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Hi all,

I'm seriously contemplating purchasing the 28-300mm IS USM for shooting live performance. Im currently switching between the 28-80 and the 75-300 for theatre work, where I need to be able to zoom out to shoot the "scene" and then zoom right in for closeups.

Has anyone got any experience with this lens.
Is there anything I should know about it that isnt in the online specs?

Hi and welcome.

First of all, please read the "Forum Rules" in the pink section at the top of this page: if you could add your location into your profile (a requirement of membership here). It makes things much easier for everyone.

Which body are you using, and what is the ultimate end use for these images?

None of the lenses you're discussing are particularly fast, which raises the question of how many times are you wanting to buy your lenses? It usually works out way cheaper to just go out and buy the correct lens the first time that you ask this question, rather than cycle through three or four different lenses, paying (again) for each additional one until you finally buy the one that was initially recommended, but not purchased because it was felt to be too expensive.

The reality is that in shooting live performances, be they a band, a play, ballet, or whatever, you're dealing with a low light but very high contrast ratio situation. This is the realm of high iso bodies and fast glass, but it can be done with lesser gear if you have your technique down pat.

For this type of shooting, i think one of the 70-200 f/2.8 lenses would be the way to go, or else grab a handful of primes. Depending upon which body you're using, something like the 24, 50 and 85 would be fast and light but inexpensive, and sneakerzoom adds very little to cost of your kit.

mish wrote:I'm seriously contemplating purchasing the 28-300mm IS USM for shooting live performance. Im currently switching between the 28-80 and the 75-300 for theatre work, where I need to be able to zoom out to shoot the "scene" and then zoom right in for closeups.

Has anyone got any experience with this lens.
Is there anything I should know about it that isnt in the online specs?

Welcome aboard Mish. I am sure that you will enjoy your time here at DSLRusers.

As for the 28-300 I am sure someone here has used this lens, and will be able to fill you in about its behaviour.

gstark wrote:Which body are you using, and what is the ultimate end use for these images?

None of the lenses you're discussing are particularly fast, which raises the question of how many times are you wanting to buy your lenses? It usually works out way cheaper to just go out and buy the correct lens the first time that you ask this question, rather than cycle through three or four different lenses, paying (again) for each additional one until you finally buy the one that was initially recommended, but not purchased because it was felt to be too expensive.

The reality is that in shooting live performances, be they a band, a play, ballet, or whatever, you're dealing with a low light but very high contrast ratio situation. This is the realm of high iso bodies and fast glass, but it can be done with lesser gear if you have your technique down pat.

For this type of shooting, i think one of the 70-200 f/2.8 lenses would be the way to go, or else grab a handful of primes. Depending upon which body you're using, something like the 24, 50 and 85 would be fast and light but inexpensive, and sneakerzoom adds very little to cost of your kit.

Gary has some very good points here. Filling this information will help us with getting you the best lens for your work. One of the key issues with the Canon EF 28-300mm IS USM is that it is SLOW, it simply does not have the light gathering capabilities of a fast, constant aperture lens.

Welcome aboard mish. I can't really answer your question though. I am sure someone else can. Looks like a beast of a lens which will suit full frame more.

Thankyou for the feedback everyone.

The trick is the focal length, as I do need to span the range from 28 to 300. I know that faster is better, but I would prefer not to be swapping lenses in the dark 6 times per gig.
I think I'll keep researching a bit longer.
Since my original post, Kirks Camera store in ringwood have offered to let come in me play with it in store on my camera.

If anyone is interested, here is an example of the results I have been getting with my current lenses in theatre. Im using the 40D.
http://www.domonkosdesign.com/mikado.html
Images are (of course) heavily reduced for the web.

I would advise that you READ THE PINK SECTION and rectify your Location....Gary doesnt like to ask twice!

Go in and play if you have been offered! I would simply carry two cameras one with a wide and one with a long lens..

aim54x wrote:I would advise that you READ THE PINK SECTION and rectify your Location....Gary doesnt like to ask twice!

Go in and play if you have been offered! I would simply carry two cameras one with a wide and one with a long lens..

I actually did put my location in my profile yesterday, when I saw someone else being given a hard time about it in another thread.

Before responding to your comment, I decided to check my profile, and found that what I entered yesterday was not there, and that the profile was blank...

If there is some button other than "submit" that I need to press to save the setting, please let me know.

Hi mish & welcome.
Your locations details are now there for me to see. so that's sorted at least.

I'm in the Nikon camp, so can't comment on your specific question. I tend to agree with Cameron though. Use two bodies. That way you can have speed and range.
If you can't manage two bodies, you might consider attending twice. On one visit concentrate on wide shots & on the next detail shots. That has the advantage of knowing what is going on the second time around. You seem to be "official tog" so that shouldn't be an issue. Though your time may be.


