Sigma 70-300 vs Tamron 70-300 (1 Viewer)

Jaff · Mar 17, 2007

I wonder if somone could help a fish out of water here.

Has anyone any experience of either of these lenses (or both!) and could offer an opinion as to which one is "better" for birding/insect photography and can they handle a teleconverter reasonably well.

Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 or Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG

Just as a side question can anyone suggest a good review site for lenses that is geared more towards nature photography.

A thousand thanks dear photographers (I hope to soon join your ranks).
Jaff

Chkm8 · Mar 17, 2007

I have the Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 APO which also has the facility for use as a macro lens. Not a bad lens for value for money. The lens produces soft images from about 240mm upwards and therefore not really useful with a convertor as it will exacerbate the problem of an already soft lens. Before I bought it I read numerous reviews on both it and the Tamron and not a lot between them really. I also looked at samples taken with both lenses and went for the Sigma. For more reviews try www.dpreview I have the canon 350D and in the forum there are numerous threads on the above lenses and people only to happy to post sample photos for you. Good value for money but unless you intend to use a hide then there is not enough reach I am already considering a 400mm or 500mm lens.
Hope this helps.

John.

Jaff · Mar 17, 2007

Thanks for your reply John. I'm just after a cheap and cheerful setup and making sure I exhaust all of my options. I'm not really after anything special (money simply will not permit). I would prefer a Nikon camera, D40/D70s is looking most likely and I just want a reasonable 300mm zoom lens for little money and having played with my dad's 300d and his 75-300mm today I know that's all I really need.
Don't expect to become the world's best phgotographer and can't see myself really upgrading the kit, although I'm sure there will be occasions when a 400mm would do just the job but digiscoping is my saviour there.

Jaff

paul goode · Mar 18, 2007

Jaff said:
Thanks for your reply John. I'm just after a cheap and cheerful setup and making sure I exhaust all of my options. I'm not really after anything special (money simply will not permit). I would prefer a Nikon camera, D40/D70s is looking most likely and I just want a reasonable 300mm zoom lens for little money and having played with my dad's 300d and his 75-300mm today I know that's all I really need.
Don't expect to become the world's best phgotographer and can't see myself really upgrading the kit, although I'm sure there will be occasions when a 400mm would do just the job but digiscoping is my saviour there.

Jaff

Watch that D40 Jaff. There are only a handful of lenses it will AF with because it doesn't have its own AF motor. I'm pretty certain neither lens you mention has a motor built in so you would only have manual focus. To me that is a non starter for bird photography (its tough enough with AF!) and makes the D40 a complete waste of money. Nikon have designed it as one step up from a compact for people who will probably never take the kit lens off.

On another thread somewhere Keith Reeder makes the same point and suggests the D50 as a far better alternative.

Just out of curiosity, why go for Nikon if your Dad's got Canon kit? I use Canon cameras and will happily sing their praises and pooling resources would make sense.

All the best

Paul

Keith Reeder · Mar 18, 2007

Yep, that's my take on the D40/X Paul - apparently Nikon have taken this approach to stop people from buying third party lenses.

The Nikon-fit Sigma 80-400mm OS will work, as will Sigma's HSM lenses.

As far as I can work out though, that's it for off-brand lenses that will AF on the D40 - and none of these lenses are at the budget/beginner end of the market.

Jaff,

simply put, you're not going to get a "cheap and cheerful" birding set up that involves the D40 unless you buy second hand lenses, and probably not even then.

AFAIK the new Nikon 70-300mm VR is the only lens in that focal length range that will AF on the D40, and it's about £350.

If you can get a D70s, I'd recommend it (if you're determined to stick with Nikon - Paul makes a good point about your dad!), or the D50 for less features but slightly better apparent high ISO performance.

Jaff · Mar 18, 2007

Thanks for the advice guys.

I have held both the 400D (and by extension the 350) and the D40 just the other week and the 400D did indeed feel uncomfotable in my large hands where as the Nikon did feel better. Tried the battery grip on the 400D and it did help the issue but then the other side felt a bit awkward in trying to manipulate the lens, admittedly the lens on it was the kit lens and a longer zoom lens may feel better but it is something I will have to look into further the next time I'm in Manchester.
As for my dad he lives in Burnley and I only see him on wkends once a fortnight.

Things which attracted me to the D40 were it's compact size, still has a 2.5inch screen and in a magazine I bought recently comparing sub £500 DSLR's the reviewer published an ISO chart in which the D40 performed the best, beating the 350 and 400D as well as the equivalent Samsung, Olympus, Sony and Pentax. In fact it's 3200 was as good or better than some cameras' 1600, although admittedly not the Canons. Also it has built in help tips to help a novice like me understand the camera and of course the price is much more taillored to my budget (maybe £600/700 camera&lens).

I do accept the problems presented and may well plump for a D70s (not for a while yet though) and the D50 I believe has now been discontinued and stocks may be seriously depleted by the time I'm ready to buy and I'd rather buy the camera new so it comes with warranty and I can take it back somewhere if something goes wrong with it.

The attached pic was one I took with my Dad's stuff incl. Kenko converter and is all I am really aiming for out of a setup as well as making it easier to snap small birds in Mere Sands Woods.

