Looking for a 400mm lens

Am in the market for one if these. Options are the Canon 100-400. Canon 400 prime, sigma 120-400 or as an option the Sigma 50-500.

Opinions please. My camera is the Canon 7d

Helps if we know a little about your photography .
What do you like to shoot and what do you want to shoot with 400mm

Sorry for that. I like to photograph rallying & the odd train here & there. I do have a Canon 1.4EX also. Which lenses would this work with?

a 1.4X won't work with any of the lenses you've mentioned...you could get a 300mm f4IS if you really want to use the 1.4X

if you've got the budget for it, the 100-400L is probably the best bet

DreDaze wrote in post #15873558
a 1.4X won't work with any of the lenses you've mentioned...you could get a 300mm f4IS if you really want to use the 1.4X

if you've got the budget for it, the 100-400L is probably the best bet

Don't you think that is a misleading statement with no mention of AF?

OP, if you want to take photos with 100-400 or 400 5.6 with 1.4 TC you definitely can. The issue DreDaze is referring to is the fact that unless you tape over a pin on (Canon brand ) TC, AF will not work.
7D AF limited to F5.6, with a 1.4TC, now F8, 7D will not attempt to Autofocus.
1D can, and since 5D3 firmware update a few days ago, it can too.

DreDaze wrote in post #15873558
a 1.4X won't work with any of the lenses you've mentioned...you could get a 300mm f4IS if you really want to use the 1.4X

if you've got the budget for it, the 100-400L is probably the best bet

The 1.4 extender actually will work with the lenses you mentioned. You will just have to focus manually, as autofocus will not work, unless you are using a 1 series camera (or the 5D3 with new firmware).

Tom Reichner wrote in post #15873715
The 1.4 extender actually will work with the lenses you mentioned. You will just have to focus manually, as autofocus will not work, unless you are using a 1 series camera (or the 5D3 with new firmware).

we must have different definitions of work...i mean work as it's intended to(AF, and everything)...you apparently mean usable...

if i sold you a lens with busted AF, but said it works fine because you can still manual focus...you'd probably want your money back...and rightfully so, because the lens doesn't really work...

also the Canon TC most likely won't physically fit on either of the sigma lenses...

I used to own the Canon 100-400 and have tried a few Canon 400 F5.6 L's. For me the best choice was the Canon 300 F4 L IS - probably why I still have mine even though I now have the Canon 300 F2.8!
I find it to be a very flexible focal length on both FF and 1.3 crop, though a little less versatile on 1.6 crop. IQ is excellent and very good with a 1.4 extender. This lens is quite useable with the Canon 2 x Mk3 extender - though you will not have AF on your 7D and will need decent light.

Half of the information is often more dangerous than none.

I think the clarification was not only helpful, but mandatory. I would have done the same, and not expected negative feedback from the one that left it out.

Frosticles, in addition, of the lenses you list, the T-Con will "work" best with the 400mm f/5.6L, as T-Cons usually give better image quality results with primes. The 400 f/5.6L prime is no exception.

For the same reasons you will get great results from the 300mm f/4L IS, with the added benefits of full autofocus and Image Stabiliazation. But of course, you go from 560mm down to 420mm with the T-Con on the 300mm.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #15873797
Half of the information is often more dangerous than none.

I think the clarification was not only helpful, but mandatory. I would have done the same, and not expected negative feedback from the one that left it out.

Frosticles, in addition, of the lenses you list, the T-Con will "work" best with the 400mm f/5.6L, as T-Cons usually give better image quality results with primes. The 400 f/5.6L prime is no exception.

For the same reasons you will get great results from the 300mm f/4L IS, with the added benefits of full autofocus and Image Stabiliazation. But of course, you go from 560mm down to 420mm with the T-Con on the 300mm.

since you did the TC compatability sticky do you know if the new sigma 50-500OS is compatible with the 1.4TC physically? I saw one post that said the 120-400OS isn't...in the Sticky you list the old non OS 50-500mm version as being incompatible...I would assume it's the same?

DreDaze wrote in post #15873770
we must have different definitions of work...i mean work as it's intended to(AF, and everything)...you apparently mean usable...

if i sold you a lens with busted AF, but said it works fine because you can still manual focus...you'd probably want your money back...and rightfully so, because the lens doesn't really work...

also the Canon TC most likely won't physically fit on either of the sigma lenses...

You just used the word "focus" in you busted lens sale example.
If you had used that word in your fist post to explain your definition of "won't work" your 2nd post would not have been required.

Choderboy wrote in post #15873950
You just used the word "focus" in you busted lens sale example.
If you had used that word in your fist post to explain your definition of "won't work" your 2nd post would not have been required.

true...but it may not work for the sigmas at all...i may be only half wrong...

DreDaze wrote in post #15873842
since you did the TC compatability sticky do you know if the new sigma 50-500OS is compatible with the 1.4TC physically? I saw one post that said the 120-400OS isn't...in the Sticky you list the old non OS 50-500mm version as being incompatible...I would assume it's the same?

Actually, I do not know this one. The info in there does date back to the Pre-OS version. (we are talking about the Canon 1.4X ?) and it looks like I had poor or inconsistent info even back then.
"50-500mm EX (non IS) ---------------EF MkII Versions do not fit well. (would like further info)"
that's the most vague description in the entire post!

The SIGMA T-Cons fit, which means it would be a rare exception that the Canons don't as the SIGMA T-Cons also have protruding front elements, but the Canon's are slightly (like mm) wider diameter.

Frosticles wrote in post #15873345
Am in the market for one if these. Options are the Canon 100-400. Canon 400 prime, sigma 120-400 or as an option the Sigma 50-500.

Opinions please. My camera is the Canon 7d

Most popular opinion will be 100-400 or 400 5.6 I am sure.
Therefore consult any one of a thousand or so threads on that.
And I'd add 300 4 IS to the mix. Has the prime advantage of the 400 5.6, with IS and close focusing advantage of 100-400.

Many threads discussing differences.
I'd say, in use:
400 5.6 get's every last bit of quality for long shots when you are often cropping as you really want a 600 and AF is best of all. Evrything else a compromise.

100-400 and 300 F4 allow you to get close for butterflies and bigger insects, flowers, headshots of people, IS benefits obvious, zoom benefit of 100-400 obvious too.

Pick your cake and eat it.

Google is working today.
http://photo.net/equip​ment/sigma/50-500os/
The Canon TCs won’t fit on the Sigma 50-500 OS HSM because the aperture at the back of the lens isn’t large enough to accommodate the protruding front element of the Canon TCs.
..........
However, the Sigma TCs will fit okay and the Tamron 1.4x TC, which I have also fits on the 50-500.