For Airshows.. Sigma 120-400 or Sigma 150-500?

I am trying to decide which of those to get. Performance appears similar, prices, at least in the used market, are similar. What you see in my siggy is the only glass I own. I need something with more reach for the things I enjoy photographing- aviation closely followed by wildlife.

My choices, due to my inability to go over a grand, for reach and versatility of a zoom, are either a used Sigma 120-400 or a Sigma 150-500. The Bigmos has a max aperture of 6.3 at the long end. The 120-400 is slightly faster but 100mm shorter. It doesn't seem like there is a huge difference in weight of the two. To get max sharpness out of my kit lens, I tend to stay in f/8 and am pleased with the performance of my lens. Are either of these lenses comparable in IQ to my kit lens, especially at the long end?

For all of you air show shooters, which would you choose if in my shoes? For a lot of people, the 100-400 seems to be the favorite, but that is out of my budget, even for a decent condition used copy.

Thanks!

I'd say go for the 150-500, extra length is always useful, a great lens, had mine for three years before upgrading to 120-300 f2.8 which I use with a 2X, now that blighter is heavy waving at planes!

I just had this problem myself.

I was close with going for the Sigma 150-500mm, but ended up with the Canon 400 F/5.6.

I don't tend to use telephotos with anything but the long end so the 400 fixed seemed logical... its a great value L that's sharp wide open... no IS though which shouldn't matter for an Airshow.

I don't have a problem with Sigma but I always seem to move on to the Canon equivalent in the end so skipped out the middle bit this time.

I've got access to both lenses, I use the 150-500 OS most of the time for aviation and wildlife on my 5D3, while I occasionally borrow the wifes 120-400 OS to go on my back up body, which has recently gone from a 60D to a 7D. The 150-500 will probably be your best bet as you can never have too much reach and it's sharp, even wide open at f6.3. The OS system makes it easy to handle and there's not a lot of weight difference but I hand hold the 150-500 all day without any problems.

This was taken with a 60D and 120-400 OS at a recent airshow,

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/67765667@N08/7​530225548/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/67765667@N08/7​516179970/

Thanks very much for the comments. My dilemma, as you can see, is more reach in a slightly slower lens or a bit less reach but faster. Something is telling me I'm going to be happiest with more reach. I think the Bigmos is likely the one I will go for.

Air show images generated by a Sigma 150-500mm OS lens.

SkyBaby wrote in post #15094318
Thanks very much for the comments. My dilemma, as you can see, is more reach in a slightly slower lens or a bit less reach but faster. Something is telling me I'm going to be happiest with more reach. I think the Bigmos is likely the one I will go for.

we're talking 1/3 of a stop here...it's not a huge difference...i just used my 150-500OS over the weekend for the 2nd time trying to get airshow shots...in my limited experience, i think airshows need a zoom, there were many times where i had to back off of 500mm...also the OS is beneficial if you want to slow things down to show some prop blur...i'll post up some pics later

DreDaze wrote in post #15094423
we're talking 1/3 of a stop here...it's not a huge difference...i just used my 150-500OS over the weekend for the 2nd time trying to get airshow shots...in my limited experience, i think airshows need a zoom, there were many times where i had to back off of 500mm...also the OS is beneficial if you want to slow things down to show some prop blur...i'll post up some pics later

You just answered my other question in your first sentence. That was something I was curious about too. That's why I don't want a prime, despite the stellar performance. I need zoom. I know that for sure.