Your Mikado shots appear good, if static, to me.
Have a look at these for comparison
http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=39493

Mind you Wendell is a photographer of the calibre most of us just dream about (just don't buy second hand gear from him )

mish wrote:The trick is the focal length, as I do need to span the range from 28 to 300.

It's certainly important, but truly, it's only a part of the equation.

The fact that you're using a 40D is significant; it's a good body, with reasonable high ISO performance and resolution, and it's also a 1.6 crop body, which has a direct effect on how your glass will render the images on the camera's sensor.

With the crop sensor and good resolution, if your images are correctly exposed, then you can deal with reach by cropping.

I know that faster is better, but I would prefer not to be swapping lenses in the dark 6 times per gig.

Changing lenses in the dark isn't an issue; I do it all the time. And looking at Cameron's suggestion, you might find it cheaper and more expedient to use two bodies each with a different lens fitted, if you're concerned about this.

I think I'll keep researching a bit longer.

That's a good idea, and that's also why we're here. We want to help you, and to be a part of that research process, but we want to do so in a neutral way: we have no interest in selling you .... stuff ... but only in helping you get the right gear to suit your needs.

Since my original post, Kirks Camera store in ringwood have offered to let come in me play with it in store on my camera.

Pardon my sarcasm here, but how very bloody noice of them.

In all honesty, that is exactly what their job is, and any store should be thrilled to let you try just about any lens on any body that you wish. I would walk out of any store that didn't want to let me do that; there's plenty around who will.

Looking at your images, there's nothing major in terms of being left wanting, that I am seeing.

I'd probably stay well away from AWB though - a couple of these images look a tad under-exposed and perhaps have AWB enabled. Stage lighting is always a problem and will cause you major headaches; far better to just let the staged lights give you what they can.

And switch to spot metering if you're not already using it; set your EV compensation to about -1.3, AV mode, meter of something brightly lit, and you should be good to go.

gstark wrote:In all honesty, that is exactly what their job is, and any store should be thrilled to let you try just about any lens on any body that you wish. I would walk out of any store that didn't want to let me do that; there's plenty around who will.

However, if they do the right thing by you, you should also do the right thing by them & buy there. It may cost a bit more than buying on the net, but good service is worth the extra. If you use them then abuse them, they may not be there next time you need help.

Mr Darcy wrote:

gstark wrote:In all honesty, that is exactly what their job is, and any store should be thrilled to let you try just about any lens on any body that you wish. I would walk out of any store that didn't want to let me do that; there's plenty around who will.

However, if they do the right thing by you, you should also do the right thing by them & buy there. It may cost a bit more than buying on the net, but good service is worth the extra. If you use them then abuse them, they may not be there next time you need help.

Excellent point, Greg.

Thank you for making it.

Mr Darcy wrote:

gstark wrote:In all honesty, that is exactly what their job is, and any store should be thrilled to let you try just about any lens on any body that you wish. I would walk out of any store that didn't want to let me do that; there's plenty around who will.

However, if they do the right thing by you, you should also do the right thing by them & buy there. It may cost a bit more than buying on the net, but good service is worth the extra. If you use them then abuse them, they may not be there next time you need help.

This is very good advice. Service costs, and if you benefit from it, you should be prepared to pay for it.

I still have nightmare memories of working busy weekends in a small camera shop and customers coming in and saying "I've been comparing these two/three lenses on the 'net, but I can't decide which to buy or from whom?". Sometimes it was hard to remain polite let alone giving time and advice to people who you knew had no intention of ever buying.

Mr Darcy wrote:

gstark wrote:In all honesty, that is exactly what their job is, and any store should be thrilled to let you try just about any lens on any body that you wish. I would walk out of any store that didn't want to let me do that; there's plenty around who will.

However, if they do the right thing by you, you should also do the right thing by them & buy there. It may cost a bit more than buying on the net, but good service is worth the extra. If you use them then abuse them, they may not be there next time you need help.

As someone working on the front line of this battle, I really appreciate that people still believe in this notion.

BullcreekBob wrote:This is very good advice. Service costs, and if you benefit from it, you should be prepared to pay for it.

I still have nightmare memories of working busy weekends in a small camera shop and customers coming in and saying "I've been comparing these two/three lenses on the 'net, but I can't decide which to buy or from whom?". Sometimes it was hard to remain polite let alone giving time and advice to people who you knew had no intention of ever buying.

I have experienced this again and again, and again.....I guess it becomes part of life, but it is ever so sweet when one of these customers come back to buy off you