Looking for advice for change the lens

[vijaythakur27]

hi
i have a Nikon D7000 camera which i use for birds photography. i have sigma 150-500mm lens which i feel not producing the good result.. i m planing to change the siggy and need suggestions from experts . i m confusing in three lens
1. Nikon 200-500mm f5.6
2. Tamron 150-600mm f5-6.3
3. Nikon 300mm f4 prime with 1.4x tc
few sample images here from my d7000+sigma 150-500mm . i feel these pics r soft and not upto the mark..
kindly check the images and give ur valueable suggestions..

Sample images

DSC_7876 by vijay kumar, on Flickr

DSC_7060 by vijay kumar, on Flickr

DSC_7106 by vijay kumar, on Flickr

DSC_6211 by vijay kumar, on Flickr

DSC_6173 by vijay kumar, on Flickr

Thanks & Regards

 

[goooner]

I can't see the exif data on your photos, but there may be some motion blur at play. Have you fine tuned the focus with your sigma? You should also consider the the 'new' Sigma 150-600 Contemporary, it is in the same price range.

The 300 prime will probably produce the sharpest images, but you might lose some of that sharpness when adding the converter, you also 'lose' a stop of light. By all accounts the focusing on the Nikon 200-500 is better than the 3rd party lenses in the similar price range. I've seen excellent images on this forum from all these lenses, as well as from the Siggy 150-500...

 

[jaomul]

As said above, motion blur looks to be evident in some photos. Are your shutter speeds high enough. Image Stabilization or OS on your lens is great, but if the bird or animal moves slightly there will be blur.

Its possible you are doing everything correct, but before you drop cash on something explore all other avenues first. These newer lenses you mention are likely a little better, but the 150-500 you own is a well respected lens in its price range

 

[Alexr25]

All of the examples you posted were shot with the lens wide open. No lens performs at its best wide open and long zooms like the sigma 150-500mm really need to stopped down to an aperture somewhere around f/8 - f/11 to get decent performance.

 

[Overread]

Stage 1 lets remove user error as a potential factor:

1) Mount the camera and lens on a stable tripod

2) In good light pick a low ISO (ideally base ISO for your camera) and set the lens to wide open (smallest f number - biggest aperture).

3) You want a target at around 45 degree angle to the front of the lens; ideally something with contrast and with markings upon it.

4) Focus and shoot - ideally use the timer or a remote release so that handshake is totally removed.

5) Repeat changing the aperture - go through a selection down to around f11.

6) You want to do this test at the long end and the short end of the focal length of the lens.

The end result will be a test that lets you compare and know the sharpness of your lens as well as its focus accuracy. This might reveal inherent softness in the lens; focus miss alignment; strengths of the long/short end and also if user error is a factor or not.

Note that no zoom lens is its best at the long end and the long end wide open will be softer still; however most should be usable especially after editing.


Note your avatar image already suggests that posture and handholding could be a factor; you're holding the long lens right near the base near the camera. That's good for zoom controls, but at the same time it also means that the weight of the long end of the lens is potentaily having more impact; holding the lens a bit further out whilst keeping your elbows in should improve things.

 

[Didereaux]

As has been said previously: It is YOU not the lens that are the problem. Both those lens, the Sigma and Tamron can produce excellent quality photos. BUT only if the photographer follows strict guidelines fro using LONG lens. The most basic is the 1/over focal length for setting the MINIMUM shutter speed. I personally use 1/1.5 fl Do not rely on any advantage of image stabilization...at long focal lengths their effects are minimal. I shoot birds and wildlife with a Sigma 150-600 & Canon 100-400 IS L on both crop and Full frame cameras. I learned this stuff the hard way.

 

[Overread]

I find that the 1/focal length rule of thumb needs adaptation.
For short focal length lenses under 50mm you can find that you can handhold at much slower speeds and still get a sharp shot.

For long focal length lenses over 200mm you can find that you need to use a much faster shutter speed (and then again if you're using much heavier options).

It's why tripods and monopods become of great help for long lenses; even if you can handhold a sharp shot chances are you'll find high grade options cause you to fatigue faster and thus having something that takes the weight off helps immensely.

 

[Designer]

Just looking from here at your posted images in that size, they look as if you may have missed focus. After reading about your using the lens wide open for these, I will now say that what you are seeing is a very shallow depth of field. Parts of the image will look ok, but then other parts will be definitely out of focus.

Try shooting some more using Didereaux's advice of stopping down the aperture.

Oh, one more thing: Do you have any filter attached to the objective end of the lens?

 

[Solarflare]

Why, yes, there is definitely motion blur and out of focus going on in these pictures.


That 1/focal length rule is from the film age, just like sunny 16.

But today:

(a) the ever more insane getting resolutions of modern digital cameras that make even full frame sensors go phrone to hit the limits of diffraction quite soon and also increase the demands about holding the camera steady; for example when the D800 was introduced many people reported they needed 2x or 3x focal length instead. The D810 however has a more vibration free construction and seems to be less phrone to this effect.

