Extra Reach For The Birds?

Jackwow

Jackwow

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Neil
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So here’s my conundrum. My beloved Canon 70-300L is in for repair after I fell recently (posted about separately) and I don’t know when I’ll get it back. Now I’m not looking to replace the 70-300L as it’s a fantastic lens and gets used a lot, particularly around the many zoos I visit. However I need something to use now plus before it was damaged I was already looking to see how I could get some more reach for bird photography mainly, without spending a fortune. So I tried a Kenko 1.4x extender on the 70-300L but with mixed results.

So now I’m looking for another lens to give me that extra reach but not as a replacement for the 70-300L. My first thought was a Canon 400 f5.6, which gets very good reviews, but is an extra 100mm reach really going to make that much difference to me? I don’t really think so and putting an extender on the 400 f5.6 would probably mean resorting to manual focusing, which I prefer not to do.

Anything longer in a prime lens is silly money so this leads me to the Sigma zoom lenses and in particular the Sigma 150-500 DG OS HSM. The extra 200mm (actually 320mm when taking account of the crop factor of my 7D) is very appealing, but I read mixed reviews about this lens, with comments such as “if you get a sharp one”.

Then there’s the Sigma 50-500 DG OS HSM, which seems to get slightly better reviews but is about £270 more expensive than the 150-500. Also this lens is replicating the entire zoom range of the Canon 70-300L.

And of course there is the new Tamron 150-600, which obviously has the extra reach but is fairly untested so far.

In terms of price the Sigma 150-500 is the best option but in terms of size and weight there is nothing much between all three and in terms of performance I'm just not sure.

So any thoughts / suggestions would be very welcome.
 
I just love the Canon 100-400 for anything like this. Especially on a crop :runaway:
 
Thanks, I used to have a 100-400L, however I never really got on with it and sold it to get the 70-300L.
 
For its price, the Sigma is a good lens in terms of IQ and versatility.

Here is the obligatory 'lets post some examples from the lens' part of my post:

These are two shots I've taken with the 150-500, on the same body as you (a 7D):


White Breasted Nuthatch by ACW#, on Flickr


Eastern Bluebird by ACW#, on Flickr

I'm happy with the IQ, and in the lighting circumstances, a more expensive lens wouldn't have given me shots worth the extra cost. These were taken on nice crisp sunny days, you do need good light to get the best out of the lens, but then again it is 6.3 at the long end. The only thing I've used to compare it to is the 500mm f4, so can't comment on the other zooms.
 
Excellent shots ACW, are they heavily cropped?
 
I've had a Sigma 150-500 OS for over 2 years and it's been my mainstay for aviation and wildlife and until I got the lens I'd never done any bird shots but I've done quite a few now. I've had 2 of the lenses as the first one was broken and replaced under warranty and both have been sharp and I don't think the 'If you get a sharp one' applies anymore. As above, some samples from me and there's many more on my Flickr account if you want a look.

This is a heavy crop from my 5D3

Starlings In The Garden 4 by modchild, on Flickr

This is the full shot, although resized, of a Dunnock

Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) full photo. by modchild, on Flickr

And this is a crop from the same shot

Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) close up. by modchild, on Flickr

And this is a crop of the above crop, the shot was taken wide open at f6.3, 1/800sec, ISO1000 @ 500mm. It's a Jpeg SOOC with no other PP apart from the crop.

Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) crop for detail. by modchild, on Flickr
 
These are excellent shots as well Modchild, the crop of the crop is very impressive, thanks. Hand held or mono/tripod?
 
id go for the ef 400 f5.6 personally,its a much better lens than the sigma and its the best bif lens about.
 
