subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 6 July 2019 57
Tech Talk
Ask the experts
Sigma 18-300mm
f/3.5-6.3 C DC
If you’re looking for fl exibility
out in the fi eld, this APS-C lens
could be the choice for you. The
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 C
DC provides a wider angle of
view than its featured rivals for
in-situ style shots at one end of
its focal range, and a fantastic
450mm full-frame equivalent
reach at its other so you can
really fi ll the frame with subjects.Tamron 70-300mm
f/4-5.6 SP Di VC USD
With an advanced optical design
that features Low Dispersion
and Extra Low Dispersion
elements, this lens promises
images rich with sharp contrast.
Not only is this optic’s Ultrasonic
Silent Drive (USD) autofocus
system speedy but it’s near
silent too, making it a solid
choice if you are also shooting
video alongside your stills. It can
be manually overridden at any
time, maintaining total control.Canon EF 70-300mm
f/4-5.6 IS II USM
It may be the most expensive
option of the three, but this
sleek Canon lens boasts
fantastic image quality, a speedy
autofocus system that will help
keep moving subjects sharp, and
a unique lens display on its top
that will keep you informed with
key information at a glance. With
4-stop stabilisation, shake-free
handheld shots are a real
possibility at slower shutter
speeds than normally required.£349
●Versatile focal range
●Weighs just 585g
●Available in Nikon, Canon, Sony
and Pentax fits£329
●Fast Ultrasonic Silent Drive focusing
●In-built 4-stop stabilisation
●Available in Nikon, Canon,
and Sony fits£449
●Speedy Nano USM autofocus
●Has lens Information Display
●In-built 4-stop stabilisationIN ASSOCIATION WITH
Looking for a new camera or accessory and need some advice? The experts at Wex Photo Video
are here to help. Contact us at [email protected] or on Twitter at @AP_Magazine and #AskAP
The Kenko 2.0x teleconverter is an
option to increase lens magnificationQ
I bought my fi rst-ever Canon DSLR
around 6 months back as I began my
photographic journey; it came with an
18-55mm kit zoom lens. I love this combination
for capturing most things I spot while out and
about and it’s helped me to develop my skills, but
now I’d like to start taking more wildlife images,
and it doesn’t get me close enough to subjects.
What would you suggest I consider investing in
next? My budget is under £500, but I’d prefer to
spend less than that if possible.
Yvonne BakerA
There are several factors to consider
when buying a lens for wildlife
photography. The fi rst is focal lengthwhich will affect how ‘zoomed in’ to a subject
you can expect to be. The second is aperture
which will dictate how much light you can let
into the sensor in order to achieve the fast
shutter speeds needed to freeze motion. And
the last two factors are price and stabilisation.
Professional wildlife shooters often select
stabilised prime optics like a 600mm f/4 or
300mm f/2.8 which offer long telephoto reach
and fast constant apertures, but these can be
prohibitively expensive. For enthusiasts,
150-600mm f/5-6.3 zooms are popular, while
for those just starting to specialise in the wildlife
photography genre, we recommend something
like a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 as a well-balanced
blend of reach and value for money.Affordable lens for a wildlife beginner
What options for
improving lens reach?
Q
I’m a photographer for my
local non-league football
team. I normally use a
70-200mm f/2.8 and a 300mm
f/2.8 prime lens on match days to
capture the action. I don’t really
want the weight (or the expense)
of another prime lens in my kit
bag, but could occasionally do with
something to help me get images
of distant action on the pitch. Any
suggestions for a solution that
won’t break the bank or my back?
Michael DavisA
A teleconverter sounds
like the ideal solution for
this problem. Depending
on the model you select, adding
one of these compact secondary
lenses between your existing
optic and camera would provide
a magnifi cation increase of
1.4x-2x to focal length, getting
you much closer to all those
tackles and shots. This effect
comes at the cost of a decrease
to maximum aperture (roughly 1
stop when using a 1.4x converter
and 2 stops when using as 2x)
and some slight loss to image
quality, but as you’re currently
using fast f/2.8 lenses and only
want the extra reach on occasion,
this could be an acceptable
sacrifi ce. The Kenko 2.0x
Teleplus HD DGX Teleconverter
maintains all electronic control of
the attached lens, and costs
£170 (Canon fi t) or £187 (Nikon
fi t) – a massive saving compared
to the cost of another prime.Our experts suggest