I've been agonizing over the last few days trying to pick out a Christmas gift for my 23-year old daughter. She loves to travel & takes plenty of photographs, so my wife & I thought it would be a good idea to buy her an additional lens.
She has a Canon EOS Rebel T3i with the kit lens, a Canon EF-S 18-55 mm, which she likes.
We thought something with a bit more telephoto might be nice, but the choices are overwhelming. My initial foray turned up 4 likely contenders (all Canon).
- An EF 75-300 mm f/4-5.6 III at about $135 Link
- An EF 75-300 mm f/4-5.6 with the USM motor at about $234 Link
- An EF 55-250 mm f/4-5.6 IS II with stabilization, at about $130 Link
- An EF 55-250 mm f/4-5.6 IS with stabilization & a stepper motor, at about $299 Link
I'm at a loss to know the actual, practical difference between stepper motors, ultrasonic motors, and all the rest. I don't mind spending a little more to get a better lens, but I don't want to spend money for capabilities that will never be noticed by a non-professional user. (Sort of like my approach to power tools... )
So, I thought I would turn to the brightest group of people I know that would actually be able to provide an experienced answer...
What do you think? Is it one of these 4, or there alternatives that I haven't even begun to consider?
All advice & opinions are welcome!