Used Lens Options

[Musicims]

I want to get a lens for coral "colony" pictures, not really for macro, just good quality say 2-6" colonies with good DOF.

I have a Canon 6D that I use and want to get into capturing my tank.

I see that anywhere really around 70-105mm are suggested often here. Namely 24-70mm or the 18-250 sigma. There are some really cheap used options available on B&H that I am completely ignorant on that look too good to be true so what are the potential downsides to say getting an EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 or EF 80-200 f/4.5-5.6 II for $65 over one of these more expensive options? I want to use it for more than the tank also.

Thanks!

 

[Gareth elliott]

Im going to speak generally since i dont use cannon.

Since your camera is full frame you do not have to worry about crop factor.

Look at the generation of the sigma lenses early generations ime had poor autofocus and iffy vibration reduction.

In general lenses with wider(smaller numbers) apertures allow for greater bokeh or greater depth of field options.

The most important thing to look at for aquarium lenses in general imo is chromatic aberration. Look up the lenses you are looking at on http://www.dpreview.com and scroll to that section.

Tbh if taken at the right angle from your subject I primarily use prime lenses, and zoom by cropping post process. My primary zoom lens is zeiss and cost more than my camera [emoji23]

 

[Opus]

Go with an L lens.

 

[Musicims]

Go with an L lens.

I wish I could go with an L glass. I know you might be asking what the heck am I being cheap having a 6D but it was a gift. I mainly shoot astro so all I know really is small focal and very large f/. I feel like there is some sort of trade off that I'm not grasping with some that are ex. ~25-105mm, ~18-200+mm, 70-300mm. Even though they cover the same focal lengths surely you cant get that kind of range without sacrificing something.

I'd rather spend ~$200 or less on a good performing USED sharp high DOF lens than spend $200 + on a new just okay lens.

I wouldn't be opposed to a prime for the right price since it would probably then only be used for this purpose as long as it was good since you can usually get wider f/ range and sharpness with prime lenses correct?

All suggestions are appreciated!

 

[PedroYoung]

Not a lens suggestion, but a vendor one. I got my used Canon 100mm Macro on Adorama and was really pleased. They have a better grading system (IMO) than BH on the quality of the used equipment. I've used both sites, and they are both great, but you might see something there that's not on BH.