Nikon/Sigma/Tamron telephoto lens comparisons

I’m going to be purchasing a Nikon D300 (and MB-D10) and I need a sharp telephoto lens that can reach at least 400mm for shooting wildlife (mostly birds). I’ve made a list of possible choices. How do the following lenses compare in terms of focus speed and image quality (at the listed range)?

Nikkor 300mm f/4 with TC-14E II (at 420mm)
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 VR with TC-20E II (at 400mm)
Nikkor 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 VR (at 400mm)
Sigma 120-400 f/4.5-5.6 (at 400mm)
Sigma 150-500 f/5-6.3 (between 400 and 500)
Tamron 200-500 f/5-6.3 (between 400 and 500)

The 300mm f/4 (with teleconverter) looks like a solid bet for speed and image quality, but the versatility of the 80-400 or 70-200 (with teleconverter) is tempting. What’s the difference in image quality? I’ve read that the Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 is one of the fastest, sharpest Nikon lenses out there. However, when extended to 400mm how does it compare to the 300mm (at 420 with 1.4x TC) or the 80-400 (at 400mm)?

How do the Tamron and Sigma lenses stack up to the Nikkor lenses? I don’t know as much about these third-party lenses.

Image quality and sharpness is very important to me.

The lenses listed are basically all I’m looking at. I’d love to be able to buy a 400, 500, or 600mm Nikkor prime (or 200-400 for that matter) but they’re way out of my price bracket. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I use the 80-400 VR for birds, wildlife, and landscapes. It is a Very sharp lens with good contrast. You will want to use the focus limiter switch to avid hunting which can be very frustrating as this is not the fastest focusing lens in town. It is fast enough to track a swan, goose, or heron coming straight at you. Most of the bird photos and wildlife photos on my site are with this lens.

Morris

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http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~morris/POD

Thanks for your reply. Has anyone here used the Sigma or Tamron lenses?

I went for the sigma 100-300 f4 with the sigma 1.4 TC and have been really impressed. The 100-300 f4 is superb across the range, even wide open. I'm struggling to see any significant degradation with the sigma TC

I have the 70-200 w/ 2x and Tamron 200-500. I posted some comparisons here a while ago. At 400, the Tamron is a clear winner. It does noticably degrade as it approaches 500. The Tamron is also much lighter. I love my 70-200, but turn to the Tamron for wildlife (lust for the long primes).

Most posters here swear by the 200 w/ 1.4x if zoom isn't important to you and it's in your price range.

Rick
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Rick L
http://www.pbase.com/ricklawrence/root

Just purchased the Sigma 150 – 500 OS. OS is very important to me as I use it for Humming birds and other birds and wildlife and needed a long lens for handholding. I do like it and given some restrictions (not very sharp at f5.6 but gets better at f8 and great at f11) gives very sharp pictures. There have been a few people doing some test shots with this lens and posted their findings in this forum.

This is my first lens that is that long so I do not have any information regarding comparison. I am using it on my D300 and also D70. OS is somewhat lout. I had some issues with that actually. The noise scared a hummer away that was somewhat close by. OS does take about a second or 2 before kicking in. Focusing on the D300 is very fast in good light but slows down in not so good lighting conditions.

I did also have some focusing issues and did post the problem and was told to make sure to turn of OS before turning of the camera and did not have any problem since.

On the D70 focus is no where as fast as on the D300 and sometimes hunts for some time before looking in focus. I was using it for 2 weeks with the D70 as the D300 was at Nikon for repair.

These are just my findings with the Sigma 150-500 OS. Bottom line, it does what I purchased it for without braking the bank.

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Menace about taking pictures of anything and anybody

Erwin

Just posted the following on a similar thread:

I've had the Tamron 200-500 for over two years and found it to be an effective and cheap way to reach 500 which is very usefull for small birds. The optics are precise but you much use high iso and speed, in good light, to use handheld as its not stabilized. With a D200 its touch and go, with a D300 its works wonders.

Have just replaced the Tamron with the Sigma 150-500 which has the advantage of being stabilized and good construction quality (but not tropicalized).

Am very happy with that lens and can shoot flying birds handheld in my garden.

However, again, if you want to use it handheld you must use it at 800 iso minima and over 1/1000s to get clear shots. Again the D300 is needed. The zoom feature means that you can use it at close range, at 150mm for any other use, such as portraits or macros (not as good as the 150 vr, or course).

You should also consider the Nikon 300mm with the 1.4 Kenco or Nikon TC. This gives you an unbeatable 420 mm reach with very precise images. Its a light combination which can be handled with ease at high iso.

I bought a second hand Nikon 300mm F/4 ED AF (non s) with the leather lens cap and filter slot and use it with and without the Kenco 1.4 TC (it won't work with the new Nikon 1.4TC, by the way) and find it excellent. Most people find that the 300mm + 1.4 TC's are an unbeatable combination and they are probably right.

Have run tests on pigeons from about 40 meters (120 feet), hand held, with the D300, in poor light, and found that the Nikon 300 + 1.4TC is somewhat sharper at 420mm than the Sigma at 500mm. However after some sharpening post procesing, the result is nearly the same.

For my use, mostly garden work with small birds, handheld, I find the Sigma zoom features a better choice given its flexibility of range.

THE CHOICE IS ALL A MATTER OF YOUR USAGE. If you are desperate for tack shap images for sale,and need 80% keepers, buy they BEST glass. If you are a fun loving and bird loving amateur, as I am, buy the cheaper glass and be happy.

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http://www.pbase.com/peter55/galleries

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http://www.pbase.com/peter55/galleries

close range but I can't tell you about further away. I have full size close range samples if you want. Around 6 feet or so
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George with the (big) rack

I recently purchased the Sigma 150 - 500. I looked at almost all the lens you mentioned. I am using the lens for sports (Soccer) of my children. The sharpness I think is Nikon's 80-400 but the slow focus of the lens eliminated it. I was hoping Nikon would announce a new lens at Photokina 80-400 with AFS - but that di dnot happen.

I have been extremely happy with the Sigma lens. it is sharp and has good contrast. It focuses fast and I can hand hold it the lens. I am using a D700 btw. For the money it is hard to beat.

This is my first non Nikon lens and I believe I made the right choice. I also have the Nikon 70-300mm and I like that lens too. I just needed the extra reach of the Sigma and I did not want to use a TC-XX. If money was no object I would get the Nikon 200-400. It is a beast. But since that lens is 5K, I definitely would recommend the SIgma 150-500.

I agree that if money were no object the 200-400 would be the way I'd go. But, as I said earlier, I went for the sigma 100-300 with a sigma 1.4TC. I am amazed at how good this lens and TC are. It's the first TC that if I want 150-300, I wouldn't remove it from the lens. The only time it comes off is for the 100-150 gap. At 420mm on DX it is a superb lens, even wide open which is where I use it most of the time.