sigma 70-200 f2.8 or canon 70-200 f4 for motorsport

kevstar

kevstar

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Hi All hope you had a great christmas. Now I'm still pondering over what lens to go for and I think it's gonna be ethier the sigma 70-200 f2.8 or canon 70-200 f4 but ii will possible want to get a 2x converter to get closer to the action so would like your views and suggestions on what to go for. I'm using a canon 40d. Thanks in advance and happy new year to all.(y)
 
I have no idea about Canon but I have gone the Sigma route and have a 2x teleconveter and find it OK you have to remember you will loose 2 F stops.
 
If you didn't mention about using the 2x converter i would say Canon simply because the sharpness on the lens is superb and mostly your action gonna be outdoor and in decent light the Canon will out beat the sigma ....... also is smaller and lighter as well.

The sigma is good for the price you paying and when wide open it give good results as well. The sigma is f2.8 and it will perform better indoor and low light situation. Which is something you might want to use.

All depend what you want to do actually ........ if youy don't need f2.8 then the canon is damn good and better as well
 
If you're going to want autofocus with the TC then the Sigma as it will be a little hit and miss with the Canon - even though it'll likely be in good light. If that's less of an issue, the Canon - I have one and it's a cracking lens, it's described to be one of the few zoom lenses that's on a par with a prime along most of its range (assuming you mean the IS version - the regular version while good is not quite on the same level of sharpness).

(Disclaimer: I'm currently selling a Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS in the Classifieds :p)
 
kevstar said:
Hi All hope you had a great christmas. Now I'm still pondering over what lens to go for and I think it's gonna be ethier the sigma 70-200 f2.8 or canon 70-200 f4 but ii will possible want to get a 2x converter to get closer to the action so would like your views and suggestions on what to go for. I'm using a canon 40d. Thanks in advance and happy new year to all.(y)
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Hi

I've had the 70-200 F4 and it's an absolute cracker of a lens, the 2x TC will mean it won't autfocus on your 40D, but if you look at the 1.4TC it will retain it's AF.

Happy New Year to you aswell...
 
In my admitedly limited experience of motorsport photography, 200mm doesn't get you very close at larger circuits.
 
You ideally want a focal length of at least 300mm. Even then you'll struggle sometimes to get close enough to the action. I would team something like a Sigma 100-300 f4 with a Sigma 1.4 tc or maybe look at the 120-400 or 150-500mm lenses available.

As for actually answering your question on the two mentioned lenses, I'm a Nikon shooter so can't really help! Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
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Thanks matt I do agree that I'll be needing more focal length.
 
The chap hasn't said what type of motorsport is being shot. For rallying 70-200 would be perfectly adequate.
 
all I could say is that Canon is significantly sharper at 200mm f/4 than sigma at the same setting (personal experience and all that). Sigma performs its best best at 70-135mm.
 
I'm mainly looking for a lens for motorcycle racing just looked at sigma 150-500 I know range would be good with this but IQ ????
 
kevstar said:
Hi All hope you had a great christmas. Now I'm still pondering over what lens to go for and I think it's gonna be ethier the sigma 70-200 f2.8 or canon 70-200 f4 but ii will possible want to get a 2x converter to get closer to the action so would like your views and suggestions on what to go for. I'm using a canon 40d. Thanks in advance and happy new year to all.(y)
Click to expand...

I would have thought Canon 70-200 F4 over the Sigma, but it depends which Sigma version you are talking about... mind you I haven't used either of the Sigma versions, but it seems the general consensus of Sigma 70-200's is that whilst they are good value they are pretty soft at the 200mm end compared to the Canon counterparts...

Quick link to comparison between the Canon and Sigma for reference...(not definitive obviously but interesting?) The Canon is sharper at F4 than the Sigma at stopped down to F4

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=104&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=4&API=0&LensComp=469&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=4&APIComp=2

but this is really what puts me off buying a Sigma... which I have pondered many times.. here's the comparison between the 2 of the same model Sigma 70-200's digital picture have :

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=469&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=4&API=0&LensComp=469&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=1&FLIComp=4&APIComp=0

The sample variation is worrying... countless stories of back-focussing lenses and centering issues, I would be paranoid....! Having said that if you can get a good copy then its really good value....??
 
kevstar said:
I'm mainly looking for a lens for motorcycle racing just looked at sigma 150-500 I know range would be good with this but IQ ????
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I assume you would be behind the safety fences? what tracks are you intending to go to. 200mm would be very limiting, as for a 2x TC on a 70-200mm unless its the MKII f2.8 just wouldn't cut the mustard. Most of the tracks I go to, your struggling to get full frame shots with a 300mm f2.8 and 2x TC on a cropped body. If I had media accreditation then 200mm could get you far more shots, but still 300mm + especially shooting through fences is a definite must
 
Hi peter my local tracks are mallory/donington so will be struggling with a 200 lens I think. I have just found a strange thing in iPhoto if I zoom in on a photo it keeps it IQ but if I crop in to the same as I zoomed in it loses IQ but working in photoshop no quality loss??
 
Sigma 100-300 f4 maybe with a TC or Canon 100-400... personally I don't like the latter, but many do.

If thats all a bit pricey, try the entry level motorsport lens - the Canon 70-300 IS.
 
My Canon 70-200 f4 non IS is very sharp but I can only use a 1.4x converter with it and retain AF. You would have to get the Sigma or Canon f2.8 to use a 2x converter to retain AF. I know mine with a Kenko DGX 1.4x is still sharp and bright even at its furthest reach. If you still need longer than that you'd need to be going for a 300 with converter but that would be another thread and more money.
 
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