options for 500mm?

If money was no object, I would not be able to resist adding a 500mm f/4L IS to the arsenal for birding, but this is well out of my price range at $5,500. Strangely, the Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO EX HSM does not seem to be much cheaper, listing for $4,199 at B&H. Of course, a far less expensive way to reach 500mm would be the Sigma 50-500mm (Bigma) or Tamron 200-500. Are there other viable options for reaching 500mm I'm missing?

i hear the bigma is a wonderful lens.. but a super light hog.. like any zoom.

The Bigma is probably the best way to reach 500mm within a reasonable budget.

I thought about the bigma too. I wonder what the resale is like. Im going to try to search for this lens with TC's.

Do you need AF? If not there are many other choices (than those already mentioned.) Bigma is a good value. Used SIgma 500/4.5's go for a lot less (than the new price) if you can find one.

This may seem a strange approach but I'm planning on buying the canon 300mm f2.8 as it is one of the sharpest lenses that canon have produced and team that with the mark 2 1.4x and 2x extenders to make
300mm f2.8
420mm f4
600mm f5.6
this should far better results then the Bigma and be more fleible then the sigma 500 f4.5
i think a good used 300 f2.8 can be brought for £1300-1500

^^
Not a strange approach at all.

I was also decided on the same purchase, alas, at the store, while negotiating the ordering and price of a new 300/2.8IS, a mint condition 500/4IS came my way at $3.500 - could not say no...

However, and although I am totaly pleased with the 500/4, I still think a 300/2.8 plus TCs would beat the 500 in terms of portability, size and ... "stupid comments with your long telephoto lens"... Hell, I am even leaving the hood in the bag during the cloudy winter days.

However, for 500 "on the cheap", I would really consider another option.

A used 1DMkII, a 400/5.6 and a 1.4xTC. The whole lot would cost much less than a 500/4 and I have found that doing BIF with the 350D and 500/4 AF is sometimes better switched off. I can achieve more focused shots with MF than with AF, especially if it is cloudy.

The Bigma is a praised lens but I have found the test crops at the digital picture to be disappointing. True - these tests are really harsh and most real life shots don't contain that level of detail, but the difference is there when the camera body is quick and accurate enough to focus correctly on the subject.

A canon 300 f4 w a 1.4 tc is great on your 20D would be 420mm not 500. But price about $1,100 plus a 1.4 Tc $249 =$1,349.
Some thing to think about

For birds your 100-400 zoom is going to be about the same as a bigma, trust me. A 500 f/4 is really a 700mm and a 1000 mm lens for birding.

vjack wrote in post #4631300
... Strangely, the Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO EX HSM does not seem to be much cheaper, listing for $4,199 at B&H.

I don't think your missing anything worth looking at if 500mm with no T-Con is the goal, but you do have some approx $1k or less options listed on the same page with some $5k options.. there are ways to get there in between that may be worth considering as well.
First off the SIGMA 500mm f/4.5 EX

This is THE BEST low cost option, BUT only if you buy it used.
Used they can be had for approx $2k - $2,500.00 or so.

This gives you high end Canon Prime image quality and handling at about 1/2 the price.
You lose only IS and that .5 in aperture. I highly recommend this route if you are serious about getting a good quality 500mm that will last you a while.

Here's a comparison with the Canon 500mm;
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=69791


Other options that are preferable to most zooms are the EF 300mm f/2.8 with T-cons, or the 400mm f/5.6 alone and with a 1.4x T-Con.
The 300mm can handle both 1.4x and 2x quite well, the 400mm dos alright with the 1,.4x but you lose a lot of light and functionality.

I'm looking at your gear though and you already have the 100-400mm L so I would suggest that unless the goal is only AF speed and optical quality, that the 400mm prime is not a solution. Nor is the 300mm f/4 and T-con.

IMHO owning the 100-400mm also rules out any of the 500mm Zooms as well. The 100-400mm beats them all for useability and likely for image quality as well.

If 400mm is not enough the only way your really going to better that is with a real fast prime. IMHO
Look at used SIGMA closely of a Canon f/4L is out of the question.
Otherwise there is no reason to shell out any more $$ for another tube in your bag.

morehtml wrote in post #4631834
For birds your 100-400 zoom is going to be about the same as a bigma, trust me. A 500 f/4 is really a 700mm and a 1000 mm lens for birding.

What he said,

...you use the 500mm alone rarely and for handheld BIF shots, and go to the 1.4x 80% of the time or more.

sportysnaps wrote in post #4631630
This may seem a strange approach but I'm planning on buying the canon 300mm f2.8 as it is one of the sharpest lenses that canon have produced and team that with the mark 2 1.4x and 2x extenders to make
300mm f2.8
420mm f4
600mm f5.6
this should far better results then the Bigma and be more fleible then the sigma 500 f4.5
i think a good used 300 f2.8 can be brought for £1300-1500

Not strange at all. This is the route I'm taking.

Am I correct that I would need a new camera body to go the canon 300mm f2.8 + 2x TC route and maintain AF, or would this work on my 20D?

vjack wrote in post #4635609
Am I correct that I would need a new camera body to go the canon 300mm f2.8 + 2x TC route and maintain AF, or would this work on my 20D?

No....the 300mm f2.8 and 2x TC will autofocus with your 20D....the 2x TC will make the lens f5.6, which is max for 20D camera. 1D series allow autofocus upto f8 with TC options.

Depending on your budget the 300mm f2.8 (non IS) is a good alternative and cheaper than the IS version, also there's the sigma 120-300mm f2.8 which is another alternative, add a TC.

A friend had the 50-500mm and wasn't very impressed with it, although the range is good, its affordable, its heavy and not really handholdable, monopod or tripod use.

It's one of the budget lenses recommend for airshows along with the 100-400mm, my only reluctance with it, is it's not fast and it would struggle in anything other than good light conditions, and before people start jumping on my band wagon, we don't get good light conditions in the UK that often, but then again, I'm sure with the right conditions results would be OK.

Peter

Why not just stick a taped pins 1.4x on your 100-400mm?

I used that set up very happily (on my 30D) to take these: http://www.capture-the-moment.co.uk …th-norfolk-september-2007