Sigma 150-500 f5 or Nikon 300f4?

G

Glidergoth

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Name
Sarah
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Yes
The perennial dilemma - two lenses, similar price, one Nikon one not.
I've heard all the Sigma quality control arguments so I wonder who on here has got first hand experience of this lens (I some of you are out there - I met someone with one on a Canon at Welney the other week).

So, am I going to splash out on the Sigma and then decide it's soft at 500 or should I stick with Nikon and the 14TC (had a 300mmf/4 non-AFS on sale or return last week so I know how sharp it is) and forgo the zoom? And no, I can't go over £1k and get an f2.8 or a 500 prime.

Cheers :)
 
Sarah,ive been thinking about the 2 same lenses for weeks now and still cant decide.There is a big rumour that Nikon are very soon about to release the AF-S 100-500 F4-5.6 IF-ED VRII lens,so im going to hang on abit.
 
Oh my word!
Knowing Nikon it will be hugely expensive but at least it will knock some 300 f/4s onto the second hand market.
 
Yes will wait and see what happens,im sure it will be pricey.Im using the 70-300mm vr at the mo,great lens really sharp but could do with something longer.
 
Yes - I'm fed up of the Sigma 70-300 HSM Macro because it is distinctly soft and actually soggy above 200mm wide open (although in it's defence, it is very cheap and performs better than the Nikkor 55-200 VR 'kit' lens at 200. Yes, my heaad knows I should restrict myself to operating it at 200mm and shorter but then I get that rush of enthusiams and I just keep on zooming in and swear about it when I get home).
 
The 150-500 is a bit soft at the long end wide-open, so you end up stopping down - making an already dark lens even darker... Practically, best for bright days only. Also, the AF speed is not that great. The siggy 100-300f4 looks interesting, but I have no experience of that lens.

A
 
the 150-500mm is a great option if you want a 500mm lens with os built in for nikon and canon and its not badly priced, as andy said i tend to find at 500mm it needs stopping down to f8 or f10 and it can produce the goods but does need good light,
as for af speed i find it pritty good about the same as my nikon 18-200mm.,
heres a few pics taken using it.
DSC_3169.jpg


DSC_4858.jpg


DSC_2410-1.jpg

pentax k20d and siggy 150-500mm.
perigrinefalcon1.jpg


perigrinefalcon2r.jpg


eagleowlblur.jpg
 
AF speed wise, I've used the fourthirds version on an E-30. It is a lot slower than the ZD 50-200 SWD (which is very fast) and about the same sort of speed as my older 50-200 (which used micromotors, not ring motors). So I wouldn't call it speedy, just okay.

(Sarah: the 50-200 SWD was the lens you said "Wow, that's fast!" over!! :D)

Andy
 
I love the owl pic Scott :)

I've got a 150-500, not had much chance to use it yet and I think I need to develop my technique a little but for the money I don't think you can really beat it's all-round performance (the OS works a treat which is dead handy on a lens of this length).
 
AndyElliott said:
AF speed wise, I've used the fourthirds version on an E-30. It is a lot slower than the ZD 50-200 SWD (which is very fast) and about the same sort of speed as my older 50-200 (which used micromotors, not ring motors). So I wouldn't call it speedy, just okay.

(Sarah: the 50-200 SWD was the lens you said "Wow, that's fast!" over!! :D)

Andy
Click to expand...
i think it depends on the camera your using it on to as the af is alot faster on my d300 than it did on my k20d.
 
Nawty said:
I love the owl pic Scott :)

I've got a 150-500, not had much chance to use it yet and I think I need to develop my technique a little but for the money I don't think you can really beat it's all-round performance (the OS works a treat which is dead handy on a lens of this length).
Click to expand...
thanks enjoy it, just work out where to stop it down to get best results.
 
I think the AF is less of a biggy, it's the lack of brightness that makes the bigma less useful. (Not really a criticism, the lens is what it is - if it was an f4 or f2.8 it would be massive and cost a lot, lot more!)
 
Scott on that owl shot did you use OS2 on the panning shot ? lovely shot i keep mine on OS1 for normal autofocusing use.
 
scottthehat - Superb owl panning shot.