As a Nikon shooter.............only my 2c Neil!
I have a lot of friends and also contacts on Flickr who regularly get superb results with the 150-500 Sigma.
The design is sound and stopped down can produce some great images.
Most of the criticism levelled at third party lenses seems to come about as a result of poor quality control.
Let's face it, Sigma are producing a massive bang for your buck and something has to give.
You shouldn't face those potential qc issues with the Canon 400 and a used one will not set you back a fortune. (£899 for a minter in fact - just checked!)
And yes, those extra mm will make a big difference as will the fact that it's a prime.

cheers, cw
 
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CFCs said:
id go for the ef 400 f5.6 personally,its a much better lens than the sigma and its the best bif lens about.
Click to expand...

It was actually the first lens I considered, but I can't help being attracted to the extra 100mm (160mm) reach of the Sigmas.
 
Chris Wilson said:
You shouldn't face those potential qc issues with the Canon 400 and a used one will not set you back a fortune. (£899 for a minter in fact - just checked!)
And yes, those extra mm will make a big difference as will the fact that it's a prime.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Chris, Panamoz are currently doing the 400 f5.6 for £861. Point noted about lens quality.
 
Jackwow said:
Excellent shots ACW, are they heavily cropped?
Click to expand...

Thanks Neil, they were both around a 50% crop I believe? (Without checking the original).

When you stop the lens down to f8 you have the detail for a nice bit of cropping should you need it.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated.

I have bitten the bullet though and just ordered the Sigma 150-500. I like the idea of the Canon 400 f5.6 but just wasn't convinced that I'd be happy buying another lens with only an extra 100 (160) reach when the Sigma gives me an extra 200 (320) reach and reach is what I need.

Anyway if I can get images anything like as good as those posted here by ACW and Modchild then I will be more than happy and if not, well it's back to the drawing board.
 
Thanks Chris, I'm hoping to make a visit to Troup Head, on the Moray Firth, to photo the Gannets, my first test of it.
 
Hi Neil
I didn't realise that there was much gannet action at Troup Head this time of year - it's a fantastic place.
We get up to Scotland three times a year, the car knows its own way by now!
Generally we do a week this time of year at Kingusie, two weeks at Aviemore June/July (to feed the osprey/dolphin addiction) and then a couple of weeks on Mull in September.
So, have a great time at Troup Head and don't go too near the edge!

cheers, cw
 
There probably won't be much gannet action Chris (the RSPB website says about Winter, "The cliffs are almost deserted but the first gannets return to the cliffs from mid-January onwards") but if I see one it will be a first so I'll be happy.
 
Well it arrived at 11.30am today, about 20 hours after ordering, which was a big surprise, as WEX had informed me that due to the remoteness of Inverness and past experience it would probably take 2 days. Unfortunately, thanks to Parcelforce, I didn't know it had arrived, because although I was at home all day I never heard any knock on the door or the doorbell ring! I only found out that they had failed to deliver it when I checked it's progress from the tracking information on the internet about 3pm. I then located the "failed to deliver" card behind the front door, which advised me to collect my parcel from a certain post office in Inverness. However when I got there they didn't have it! Eventually after much searching and a phone call it transpired that it was actually at another post office! So thanks to the ineptitude of Parcelforce I have yet to test my new lens.
 
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Jackwow said:
Well it arrived at 11.30am today, about 20 hours after ordering, which was a big surprise, as WEX had informed me that due to the remoteness of Inverness and past experience it would probably take 2 days. Unfortunately, thanks to Parcelforce, I didn't know it had arrived, because although I was at home all day I never heard any knock on the door or the doorbell ring! I only found out that they had failed to deliver it when I checked it's progress from the tracking information on the internet about 3pm. I then located the "failed to deliver" card behind the front door, which advised me to collect my parcel from a certain post office in Inverness. However when I got there they didn't have it! Eventually after much searching and a phone call it transpired that it was actually at another post office! So thanks to the ineptitude of Parcelforce I have yet to test my new lens.
Click to expand...

Have you tested your lens? I'm thinking about buying one but not sure if it'll suit my needs.
See my link http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/what-lenses-for-canon-450d.529650/
 
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