Wildlife lens help required

easylife

easylife

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I started photography about 8 months ago now, after trying different types of photography, I prefer wildlife, I have a Canon 450, kit 18-55 is lens, a 55-250 is, and a Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro, but now I am looking at getting a bit more length with the Sigma 150-500, as this is a retirement hobby I don't want to go for the much more expensive Canon long lens range.

My question as to be, would this be the right type of lens for my camera, and for wildlife, and would this be able to take a extender/converter if required at a later date?
 
It's one of the few cheaper options when it comes to long lenses. Canon 100-400L is favourite though, as I'm sure you know. Kerso can supply at cheaper prices, or a used one might come within budget. Kerso is a very well regarded independent importer, lots of folks use him including me. You'll find his details in the Advertisers' For Sale section below.

You can fit a teleconverter, but I'm not sure that lens takes to one very well in terms of image quality and you'll lose AF when you go over f/5.6. Wildlife photography tends to be expensive ;)
 
Some years ago I had all Olympus kit (film) and bought some budget Hoya lenses - although the length was there the image quality was lacking and so was aperture. I'm in a very similar position and waiting until I can manage the 100-400L as my OH complains because I keep changing cameras
 
Hi,

I agree with Hoppy, wait until you can afford the 100-400L used prices are around £800 and it's well worth the money over the Sigma 150-500, you do get other longer Sigma with OS on them but I haven't seen many used on any of the Forums, you do however see plenty of the Canon L's in use, the way I look at it is buy right first time and save money in the long term.

You are unlucky that you have come into this game as the manufacturer's have hiked the prices because at the tail end of 2008 into spring 2009 a used 100-400 could be bought for as little as £550. If you do buy a used one avoid anything over 5 years old ( 2004 ) unless a lot cheaper, as they have slightly poorer stabilisation on them compared to a newer one, check the date code.

Another alternative is a Sigma 100-300 F4 plus converter but only if cheap enough as this will get you close to the same price as a used 100-400L.

Ok you could argue that 400mm at the long end isn't long enough, well for 'real' wildlife it isn't but let's not kid ourselves only the well off can afford the 500mm and 600mm lens' and even they don't manage 'real' wildlife shooting, if you mean garden birds, the odd larger beast, zoo visits etc then the 100-400L is perfect.

Mike.
 
The Sigma is a perfectly good wildlife lens, I use one for shooting birds. Have won a wildlife competition with one. It also takes a 1.4 extender and can still give good IQ although you do lose autofocus with it attached, but to be honest MF isn't that difficult as at 700mm the DOF is so narrow it's easy to see when you are in focus. This is a crop from a shot taken with the extender. Whilst the Canon 100-400 is a good lens it isn't the only game in town and the Sigma can match it and also has a better 4 stop OS system.

30% crop from 500mm +1.4 (700mm)
http://SPAM/c3whur/7Dtest/Img_0165c.jpg

Heres an example of IQ at 500mm
http://SPAM/c3whur/Slimbridge/Img_9134.jpg
 
As you've mentioned that cost is relevant, the Canon 400mm F5.6. If you're taking wildlife from a distance, chances are that you'll spend most of your time at the long end, so why not have something that is optimised on that. No it doesn't have IS like the 100-400, but makes up for it by having ultra fast AF and brilliant picture quality.

Here's an example:
Bird-03-ABAF6931.jpg


The bird in question is noted as being about the fastest animal on the planet when diving (upwards of 150mph). I have to say that I struggled to keep it in my viewfinders, but the camera nailed it.
 
Thanks for your views, you have answered my questions, looking at some of the Sigma images, the difference in cost of the Sigma/Canon, I think the Sigma will be more than good enough for my needs, thanks again.
 
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