From the Collaboratory

Heart by artocard

Good Glass!

I'm dreaming of the perfect lens.

Leopard Cub by NolderPhotography

If only I knew which one it is!

It's pretty much gospel in the photography world that having high-quality lenses matters more than having a high-end body. (A good tripod is also a plus, but that's a subject for another day.) The question is: What lens is best-suited to the work I do?

Right now, my workhorse is the Canon 28-135mm IS USM zoom. Great lens for general shooting. But for wildlife photography, I need a longer focal length (except for those times when I get very, very lucky).

The high-end professional telephoto lenses, like the 600 or 800mm, are too heavy for me to lug around, and too far out of my price range even if I wanted that much exercise. I also want flexibility, so that if a white heron flies into a landscape I'm shooting, I can get good shots of both.

Grizzly Sow and Cub by MyPhotoArt

So, Canon shooters, what works for you? Is it the 70 - 200 f/2.8 L IS USM, maybe with a 1.4x or 2x converter? Or an EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM like Chuck Nolder of NolderPhotography used to capture Leopard Cub (above), maybe also with an extender? Or a second camera body with a telephoto fixed lens?

Sea Otter at State Beach by Heidesphotos

I'm not familiar with the gradations of other brands, but the principle is the same.

Please join the conversation. I'm sure other neophytes like me would love to hear from you!

Thanks.

Gomez the Iguana by Jhoeymonster

Nakedeye17 (Su) thinks of photography as a wake-up call: "Hey, everybody! Are you seeing this?" She loves to capture humor, too, and anything wondrous strange. Find Nakedeye17's shop here.