Sigma 150-600mm vs Tamron SP 150-600mm lens? I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens.

JZL

I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens. Is any one familiar with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Zoom Lens (Contemporary) and Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom lens? Which one is better? Please give me suggestions and advice. I really appreciate it!
(I knew Sigma can be used on both my cameras and Tamron only on D7100).

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Being on Nikon, and $1500 to spend, you really should be looking at the Nikon 200-500. It is really a toss up/flip a coin between the Sigma and Tamron you mention. The docking feature of the Sigma, properly used, is thought to be one advantage of the Sigma over the others.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I would vote for the Sigma Sport. Had one and it is super sharp. Worth the difference in price on your budget.

JZL wrote:

I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens. Is any one familiar with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Zoom Lens (Contemporary) and Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom lens? Which one is better? Please give me suggestions and advice. I really appreciate it!
(I knew Sigma can be used on both my cameras and Tamron only on D7100).

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

PixelStan77 wrote:

I would vote for the Sigma Sport. Had one and it is super sharp. Worth the difference in price on your budget.

Keep in mind, it is not just $$ money or IQ concerns, but the commitment to the size and weight management that separates the the Sigma Sport from the others.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

JZL wrote:

I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens. Is any one familiar with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Zoom Lens (Contemporary) and Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom lens? Which one is better? Please give me suggestions and advice. I really appreciate it!
(I knew Sigma can be used on both my cameras and Tamron only on D7100).

Why would the Tamron be useful only on the D7100? Shouldn't it work equally well on a D5100?

Whatever, I picked up the original Tamron not too long after it was released. Then of course Sigma came out with what seemed to be a slightly better lens. The horrors of being an early adopter... : - )

Of course now Tamron has what appears to be an even better model. The G2 has custom 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, but it has VC (Vibration Compensation) that is just phenomenal.

Take a look at Matt Granger's YouTube review of the Tamron 150-600mm G2, with hand held shots at 600mm with a shutter speed of 1/10, and with the 2X TC, for a 1200mm focal length, at 1/25!

JZL

Thanks to imagemeister, PixelStan77 and Apaflo ! I will check Nikon 200-500, too!

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I own a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary in Nikon mount, a Nikkor 200-500 and a Sigma 150-600 Sport in Canon mount. On my Nikon I prefer the 200-500 with a Nikkor 1.4 teleconverter. The Sigma Sport with the Sigma 1.4 teleconverter works great on my Canon but on the Nikon, D7200 & D500, the Nikkor lens is the way to go.

finsntwisters Loc: Fly over country(Neb)

I've shot them both on a crop Nikon, Tamron G2 smoked the Sigma Contemp. The VC is unbelievable!

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

JZL wrote:

I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens. Is any one familiar with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Zoom Lens (Contemporary) and Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom lens? Which one is better? Please give me suggestions and advice. I really appreciate it!
(I knew Sigma can be used on both my cameras and Tamron only on D7100).

Go with the Sigma and forget the docking port option. iMHO, just more things to screw up.

Jim Bob

PixelStan77 wrote:

I would vote for the Sigma Sport. Had one and it is super sharp. Worth the difference in price on your budget.

But how does it compare to the new Tamron?

Jim Bob

JZL wrote:

I am an amateur and like to take birds photos, and have a budget of $1500. I use Nikon D5100 and D7100. I would like to get a better lens. Is any one familiar with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Zoom Lens (Contemporary) and Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zoom lens? Which one is better? Please give me suggestions and advice. I really appreciate it!
(I knew Sigma can be used on both my cameras and Tamron only on D7100).

I have the Sigma Contemporary and it is excellent. However, I have no experience with the new Tamron. I do own version one. But that is not relevant to your post.

Jim Bob

finsntwisters wrote:

I've shot them both on a crop Nikon, Tamron G2 smoked the Sigma Contemp. The VC is unbelievable!

In what ways. Hyperbole is not informative.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Jim Bob wrote:

In what ways. Hyperbole is not informative.

See the YouTube review I cited above. The Tamron has three switch selected modes for VC. One of them works well enough to get sharp images hand held at 600mm with a shutter speed of 1/10 of a second. Seeing is believing the unbelievable hyperbole.

Jim Bob

Apaflo wrote:

Why would the Tamron be useful only on the D7100? ... (show quote)

Watched the video. Only a cursory evaluation at best and no conclusive information on image quality.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Jim Bob wrote:

Watched the video. Only a cursory evaluation at best and no conclusive information on image quality.

You asked about the VC capabilities, and then complain because the cited response did not discuss something else.

Stay focused! (Or get focused.)