Sigma 300/800f5.6 V canon 800f5.6

[GYRob]

if Money was not a isue or lets say they were the same price which would people prefer out of these 2 lenses .
this is aimed more towards UK people as most birds here are very shy

On the one hand you have IS with the Canon
On the other you have a great birding zoom but no IS
Rob.

[postcardcv]

I'm not really sure how anyone can answer this until the Canon is actually available and we can see just how well it performs... if it's in the same league as the 500/600 f4s (as I assume it will be) then I think it will have an edge on image quality. For me that would be reason enough to go for the Canon.

[Photovisions]

if Money was not a isue or lets say they were the same price which would people prefer out of these 2 lenses .
this is aimed more towards UK people as most birds here are very shy

On the one hand you have IS with the Canon
On the other you have a great birding zoom but no IS
Rob.

I reckon the 800mm F5.6 would be the better choice. I always need that little more extra focal length when photographing small birds.

Someone without smaller lenses in the 300-500mm range might want the zoom though.

Im also assuming the prime would be better optically. Also, I am not sure I would buy one anyway as I have a 500mm F4 and a with a 1.4x converter gives a system of 700mm F5.6, not so different.

Adrian

[Keith Reeder]

The Canon, for the IS.

The Sigma is considered to actually be sharper than their 800mm prime, so IQ isn't the issue (look at what Romy Ocon does with his) but IS would make a big difference to we mere mortals who don't have the scary-good tripod technique of the Romy's out there.

[lbuscher]

800MM and Canon 20D
As for the new 800MM from Canon as I see it. First a very special lens and one I don’t think will be able to be used (but by the mightiest) off a monopod and will require a tripod all the time as I do with my second Sigma 800MM. A bird in flight off a tripod is always a trip over a leg here or there and a chance of dumping the entire thing. Now I am sure that the Canon version will be of better glass and with IS on it perform better than the Sigma but I have to look at the places you can go and the distance shooting how the quality will be is worth trading your 500 or 600 for it. Many years ago Nikon produced an 800MF lens and it was and still is (for the ones remaining) a brute.
I am placing two links taken at the Conowingo Dam in Maryland to the island base and than one to the top of the power cable tower. Both are from my Sigma 800MM with a Canon 20D on the end of it and are the raw file right out of the camera (just converted and resized), nothing else at all done to them. I am told to the top of the tower is about 1200 feet. I have found the Sigma 800MM to be a valued tool in my monitoring of our eagle nesting here in N.Y. but I also am finding that my Canon 500 with a 1.4 and the new 40D on it produce excellent long photos. I also urge all who are thinking of dumping there 500MM & 600MM to consider the tripod needed for the new 800MM as it could be that a new one will be needed. I am using a converted hard maple wooden surveyors tripod for mine. I think I will be looking for one of those Canon 600ISF4 for myself.
Bottom line on my 800MM is I get great info photos on the nesting birds as I am always about 500 to 600 feet from them. O yeah, plan on keeping it as not to many other people are that interested in a glass that size.
Lou
1 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2060/2189855220_e888e316a8_o.jpg

2 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2355/2189067745_6af5b77ced_o.jpg
PS I have never had any really good success with adding a TE to the 800 as it seems to start picking up a lot of junk in the air we normally don’t see.

[Scuzz]

if Money was not a isue or lets say they were the same price which would people prefer out of these 2 lenses .
this is aimed more towards UK people as most birds here are very shy

On the one hand you have IS with the Canon
On the other you have a great birding zoom but no IS
Rob.

Being the recent owner of the sigma 300-800 for which I am very pleased with, It gives excellent quality throughout the300-800 range and I find the versatility of the zoom a big advantage when sitting in a hide.
As far as I’m concerned there would have to be a major quality difference to sway me from the Sigma and I don’t think that will be the case.

To go on further, I think the weight of the lens will make It virtually impossible to use hand held, which is when you get full potential from the I.S.
I may be wrong, but I’m sure that Canon didn’t advise using the IS when mounted on a tripod, which this will have to be, as It could actually cause distortion if It was trying to stabilise shake that wasn’t there.
I also think the price will be astronomical, going off 500/600 prices.

It will be Interesting to see the reviews when It arrives.

If It’s distance you’re after, why not go for the Canon 1200mm, I believe It’s only in the region of £87,000.00. 3:-)

[GYRob]

there's a Canon 1200mm for sale at B&H second hand under £50'000 but duty would be added if inported.
Rob.