Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

[Bbags]

Hi there,

I've been looking at 2 lenses for sports and wildlife shots and i'm a bit stuck on which one to get. I'm looking at the canon 100mm - 400mm and the Sigma 50mm - 500mm. I'd be really interested to hear anyone has any thoughts on them or owns either one?

Any feedback welcome

Thanks,

[colin C]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

The Siggy 50 - 500mm does the job, but it's heavy, slow to focus, noisy when focussing. If you are looking to have 500mm in the range, the Sigma 150 - 500mm is better. It still suffers some of the above, but is optically better than the 50 - 500mm Bigma.

I would still go for the Canon 100 -400mm. Look around at any wildlife, sports, aircraft event and that is overwhelmingly the most popular lens.

[Thndr_strck]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

I have the 50-500mm OS Sigma and I read a lot of reviews comparing it to the 100-400mm. Yes it is heavier, but has more modern image stabilisation, and from several reviews, the Sigma is as good if not slightly better than the canon at 400mm. There are also lots of opinions on the "push-pull" operation of the canon. Ideally you should try to use the lenses before you buy.
The Canon is a very popular lens, but has also been around longer than the Sig OS version, and it wouldn't make sense for people who already had the canon to switch to the sigma when it was released.
Other option is to get a 400mm f5.6 prime ...

[Sarawak]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

Hi,

I've just started a thread on similar lines. I have the 100 f.56, and it's a cracking lens. Pin sharp. Before I had this I had the 100-400, but looked closely at the Sigma 50-500. That's a brute of a lens, but is good. It depends on how strong you are, but I decided that I didn't like the idea of carrying all that weight around all day so went for the Canon 100-400. Then I found that I just wasn't using the zoom facility. Most wildlife shots were taken at 400mm, so when I saw a good opportunity to do a swap I did so. I have not missed the shorter FLs at all. The only drawback, if it is such a thing, is that the 400 prime doesn't have IS. But for wildlife I am always shooting at a minimum of 1/400 so camera shake is almost eliminated anyway.

Only you can decide what's best for you, and even a quick test in a shop won't tell you as much as using it for a couple of months, so you run the risk of buying the wrong lens whatever you do. Even then your style and requirements may change over time, so you could end up wanting a different lens anyway. (Don't we all do that?)

One word of caution - whichever lens you buy it will not be long enough!!!

Hope that helps a bit

Sara W.

[Bbags]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

Thanks all for your help. There's only $80 between them at the store i'm buying them from and the Canon is an L series lens but they seam similar. wasn't sure if the 100mm would make much difference

[colin C]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

I have just been checking on Ebay and used Sigma 50 - 500mm lenses are going for around £400. Used Canon 100 - 400mm lenses are going for around £800+.

With very little difference in the purchase price, the Canon L series seems to hold its value significantly better.

[Coryman]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

I have the Canon 100-400 and find when picking up birds in flight at distance, zooming in is easier and quicker.

Ian

[Paulstw]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

I just think personally that Canons focusing system is just faster in every aspect in L glass, Everyone I try is noticeably faster than anything else I try, and I think for that reason its canon all the way. 1 second might not sound like much but it can be the difference between getting it or not.

there's a wildlife photog called Steven McGrath in Glasgow that uses the Sigma 150-500 with great success, and swears by it. He's the guy responsible for the BBC story behind the nesting peregrines in the Red Road flats a few years back. He is now a member of some raptor society and manages to get some quite amazing pics of everything.

Check his work out if you are looking for sample images.

[Norman]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

I have owned both. The 100-400 gets my vote every time. Better IQ, faster focussing, lighter. I still have the 100-400 even though I own longer (and better) lenses. The 100-400 works for a longish carry around lens.

[Stan]

Re: Stuck on Sport and Wildlife Lens

Another option is the 300 f4 and 1.4 converter, which in my opinion knocks spots off all the above. I used to have the 100-400 but after i got the 300 f4 it just sat gathering dust so i traded it on

Stan