Which budget birding lens?

Chilt

Chilt

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Started up my bird photography again! I’m older now and a “bit” more wiser haha. So at the moment I’m using a 55-250STM which just doesn’t have enough reach, so I’m looking for a new long lens... I’ve narrowed it down to..

Canon 400mm 5.6L
Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary + Dock
Tamron 150-600mm G1

As you can tell, my budget is pretty low but I’m sure I can get someone that’s going to assist me further than the 55-250 haha.

Any help would be great

Thank
Chilt
 
Either the Sigma or Tamron will give you the reach ... the dock for the Sigma is a definite bonus. :)
 
Which camera do you have?
If it's a crop sensor, you will get effectively 960mm with either of the 150-600s at full zoom.
The 400mm will have an effective reach of a 640mm on a crop sensor.

The Canon 400 f5.6 is super sharp and quite light, but it's an older design and lacks image stabilization.

I own the Sigma, and it's excellent but a bit weighty!
As @gramps says, the dock would be an advantage too....I could be wrong, but I think there's also one for the Tamron too - called the 'tap in' or something like that.
Nice for firmware updates etc, and micro adjusting focus and tuning the OS.
 
gramps said:
Either the Sigma or Tamron will give you the reach ... the dock for the Sigma is a definite bonus. :)
Click to expand...
GarethB said:
Which camera do you have?
If it's a crop sensor, you will get effectively 960mm with either of the 150-600s at full zoom.
The 400mm will have an effective reach of a 640mm on a crop sensor.

The Canon 400 f5.6 is super sharp and quite light, but it's an older design and lacks image stabilization.

I own the Sigma, and it's excellent but a bit weighty!
As @gramps says, the dock would be an advantage too....I could be wrong, but I think there's also one for the Tamron too - called the 'tap in' or something like that.
Nice for firmware updates etc, and micro adjusting focus and tuning the OS.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies so far, I have a 550d so quite old I guess, would this make a massive difference apart from the low FPS?

Thanks
Chilt
 
Chilt said:
Thanks for the replies so far, I have a 550d so quite old I guess, would this make a massive difference apart from the low FPS?

Thanks
Chilt
Click to expand...


I think the 550D is decent enough, though you may miss a few BIF shots with a low fps.
As you are probably aware, good glass trumps good cameras, so I would work with what camera you have until it no longer does what you want....plus it's all too easy for us to 'spend' someone else's money ;) so I wouldn't want you to think you must get a new camera too.

My first 'birding' camera was the Canon 400D....which is ancient compared to the 550D, and I did ok with it for a while.

gramps said:
I believe that only works with the G2.
Click to expand...

Ahh, thanks @gramps - I wasn't sure if it was compatible with the G1 also - I stand corrected.:)
 
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The Sigma 150-600 is a great lens (weighty, as someone above said, but great). It works well with the 550D, but the 550 does have its limitations. The af isn't as sensitive as the latest equivalent (800D) and you're stuck with the 9 points of which only the centre is a cross, so the others are even less sensitive. And the fps is sloowwww. But don't let any of that hold you back. Yes you'll miss some shots because of the camera, but it may also help you in improving your technique instead of relying on the camera's technology to do it for you, so when you do eventually go for a better camera you'll know exactly what you want from it. On micro adjusting focus, I'm not sure how the dock works for it having only ever used mine for firmware updates, but there is no micro adjust on the 550. That said I've never felt my 550D/Sigma 150-600 combination was anything other than pretty spot on.
 
I used a Tampon 150-600 and was fine for airshows - different I know but no issues with quality, mind I was shooting around f8-f11
 
cambsno said:
I used a Tamron 150-600 and was fine for airshows - different I know but no issues with quality, mind I was shooting around f8-f11
Click to expand...

I think your auto completion/correction needs re-educating....... corrected it for you to avoid problems;)
 
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