Yet another 70-200, 70-300 question.

[TCav]

Originally Posted by bigfatpauli

f5.6, 1/60 sec, iso 800, 85mm.

An f/4.0 lens would have let you use 1/125 sec or ISO 400, but not both.

An f/2.8 lens would have let you use 1/125 sec and ISO 400.

An f/2.0 lens would have let you use 1/250 sec or ISO 200.

You definitely need something larger than the f/5.6 you're using now.

Tamron has an unstabilized 70-200/2.8 that Henry's is selling for $949 CAD.

With an f/2.8 lens, unless you can use a monopod, you're probably not going to get shutter speeds fast enough to prevent motion blur due to camera shake.

To get a shutter speed fast enough to prevent motion blur due to camera shake, yet still keep the ISO low enough to prevent noise, I think you should take another look at either the 85/1.8 ($540 CAD) or the 100/2.0 ($530 CAD).

Either that, or also replace your XT with something that can do better in the noise department.

[Calicajun]

I would go with the Canon 70-200L f2.8 and a mono-pod to give you what something that stays in your budget. I have 70-200L non IS and have had good results using this lens indoors shooting at f2.8 and ISO 800.

[PeterP]

Just don't forget that with wider apertures your depth of field shrinks.
You may not be able to get multiple subjects all in focus if they are not on the same focus plane.