traditional store front, this keeps our overhead low and allows us to have competitive prices. For local deliveries, I take the lens to you or we meet somewhere in the middle.

All three of the lenses you mentioned are excellent choices, and all have Image Stabilization which is a plus. Keep in mind, the 28-300 & the 100-400 are push/pull zoom lenses (vs. the normal "twisting" to zoom you find on most zoom lenses). Some people have a hard time getting use to it, but my personal experience with them is that it isn't too bad to work with. I have another customer that didn't know if he could get use to them, but ended up loving the push/pull lens. If you can live with the push/pull function, then here are some other things to consider:

-The 70-200 2.8 is Canon's workhorse lens. This is an awesome one size fits most events. Add the 2.8 and you can use this in low light conditions (night football games, indoor B-ball games, weddings, etc).
-The 28-300 is a great "all range" lens for occasions when you can't take more than one lens with you. the 28mm is a great wide angle, and the 300 gets you in close. This lens is not as effective in the lower light conditions.
-The 100-400 is a great long range alternative for things such as air shows, wildlife, etc. Like the 28-300 it is a slower lens so it is not as effective in low light conditions.

I have never shot eagles in KS but have always wanted to. I would guess they are going to be farther away then closer (in Homer AK, you get up close and personal with them). I would think the 100-400 would be sufficient. You should have decent light so the aperture isn't as big of a concern.

The only advantage, with the 70-200mm 2.8 in this scenario is the twisting style zoom. With the 2X you loose 2 full stops so it becomes a 140-400 f5.6.

The best lens for this case would be a 400mm f2.8, which I don't have yet... we can dream though! Don’t forget the 1.6X cropped sensor factor with the 40D. That means the 100-400 is equivalent to a 160-640mm on a full frame sensor. I used the 100-400 at the Jabara Air show and loved it.

Let me know if that answers your questions. If you know your dates and what lens you decide on I can reserve it for you.

Matt

Thanks, that helps me out a lot. I would like to have both, but for now I think I will try the 100-400 and see if I like it. I have been looking at the Sigma zoom lenses too but everyone tells me the L glass if far superior. I have a canon 50mm 1.8 and was thinking of switching to the canon 50mm 1.4 for flash photography. The canon 50mm 1.2L is a little out of my price range but I have heard that with the 1.6 crop factor, the Sigma's 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is a pretty good bang for the buck. I have not shot with either and I know you are a canon person, but do have any experience with the Sigma's or should I just stick with the Canon L series and buy them as I can afford them.

I think the 100-400 is your best bet for what you are wanting to do.

I am sure that other lens manufacturers make great glass. With that said, I have long held to belief that the one that designed and built the camera would be in the best position to design and build glass for that camera. You cannot go wrong with Canon L glass.

One of the things that has surprised me the most is how much sharper prime lenses are. I have always shot with zoom style lenses, and they do a great job, especially the L series. With that said, prime lenses are just Sharper. I think for portrait photography you cannot go wrong with primes. I have seen (though not personally used) some work of the 50mm (non-L series, can't' remember if it is the 1.8 or 1.4) and that lens did great tack-sharp photos. The big advantage to fast lenses like the 1.2 is that you can shoot in low light conditions without a flash (say at a wedding in a church where flash photography is not allowed). The other advantage with a faster lens is the narrow depth of field adds great background blur and allows your subject to stand out.
I have had good results with the 50mm prime, but I have only experienced the L series prime. I think if you are getting good results with your existing 50mm prime, you might be better off spending the $$ on something like the 70-200 2.8.

Matt,
Have you considered renting some studio lights? There maybe several of us that are just starting out and would like to be able to rent a basic two or three light setup. Just a thought.

Bill

Bill,

I have considered doing that, but at this point have no immediate plans to procure studio lights. I have a pretty lengthy list of products to add including the 400mm f2.8, 300mm f2.8, 5D Mark II, just to name a few. I would like to expand into studio equipment but it will probably be a year or two.

Matt

Hi Matt,
First, your website design, and business model is great. I live in St. Louis, primarily shoot concerts as the house photographer at our 18K seat amphitheater. I found your link on KC Craigslist. I suggest expanding your marketing to our area. Close, reasonable standard ship time. We have a store that rents (Schillers), but you have a much broader selection, and are competetively priced. I shoot a 50D with a 70-200f/2.8, and 24-70L f/2.8. I will be visiting your site once the concert season begins in May, and look to try new lenses that I've yet to experience. Best of luck to you!
ps; I am a graduate of Derby HS, and often miss the hangin' in Wichita days....

Thanks for the feedback Kenny. I look forward to working with you this spring. Just let me know what you want to rent and when you need it, and I will get a reservation made for you.

Matt, I am about to photograph a ski camp in Colorado. I have the Canon EOS Xsi and I am needing a zoom for the occasion. I could buy a cheap zoom 70-300 f/4-5.6 but I had one of those for my last camera and got frustrated with having to change the lenses so much. Could you give me your recommendations for a good lens for fast skiing pictures in all ranges of lighting situations (blue-bird cloudless days to overcast snowing days).

Sue,

Thank you for your question. There are a variety of lenses that could fit your situation. Since you had the 70-300 and it did not fit your focal length range that was required, I would say you have a couple of options. I have a 24-105 f4.0 L with IS that gives you some wide angle capability while having zoom capability. The 28-300 3.5-5.6 L IS is a nice lens too, BUT it is heavy and for this application (taking it skiing) I would not recommend because of the weight and size. The 70-300mm DO IS lens is nice, but it has the same limited range capabilities. There are some EF-S lenses in the 18-200mm range that are available by Canon but I currently do not stock them.

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks,

Matt