Anyone here used the Sigma 120-400MM or 150-500MM??

CAT-THE-FIFTH

CAT-THE-FIFTH

CAT-THE-FIFTH

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Currently on an older Sony system with the screw driven Sigma 135-400MM lens. I intend to move over to a Pentax or Nikon system at a later date,so I was wondering what people think of the 120-400MM or the 150-500MM?? Will be using it for general birding but also the occasional airshow - are the focus motors up to the task??

Any alternatives under the £800 mark??
 
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Yes. I have a 150-500 and it value for money IQ and performance are excellent only real problem is the big f number, but for this price it can't be beaten.
 
How do you find the focusing?? The 135-400MM seems to be low geared,so takes ages to focus!! :(

Probably looking at a body like a K30,K5 or D7000 and whatever Nikon replaces the D90 with.
 
Focusing is fast if slightly noisy, hunts a little in low light or low contrast scenes but that's pretty rare.

Its heavy but so are most lenses of this size, I hand hold it and carry on a blackrapid while out walking.
 
While I would love to buy a prime like most hobbyists I can't afford or justify one, the Sigma is cracking for the outlay.

I just need to improve my skills to get the best out of it :D
 
CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
How do you find the focusing?? The 135-400MM seems to be low geared,so takes ages to focus!! :(

Probably looking at a body like a K30,K5 or D7000 and whatever Nikon replaces the D90 with.
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FYI: Nikon replaced the D90 with the D7000. There was already a Nikon D100 (which gave way to the D200 and then D300, there may be a new D400 coming), so Nikon Swapped the number system to be in the thousands for lower end models, D3x00, D5x00, D7x00.

The replacement to the D7000 may come next year, and will be numbered D7100.
 
Talon said:
While I would love to buy a prime like most hobbyists I can't afford or justify one, the Sigma is cracking for the outlay.

I just need to improve my skills to get the best out of it :D
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A 300mm f/4.0 prime with 1.4xTC is neither expensive or heavy and has cracking IQ.
 
Talon said:
While I would love to buy a prime like most hobbyists I can't afford or justify one, the Sigma is cracking for the outlay.

I just need to improve my skills to get the best out of it :D
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Thanks again.

D.P. said:
FYI: Nikon replaced the D90 with the D7000. There was already a Nikon D100 (which gave way to the D200 and then D300, there may be a new D400 coming), so Nikon Swapped the number system to be in the thousands for lower end models, D3x00, D5x00, D7x00.

The replacement to the D7000 may come next year, and will be numbered D7100.
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Hopefully,there will be some deals on the D7000,when its successor is released. It looks like £800 to £1000 will be the minimum level if you want a pentaprism with the Nikon system as I suspect the D90 won't be around much longer.

BTW,why am I thinking of the Holy Grail now??:p

D.P. said:
A 300mm f/4.0 prime with 1.4xTC is neither expensive or heavy and has cracking IQ.
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Thanks,but,I had a look on Jessop and that combo comes to around £1300. That is around £550 to £700 more than the Sigma 150-500MM. That is a decent chunk of the body itself or a wide angle or super wide angle zoom already. I see myself using the latter lenses more TBH.
 
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I picked up the 300mmk f/4.0 for around 600 quid, already had a TC.

The only sigma super-tele zoom to really consider is the 50-500 bigma. Non of the other can provide critical sharpness wide open at their tele end, making them somewhat useless in my mind. I don't really care if the middle of the zoom is sharp or if your stop down to f/11 the tele becomes acceptable, the long end is where such lenses are predominantly used
 
D.P. said:
I picked up the 300mmk f/4.0 for around 600 quid, already had a TC.

The only sigma super-tele zoom to really consider is the 50-500 bigma. Non of the other can provide critical sharpness wide open at their tele end, making them somewhat useless in my mind. I don't really care if the middle of the zoom is sharp or if your stop down to f/11 the tele becomes acceptable, the long end is where such lenses are predominantly used
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£600 is actually not too bad at all with a TC. The Bigma seems to be go for around the same secondhand for the HSM version.
 
If you going to buy the Sigma 150-500mm then buy a Nikon fit and buy a Nikon DSLR. The Auto-Focus (AF) is far better on the Nikon. I used one on my Canon 7D and sold it in the end. I tried one with a Nikon D300 and it was Very Good. Even Sigma UK recomends the Nikon fit. Good Luck
 
RussD said:
If you going to buy the Sigma 150-500mm then buy a Nikon fit and buy a Nikon DSLR. The Auto-Focus (AF) is far better on the Nikon. I used one on my Canon 7D and sold it in the end. I tried one with a Nikon D300 and it was Very Good. Even Sigma UK recomends the Nikon fit. Good Luck
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Thanks for that. The Pentax fit is around £200 cheaper for some reason too(??).

Anyway,I might wait and see what Pentax and Nikon have out in the next six months first!!
 
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