Help me pick a telephoto lens for my Canon 50D please..

SkyBaby

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The only lens I own is a 28-135mm IS kit lens. I do a lot of wildlife photography and aviation photography. I was looking at the Canon's 100-400L. I was also looking at the Sigma 150-500 OS and between those, I was gonna go with the Canon. With the introduction of the Sigma 50-500 OS, however, I'm beginning to reconsider. At this point depending on what they say about the new Sigma, I might just go with the new Sigma. That would give me all the zoom I need. I also read on here and a couple other laces that the new Sigma is almost as sharp as Canon's 100-400L. Which should I get? Primes are kinda out of the question for me. Way out of my budget and I need the versatility of zoom.

Thanks for your help!

Edited to add:
Budget: ~$1600
 
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Other than the push/pull zooming mechanisms getting loose and the semi-limited f/4.5-5.6, I've heard good things about the 100-400. I would personally go for a 70-200L and a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, but I don't know how much zoom you need. Also, I was able to take some great shots with my 70-300 IS USM lens(link link and link), and many of the shots from that day were in the 135-250 range anyway. Granted, I had decent seats and this was an air show, your situations may be different.

It's significantly cheaper, and still gives pretty good quality images. It does not work with the Canon teleconverters, but the APS-C crop factor gives it the equivelant field of view as a 480mm on a full frame.

Edit: that budget would nicely fit a used 70-200 2.8 + 1.4 or 2x TC (give or take on the IS depending on what you can find).
 
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Thanks for the responses, everyone! I need more reach than a 70-200 can give me. I'd rather get a longer lens than a shorter one with a tc. I kind of have it narrowed down to Canon's 100-400L and the new Sigma 50-500 OS, depending on what they say about it.
 
I'm going to offer a different suggestion based on what you want to shoot as something to just think about.

Put the $1600 in the bank, take your lunch to work instead of eating out. PM me, I have hundreds of recipes for peanut butter. And save your money up for something like this. Sigma | Telephoto 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO HSM Autofocus | 184101 or Canon | Telephoto EF 500mm f/4.0L IS | 2532A002AA | B&H Photo. Both more expensive but both highly regarded lenses with plenty of reach for both.

Just my 2 cents.
 
I'm going to offer a different suggestion based on what you want to shoot as something to just think about.

Put the $1600 in the bank, take your lunch to work instead of eating out. PM me, I have hundreds of recipes for peanut butter. And save your money up for something like this. Sigma | Telephoto 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO HSM Autofocus | 184101 or Canon | Telephoto EF 500mm f/4.0L IS | 2532A002AA | B&H Photo. Both more expensive but both highly regarded lenses with plenty of reach for both.

Just my 2 cents.

I know primes are wonderful lenses that take absolutely amazing pictures and that you can't beat the sharpness of Canon's L primes. I would miss the versatility of zoom, though.
 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I think in the long run you would of wished you went with quality over the availability to zoom. I bet you could probally crop in a pic taken with the 300 f4 and it would be a better shot than with the 50-500. Then again maybe not but the review was not great on the 50-500 lens. You could also get the 1.4 tc with the 300 f4. These are just my thoughts and personally would hate to sacrafice quality for extra length and lower quality.

EDIT: But if it has to be zoom then I would go with Canon 100-400L
 
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I'm going to offer a different suggestion based on what you want to shoot as something to just think about.

Put the $1600 in the bank, take your lunch to work instead of eating out. PM me, I have hundreds of recipes for peanut butter. And save your money up for something like this. Sigma | Telephoto 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO HSM Autofocus | 184101 or Canon | Telephoto EF 500mm f/4.0L IS | 2532A002AA | B&H Photo. Both more expensive but both highly regarded lenses with plenty of reach for both.

Just my 2 cents.

I know primes are wonderful lenses that take absolutely amazing pictures and that you can't beat the sharpness of Canon's L primes. I would miss the versatility of zoom, though.

With aviation photography you might have a bit of a need for zoom, but if you are shooting air action you most likely won't be close enough to have too much lens.


With wildlife photography (depending on your definition of wildlife, Mine is shooting bears in the New Mexico Rockies) Longer is better. We have a word for people shooting bears with anything less than a 400mm lens and filling the frame nicely with the bear. That word is DINNER. :mrgreen: Just something to think about. We all shoot differently.
 
I'm going to offer a different suggestion based on what you want to shoot as something to just think about.

Put the $1600 in the bank, take your lunch to work instead of eating out. PM me, I have hundreds of recipes for peanut butter. And save your money up for something like this. Sigma | Telephoto 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO HSM Autofocus | 184101 or Canon | Telephoto EF 500mm f/4.0L IS | 2532A002AA | B&H Photo. Both more expensive but both highly regarded lenses with plenty of reach for both.

Just my 2 cents.

I know primes are wonderful lenses that take absolutely amazing pictures and that you can't beat the sharpness of Canon's L primes. I would miss the versatility of zoom, though.

With aviation photography you might have a bit of a need for zoom, but if you are shooting air action you most likely won't be close enough to have too much lens.


With wildlife photography (depending on your definition of wildlife, Mine is shooting bears in the New Mexico Rockies) Longer is better. We have a word for people shooting bears with anything less than a 400mm lens and filling the frame nicely with the bear. That word is DINNER. :mrgreen: Just something to think about. We all shoot differently.

I do take a fair bit of wider shots of planes on the ground as well, which is why I was looking at the Sigma. Canon's 100-400mm wouldn't be wide enough at 100mm. The Sigma would be about wide enough at 50mm.

:lol: I think we have both mountain lions and bears up here.. time for a long lens for me. I mostly just do birds and lizards, snakes, and amphibians. They're the most common out here in my town, and I don't often get to go on dedicated photography adventures that take me out of town.
 
I do take a fair bit of wider shots of planes on the ground as well, which is why I was looking at the Sigma. Canon's 100-400mm wouldn't be wide enough at 100mm. The Sigma would be about wide enough at 50mm.

Sounds to me like you have your mind made up. If you need ~ 50mm AND ~ 500mm in one lens, there is no alternative. But you already knew that, of course. ;)
 
If you can wait, check this link out.

Juza Nature Photography

Under Telephoto zoom, it said " Sigma 50-500 OS HSM (vs Canon 100-400) (coming..)"

Not sure when he will put the article up though.
 

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