Superzooms - Sigma 50-150mm, Sigma 150-500mm, Tamron 150-600mm?

Vanilla

Vanilla

Vanilla

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18 Oct 2002
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Does anyone have any experiences with these lenses? I've read a few threads about the Simga lenses here.

I'm going on Safari in Namibia end of June and would like to get something with a bit of reach and good clarity. It's going to be two weeks self drive so defo a lot of opportunities to shoot. Would be a crime not to invest in something better.

Most shooting will be with a tripod or out of a 4x4 (beanbags on the windows). Majority of day time shooting.

Camera = 70D.

From what I can see

Tamron 150-600mm £949

+ Latest and newest
+ Furthest zoom
- hard to find - everyone waiting for stock. May not even be in stock before I go


Sigma 150-500mm £700

+ Old favourite with good reviews
+ Cheapest

Sigma 50-500mm £999

+ Low end could save me having to swap lenses
+ Apparently has the best IQ of the two Sigma lenses
+ f/4-6.3

I think i'm swaying to the 150-500mm......let's be honest...it's a lens i'll use irregularly given the size and can be had for £600 in some places so at haldf the cost it may be a sensible choice.

What are your opinions of gods of photography? Am I missing a key lens?
 
Do you have any lenses suitable for a teleconverter?

Is hiring an option?

I have recently bought the 150-500 but yet to try it. Mainly for airshows and wildlife.
Limited by budget of £600 so was my only consideration. This was helped by the £100 cashback
 
My only lenses to date are:

Canon 10-22mm
Canon 18-55mm
Canon 75-300mm
Tamron 18-270mm
Canon 50mm

I didn't fancy hiring even though it's probably the most sensible option

Where's this £100 cashback you speak of?
 
Out of the sigmas the 50-500 is supposed to be the sharpest, better than the 150-500 despite bigger zoom ratio, hence the price.

However, the tamron is clearly better than sigmas, sharper, faster, longer.


No, you can't use TCs with these lenses. And even if you could you are far better off simply cropping. TCs are really for high end primes and a couple of exceptional zooms. And you certainly don't want a TC on a lens so slow.
 
Yeah kinda a big choice to make. Tamron is best but unavailable......the 50-500 is awesome but if you're spending that money you wish you'd bought the Tamron.

The 150-500mm is still a good lens...but quite cheap which fits the use well (as above, after Safari there are not too many holidays where you'll bring out a lens that size!)
 
I had the 150-500, it was okay. It was the cheapest so I couldn't complain, but it does need stopping down especially at the long end. I sold it a while ago to try using converters on a 70-200, but I'm quite interested in the new Tamron 150-600. There are reports of dodgy WF with older bodies though (like the 7D). Although the issues are with AI Servo and using it in a way that I don't, so I think I may take the plunge eventually.

Old shots with the 150-500:

RIAT 2011 by -jj_glos-

RIAT 2011 by -jj_glos-

RIAT 2011 by -jj_glos-

RIAT 2011 by -jj_glos-
 
To be honest, for the trip you are taking I would look at picking up a nice lens second hand and selling it when you get back. That'll be far cheaper than renting...
 
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