Image Stabilization Important

[simonsi]

Lots of good advice here but it boils down to just this:
1) IS is not needed at all if you use a tripod. in fact you should disable it if using a tripod.
2) Rule of thumb for hand holding a long lens is to use a shutter speed not slower than 1/(focal length) so if hand holding a 200mm lens, shoot at 1/250 second of faster.
3) Finally now that we have IS we can break the above rule and shoot at 4/(focal length). So now with a 200mm lens we can hand hold at 4/200 04 1/50th of a second

So buying that expensive IS lens allows #3 above. Without IS you are stuck at #2 or #1.

Remember there are two causes of motion blur (1) camera shake and (2) subject motion. IS only addresses camera shake.

4) IS is not needed if increasing the ISO yields both acceptable noise and an acceptable shutter speed as in (2) ISO vs noise needs checking on the body to be used but is getting massively better with each generation of cameras.

Worth bearing in mind there are also NR apps, and resizing the output down tends to remove noise if it is an issue.

 

[ChrisA]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have narrowed down my choices to these two lenses. I have a Canon camera and not sure how good Sigma lens are but the reviews are good. I'm mostly looking to shoot landscape, wildlife, still objects etc. Not spending the big bucks just yet but what I really want for now is sharp and clear images and a good zoom distance.I have the Canon Rebel SL1.

Anyone have these lenses or any experience with them?

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-250m...TF8&qid=1451619972&sr=8-6&keywords=sigma+lens

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-55...F8&qid=1451620244&sr=1-26&keywords=canon+lens

That fist lens is an f/6.3 I don't know about Canon but Nikon claims the auto focus might have problems with lenses slower then f/5.6 Even f/5.6 is slow

The trouble is your requirements include wildlife. For landscapes and still objects the f/5.6 is good. But for animals that are small and distant and likely you are shooting wildlife at dawn or dusk a slow lens is going to be hard to use unless you crank the ISO way up an introduce noise.

One thing is that all beginners think they need a long 200+ lens. Such long lenses are rarely needed, unless you are shooting wildlife and then you want IS and a faster f-stop.

You might look at used lenses. Then you might be able to get what you need and older model 80-200 f/2.8 might work for larger animals.

 

[simonsi]

The trouble is your requirements include wildlife.

Agree. OP probably needs to further define "wildlife", flying birds and african mammals will have their own set of requirements...

 

[matt9013]

Agree. OP probably needs to further define "wildlife", flying birds and african mammals will have their own set of requirements...

My bad. When I mean wildlife I mean pets and everyday outside animals. Bugs, deer, birds etc. Not wildlife like bears, African animals etc.

 

[simonsi]

Then I would go 55-250, non-IS and be prepared to up the ISO or steady the lens when needed, just as we used to pre-IS.

When you have some more experience and are ready/able to upgrade then you will know if IS is really needed for your shooting based on you missing shots. In the meantime you will learn more and not have to worry about the extra $$$ spent on IS

 

[mrex]

im not a photographer, so i speak only as an amateur with his gadgets in a glass cabin... i wouldnt buy any tele without IS if going to take anything else than "landscapes" with a tripod when the IS is set off anyway.

when you are in the end of the tele the object is moving like a mosquito in the viewfinder (your hands are shaking) you should have very, very steady hands or gain a good shutter speed (lots of light). in low light conditions (e.g. in a forest or inside), or in a cloudy day, the dark tube is a dark tube and you are forcd to use high iso values. canon 55-250 is F4-5.6 and it is a dark tube.

when using a good steady tripod, no problem with objects staying in place. a quite cloudy day you get troubles. some problems can be compensate using higher isos and faster shutter speeds even maybe a little bit to under exposure photos, fixed then later with a computer, but lots of work and practice. unfortunately in most cases you use f8 or higher which means a slower shutter. you can compensate this with IS, without increasing iso too much to get grainy photos.

i have an old 70-300 is usm which i bought when i was a student ten years ago and i can tell you that the lens is dark (F4-5.6). especially if you are shooting on cloudy day or so, IS have saved me many times - IS doesnt save you with object moving "fast" thought.

if you are going take pics of bugs, the cheapest way is to use extension tubes or high quality close up lenses (just do not buy cheap one and highest magnification! e.g. canon 250-500D close up lenses are good) attatched to the lens.

one problem i see here is that you want to get photos from bugs to birds. for birds 250mm is short, for bugs macro lenses are better choice. but of course there is also the budget.

anyway.. i would save abit more and buy the version with is. as being an amateur, i have needed the is in many times more than i thought =}