| Author | Thread |
|
|
05/04/2006 03:33:53 PM · #1 |
| I've just gotten my first DSLR last week and now I'm looking into buying some lenses. I've already decided on the 50mm F1.8. And I pretty much decided on the Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro for a telephoto. My question is at 300mm can I still hand hold shots and get good results? Or do I need to get an "IS" lens for that? I shoot mainly animals (birds, bugs, etc.) and landscape photos. Thanks. |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 03:42:10 PM · #2 |
| Yes you can, use shutter speed = 1/focal length, means on 300mm use 1/300 or 1/400 or faster, even with 1/100 i think it is enough too, but hold very well and i think you need large f-stop (smallest f number) or increase ISO but noise will be there. try by yourself, Good luck. |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 03:46:42 PM · #3 |
IS is awesome...but not necessary. Just nice for when you don't have a tripod.
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 03:47:58 PM · #4 |
| Stabilization helps when using longer focal lengths, but is not even close to being as helpful as a solid tripod! |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 03:53:02 PM · #5 |
Don't be a fool. You've got Canon camera so get quality Canon glass. Yes get IS too.
Nick
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:08:43 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by UAE_Guy:
Yes you can, use shutter speed = 1/focal length, means on 300mm use 1/300 or 1/400 or faster, even with 1/100 i think it is enough too, but hold very well and i think you need large f-stop (smallest f number) or increase ISO but noise will be there. try by yourself, Good luck. |
Get IS. It is worth it. And as far as the 1/focal length formula goes, you must also take into account the crop factor for your camera, unless you have a full frame dSLR. So a 300mm lens might actually be 400mm or so on your cam, so you'll need a faster shutter speed. |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:10:44 PM · #7 |
From experience, I can tell you there is a vast difference between IS and non-IS. Just go to the camera store, pick up an IS lens, turn off IS, push it out to 300mm+ and hold it up to your eye for a minute while looking around and locking focus. Then do the same thing with the IS on. There is a noticible difference in the viewfinder - a sudden ceasation of movement and jitter that continues until you release the shutter button. The slower your shutter speed is, the more noticible it will be in an image.
I purchased the 100-400L last year. I wanted the range, didn't care about the IS. But once I had it, I was kinda pissed I didn't know how good it was. The softness I had seen before was due not only to lens quality but to almost imperceptible camera shake. I can take 2 images, back to back, one with IS and one without and, if the shutter speed is lower that 1/600, there will be a noticible difference in sharpness at 100%.
I went back last month and purchased the 70-300 IS as a run around lens at the suggestion of Scalvert. It was an excellent suggestion and I don't regret it. The lowest shutter speed I've gotten out of it, hand held at 300mm, was 1/80S without the image being soft. I think thats pretty cool. Instead of adding noise, I can slow the shutter. Well, as long as the wind isn't blowing... :)
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:12:26 PM · #8 |
Bear in mind that the old "reciprocal of the focal length" rule for shutter speed needs to be mutliplied by 1.6 with your APS-C sensor; on the 30D a 300mm lens has the angular coverage of a 480mm on FF, so by the reciprocal rule your "safe" shutter speed is 1/500. It's VERY difficult to hand-hold a 500mm lens. If you are going to shoot at full zoom, handheld, I'd say for sure IS is goinf to be a plus at this range.
I shoot my 70-200mmm f/4L handheld every now and then, and it's damned difficult to get a truly crisp shot unless I'm at 1/400 or faster. And of course to do that I'm shooting at either a high ISO or a wide aperture, both of which produce their own set of problems, be it noise or DOF, so...
I nearly always shoot the long lens on the tripod.
R.
Message edited by author 2006-05-04 16:14:08.
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:29:32 PM · #9 |
| Did Robert say "Bear in mind"? 8-) |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:38:05 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by jahoward:
Did Robert say "Bear in mind"? 8-) |
LOL!
This bears further review...
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:40:29 PM · #11 |
Remeber in low light situations, where you'll have to use 1/40th or 1/60th even with IS on, you still need to be aware of subject movement. Your frame and background elements can be completely stable, but the person will be blurred because they are moving. this is where you need a wide f/ like 2.8 or 2.0. But then you have DOF problems. There is no substitute for the human eye (yet)
Maybe one day they'll be able to creat a CCD/CMOS sensor with no noise at ISO6400, and then this will all be behind us...
Message edited by author 2006-05-04 16:41:27.
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:41:14 PM · #12 |
Ok...I know I put this in other threads but seems to fit here also:
Here are two samples with the same lens and setting. One with VR on and one with VR off. Shot inside the house with 600ish iso , 200mm , 1/15 sec:
 This is VR on.
 VR off.
Questions? |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:43:03 PM · #13 |
My experience mirror's Robert's; with a 1.6-crop cam, the crop factor needs to be taken into account, specifically if the target output size is the same. If we're talking "when viewed at 100%" then it's the pixel pitch, not the crop factor that matters.
In any case, for razor-sharpness when viewed at 100%, a more stringent rule than 1/FL is usually needed, even with a full-frame cam. Differences in hand steadiness and technique make a huge difference, though, so YMMV.
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:47:25 PM · #14 |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:54:27 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by ignite:
And as far as the 1/focal length formula goes, you must also take into account the crop factor for your camera, unless you have a full frame dSLR. So a 300mm lens might actually be 400mm or so on your cam, so you'll need a faster shutter speed. |
This isn't true... A 300mm lens on a 1.6 film sensor still has all the physical properties of a 300mm lens. The only difference is that the shot appears cropped as if it were taken by a 480mm lens. You don't really get more magnification... |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 04:56:13 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by ignite:
And as far as the 1/focal length formula goes, you must also take into account the crop factor for your camera, unless you have a full frame dSLR. So a 300mm lens might actually be 400mm or so on your cam, so you'll need a faster shutter speed. |
This isn't true... A 300mm lens on a 1.6 film sensor still has all the physical properties of a 300mm lens. The only difference is that the shot appears cropped as if it were taken by a 480mm lens. You don't really get more magnification... |
Yes, but the crop makes the small motion blur more apparent. Meaning that it does matter.
|
|
|
|
05/04/2006 05:05:17 PM · #17 |
| I just got a 70-200F4 and am finding it pretty hard to hold still at 200, so I dug my old monopod out and its a whole world of difference. You can pick them up pretty cheap. |
|
|
|
05/04/2006 05:30:17 PM · #18 |
I am not the most steady of folks, and I can hand hold a 300mm at 1/500th no problem but 1/800 is better. Now remember, any of these (the canon 70-300IS or sigma 70-300 IS) are both slow lenses - 300mm is reserved for outdoor daylight use or a tripod.
For maximum sharpness you're gonna want to stop it down to F8, maybe 11.
Outdoors that works fine - here are some at 300mm with my sigma
 
Shutter speeds of 2500 and 2000 respectively. IS not needed.
Indoors (a gym for example, or a church) a 5.6 lens is just too dark to bother with anyway IMO.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/24/2025 12:08:04 PM EDT.