(b) we now have image stabilization, which can be more or less effective to reduce the minimal shutter speed needed.


Yes the AF-S 300mm f4 would give brilliant results, but it has no image stabilization and thus one really needs a monopod and good technique.

The newest AF-S 300mm f4 PF VR offers VR, but is not undisputed because of its fresnel lens element. Its btw funny that at least one reviewer also praised the new coatings of the new lens despite the fact that the new lens is also a LOT more complex (16 elements in 10 groups instead of just 10 elements in 6 groups), which will definitely kill any possible improvements from new coatings, especially since Nikon has always been good at coatings.

I would add that one can use the AF-S 200-500mm f5.6 VR with the 1.4x converter, too, though one needs a newer camera than the D7000 for focusing at f/8.0. The D7100 would already suffice.

About teleconverters, the 1.4x one is really good and hardly causes and image quality loss. The 1.7x and 2.0x ones however are less friendly and with a D7000, the limit for focusing is at f/5.6, anyway (the D7100, D600, D800 and many newer cameras allow f/8, the D750 reportedly even allows f/9).

 

[Didereaux]

Why, yes, there is definitely motion blur and out of focus going on in these pictures.


That 1/focal length rule is from the film age, just like sunny 16.

But today:

(a) the ever more insane getting resolutions of modern digital cameras that make even full frame sensors go phrone to hit the limits of diffraction quite soon and also increase the demands about holding the camera steady; for example when the D800 was introduced many people reported they needed 2x or 3x focal length instead. The D810 however has a more vibration free construction and seems to be less phrone to this effect.

(b) we now have image stabilization, which can be more or less effective to reduce the minimal shutter speed needed.


Yes the AF-S 300mm f4 would give brilliant results, but it has no image stabilization and thus one really needs a monopod and good technique.

The newest AF-S 300mm f4 PF VR offers VR, but is not undisputed because of its fresnel lens element. Its btw funny that at least one reviewer also praised the new coatings of the new lens despite the fact that the new lens is also a LOT more complex (16 elements in 10 groups instead of just 10 elements in 6 groups), which will definitely kill any possible improvements from new coatings, especially since Nikon has always been good at coatings.

I would add that one can use the AF-S 200-500mm f5.6 VR with the 1.4x converter, too, though one needs a newer camera than the D7000 for focusing at f/8.0. The D7100 would already suffice.

About teleconverters, the 1.4x one is really good and hardly causes and image quality loss. The 1.7x and 2.0x ones however are less friendly and with a D7000, the limit for focusing is at f/5.6, anyway (the D7100, D600, D800 and many newer cameras allow f/8, the D750 reportedly even allows f/9).

Yes, the 1/over FL is old...does that make it invalid or untrue? NO! It is as valid with DSLRs as it was with film. WHY? If you'd think about it motion/shake blur is INDEPENDENT of the recording medium. You are way to involved with irrelevant minutia.

 

[Overread]

From what I've read Solar is correct.

Higher resolutions on cameras DO mean that to avoid more hand shake you have to hand hold at faster shutter speeds. However this is only true if you're comparing 100% crops. Remember a camera with more megapixels will display a photo larger at 100% view than one with fewer megapixels.
As a result larger megapixel cameras, viewed at 100% view, are showing a greater level of enlargement which further increases the impact of something like handshake.

The important thing to realise though is that with the same lens, same settings and same shooting style you will still get the same usability out of the photos (in general). Because most of the time we are not using images at 100% view when we output them (into print or digital display like on the internet).



So its important, but also not "as" important as some might think. It's why people who shot on say 12mp cameras often view at smaller magnifications as we got used to that view at 100% - I regularly view my 7D photos at 60% instead of 100% because its more similar to what I'm used to in performance.




But yes the 1/focal length is still a good rule of thumb. It gives people a starting point; which is all it has ever done. It isn't a hard strict rule; its about giving people a place to start from and from there they can work out what suits them best. Note that a lot of things (especially for beginners) are about establishing boundaries which lets them work on multiple new things at once because the boundaries give them clear information to work with. As they gain experience they don't have to "think" about the basics as much and its here that the "rule breaking" comes in- or rather its just expanding upon the core principles of the rule and adjusting them to suit the individual,.

 

[astroNikon]

I guess it also brings up the question of which Auto Focus Mode and AF-Area Mode you are using on the camera ?
(Focus Mode) AF-A, AF-S, AF-C ?
(Area Mode) Single Point, Dynamic 9, 15, 39 , 3D tracking ?

I think most of us would use primarily AF-C Single Point.

 

[Overread]

I think it important to take things in steps. First remove AF and user error as much as possible with the tests I propose above.

After that you've a much better idea of optical performance and from there can consider what approach is needed after (reviewing shooting method - reviewing AF method - repairing/replacing lens).