I Have to disagree with your findings.
I think everyone here agrees the 50 - 200 is an optically better lens, ( a better value? - No, my 40 - 150 was FREE !, there was no difference between the 1 lens and 2 lens price when I bought my E500 early last fall ) that’s not the debate, as I see it. For the user who posted the question and judging bye his one reply th $800 TO $1000 is not affordable at the moment and or presumably not worth it, which really only leaves a few alternatives. The Not so great or probably the same, sigma 50 - 200 ( I never Used it ) or any combo legacy glass with an adapter.
Not knowing the poster I will make a further assumption that he / she also wants full Functionality, NOT manual focus and F stop metering, there by eliminating all but the sigma 50 - 200.
As far as your findings that the 50 - 200 would have produced a better photo, it may or may not have. At the same 150 setting you would have had one extra stop of speed possibly even two. So at that point you could have decreased the ISO and or increased the shutter speed ( you could have also gone to 4.5 on your aperture but that’s an argument for another time. ). Would this really have given you a better photo?
Lets me play devils advocate and assume you were able to not only decrease the iso but, increase the shutter as well. How much better would the pic really have been? Not $900 better IMO.
I would have leaned cam against a tree or placed it on a rock or something and hoped for the best.
I to Loathe tripods so I understand your frustration but IMO I don’t think the 50 - 200 results would have warranted the extra expense, Over a lifetime maybe, factoring in the extra weight and expense I still say no.
Im waiting for better higher ISO performance or in cam / lens VR to help offset the differences in lens speed, these do work as is proven bye other cam / lenses and in your situation particularly they might have made the difference. Again, this is just my opinion based on your scenario. Although for me, since most of my shooting is Action Shots, VR sadly wont help, So I to need both speed and a better ISO combo.
What I still don’t understand is why everyone is excited about Sigmas release of what almost everyone has called mediocre lenses at best into the 4/3 format.
They have warehouses of this stuff that isn’t selling so some genius finally decided to slap on a 4/3 mount and give it a shot. .Wouldn’t you? I am surprised it took so long to do it.
To my knowledge all but two of the so far released and announced to be released Sigma Lenses are NOT made for Digital. And both of those, though I have no experience with them, I will this one time do what I hate and say - " from what I read these seem to be inferior to Olys offerings"
With that said, the 30 1.4 is on my watch list and if I can sample it and its better then the 35 Oly which I own, I am prepared to buy it. Mainly because I think the 35 is to slow, but I love its size and weight and it is also a little long for my tastes. I also think the Leica 25, which is the length I want, will be over $1000 if and when its ever released. So that one wont make it to my bag.
While the Made for Digital makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE to me, it is one of the sole foundations of 4/3 and the Oly lens myth. Nearly every person on this forum has at one point used this as an argument for why 4/3 and oly lenses are better. I am not here to argue that point, if you feel it is a reason Oly lenses are better , I have no problem with it. But, at the same time if that is one of your beliefs then it goes with out saying that any Sigma or other Non Digital Specific lens will be inferior including all Oly Legacy glass.
On a side not, the 300- 800 Sigma while an amazing lens on paper, is probably the last one or two of the 20 originally produced ( if that many ) and the cost of slapping on a 4/3 adapter vs the chance of it selling, (if it does ) makes that decision worthy of a Noble Laureate. Any adapter or marketing that would give this limited use uber Expensive behemoth a shot at selling is not only worth it for sigma but mandatary. assuming it is one they have in stock locked away in a vault somewhere. I highly doubt they would make a new one to order unless its paid in Full , In Advance.
