need lens help: Hi, new to group, and what good stuff comes out of this forum. Retiring end of month leaving old film and went digital. Purchased a canon 70d and a canon 24-105 for...

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

Hi, new to group, and what good stuff comes out of this forum. Retiring end of month leaving old film and went digital. Purchased a canon 70d and a canon 24-105 for daily shooting. Need more glass, like doing nature and going to Africa next year. Anyway choices canon 100-400,
Sigma 50-500
Sigma 150-600
I have looked at comparisons, shots taken and posts.
Sggestions please

bigtex2000 Loc: Arlington, TX

bob fleer wrote:

Hi, new to group, and what good stuff comes out of this forum. Retiring end of month leaving old film and went digital. Purchased a canon 70d and a canon 24-105 for daily shooting. Need more glass, like doing nature and going to Africa next year. Anyway choices canon 100-400,
Sigma 50-500
Sigma 150-600
I have looked at comparisons, shots taken and posts.
Sggestions please

Welcome to the forum Bob....I am currently using the Tamron 18-270 as my everyday lense on my Canon T3i, and it is a great lens for sure. If you are thinking about non Canon lenses, this is one you might consider. Tamron also has the new 150-600 as well and several discussions on here about it as well. Good Luck, and can't wait to photos from Africa.

skooters Loc: Flagstaff, Arizona

Tamron 150-600 for me. I got mine for Canon a little while ago and I have been very pleased with the IQ and the lens quality. For the price it has been an above average lens for me.

bigtex2000 Loc: Arlington, TX

skooters wrote:

Tamron 150-600 for me. I got mine for Canon a little while ago and I have been very pleased with the IQ and the lens quality. For the price it has been an above average lens for me.

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

amehta Loc: Boston

bob fleer wrote:

Hi, new to group, and what good stuff comes out of this forum. Retiring end of month leaving old film and went digital. Purchased a canon 70d and a canon 24-105 for daily shooting. Need more glass, like doing nature and going to Africa next year. Anyway choices canon 100-400,
Sigma 50-500
Sigma 150-600
I have looked at comparisons, shots taken and posts.
Sggestions please

Welcome!

Your four choices are
1. Canon 100-400mm (an update is likely to be announced next month)
2. Sigma 50-500mm
3. Sigma 150-500mm
4. Tamron 150-600mm
I would at least wait to see what the new Canon option is before deciding. It is likely to be about $2500, so then the question of budget has to at least be asked. There is every reason to expect the new Canon will be the sharpest of the bunch, the question is whether the extra focal length of the Tamron is enough for that to win.

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

yes I left out the Tamron 150-600 by mistake. this was a lens I am considering. The new canon at $2500 well a bit out my range. but possibly the older canon will come down and be a good choice. From what I am reading. the Tamron and the Sigma 150-500 start to loose some as they get out there. But from the pictures that have been posted by users of all of the lenses it is all fairly close. Would you agree

amehta Loc: Boston

bob fleer wrote:

yes I left out the Tamron 150-600 by mistake. this was a lens I am considering. The new canon at $2500 well a bit out my range. but possibly the older canon will come down and be a good choice. From what I am reading. the Tamron and the Sigma 150-500 start to loose some as they get out there. But from the pictures that have been posted by users of all of the lenses it is all fairly close. Would you agree

I have seen so much conflicting information about the Bigma (Sigma 150-500mm) and Bigron (Tamron 150-600mm), when compared with the Canon 100-400mm and Nikon 80-400mm (old and new), that I'm not sure what to think. I think one of the challenges with getting feedback is that different people have different requirements and expectations when evaluating the lenses.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am a Nikon shooter so I am not very familiar with Canon glass. I am not familiar either with the lenses you have selected for future purchase. The only reason why I am posting is because you have mentioned a future trip to Africa.
I have never been to Africa either but through my friend and my ophthalmologist Dr. Davis I have seen so many pictures of his many trips to Africa that if I had to go I think I would be in a good position to know exactly what I need. He is also a Nikon shooter.
His prime lens for wildlife has been a rented 600mm f4 VR and he swears by this lens. His other lens in another body is the old 80-400 VR. For general photography, including portraits, he uses the 18-200 VR.
I am used to see the pictures he makes in Africa and I tell you they are superb.
Good luck with the selection of your lens.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

That's why the best advice he can be given is to rent them & decide what works best for him....

amehta wrote:

I have seen so much conflicting information about the Bigma (Sigma 150-500mm) and Bigron (Tamron 150-600mm), when compared with the Canon 100-400mm and Nikon 80-400mm (old and new), that I'm not sure what to think. I think one of the challenges with getting feedback is that different people have different requirements and expectations when evaluating the lenses.

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

Thank you all for your input. Trip is next year so there is time. Good idea about rentig, could invest some money and road test.

amehta Loc: Boston

Screamin Scott wrote:

That's why the best advice he can be given is to rent them & decide what works best for him....

I've started to move away from the "rent it and figure it out for yourself" response because, as in this case, the rentals of three lenses would cost over $200. I wonder if spending an hour in a store which has all three in stock would be sufficient to decide? If not, then renting may be the right course of action.

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

I do agree with you point. But that in the area where i live big box stores and online merchants have forced all but one photoograhy shop out of business. I will call see what they have in stock

amehta Loc: Boston

bob fleer wrote:

I do agree with you point. But that in the area where i live big box stores and online merchants have forced all but one photoograhy shop out of business. I will call see what they have in stock

Yes, most photography shops are no longer in business. I would say that "we the consumers" have done this, but the effect is the same.

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

The rich get richer and the others hope saved and invested properly for early retirement

amehta Loc: Boston

bob fleer wrote:

The rich get richer and the others hope saved and invested properly for early retirement

True.