Need advice on some used Telephoto Lenses

Hello again everyone, I'm in the market for a used Telephoto for me to take hiking this spring and summer. It will be mounted on my Canon EOS rebel XS. I've been scouring Adorama.com for the past week or two and I've got 3 used lenses saved in my wish list and I'm looking for some input on each of them.

First I want to say that I realize none of these lenses are great, but I want a telephoto and I'm on a very limited budget. Of the following three choices, which do you guys think I should go with. I plan to order later today or tonight if I can get some input from some of you more knowledgeable shutterbugs here on the forum.

Here are the three lenses

Tamron 80-210 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20323210.html

Promaster 70-300 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20327397.html

Quantaray 70-300 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20376347.html

The promaster and quantaray are appealing because they have a wider range, up to 300mm but I wonder if the Tamron is better quality and therefore a better choice. Also the Quantaray is appealing for it's price but again I wonder how the quality is. I have used a couple of Tamron lenses, but not the other two brands.

Thanks in advance for any advice :thumbsup:

The thing with Quantaray is that they are either re-badged lenses from other manufacturers, or items made by other manufactures to the specifications requested. If you can find out who made the lens, and what, if any, differences there are between the Quantaray and the name-brand version, then you’ll be able to make a better decision.

I have the Quantaray 18mm-200mm 6.3, and I am very happy with it. It’s a re-badged Sigma, according to several review sites and my own comparison with my friend’s Sigma branded version. Everything is identical, including the specs, except the name tag on the lens and the Quantaray coming with no lens hood (I ordered the Sigma lens hood, of course it fit perfectly). I am happy with the 200mm range, but your needs may be different.

Promaster is the same idea, but I have had less luck with that brand. I have a Promaster 7500 EDF flash, and to be honest, I don’t like it much at all. When it works, it works great, but it seems to have trouble “talking” to my D40. Sometimes pictures will come out either all white or all black, and I have to turn it off, remove it from the shoe, and then put it back on to get it to reset. It may then be good for 500 shots, or it may fail again after 5 shots, I never know. I returned the original and exchanged it for another, and it does the same exact thing. The guy at the camera store said the problem must be with my D40, but my Nikon SB-400 works perfectly every time. I also have a cheap Sunpak flash that works every time, so I know the issue is not my D40. Now I have to always decide whether to use the SB-400, which has no side bounce and limited range, but I know will always fire correctly, or the Promaster, which has the side bounce and much better range, but does not always fire correctly. I may just sell them both and get a Nikon SB-600.

I have not had experience with Tamron, although the newer lenses do seem to score well in the reviews I’ve read.

Hope that all helps!

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Originally Posted by Skydmark1

Hello again everyone, I'm in the market for a used Telephoto for me to take hiking this spring and summer. It will be mounted on my Canon EOS rebel XS. I've been scouring Adorama.com for the past week or two and I've got 3 used lenses saved in my wish list and I'm looking for some input on each of them.

First I want to say that I realize none of these lenses are great, but I want a telephoto and I'm on a very limited budget. Of the following three choices, which do you guys think I should go with. I plan to order later today or tonight if I can get some input from some of you more knowledgeable shutterbugs here on the forum.

Here are the three lenses

Tamron 80-210 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20323210.html

Promaster 70-300 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20327397.html

Quantaray 70-300 http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20376347.html

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If you'd like photographs of any of these before you make a final decision, please drop me an email: helen.oster@adoramacamera.com

So I was just going over these lenses while I wait for actual pictures of them from Adorama, and it appears that there's a note about the Quantaray that says for film, not digital. I swear that wasn't there before. I wonder why it matter?

Well, given this new information I'm revisiting my lens choices. Apparently the Quantaray is out, and I had almost settled on it. So the Tamron is still an option and here are a couple more I'm looking at.......

Canon Ef 75-300 4/5.6 Iii
http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20379607.html
This one worries me a little because it's only V condition which says may have bumps dings scratches etc.

Canon Ef 75-300 4/5.6 Iii W/box
http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20378920.html

Quant 70-300 4/5.6 Af F/eos *58 W/box
http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20334148.html

So now I'm wondering if all of these will really work on my Digital Rebel XS, I thought I was safe going for the ones that say F/eos but then I saw the note that said not for digital on one of them. I'm confused :mad2:

Any help here is appreciated I really want to order a lens and get it so I can shoot!!

Of all the lenses you linked to, I think I would go with:

Canon Ef 75-300 4/5.6 Iii W/box
http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20378920.html

The reason being that it sounds like it's in much better condition and it's only $20 more. The wider zoom range vs the Tamron, especially on the long end, would be a nice for hiking as well.

Most of these consumer grade lenses really aren't all that bad as long as you know what to expect from them. Most of my wildlife photos are taken with an inexpensive consumer grade lens. The trick is learning the limitations of the gear, and finding out how to work around it.

Thanks for the tips, I'm waiting for a response from Adorama. They are sending me pictures of each lens. That's the one I'm leaning towards as well.

The only thing that worries me are some of the bad reviews I've been reading. I realize that any cheap lens is going to have some bad reviews. It's hard to sort through the reviews from people used to high end lenses, and the prosumer level people like me.

The two biggest things I see reviewed that worry me are claims of soft photos, and chromatic aberration. But, I think I'm going to order it anyway. Probably the only way to find out how the lens is will be to use it myself.

If you can swing $200, the Canon 55-250mm IS is a beautiful lens. I've seen some great images done with this lens. The IS is VERY useful especially for longer zooms. You will get much sharper images - especially with this lens. It's an exceptional lens for the price. New runs $255. However, refurbished lenses are almost like new as they have been gone over by the manufacturer and returned to the dealer for sales. Both stores have a 14 day return plicy and 90 day warranty on used/refurbished equipment. I've purchased refurbished equipment a few times - and never had a problem.

Adorama has a refurbished "kit" meaning a UV filter and cleaning cloth, etc. for $212

http://www.adorama.com/CA55250AFSRK.html

B&H has a refurbished lens for $194 (B&H website says "email for condition" and I emailed for condition - and condition is refurbished).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._4_5_6_IS.html

I would seriously consider this lens if you can afford it.

Liz

Placed my order for the used Canon EF 75-300mm lens, also got me a circular polarizer for it, and a small tripod to take hiking with me. Can't wait to get the lens and try it out for myself.