Mostly used for at motorsport myself and Mrs Pasty have a Canon 1000D.

When bought a couple of years ago it was bundled with a Canon 18-55mm and a Tamron 70-300mm zoom.

The tamron has recently started playing up and on the most common setting AV (for motorsport motion blur) and at full, or near full, zoom extension it brings up a communication with the body error.

Having tried the lens with a friends 100D body and the Canon lens on the same settings and received no errors I can put assume the lens is on the way out. The "experts" at Jessops suggested sending the whole lot off for "testing" and "repair" and a minimum bill of £100 and a wait of 6 weeks.

It is actually cheaper to buy a new lens as it is currently on special offer.

However being massively inexperienced and having no purchasing history other than jessops and the joy of a google search got "canon lenses" I have no what replace the Tamron with or where to buy it from.

I'm thinking a budget up to around £400

Maybe a bit more zoom if possible and hopefully something a bit more robust so i don't have to replace it in another 2 years.

Oh and Mrs Pasty wants a wide angle lens for scenery shots of our upcoming holiday to America

Answers on a postcard to "Pasty's need new photographic equipment - Gloucester - GL1 4RT"

or if your all high tech you could just reply to this thread

and don't worry before anyone has a fit that is not my postcode!

even I'm not stupid enough to tell you it's GL2 4YP - oh crap

It's a shame it's not a Canon lens - repairs, should take no longer than 2weeks. - I'm a Nikon Pro user, and they have a turn around for under 1 week for us Pro's. - and 2 weeks for consumers. (Canon UK is similar)

Check out This page which may help.

Maybe something Like this Would be good?

For your budget, do NOT go for any more zoom! - the images at this price range from anything bigger could be very poor.

Al.

Thanks Al

I've seen that Canon lens for about half that price else where (and only £20 more than the Tamron) so will probably pick up one of those.

Like you say the buget doesn't seem to extent far enough to be purchasing mega grey bodied zoom lenses :(

The older (non IS) version of that canon lens is cheap as chips second hand ( http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/used-lenses/used-canon-fit-lenses/canon-ef-75-300mm-f/4-5.6-iii/ )

Both get rather bad reviews for image quality though. I think 400 is a tight budget for 300mm+ and decent quality though.

There's more reach on http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/used-lenses/used-canon-fit-lenses/sigma-135-400mm-f/4.5-5.6-apo-dg,-canon-fit/ but no idea how good it is as a lens I'm afraid?

I can't say "I'd buy a new lens from $retailer"; what I can say is that, particularly with zooms and telephotos, I'd only buy from a retailer who will let me take the lens out of the shop and play with it looking up and down the street. IME lens handling is a bit personal, and this is the only way to find a lens you like the handling of.

If you decide on a genuine Canon lense, take a look at HDEW lenses. They are Grey imports, but a very genuine company, who provide a warranty to cover the lack of Canon support.

Phil

Take a look at Camera Price Buster for the best prices from legit UK shops.

Surely shooting for motorsport blur you should be using TV to control the shutter speed rather than AV to control the aperture?

Take a look at Camera Price Buster for the best prices from legit UK shops.

That's the kind of thing I was after. Thanks

anyone use Simply Electronics?

Surely shooting for motorsport blur you should be using TV to control the shutter speed rather than AV to control the aperture?

in theory yes. However after a couple of years practise I have found much better and easier results from aperture variation than shutter speed

That's the kind of thing I was after. Thanks

I put a link to that in my Original post.... :(

Al.

I put a link to that in my Original post.... :(

Al.

doh!

i missed that completely only seeing the massively expensive amazon link.

I've ordered the Canon in the taht link for £110

the other half has also ordered a wide angle jobby from amazon for a further £350

The Rocky mountains better look bloody amazing!

doh!

i missed that completely only seeing the massively expensive amazon link.

I've ordered the Canon in the taht link for £110

the other half has also ordered a wide angle jobby from amazon for a further £350

The Rocky mountains better look bloody amazing!

Slightly OT, But I need to replace my Canon Nifty Fifty 1.8. Anywhere likely to beat Amazons price of £76 delivered?

I've always used http://www.onestop-digital.com/ for all my lens purchases they are HK based but shipping is quick and if you are unlucky to be hit with customes/vat charges they will refund them.

That's the kind of thing I was after. Thanks

anyone use Simply Electronics?

in theory yes. However after a couple of years practise I have found much better and easier results from aperture variation than shutter speed

Yep - I've used SImply Electronics for a Nikon Lens before. Absolutely no problems with them and a great price.

I use Calumet these days. There prices are excellent considering they have several shops. The big advantage is they are used by professional photographers and the staff are brilliant with amateurs. They give great advice and don't patronise you just because you don't own a 1D or D3. Plus they rent gear and if you decided to buy it, you get a discount for having rented it in the first place.

Slightly OT, But I need to replace my Canon Nifty Fifty 1.8. Anywhere likely to beat Amazons price of £76 delivered?

Thanks anyway ....found it a bit cheaper:)

I can't say "I'd buy a new lens from $retailer"; what I can say is that, particularly with zooms and telephotos, I'd only buy from a retailer who will let me take the lens out of the shop and play with it looking up and down the street. IME lens handling is a bit personal, and this is the only way to find a lens you like the handling of.

That's a good tip and one that I didn't use when getting a new DSLR earlier this year. I bought a Canon 15-85mm zoom as a single lens to go with my 550D and it's a good quality, useful lens, only I never really considered how heavy it is and how it affects the balance of the camera.

I've got used to it, but there are times when a lighter lens would be preferable (usually when the wife moans about the weight in her handbag )

That's a good tip and one that I didn't use when getting a new DSLR earlier this year. I bought a Canon 15-85mm zoom as a single lens to go with my 550D and it's a good quality, useful lens, only I never really considered how heavy it is and how it affects the balance of the camera.

I've got used to it, but there are times when a lighter lens would be preferable (usually when the wife moans about the weight in her handbag )

I think what you need is a heavier (bigger) camera to balance your lens

7D next I think

I think what you need is a heavier (bigger) camera to balance your lens

7D next I think

Good point, but then I'd have to buy the wife a new handbag!

Good point, but then I'd have to buy the wife a new handbag!

Thats what I would call a win win situation

Thats what I would call a win win situation

I think you're genetically programmed to think that way, my bank manager (male) probably wouldn't agree

Simply Electronics are good, Microglobe, Warehouse Express also. Digital Rev on ebay have good prices on stuff but they're Japanese imports - depends if you care about that.

Simply Electronics are good, Microglobe, Warehouse Express also. Digital Rev on ebay have good prices on stuff but they're Japanese imports - depends if you care about that.

DigitalRev are good, but based in Hong Kong, shipping via DHL so you ALWAYS get hit for VAT and duty. They do occasional fee free guaranteed sales, though.

Phil