Thanks all, my mind is working overtime to try and take all this in.
Jaff

Jaff · Mar 20, 2007

Can anyone offer an opinion on the Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG Macro or the Tamron AF 28-300mm XR Di LD Aspherical Macro IF f3.5-6.3 as a bird photography lens. Missed them before somehow when browsing through options.
I know I'm dragging this out but as my first DSLR setup may well last a couple of years I want to be sure about what I'm getting.
Coincidentally, with regards to the body I think I'm going for a D80 as the extra expense now will probs be a wiser purchase and a good body for if I do upgrade the lens somewhere down the line (inevitable I suppose, this photography business can be quite addictive!)

Thank you for your patience with me.
Adam

cliffhanger · Mar 20, 2007

sigma 70-300

Hi
I have recently bought a nikon D70 and sigma APO 70-300 and have taken a few pics have to say I am quite pleased with it attached is pic of the white billed diver at Hayle accidently taken at ISO 1600, must read the manual first!!
Buying second hand reduced the cost so I got both body and lens for £320

Cheers

pete

mav12 · Mar 20, 2007

i have the sigma and use a kenko tc 1.4 image quality is quite good but it hunts a bit focusing on max zoom

cliffhanger · Mar 20, 2007

converter

mav12 said:
i have the sigma and use a kenko tc 1.4 image quality is quite good but it hunts a bit focusing on max zoom

I am interested in the Kenko 1.4 converter have you got an example of a photo taken with it?

Cheers

Pete

Jaff · Mar 21, 2007

mav12 said:
i have the sigma and use a kenko tc 1.4 image quality is quite good but it hunts a bit focusing on max zoom

Just to clarify is that the 70-300 or the 28-300. I understand that with the zoom range that the 28-300's offer AF is a bit on the slow side.

Nice pics Pete. Another lens in consideration is the older Nikkor 70-300mm D.

Jaff

Jaff · Mar 22, 2007

I have looked in your gallery Mav and got my answer :t:

Pete I'd say the Kenko Pro 300 1.4x is overall one of the best converters available at the moment and they're going cheap for £99 on microglobe. Look in the Equipment reviews on here and see what Andy Bright has to say about them.

I'm 80-90% sure of the lens I want now so thank you all very much for your input.
Jaff

PhotoSam · Sep 25, 2008

Hi....I am Sam from London...Me doing photography for about three years but i am new to this forum....I would say that Tamron 70-300mm is more suitable to be used in combination with Nikon digital cameras....I would recommend Tamron 70-300mm for Nikon because its not expensive as compared to sigma...

Thanks

Jaff · Sep 25, 2008

Well Sam ...erm... thanks for that but unfortunately your about a year and a half too late.

Although, I've forgotten everything I posted here so was kind of interesting to read through it again so thanks in that respect!

The bit about my supposed setup lasting a couple of years certainly made me laugh!

Cheers.
Adam

santanub · Dec 8, 2009

So which one you bought??
I bought d5000 and in same condition as you were 2yrs back

Jaff · Dec 10, 2009

Thanks to you too santanub! God I laugh every time I read this thread, just amazes me how much equipment I've gone through and how photography has changed my perception of the natural world and become such a huge part of my life.

The answer to the question was neither funnily enough. I bought an old Nikkor 70-300mm D ED of someone on the forum, which was a brilliant lens for what it was. However, as luck would have it I did own a Sigma 70-300mm APO macro later on and I found it to be a very useful macro tool for large stuff like this http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/268948/ppuser/42340

Never used it on birds though as I had a better lens at the time. Two main points to bare in mind though, I'm not sure of the specs of the D5000 but if it doesn't have an AF motor like a D60 then I believe these lenses will not auto-focus with it. If it does have an AF motor then you'll be fine but something you should really check first. Secondly if going for the Sigma make sure you get the APO version, it will make a big difference to the quality of your pictures.

Other than that enjoy, as a first lens to ease you into photography it's a good all rounder but trust me you'll soon be wanting something bigger and better.

eastwood · Dec 10, 2009

which one you bought??
300 f2.8 LOL!!!8-P

Fowl Mouth · Dec 10, 2009

Jaff said:
...but trust me you'll soon be wanting something bigger and better.

Right, Adam, and when does that end. 8-P

Jaff · Dec 10, 2009

Fowl Mouth said:
Right, Adam, and when does that end. 8-P

With the Hubble Telescope probably.

santanub · Dec 21, 2009

Jaff said:
Thanks to you too santanub! God I laugh every time I read this thread, just amazes me how much equipment I've gone through and how photography has changed my perception of the natural world and become such a huge part of my life.

The answer to the question was neither funnily enough. I bought an old Nikkor 70-300mm D ED of someone on the forum, which was a brilliant lens for what it was. However, as luck would have it I did own a Sigma 70-300mm APO macro later on and I found it to be a very useful macro tool for large stuff like this http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/268948/ppuser/42340

Never used it on birds though as I had a better lens at the time. Two main points to bare in mind though, I'm not sure of the specs of the D5000 but if it doesn't have an AF motor like a D60 then I believe these lenses will not auto-focus with it. If it does have an AF motor then you'll be fine but something you should really check first. Secondly if going for the Sigma make sure you get the APO version, it will make a big difference to the quality of your pictures.

Other than that enjoy, as a first lens to ease you into photography it's a good all rounder but trust me you'll soon be wanting something bigger and better.

Thanks, d5000 lacks the body motor....so i need the lens with autofocus motor....

Sigma 70-300 vs Tamron 70-300 (1 Viewer)

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