What budget zoom lens should I grab for my Canon 90D before next Saturday? I have been shooting for about four years now mostly doing portraits and street stuff with my 50mm and 35mm primes so I am pretty comfortable with the body and settings but I just got asked to help a friend shoot his kids soccer tournament and I realized I literally have nothing with any reach. The longest thing I own is an old kit lens that is basically falling apart and the autofocus is hunt city.
I am looking for something that wont break the bank—maybe under 500 bucks if possible—because this isnt my usual thing but I still want decent sharpness. Since the 90D is a crop sensor I know I get that extra reach with the 1.6x factor but I am worried about the 32.5 megapixel sensor being too demanding on cheap glass. I was looking at the EF-S 55-250mm STM because everyone says its a hidden gem but is it actually fast enough for sports? Or should I try to find a used 70-300mm IS II USM? I need something that can keep up with running kids without missing focus every two seconds.
I am also looking at some Tamron or Sigma options but honestly I have always stuck to Canon glass so I am a little out of my element with the third party compatibility on the newer DSLR bodies. I am heading to a local shop on Thursday to see what they have in the used bin but I want to know what I should be hunting for specifically so I dont get talked into something overpriced. Is the 70-200 f4 non-IS too old now? I have heard the AF is snappy but no stabilization might be a nightmare at 200mm on a crop body. My budget is tight because I just spent a ton on a trip to Maine next month so I really cant go over that $500 mark right now...
> I was looking at the EF-S 55-250mm STM because everyone says its a hidden gem but is it actually fast enough for sports? Or should I try to find a used 70-300mm IS II USM? Honestly, for soccer, you really want the faster focus speed. The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is definitely a good lens for the price and its pretty sharp for a budget telephoto, but the STM motor is sometimes a bit sluggish for tracking fast-moving kids compared to USM. If you can find a used Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM, that would be my pick for the 90D. It uses Nano USM which is basically instant. The 90Ds sensor is pretty dense so it shows lens flaws more than older bodies, and that 70-300mm holds up better than the 55-250 at the long end. You should be able to find one used for around $400-450 if you shop around. I wouldnt go with the old Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM non-IS for this. Its a legend and very sharp, but shooting at 200mm (which is 320mm equivalent on your 90D) without stabilization is a pain unless you have super steady hands. Plus, the 300mm reach is gonna be way more useful on a full-size soccer field. If the shop has a Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD for cheap, thats also a solid alternative, but the Canon IS II is just better suited for that cameras AF system. Definitely look for that one first.
