Wildlife and birding lens

[LightPhonics]

I'm considering budget telephoto lens options:
- The Sigma 100-300mm f4 with 1.4x or 2x tc
- The Sigma 150-500mm
- The Nikon 300mm f4 (old) + 1.7x tc

Anybody with experience please help!

 

[Deleted member 34016]

I can only comment on the Sigma 150-500mm as I presently own one and use it almost every day
also the The Sigma 100-300mm f4 with 1.4x is a great combo, I previously owned one but traded it for the 150-500mm and a 1.5x TC

good price sharp @ around the f8 mark @500mm no TC

eg here



DSC02490 by Les Moxon Photography, on Flickr


I would recommend this lens to anyone


Les

 

[artyman]

Another vote for the Sigma 150-500, best value wildlife lens out there.

 

[digital]

Sigma 150-500 (or 50-500 if you want to spend the extra on the extra flexibility and even more sharpness).

 

[Cagey75]

Never used any of the Sigma 300+ offerings. But I have the Nikon 300mm f4, and use a TC 1.4x with it. I find itnice and light (-ish, considering the focal length) and fast. With the TC on from 5.6 - f/8, it seems just as fast as without. Shot some birds in the garden just yesterday using the combination;


DSC_5341 by Cagey75, on Flickr

This is cropped,but not massively. I was about 30 feet away and this was shot through the glass of a kitchen window.

 

[casts_by_fly]

I have the 300f4 and kenco 1.4x. It is a nice combo. The autofocus isn't the snappiest on a d90 but if you use the limiter and are working with things at a reasonably similar distance it isn't a hindrance. For slower wildlife it is fine. I don't see any iq difference with and without the tc. Wide open without is pretty sharp, stopped down once is very good. The lens is built like a tank.

Thanks
Rick

Couple i have online already

 

[fracster]

300 and 1.4 is a damned good set up.




Peregrine juvenile 1 copy by Fracster, on Flickr

 

[Porsupah]

Another vote for the Nikkor 300mm f/4D + TC. Very sharp, even with the 1.4, at pixel level on a D7100, and a comfortable enough weight for prolonged handheld usage. I do have the 1.7 TC as well, but lately I've been leaning toward the 1.4, for that extra bit of light, given most of my shooting is toward the end of the day, sometimes dropping the TCs entirely as the light fades.

 

[dalegt4]

a vote for the sigma 150-500mm here

 

[dalegt4]

just a few from me, not birds but monkeys and superb sharpness in my eyes mated to my 60d




and the focus speed is exceptional in my eyes too, easily tracked this one swinging through the bars

 

[modchild]

I've got a Sigma 150-500 OS and use it extensively throughout the year for wildlife, planes, sports and anything else really. It's a cracking lens and is really sharp, mines very good wide open. The only problem is its weight if you're not used to carrying a big lump around. You soon get used to it though, I carry mine around all day and use it handheld for long periods with no problems. For the price I don't think there's another lens to touch it. I've used mine handheld down to 1/10sec and still got a decent shot.

The Sigma 120-400 OS is another very good lens, the wife shoots wildlife with that and gets similar sharpness and it's slightly faster than the 150-500 at the long end. The price of the 120-400 is only a bit less than the 150-500 though, so it makes more sense IMO to go for the longest reach for wildlife. I use the 150-500 on my 5D3 mostly so I find the 120-400 a bit short for birding but fine for most other shots.

There's a lot of shots on my Flickr page that were taken with the 150-500 OS if you wish to have a look. Most of the wildlife and plane shots have been taken with it.