50-150mm Sigma vs 70-200 vr i ?

TMortPhotos · Jun 3, 2014

Hello Everyone!
I'm new here and would like opinions on the two lens listed. I'll also be purchasing the 18-35mm Sigma when it comes in stock at B&H.

I can get a used 70-200 for $1,000ish and I know the sigma goes for $949 new. These will be used for Military Photojournalism, Sporting Events and Ball/Dinners etc. I've been wanting to move on from my 18-200mm lens into the f2.8 arena. I do have the 35mm 1.8 prime but I like the flexibility of the zooms. The weight will not be an issue due to the quality upgrade.

Anyway, advise would be welcome on what is the better lens and best bang for buck! =)

jaomul · Jun 3, 2014

If its any good to you I know 70 is very long to have as your starting point for an indoor lens on a crop. I am in exactly the same dilemma (or at least i was until my money went on bills

). When I had canon I had a Tokina 50-135f2.8 matched with a Tamron 17-50. It was a great set for most events though the tokina was slowish to focus. I would say the 50-150mm has better general range on a crop but that depends on what other lens you put with it, but without ever even picking one up(just from reading about it and talking to owners), I do know that on a crop, the nikon vr1 is the one to beat when it comes to speed and image quality.

Welcome to the forum btw

TWright33 · Jun 3, 2014

Just for reference

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/buy-sell/360928-50-150-f2-8-sigma-apo-dc-d-ex-hsm-ii.html

pixmedic · Jun 3, 2014

I believe the 50-150 is designed for an APS-C sensor camera (crop frame) as is the 18-35 f/1.8 sigma.
if you have a crop frame camera, i have heard only good things about both lenses. I have a D7100, but opted for tamrons new 70-200 f/2.8 in case I go full frame later.
I have always said however, that on a crop frame camera, the 50-150 was a better focal length for a tele zoom.
if you dont plan on going full frame anytime soon, the 18-25 and 50-150 sigma lenses both got great reviews.

TMortPhotos · Jun 3, 2014

Thanks for the quick replies! Seems TWright might make my decision easier.

Derrel · Jun 3, 2014

I don't have the 50-150 Sigma, but I do have a 50-135mm f/3.5 Ai-S Zoom~Nikkor lens; I used it for a few years in the early 2000's on the first few 1.5x FOV d-slrs I had, and it was always a very handy lens; the 50mm bottom end made it much more-useful than the 80-200 AF "one-ring" zoom I had back then, and the physically smallish size, and weight, made me continue to use it off and on when a bigger lens was not the right choice.

It might not seem like a lot of difference, but for something like a 4th of July parade, the 50-135mm range is very useful; those 20 extra millimeters are really VERY useful for things like a parade, where you're kind of stationed at one spot, and cannot move backwards much, if at all. I really wish there were more fast-aperture, or at least constant-aperture zooms that started at 50mm, I really do!