Hi! I am new to this forum and am a amateur photographer. I have a Rebel Xsi camera and am looking for advice on what telephoto lens to purchase for wildlife photography. I have a 55-250 mm lens and I would like something for longer distances. What choices do I have that will be compatible to my camera?
Hi Terry, anything that is made for the EF or EF-S mounts will work on the camera (the ef-s lenses only work on canon crop sensors). Going past 250 you you will see that zooms stop around 300 or 400 and would overlap your 55-250. If you need longer your looking at a prime lens 600 or 800mm these are big and heavy and expensive compared to your consumer grade zoom you have. There are 3rd part brand options that may give you something like a 100-500mm. You can also invest in a 1.4x or 2.0x tele-converter which will magnify the lenses reach, these are more expensive than extension tubes but give you much more magnification than tubes will (examples.. tube - .3x or TC - 1.4x) Both of these will have trade offs, you will loos a stop or two of light and your images my soften just a bit. Another option would be to buy a bridge camera with a supper zoom. I myself have toyed with this option as I rarely shoot longer than 200mm, so something like the Nikon P1000 is tempting for the situations where I really want some reach. So you have a few options all with different trade offs, your primary 3 are cost, quality and speed. I did not touch on speed but you will notice that 2.8 lens will be more expensive than its 4.0 counter part and the cheaper ones yet are variable 4.0-5.6.
If you are willing to focus and set the aperture yourself, you can get an adapter that lets you use FD lenses, if you go this route get one with glass in it so you can focus to infinity. One like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EB0AX...colid=5N0X3P0ER2AM&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it You might save a dollar or two that way. Long lenses aregenerally costly but since the demand for FD lenses is lower you might luck out on Ebay etc
Hi Terry, It also depends on what you want to spend. I could sit here and suggest lots of expensive lenses, but I am spending your money, not mine. Just remember not to overlook the used market. Choices that spring to mind off the top of my head are the Canon 100-400, the Sigma 150-600, or the Tamron 150-600. Whatever you choose, let us know how you get on. Gary
Hi, Terry, my workaround for you is going down the poor photographer's path. I suggest you have a look at mirror lenses. They have there draw backs such as only having one aperture setting and that is F8. No stabilization built in. So it is tripod and a little higher shutter speed. I have had some very nice shot with the one I have and one plus is they are light. My version is a 500mm with adaptal 2 mount to EOS adapter.