sigma 50-150 or canon 70-300 IS

[ElFenix]

sigma pros:
fast glass
excellent build quality
ring motor?
with TCs gets as long as the 70-300 at the same aperture and may still have better IQ


canon pros:
cheaper
IS


edit:
i think this decides it

 

[996GT2]

In the $500-700 price range that those 2 lenses occupy, why not also consider the Canon 70-200mm f/4 L USM? Image quality is excellent at any aperture (including wide open), build quality is excellent (it's an L lens, after all), it's got a fast ring-type ultrasonic motor, and the price is right between the $500 of the Canon and $700 of the Sigma.

The Canon 70-200L f/4L is also much sharper than the Sigma once you put a teleconverter on the latter (which is necessary to reach 200mm with the Sigma). The image quality comparisons posted at the-digital-picture.com say it all...the Canon totally destroys the Sigma at the longer ends of their respective zoom ranges.

Also, the sample shots of the second Sigma sample are quite bad. You have to be lucky and get a good sample in order to get good image quality. Sigma makes some great lenses (I use one myself with my 40D), but if the choice was Sigma or Canon L lens, then I'd choose the latter in every case.

Also, I wouldn't bother with the 70-300mm IS when you can get a 70-200mm f/4L for just $100 more new, or the same price if you get a mint used example of the 70-200.

 

[ElFenix]

i've got a 70-210 f/4. i think IS is what i'm really missing with that lens. well that and it's slower than molasses to focus.

i wonder which tc the digital picture is using, the L at 280 is sharper than the 70-300 at 300.

of course, there is still the lack of IS. a lot of what i would do with this lens is handheld birding. the sigma would give me the bonus of being a decent portrait lens. but, again, no IS.

 

[Fardringle]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
edit:
i think this decides it

That's a very interesting comparison. If that test was done properly, the results say that the Sigma is sharper at short focal lengths, but the Canon is significantly better at long focal lengths. If you are mostly going to be using it for birding, I think the Canon is the easy choice.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i've got a 70-210 f/4. i think IS is what i'm really missing with that lens. well that and it's slower than molasses to focus.

i wonder which tc the digital picture is using, the L at 280 is sharper than the 70-300 at 300.

of course, there is still the lack of IS. a lot of what i would do with this lens is handheld birding. the sigma would give me the bonus of being a decent portrait lens. but, again, no IS.

You mean the old push-pull EF 70-210mm f/4, right? That lens is using a slow DC motor to focus, so it's definitely not comparable to the 70-200mm f/4L. The ring type USM in the 70-200mm f/4L will be light-years ahead in focusing speed.

For birding, I'd say AF performance is important if you want to capture fast-moving birds. In that respect, the Canon 70-200mm f/4L will outperform both the Sigma and Canon 70-300mm, since the Canon 70-300 uses a cheaper micro USM instead of the ring type USM in the 70-200mm L.

I would still suggest you look at the 70-200mm L instead of the 70-300. IS is very useful, but one thing it does not do is freeze moving action...so if the birds you want to shoot are flying, IS won't do anything to prevent blur. Also, you can put a 1.4x TC on the 70-200mm L and it will still offer great image quality.

If you're OK with the slower AF and slower maximum aperture, then the 70-300mm might be a good choice for you. But while you're looking at slower variable-aperture zooms, you might as well consider lenses like the Tokina AT-X 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6, which offers more reach than the Canon for birding.

 

[ElFenix]

the tokina 840 is a very hard lens to find. and definitely no BIN sellers on ebay right now

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the tokina 840 is a very hard lens to find. and definitely no BIN sellers on ebay right now

I found quite a few actually. It helps if you type in "Tokina 80-400" instead of "Tokina 840"

Here is a link to one. $699 brand new with 2 Hoya filters before cash back, or only $490 with the 30% cashback going on right now!

Link

 

[ElFenix]

wth i searched tokina 80-400 and only found an A mount lens

edit: apparently it's "tokina 80 400mm"

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the tokina 840 is a very hard lens to find. and definitely no BIN sellers on ebay right now

I found quite a few actually. It helps if you type in "Tokina 80-400" instead of "Tokina 840"

Here is a link to one. $699 brand new with 2 Hoya filters before cash back, or only $490 with the 30% cashback going on right now!

Link

Get another 10% off with paypal...

CHOLIDAYNOV2008

Use that code... although it may not work much longer.

 

[corkyg]

I took a Canon 70-300 IS on a trip to the Amazon a couple of years ago - and I did not like it. When extended, the barrel of the lens had a slight looseness or wiggle. When I got home, I took it back to Samy's and asked if I could exchange it. The looseness apparently afflicts all of that lens.

So, I sprang for the 70-300 DO IS and - what a difference. Not only more compact, but nice and tight and great results.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I took a Canon 70-300 IS on a trip to the Amazon a couple of years ago - and I did not like it. When extended, the barrel of the lens had a slight looseness or wiggle. When I got home, I took it back to Samy's and asked if I could exchange it. The looseness apparently afflicts all of that lens.

So, I sprang for the 70-300 DO IS and - what a difference. Not only more compact, but nice and tight and great results.

Well yeah lol, the DO IS costs about $1200...which is how much a 100-400 L IS USM costs...

 

[ElFenix]

ugh, i can't do it. i have to get xmas presents for other people and my budget for toys is already blown this month.