Glidergoth - are you considering the OS version of the Sigma 150-500? I have this and use it mostly for motorsport and aviation. I don't find the focus speed an issue, nor any problematic 'softness' at the long end.

Some panned shots at 500mm handheld, OS on.

SW2_1261_800.jpg



A1G_8856_800.jpg


Ed
 
Edward Bancroft said:
scottthehat - Superb owl panning shot.

Glidergoth - are you considering the OS version of the Sigma 150-500? I have this and use it mostly for motorsport and aviation. I don't find the focus speed an issue, nor any problematic 'softness' at the long end.

Some panned shots at 500mm handheld, OS on.

SW2_1261_800.jpg



A1G_8856_800.jpg


Ed
Click to expand...
2 cracking shots, love 1, and there is only one version of the 150-500mm which has os. there will be the 50-500mm coming out soon with os built in.
 
Very nice shots. I'm still an 'all rounder' and found the older Nikon 300 f/4 too slow for flying birds of prey but great sharpness on perched birds. I went for a Nikon 300 f/4 AF-S as I couldn't bear the risk of getting a duff version of the Sigma after puttin up with the cheap spec Sigma 70-300 for so long.

Looking forward to trying it out on gliders (doing 150mph) and the odd airliner soon.
 
I have a Sigma 150-500, it was left to me in a relatives kit bag, which is quite sad. But as a lens I use it as a door stop for my office, I tried it once and it was giving my camera a catteract.
I would buy the Nikon/Canon lens that suits your preffered body and not Sigma, Tamron, Tokina etc.

J
 
*LOL*
That's how I feel about the 70-300, but on the other hand the 17-70 Sigma f2.8 macro is stunning and hugely versatile. How can they be so variable?!
 
Maccas said:
Sarah,ive been thinking about the 2 same lenses for weeks now and still cant decide.There is a big rumour that Nikon are very soon about to release the AF-S 100-500 F4-5.6 IF-ED VRII lens,so im going to hang on abit.
Click to expand...

That rumour has been in existence since 2007.
 
500 @ 5.6 will need a 90mm front optic (considerably bigger than the 75mm on a 300/4 and I would expect (if the lens ever appears) it will be considerably more expensive than most people expect
 
swivelonit said:
I have a Sigma 150-500, it was left to me in a relatives kit bag, which is quite sad. But as a lens I use it as a door stop for my office, I tried it once and it was giving my camera a catteract.
I would buy the Nikon/Canon lens that suits your preffered body and not Sigma, Tamron, Tokina etc.

J
Click to expand...

Well if you dont want it send it to me and i will send you a nice pebbled stone for said door stop. :LOL:
 
swivelonit said:
I have a Sigma 150-500, it was left to me in a relatives kit bag, which is quite sad. But as a lens I use it as a door stop for my office, I tried it once and it was giving my camera a catteract.
I would buy the Nikon/Canon lens that suits your preffered body and not Sigma, Tamron, Tokina etc.

J
Click to expand...

you either have to much money or need to learn how to use the lens, my nikon 18-200mm lens cost £550 and is not that much better in image quality than my tamron 18-200mm and that cost £179,is the image quality £380 better, no chance.
 
I use all Canon L glass and the bigma comes nowhere near, so it keeps my door open.
 
100-400 is great lens and yes it has it's family of dust bits living inside the front element too :LOL:
 
Maccas said:
Sarah,ive been thinking about the 2 same lenses for weeks now and still cant decide.There is a big rumour that Nikon are very soon about to release the AF-S 100-500 F4-5.6 IF-ED VRII lens,so im going to hang on abit.
Click to expand...

Has anyone heard anymore about the Nikon 100-500? The last I saw was a spring 2010 release date.
 
Jonc said:
Has anyone heard anymore about the Nikon 100-500? The last I saw was a spring 2010 release date.
Click to expand...

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2174623

Nikon 100-500mm forget it, its like canon making a 200-400mm f4 or 100-400mm f4 to replace the 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 ..... very unlikely both lenses will ever exist and if they did, price tag would be £2000 +

Nikon are more likely to update the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR AF
 
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