D50 Big Lense (1 Viewer)

TAMRON 200-500MM F5.0-6.3 DI,NIK AF
vs
SIGMA 50-500MM F4-6.3 EX DG NIKON

Have it narrowed down to two lenses for birding, any comments on which one to get they are almost the same price. Thanks for any help or input.

JTF said:

TAMRON 200-500MM F5.0-6.3 DI,NIK AF
vs
SIGMA 50-500MM F4-6.3 EX DG NIKON

Have it narrowed down to two lenses for birding, any comments on which one to get they are almost the same price. Thanks for any help or input.

Click to expand...

If you can wait a tad longer I would add the new Sigma 150-500 with image stabilizer to the shortlist and wait5 for the first critical review of one. I bought a BIGMA in January, would have waited if I would have known back then about the new one coming out). Pricewise the 150-500 plays in the same ballpark as the Bigma, so if the optical quality is similar the stabilizer would be a useful add-on. Other than that both Bigma and Tamron have their fans and are both nice pieces of glass.

UH

As indicated above, if time is available, you might wait a few more weeks to see what the reviews have to say about the 150-500 OS/HSM Nikon mount. Inital MTF and an initial Canon mount user seems to indicate it might be a contender.
http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/lens/telezoom/150_500_5_63.htm
http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/cermaktomas

Between the Tamron & Bigma, the Tamron is lighter and has a slight edge in IQ past 400-mm but, due to screw-drive AF is slower to AF and tends to hunt AF in lower light - more so than the Bigma's HSM.

I opted for the Bigma and haven't regretted my purchase one day...

Good point about the 150-500mm I'll check it out, thanks.