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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> 1.4x for 70-200 2.8 or big Sigmas
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Showing posts 1 - 8 of 8, (reverse)
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 09/25/2011 05:05:33 PM · #1
simply put i want a bit more length!! hehe for wildlife shots etc so local camera shop has

Used Sigma AF 150-500mm OS F5-6.3 Lens £675
or

Used Sigma AF 50-500mm f4-6.3 APO EX DG HSM Canon Eos £595

or

Used Sigma AF 100-300mm F4 APO EX DG HSM Lens Canon EOS £575

or a 1.4x exentender for £150 to go with my 70-200 giving me 98-280 f4? on my 5D or 150-448 on my 20D is this right or have i mixed the math up?

im thinking the extender as i already bought a 16-35 this week which im loving, but wanted some informed opinions

and before anyone says yes theyve got a Used Canon EF 28-300mm F 3.5-5.6 L USM IS as well but its £1600 and id rather have a 5d mk11 body

09/25/2011 05:55:19 PM · #2
I've got a Bigma, the Sigma 50-500, but I don't use it full frame, so I can't attest to that. Overall, it's exactly what you think it is- a big honking heavy tele, that's rather slow. I still like it, and it seems to work pretty well for me. It's not the sharpest, and I've never compared it to another lens with a tele, but AF is decent. If you're curious about how it is full frame, Judi has one and shoots full frame.
I'd venture a guess that a 1.4 with your 70-200 will be sharper but obviously shorter. What sort of wildlife are you wanting to shoot?
 09/25/2011 05:57:19 PM · #3
Originally posted by Giles_uk:
... as well but its £1600 and id rather have a 5d mk11 body


woah!
i want one of those!!!!
 09/25/2011 06:28:48 PM · #4
Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
I've got a Bigma, the Sigma 50-500, but I don't use it full frame, so I can't attest to that. Overall, it's exactly what you think it is- a big honking heavy tele, that's rather slow. I still like it, and it seems to work pretty well for me. It's not the sharpest, and I've never compared it to another lens with a tele, but AF is decent. If you're curious about how it is full frame, Judi has one and shoots full frame.
I'd venture a guess that a 1.4 with your 70-200 will be sharper but obviously shorter. What sort of wildlife are you wanting to shoot?


i live close to the peak district, a national park so birds of prey, grouse etc, herons, fox's anything i can. then the stately home across the valley from my parents farm has a herd of red deer, we had kestrels nesting in our barn this year and struggled a bit getting good pics without disturbing them to much. these are shot with 70-200 handheld off the top of our pallet racking :) on the 20d to get a bit more out of it, and 100% crop below then the heron was on saturday in the park with my boy again hand held but that extra bit of length would have made a difference i think?







another crop from the 20d-70-200 i know in flight id be struggling to capture it



09/26/2011 05:59:01 PM · #5
Keep in mind that a 300 on your 5d is going to be approximately the same as your 70-200 on your 20D.
Birds you will always want and need more distance. I shoot with my 50-500 on a crop sensor and I still have to do a lot of creeping around with completely wild birds. So, what you'll eventually realize is really long lenses are really expensive, and the knocks that everybody has against the Sigma shouldn't come as a surprise, since it's WAY cheaper than other mega tele options out there.
Something that a good number of people seem to do is take a 300 F4 and use a tele on that, with pretty good results. It's about the same price as a 400 5.6.
Another thing to consider is maybe a Canon 100-400.

I've not heard much on the Sigma 150-500 myself. What I have heard is that it's better than the 50-500, but I'd figure it suffers some of the same problems as the 50-500, though it is OS so that should help things a bit. You can shoot handheld... but it's not the easiest task in the world, with ANY 500.
 09/26/2011 08:11:48 PM · #6
Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
I've got a Bigma, the Sigma 50-500, but I don't use it full frame, so I can't attest to that. Overall, it's exactly what you think it is- a big honking heavy tele, that's rather slow. I still like it, and it seems to work pretty well for me. It's not the sharpest, and I've never compared it to another lens with a tele, but AF is decent. If you're curious about how it is full frame, Judi has one and shoots full frame.
I'd venture a guess that a 1.4 with your 70-200 will be sharper but obviously shorter. What sort of wildlife are you wanting to shoot?


I loooooove my Bigma. I would not recommend it for bird photography as it seems to mute the feather details but everything else it is sharp. My rodeo photos ar done with the Bigma and considering I would take up to 2000 photos in one event (4 photos per 16 second barrel race - all at different zoom lengths) I would usually discard maybe 4 photos per session. They are tack sharp and pretty fast to focus. I would recommend this lens to anyone. Like with most lenses of that size though I would not use it in low light.



For portraiture it can give an awesome vignetting when used for that method...but I use it a lot for outdoor portraiture and have even used it in a studio set up as per this image.



Edited to add....I ALWAYS use the Bigma handheld for up to 8 hours a day.

Message edited by author 2011-09-26 20:13:18.
 09/27/2011 05:09:25 AM · #7
thanks for the replies i think im going to give the 1.4x extender a try

i have an older 70-300 f/4-5.6 usm somewhere but its on loan to a friend as the af is broken, have to get it back and fixed try it on the 20d

the two bigmas are very tempting but her in doors wont be pleased at another lens hehe

is OS the sigma equivalent of IS as in image stabilised?

i have the 30mm sigma, 50mm sigma and did have 12-24 but just replaced it with the 16-35L, i have no problem with sigma, some people are snobby about them but the 50mm 1.4 imho is better than my mates canon 1.4 but not as good as his 1.2L but 60% cheaper

09/27/2011 05:21:23 AM · #8
Yes, OS is the Sigma name for IS. I, too, have the 30 1.4 and love it, as well.
One option to consider, pending the return policy of shops around you, is rental. Anyway, good luck with your venture, and it would be appreciated if you posted your experiences to this thread, after the fact :)
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