Zoom lenses

[JoWiJo]

The Panasonic Lumix FZ28 is an 18x camera with a rechargeable battery. I bought mine at Costco for just a little more than your max price. I really like it.

I have this same camera, and I love it. The difference in the zoom can be astounding.

FinFan,
A fully charged battery can easily handle over 250 shots at maximum resolution (10 MP), and backup batteries are inexpensive (around $10).

You mentioned HD capability. This also takes full HD videos (those HD video cameras around $150-200 often only record in 720, the FZ28 records in 1080), albeit in mono, not stereo.

Given that I bought mine for about your max price when the camera came out, and that was almost a year ago, you should certainly be able to find it for less somewhere.

 

[FINFAN]

Thanks so much... I did see both of these models and like them, good to hear your reviews. I know I sound picky about the whole changing batteries thing, but we review/delete on the go a lot and that does suck up a lot of power, and we like night shots a lot too,so those 3 combined...and we are in the habit of putting the battery on the charger each night, so have (knock on wood) never been out of charge on DD's Lumix, but now w/DS Canon...ALWAYS need to change batteries, always at the most inconvenient time, just personal preference I guess. This really helped me narrow it down, now to watch the pricing...thanks for the Costco tip!
HAPPY SNAPPING ALL!

 

[YesDear]

For what it is worth, deleting images in the camera is one of the best ways to corrupt a card and the other images. If you can get away from doing that your battery issue may solve itself!

 

[luv2go2disney]

I have been looking at this lens just for convenience of taking a regular picture and a super zoomed picture. I have read a ton of info on this lens... some good and some bad but I would prefer to actually get some information from someone that I could actually ask some questions back to if needed. Any thoughts out there on this lens? TIA

Christi

 

[Tomh]

I don't have your exact lens, nor am I half the photographer that many on these boards are, but . . .

I do have a Tamron 80 - 210 AF for Canon lens which I use with my Canon Digital Rebel.

My opinion is that the lens was / is exactly what I expected of it. It is a decent lens, capable of zooming in nicely. It isn't a great lens, certainly not the quality of the Canon lens. When turning it to zoom in or out, it feels a bit tight, and sticky. Not horribly sticky, like it won't move, just not the smooth feel of a good quality lens, more the feel of a lens with a body made of plastic that just doesn't fit quite right. It gets the job done for me. I use my camera for just my own personal use, and haven't had any problems with the lens, or the pictures that it takes, but if I were using the camera for anything more serious, I would probably forgo the Tamron lens in favor of something made by Canon.

In the end, for the price I paid, I think it was a fair deal, just not the quality of the real Canon lenses, but I think that is to be expected considering how inexpensive the Tamron lenses are.

 

[phins_jazy]

Are zoom lenses allowed in the parks? We have a number of lenses with our camera and were planning on bringing them all with us. DH just read somewhere that zoom lenses are not allowed in the park. Is this true???????

 

[disneyboy2003]

Uh oh. If this is true, then I've been pretty lucky getting away with my zoom lenses in the parks these past few years, especially during parades and at Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom.

No cast member has stopped me regarding this, but I guess you can never be too careful?

 

[C&B Young]

I'm pretty sure this is not true. I remember hearing talk before that Disneyland had prohibited lenses over a certain length at one point. Google found this article that seems to indicate it's a "ban" they only enforce when certain "celebrities" are in the parks.

EDIT - There's a whole giant thread right here too! I knew I should've looked here before Googling!

 

[saturndb]

I've brought a number of zoom lenses in the park with no problem


Dave

 

[YesDear]

If you should show up with a 600 mm lens on a Wimbley head and tripod and are wearing a photo vest, you would probably get a few questions. Otherwise, you should not have a problem.

 

[MICKEY88]

If you should show up with a 600 mm lens on a Wimbley head and tripod and are wearing a photo vest, you would probably get a few questions. Otherwise, you should not have a problem.

if you wear a vest you get hassled more by guests than by cast members,

guests will constantly ask if you can take their picture, some will not believe you are not a photopass photographer and if you run into the really nice lady that I encountered back in march, she will call you a liar...

cast members on the other hand will treat you like you are one of them...LOL

I spent 3 weeks walking around WDW looking like this and no one ever stopped me...and only once was I stopped at the security checkpoint to see what was in my vest pockets

 

[boBQuincy]

I just carried a Canon 70-200 f/4 around Disney's Hollywood Studios all day, no one mentioned it and with the hood it's a pretty big lens. The only problem I ever had with that lens was with security at AK entrance, where the guard said (laughingly) he might have to keep it (because it fit his camera).

 

[phins_jazy]

Good to know that we won't have any problems. Thanks guys!

 

[t1gger1968]

Can someone recommend a 70-200mm or 70-300mm lens for me? Would love the Canon 2.8 70-200 lens, but not in my budget right now after splurging for the 5d Mark ii and Canon 2.8 24-70mm lens. Are there any much cheaper telephoto zoom lens that you can recommend? I will be taking dance recital pictures, animal kingdom safari pictures, sports events, ..etc.

Thanks!
Chele.

 

[VVFF]

Can someone recommend a 70-200mm or 70-300mm lens for me? Would love the Canon 2.8 70-200 lens, but not in my budget right now after splurging for the 5d Mark ii and Canon 2.8 24-70mm lens. Are there any much cheaper telephoto zoom lens that you can recommend? I will be taking dance recital pictures, animal kingdom safari pictures, sports events, ..etc.

Thanks!
Chele.

Canon 70-200mm F4?

 

[pjacobi]

Canon 70-300 USM IS F/4
or
Canon 70-200 USM IS f/4 L

Those are your best options. I prefer the longer reach of the 300. I think they are around $500.00.


-Paul

 

[giantstu]

I went from the 70-300, 4-5.6 IS to the 70-200L 2.8 IS and i miss the extra length in shot.
The 70-300 image quality was pretty good, but nowhere near as good the 70-200.

I got the 100-400L to cover the long reach.
Iwould decide which is most important IQ or reach.
If IQ i would say the 70-200 f4 as said above, if reach then the 70-300

 

[gruZ]

I hate to say it, but I think if you try to put a cheaper lens on a 5DMII you will much less than satisfied. The full frame and high resolution of the MII will really expose the weaknesses of any lens.

If you can't go with the Canon version of the 70-200 2.8, I would recommend the Sigma or the Tamron version - both of which retail for far less than the Canon version. From the reviews I've read, the Tamron is slightly sharper in IQ, but the Sigma has a better and faster AF. I've owned the Canon mount Sigma version in the past, and was extremely pleased with it on both the 20D and 50D. It was a very sharp, very fast lens.

And no, in case you were wondering, I no longer own that lens, as I switched camps recently to Nikon (nothing to do with the Sigma lens - I've since purchased another version of the Sigma for use with Nikon).

Good luck!

 

[boBQuincy]

Canon's 70-200 f/4 IS is a little over $1200, the non-IS version is about half that. Both are considered to have comparable image quality to the f/2.8 version.

 

[ogreenlee]

I'm mostly curious about shots of MK from the resorts. We're having dinner at the Poly and GF, and will be watching Wishes from there both times.

I have a 70-200mm that I'll be taking. I'd love to see your shots!

Thanks!