I need to make a decission quick.....please help

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO DG Macro HSM for Nikon

06/25/2010 11:16:48 AM · #1

I was going to get the Sigma 120-400mm for Nikon, but they have recalled them because of autofocus issues. I do not want 80-200mm. Would the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM FOR NIKON be a good choice? I want to shoot wildlife and sports

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

06/25/2010 11:27:06 AM · #2

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but $1000.00 is a lot of money to spend without doing a boatload of research first. I wouldn't make this decision "quick". Take your time ... read review sites.

Specific to your question, I have no idea how good that lens is ... sorry.

JustCaree

Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

06/25/2010 11:27:06 AM · #3

I dont know a lot about lenses but I did a quick look around and it has awesome customer reviews and on 7 of the 8 sites it had 5 stars.

Magnumphotography

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 500mm f/4.0L IS USM

06/25/2010 12:06:42 PM · #4

Do consider the Nikon 80 - 400 VR. I have not seen many reviews, but what I have seen, looks positive. My girlfriend Snaffles, is actually renting this lens today! Also consider the Nikon 300 F4. I know this lens to be very sharp.
Sigma wise, I keep finding mixed reviews. So personally, I would stick with Nikon.

bassbone

Nikon Z8

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

06/25/2010 12:25:18 PM · #5

I have the 80-400 VR and the 80-200 2.8. The 80-200 BLOWS AWAY the 80-400 from a sharpness and fast focusing perspective. For sports photography, I don't know another zoom lens in the price range that even comes close. You can always add a teleconverter to extend its range.

The 80-400VR is a decent lens, but I think it is actually overpriced for the quality.

I have not been happy with the images I have seen any of the Sigma lenses listed in the thread. I have borrowed these before and was not happy with focus speed or with quality of the images.

I would strongly consider the 300mm f4 lens as

Magnumphotography suggests. This is a very sharp lens and would provide you much better image quality than either the 80-400 or any of the Sigmas you are looking at - and the price is reasonable.

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

06/26/2010 08:54:03 PM · #6

I still have another day's worth of rental on the 80-400, and sadly today was a washout in terms of photography, and we were meant to be shooting large, slow-moving birds (great blue herons) which was the whole point of me renting the lens. We did get some good shots the previous evening, which I will get around to posting soonish.

But I must admit to being disappointed so far with the 80-400. The fact that it was a rental which has clearly seen better days (focusing ring very sticky) and just that it was so damn slow! Tracking after birds in flight was near impossible, or you'd get a bead on the subject with the AF and then it'd fly out of range (seagull and similar sized birds in this instance). The VR helped a little.

IMHO it's also a fairly big and heavy lens (my rental had a tripod collar, thank gawd), so shooting handheld, even with the VR on...not too impressed. Even mounted up on a tripod it really wasn't all that good. I've gotten better results with the 18-200 VR shooting handheld, and that still can be had for around $700!

Honestly, the best shots I got were of Canada geese and mallard ducks just sitting or waddling or swimming nearby.

Considering that it's about $1500 CDN, I'd much prefer to spend that on the f.4 300mm.

bassbone

Nikon Z8

06/26/2010 08:58:30 PM · #7

Originally posted by snaffles:

Your results are very similar to what I have found - but my 80-400 was a Christmas gift so I am obligated to keep it... The 80-200 2.8 is way better than the 80-400mm with regard to focusing speed and sharpness. But I would love to try that 300mm f4 sometime....

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

06/26/2010 09:03:00 PM · #8

To be fair, though, the rental guy at Vistek did ask which was more important, speed or distance. I said distance, as we were meant to be shooting herons in a rookery. Ah well, live and learn...and

bassbone, is there a way you could rent the f.4 300mm? I may see if I can get the local Vistek to get that lens into their rental pool.

bassbone

Nikon Z8

06/26/2010 09:09:12 PM · #9

Originally posted by snaffles:

To be fair, though, the rental guy at Vistek did ask which was more important, speed or distance. I said distance, as we were meant to be shooting herons in a rookery. Ah well, live and learn...and bassbone, is there a way you could rent the f.4 300mm? I may see if I can get the local Vistek to get that lens into their rental pool.

I may just have to pick one up one of these days - just go and visit my friends at B&H. In the meantime, I plan on picking up a 1.4x teleconverter and seeing how that does on the 80-200.

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

06/26/2010 11:01:03 PM · #10

Originally posted by snaffles:

To be fair, though, the rental guy at Vistek did ask which was more important, speed or distance. I said distance, as we were meant to be shooting herons in a rookery. Ah well, live and learn..

Your own %?$/" fault for buying the camera you did.

Now on the other hand, if that right nice young fella you associate with ever wanted to borrow any of my stuff he is more than welcome. :O)(

Ray

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

06/26/2010 11:54:34 PM · #11

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Originally posted by snaffles:
To be fair, though, the rental guy at Vistek did ask which was more important, speed or distance. I said distance, as we were meant to be shooting herons in a rookery. Ah well, live and learn..

Your own %?$/" fault for buying the camera you did.

Now on the other hand, if that right nice young fella you associate with ever wanted to borrow any of my stuff he is more than welcome. :O)(

Ray

Hah! I was wondering when you'd turn up! And as a matter of fact I was mentioning to that right nice young fella I associate with, that maybe I should borrow the 20D again and his 400mm...but as he reasonably pointed out, that would be the lens he would want to use, too. So nyah! :-p

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/27/2010 09:52:39 AM · #12

Originally posted by snaffles:

Originally posted by RayEthier:

Originally posted by snaffles:
To be fair, though, the rental guy at Vistek did ask which was more important, speed or distance. I said distance, as we were meant to be shooting herons in a rookery. Ah well, live and learn..

Your own %?$/" fault for buying the camera you did.

Now on the other hand, if that right nice young fella you associate with ever wanted to borrow any of my stuff he is more than welcome. :O)(

Ray

Hah! I was wondering when you'd turn up! And as a matter of fact I was mentioning to that right nice young fella I associate with, that maybe I should borrow the 20D again and his 400mm...but as he reasonably pointed out, that would be the lens he would want to use, too. So nyah! :-p

Ahh but you see grasshopper, if you looked at my profile you would see that I have a rather extensive assortment of camera gear that you could look at and make use of...I do have a few longer reaching lens.

You know my cell phone number... call me and we can meet at Tim's. :O)

Ray

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

06/27/2010 09:57:21 AM · #13

Originally posted by meow:

Sigma 150-500mm also have the same autofocus issue at the moment, but all Sigma lenses involved are within a range of serial numbers, check DPReview as they have the serial numbers of possible affected lenses:) 150-500mm Sigma is a good, 'budget' lens and won't disappoint.