What zoom to get for 450d

[HotRod]

Hi All , you will probably read this and go not another one but I’m looking for a zoom for my canon 450d I’m been doing some reading of lens on the net and the thing is I’m getting confused do i really need to spend allot to buy the best or will i be happy with lens that mid range .
Is it better to get a canon lens? I would like Canon 70 200 f/2.8 IS but do i need the IS and will the F/4 do me ,I like to take the camera to the beach as my child is in SLSC and i like sunsets and fascinated of the sea and the coast .. but is the cost for me worth it ???
HOTROD

[peterking]

From personal experience I can comment on this one. I recently bought a 70-200 f/2.8L as my main long lens.
To answer your questions.
1. Yes you do need to spend a lot to buy the best lens.
2. I doubt you would be happy with a mid range but from what I have seen and read look at the Sigma if cost is a major concern.
3. Not always. Canon make some great lenses but they also have failures.
4. Impossible to answer as you have not detailed what you photograph. I mostly do sports or moving shots so elected to go the non IS lens and saved a lot. The reason I went for the f/2.8 is that I also bought a teleconverter that, when fitted, makes the lens a f/4. Also with doing sports I would have to keep turning the IS off so I saw no point paying for something I was not going to use. My main lens is an 18-135 and I'm more than happy with it. It does most of the work but I use the 70-200 when I need that more focal length.

[HotRod]

Hi Peter, thanks for that I’m not after a yes or no answer just a opinion yes money is an issue well only a bit as I’m a bit like you have had health problems for the last 5 years.
I got my old T70 and zoom out it had been put away for awhile and started to play so now the bug is back, I moved to the 450d and now looking for a zoom, I’m a bit the same about the IS and would also look at the teleconverter my child is into the Surf life saving member of 2 clubs and very active in 1 club and trying to surf so we are on the beach a lot and i like to take photos of the coast....ROD

[unistudent1962]

Hi Rod, I was doing the same thing a couple of months ago. I'd been looking at the 70-200 f2.8L IS when along came the MkII version. The MkI disappeared from the market and I needed to fork out $3200-3300 instead of $2100-2200. No way I could justify that!! So more research, trying lenses on my camera instore and trying to rationalise what I really need. In the end I picked up a 70-200 f4L IS ($1575 from Photocontinental in Brisbane), while it's a stop slower than the f2.8, the price difference was insurmountable. I love this lens, it does everything it's reported to do, and produces beautiful images. I take a lot of images of my kids sporting endeavours (soccer, athletics, skiiing) as well as landscapes. In my opinion an incredible all round lens.

[soulman]

I have the 70-200 f4 IS and it is a superb lens in terms of image quality and is much smaller and lighter (not to mention cheaper) than the 2.8 versions. If you can live without IS, you can get one of these for under $1000, which is excellent value for such a great lens. If you don't need quite so much reach, the 28-135 is quite well regarded, though not an L series. I used to have one and found it very good and particularly so for the price.