ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

Fairly new to full frame but long time serious hobbyist. Shooting with a D750 and have been using my AF-S 70-200 at a couple of air shows. Thinking of getting a lens with longer reach and am considering these three lenses:

Nikkor AF-S 200-500 F5.6 E ED
Tamron SP 150-600 f5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
Sigma 150-600 F5-6.3 DG OS HSM ( maybe even the S)

Money not the main criteria. Like the 600 but have no experience with lenses other than Nikon since the old film days in the 70s!

Know everyone has their favorites, but would appreciate any comments, especially any problem areas. Thanks..Have a safe and wonderful time shooting

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I can't offer an opinion even tho I own the contemporary version of the Sigma and have been satisfied for what I do. But... just wanted to complement you on this shot. Very, very nice!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Can I suggest you consider renting a long lens for specific airshows rather than making a large scale investment? I've rented Canon's EF 500 f/4L for the annual show in Chicago, just for the weekend. That's a $9k lens there's no justification for owning and far superior to a 3rd party zoom. I own a 2x extender that turns the 500mm into 1000mm. I have some recent gallery posts that show the results.

You said money is not an object, so a rental fee probably wouldn't be either. I'd go with Nikon's 600 prime, assuming I have a gimbal head and sturdy tripod too to hold this monster. These are the much more limited investments I made a few years ago when I started renting the 500 for the airshow.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I own the Nikkor 200-500 and both Sigma 150-600's, the Sport in Canon and the Contemporary in Nikon mount. I also have the matching 1.4X teleconverter for the Sport, the Nikon 1.4X III teleconverter and the 2.0X Sigma teleconverter.
I use the Sigma Sport mainly on a tripod because of its weight. Handheld shooting that sigmonster , especially an air show, would tire one out real quick. I carry the Contemporary around in the trunk of my motorcycle quite often. It's not quite as good a lens as the Sport but it is much lighter and it is good enough. For the money, the Nikkor 200-500 is a pretty amazing lens. When I'm on the hunt for flying fauna I often carry it with the 1.4X on my D500 and the Canon EF 100-400L II on my 7D II.

suterjo Loc: Delaplane, VA

I have found that OEM lenses perform better than after market lenses. Image quality is better, focus time is faster, etc. Just my subjective opinion.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I own the Nikon 200-500 and the Tamron 150-600. I've shot a couple of air shows, in the beginning with my Nikon 70-200 and later on, most recently, with my Nikon 80-400. So, have never used the 200-500 or the 150-600 for airshows. The Tamron failed me twice over time, I got it repaired, and have never used it again, it remains in a drawer. I don't want to use my tripod at an air show as I want to be quickly mobil to get the shot wherever the action is, so I can shoot with my 80-400 hand-held and get sharp shots fairly close up (the air shows I go to are smaller and I can get right off the runway, at one point I was able to get between the two runways!); I use a crop frame camera with a good buffer and a high rate of shots per seconds now, the D500: I have shot with the D800, too. Can post pics if you want to see them to ascertain if that might work for you. I use the 200-500 exclusively (there might be an exception or two) on the tripod due to how heavy it is. I have, in the past, used the Tamron hand-held, but I would only do that for a very short period of time.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

For all intents and purposes, the G2 and the Sport are equivalent, and the Nikon is an extremely close second. I personally evaluated the Sport and the Nikon prior to buying the Sport. It is sharper, has longer reach, has better weather sealing, a wider range of zoom, and provided a level of image quality closest to my Nikkor 600mm F4. The 200-500 offered a bit less IQ than I was comfortable with.

If I were to do it today, I would have to compare the G2 and the Sport side-by-side. The G2 is lighter, has the same dock function as the Sigma for customization and downloading lens firmware, and gets in closer at the minimum focus distance.

I use my Sigma Sport exclusively hand-held. You can see some of my results here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/

And this was a set of practice runs for an airshow at Stewart Airport in Newburgh NY, on 6/30/17 taken hand held with the Sigma Sport

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157688805971775

If money is no object I can give you a great deal on the 600mm F4, BTW.

And you might want to look at this review of the 200-500 and how it compares to other lenses in its focal length range:

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-200-500mm-f5-6e-vr

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Wow, I can't believe it, I actually did something that was recommended and is a good thing!! I love the combo and it has worked out really great for photo-ing birds in flight. My web site: http://www.cassinetto.com/birds.html.

ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

Thanks to all for the comments, especially the links to pics and reviews. Down to the Nikon and Sigma Sport for now, based on the info provide. Probably wind up sticking to Nikon since all my other lenses are that, along with the 1.4 teleconverter. Have the 2X, which works well with my 70-200, but based on comments wouldn't work well with the longer lens.

Thanks to all. Sure enjoy this forum and am learning a lot!

ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

Thanks to all for the comments, especially the links to pics and reviews. Down to the Nikon and Sigma Sport for now, based on the info provide. Probably wind up sticking to Nikon since all my other lenses are that, along with the 1.4 teleconverter. Have the 2X, which works well with my 70-200, but based on comments wouldn't work well with the longer lens.

Thanks to all. Sure enjoy this forum and am learning a lot!

ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

Thanks, 47greyfox!.. That was taken with a D3100, proving you don't have to have a top end camera to do OK!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You won't be happy with the 200-500 and a 1.4 TC. AF will be slow, and image quality goes down quite a bit. The Imatest score at 500mm in the Photography Life test drops from 2143 to 1620 when you tack on the 1.4x TC. If you limit the focal length to 400mm on the lens, without the TC you will see a score of 2615, which will be quite crisp, and you will likely lose a corresponding amount of sharpness with the TC, but it may still not be above the non-TC score at 500mm.

https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-200-500mm-f5-6e-vr - it is really worth taking a few minutes to look at this since it compares the 200-500 with a TC to the Sigma Sport - which is exactly what you are considering.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I shoot air shows and run the media tent. I have discovered that I am happier shooting using the 70-200 f/2.8 (handheld) because it is easier for me to pan. If your shooting some of the static displays use a wider angle lens.

(Download)

ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

Thanks, David... Last two shows I shot with the 70-200 and was reasonably happy with the results. May think some more before committing to a longer lens. Shot some air to air using my 24-120 and that was perfect. Most were shot around 80mm without me having to have the planes move out. Had advice before on slowing the shutter speed to blur the props. Riding in back of a T-6 shooting photos of a P-40 and a pair of P-51s was definitely a "good day".

ChackbayGuy Loc: South Louisiana

One shot air to air...