Buying a Second lens

[JohnnyBoy]

Hi Ausphoto groupies.
I have a question to ask you all.
I recently purchased a 60D and brought the 28-135mm EF lens for my first camera/lens combo. Next month I'll be debt free - yippy and looking at buying my next lens so am after some advise. I'll have somewhere in the range of $1000 to spend but would be happy spending $200.00 if the Lens is good as well.

So what am I looking at - well once I get my car replaced from the clown that hit me on the freeway and wrote off my car I'm looking at getting to Yosemite and getting some shoot - was hoping for this month as the flowers would be out and all but no luck - no car. So I'm hoping to see some bears and great sceney shoots - so my delimate - I only want EF lens and not EF-S as well.

Do I go for a 400mm type lens or do I got for the more 18mm type lens etc.

Not really sure as I'm still a noob to photography as well.

Thankyou in all in advance

[I @ M]

I want to see the full frame pictures of the bears taken with the 18mm lens. :D

Why not buy 2 lenses, one wide angle and on medium length tele, should be able to get decent quality gear to fulfill both landscape and wildlife photography needs that way.

Seriously, don't try to take pictures of bears up close otherwise people will be selling your gear to pay for your funeral.

[kiwi]

100-400 :D

[PH005]

A question that has been asked a thousand times. And it all boils down to one thing, You. What do you want to shoot. What do you expect from your new lens. What do you want to spend. You are talking about two ends of the scale here. I'm feeling that you would like an Ultra Wide Angle for taking landscapes, and then a reasonable IQ tele for wildlife. And maybe a Macro in between. Sorry but you must decide which one you would like first. From what I'm senseing from your post, I am guessing you will go for a tele first. Cars, speed, Bears. Let us know which one you choose. :th3:

[PH005]

100-400 :D

:ps:

[kiwi]

the other thing si do you have a good flash, a good tripod and head ? Maybe that ought to be a priority

[JohnnyBoy]

I certainly do need a good Tripod which is already on the list and is set aside from the lens, Flash - I've not really looked into that yet as I've not really done any night time shoots other than GG Bridge. - which works without a flash if you have a good tripod or a bag of rice on a post (in my case). Head? That one I do not understand what that is

Thanks so far for the quick response

[PH005]

I think Kiwi means a Good tripod Head. A tripod is not only useful at night Johnny.

[Bennymiata]

And a flash is also useful during the day...............

The 100-400 is a great second lens, as long as you are fairly strong, as it is a heavy lens, but it can do lots of things well.
Trouble is, even in the US, they are over $1000 new.

Perhaps what you should be looking at is something like the Tamron 18-270, or the 70-300 or its Sigma equivalents as these will give you a very good spread in the one lens.
Just make sure you get a lens with a stabiliser built in, otherwise your long shots may end up blurred.
These are all under the $1000 mark in the US, which would leave you some money for a tripod or a flash.

[JohnnyBoy]

ah. so that now makes sense, Tripod money already set aside and looking at around 100-150 on a Tripod stand. As for the lens - I think I prefer to stick with the Canon range - I've always been told that they make the best lens, and can hold off another month to save for the lens - currently B&H are selling them for around $1600. I've seen cheaper but a lot of these guys are crooks with their "bait and switch" methods - I've learned that very quickly since coming over here. Stay with the reputable guys - skip the doggie ones.

From this most also seem to be suggesting 100-400 lens as the next step - but will continue to ponder and will certainly let you know what I end up with

Also I've seen these 1.4x and 2x units - are they any good - do you lose anything with them - ie - auto function, aperture etc
thanks for your great thoughts and experience - helping us noobs out :th3:

[kiwi]

Tekeconverters will typically only work (at all or well) on lenses with a fixed aperture of f/4 or f/2.8...none of the lenses that have been mentioned qualify