100mm-300mm for Canon advice

Ivan_1983

Ivan_1983

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Hi all,

Long time lurker first time poster.

After coming back from holiday I realised I need a new telephoto lens.

My current kit consists of a 7d mk1, a canon 50mm f1.4, a sigma 17-50 f2.8 and a canon 100-300 f5.6.

The telephoto lens was given to me by my great uncle and I was surprised that it worked with the 7D as it must be well over 20 years old!

All of my current lenses are fixed aperture and if possible I would like to stick with that as its what I am used to.

So I guess my conflicting list of wants are brighter lens, fixed aperture, better AF, OS/IS, not too heavy or expensive (I realise the last 2 are subjective) .

A current list of lenses on my radar are sigma 100-300 f4, tokina 100-300 f4, and sigma 120-300 f2.8. If any one has experience with any of these lenses or could recommend any others that would be great.

I tend to shoot outdoors, the odd bit of wildlife and motorsport.

Thanks for your help

Ivan
 
It depends what you want to pay. The sigma 100-300mm f4 a great lens, discontinued, so only used, no IS, but that's not a real problem with that lens as its sharp and fast focusing. The sigma 120-300mm f2.8 had many versions, the latest being the sports version and 4 figures. The previous versions had their issues, back focusing being the main along with poor low light performance, but its still a great lens, fast focusing, sharp and accommodates the sigma TCs. The OS or sports versions are probably the ones to pick, but these ain't lightweight lenses. With all sigma lenses, the paint work may look poor, but optically the lenses are very good. Have no experience of the tokina 100-300mm.
 
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I had the sigma 120-300mm f2.8 os [This was the version before the sports one] Image quality was great, focus speed was also great and it was compatible with a convertor, thus giving you extra reach, if and when needed. However its biggest downfall was it was big and extremely heavy. The new sports version is also Big and heavier. So if weight is an issue this might help
 
Thanks for the input guys, I think I will be buying used with any lens I get. Unfortunately I missed out on a ebay auction ending at £800 for the sigma f2.8.

With regards to weight I think the f4 lenses are around 1.5kg and the sigma is around 3kg, I have no idea what these are like to hand hold for any any length of time or walk about with.
 
Ivan_1983 said:
With regards to weight I think the f4 lenses are around 1.5kg and the sigma is around 3kg, I have no idea what these are like to hand hold for any any length of time or walk about with.
Click to expand...

Easy (but crude) way - get 3 bags of sugar (1kg) each and put them on top of one another in a tight plastic bag - this will give you an idea of the weight of a 3kg lens to carry - don't forget this doesn't include the camera body.

If you place a small piece of timber and arrange the bags of sugar in a way that they equal the length of the lens - you can then hold them like a lens - you be able to see if you need to go to the gym and work out :D.

As I said, a bit of a crude way to do, but gives you an idea if you can't actually get to try one before you buy ...
 
I like the idea of the sugar, that should give me an idea of how unhappy i will be lugging the lens around :)

One thing that I was mulling in my head was that both of the f4 lenses don't have IS/OS, how much of a limitation will this be as most of the variable aperture lens do so would it be better to go with one of these?
 
I often spend a day lugging my 7D+grip+ 120-300 sigma without difficulty.... BUT it is a relief when it gets put back in the car :D

(not got the OS version, If I'm shooting wildlife I've always got shutter speed at least 1/320 to avoid / reduce blur of the subject)
 
Unless you plan on walking around like some sort of fool with the camera held at arms length the weight is not an issue, must be a few limp wristed types about if they find a 300mm lens heavy :jawdrop:
 
Turns out my bags of flour are 1.5kg. I had a rough play and decided that 1.5kg seems much more sensible to lug around all day than 3kg.
Neil I get what you are saying but to be honest usually when I take my camera out im on the move for most of the day and have the other lenses and bits an pieces with me. I think the extra 1.5kg would be become tiresome after a while.
Saying that if I got a sigma 2.8 at a decent price I could give it a go and sell it on if its not for me
 
If your interested and not in a rush I have 100-300 f4 that I keep meaning to sell but never get around to it. I'm out of our house due to dry rot and everything is in storage but we should be back in next week so I'll put an add in the classifieds at the end of next week all being well.
 
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