budget bird lens

bovey9

bovey9

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Nick
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i shoot weddings for a living but i want to get my hobby back. So i thought i would have a go at birds and maybe a little sport. Problem is the longest lens i have is the 70-200mm f2.8 IS L, great for weddings but not long enough. As the lens is not for work i can not justify spending thousands. so with a budget of £500 what would you recommend. My main camera is the Canon 1 DX
 
As les says the sigma is a great lens, loads of length and sharp too
 
definatley the sigma 150-500 and you should be able to get a used one for your budget.

bleddyn
 
I agree with all of the previous posts. The Sigma 150-500 is the best for the money.
 
Definitely a +1 for the Sigma 150-500.

MPB have some for as little as £529
 
Going to be the 8th person in this thread to say +1 on the Sigma 150-500.
 
So you have a 5 grand camera and want to put a 150/500 sigma on it now that would be a waste ... sorry all you sigma owners ...

stretch your budget and get the Canon 400L 5.6 S/H around £ 750 and way out perform the sigma ..

Mick ..
 
MagpieMick said:
So you have a 5 grand camera and want to put a 150/500 sigma on it now that would be a waste ... sorry all you sigma owners ...

stretch your budget and get the Canon 400L 5.6 S/H around £ 750 and way out perform the sigma ..

Mick ..
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He stated his budget so we offered him ideas based on said budget.

Otherwise I would have said:

What ACW didn't say said:
Stretch your budget slightly and buy a Canon EF 500mm f4 L IS II, only £7765.00 from WEX.
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I see your point about him having a top of the range body and a standard telephoto, but if its just for general pleasure use then I think it should suffice. It's still capable of some cracking results.
 
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Cheap option: 2x TC for your 70-200mm F/2.8.

But the Siggy is very well regarded by birders.
 
Thanks for all of your advise. As for me having a top of the range camera, thats because i use it for work (around 55 weddings a year) this is for pleasure only i would not even take it for work. I did think about a 2x converter for my 70-200 but mine is the MKI , i have found very little info on how they work together. Lots about the MKII 70-200 but i have no need to upgrade.
 
MagpieMick said:
So you have a 5 grand camera and want to put a 150/500 sigma on it now that would be a waste ... sorry all you sigma owners ...

stretch your budget and get the Canon 400L 5.6 S/H around £ 750 and way out perform the sigma ..

Mick ..
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Hmmm how does one stretch the £500 budget to meet the £750 you quoted

Les :shrug:

Ps if you want to see the Sigma in action Nick, I'm just over the border in Taunton mate
 
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I would personal save a bit more and go for a used Canon 100-400 or 400/5.6, the reach difference will not be that much compared with the siggy (it does not get anywhere near 500mm when shooting at reasonable distance for birds) and the Canon images will be a lot more cropable anyway. There is a reason why the Canon's cost more to begin with ;)
Just my 2p's worth!
 
bovey9 said:
ii want to get my hobby back. So i thought i would have a go at birds and maybe a little sport.
Click to expand...

Sigma lenses will give 90% of the performance for 50% of the price, ideal for hobby shots (y)

I had a Sigma 150-500 and was very happy with it, the only problem was it needed a sunny day to get the best out of it


LOwl1.jpg


littleears.jpg







*in fact, nobody has noticed that all the shots I've sold have been shot through a Sigma lens ;)
 
Some big assumptions here re image quality. I have a 500mm f4 nikkor and like its canon counterparts its superb. In good light at f8 the image quality of the sigma 150-500 as someone else said is 90% of the nikkor. If its photos for fun not resale then why spend more? Theres occasions I miss the flexibility of the sigma zoom, its not so much optical quality that lets it down, its more af performance in poor light with it been a slow lens, still dont think you can beat it for under £500 though, took some lovely images with mine.
 
yes the Sigma 150-500mm is a very good lens have not had mine long and got some great pics with it am using it with a canon 350d
 
I have been using the Sigma 150-500 for some time now along with Canon 400 F4.
Sigma will not quite match the Canon lenses but on holiday when a 150-500 range becomes an advantage AND the lighter weight I take the Sigma every time.
I have recently acquired a Canon 300mm f2.8 - great lens - but still keeping the Sigma.
 
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