Sports shooter lens advice needed

[Deleted member 11679]

Over the next few weeks all the money will be in place for me to get my first telephoto zoom for use with the sports I am shooting this year.

And I'm genuinely stuck for choice! Basically over the coming year or 2 I imagine myself to be shooting these sports in order of occurance:

1. Motorsport
2. Swimming
3. Football
4. Other indoor/general outdoor sports

The biggest will be Motorsport, this is the one I am mad about and will be scheduling in up to 20 events over this year alone as long as time allows. The rest are more for general interest and with a hope to improve my skill. I have my 50mm F/1.8 lined up for Swimming (already have this lens) and the other sports I was hoping to cover under the telephoto I am posting about here.

Now, from my perspective, the 3 choices I have so far in regards lenses are:

1. Canon 70-200mm F/4 L
2. Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 EX DG
3. Sigma 100-300mm F/4 EX APO

Now, in price terms the Canon is the cheapest, with the Sigma 70-200 coming in next and then the longer range Sigma being the most expensive. But what do people honestly advise I choose!

I can also afford to buy the teleconvertors for the Sigma and Canon lenses, and would be looking at the 1.4x in both cases. So therefore if I went for the Canon I would get the Canon teleconvertor, and if I went for the Sigma I would buy the Sigma teleconvertor.

From the shots I have seen from the Canon, it has the edge regards optical quality over the other 2, however the other 2 hold there own in regards I am either getting a wider initial aperture or a longer range focal length.

Just want some gut reaction really, I can afford one of the 3 and just can't make my mind up which!

Thanks for reading,

Tom

 

[Deleted member 11679]

Anymore comments to add...

(Thanks btw Joe)

 

[Deleted member 11679]

When looking for a tele recently I considered both Canon and Sigma 70-200 2.8, but ended up deciding on a Canon 200 2.8L. Must you have a zoom or could you get away with using primes?

Ouch, this just threw a spanner in the works...had not thought about a prime lens! I couldn't get away with using primes from the point of view I could only afford 1, and obviously moving around a track you find yourself in all sorts of different place. I am also thinking the lower zoom range is probably going to help me for general things as well.

I am seeing the common sense behind a F/2.8 lens over an F/4, but, with the exception of dod's recent shots, the far superior both track and general shots are coming from the Canon F/4.

^ Probably not the best thing to use for deciding with!

I think the term is 'spoilt for choice!!'

 

[Deleted member 11679]

For reference I just purchased a Canon F/4 L off Ebay secondhand. I decided at this present time I do not have a skill level or usage level to justify me spending more than I have paid for this secondhand.

It's only 9 months old and comes with a full UK warranty from a certain high street camera store...still 3 months left which gives me plenty of time to make sure its ok.

Very happy!