Hypothetical question.

Say you had some money to burn, which bit of glass would you gofor?

Canon 500 f4L IS (The big white god)

or

Sigma 300 - 800 f5.6

Both are enormous and heavy of course, but which one??

I have both. What are you going to shoot? From where? What's your longest lens now?

@gasrocks you should be a MOD of a new section on POTN for Alternative Lenses with that gear list.

@OP - The answer depends upon both the subject and conditions..... So, what are you shooting, and in what kind of light?

Thanks Sam. I think there is a reluctance to talk about non-Canon equipment in general here. I think that is the main benefit of using a Canon DSLR - ability to use alternative lenses. After all, Canon does not make everything.

I think you'll find that the faster lens is a real benefit in normal UK lighting conditions and it'll take a 1.4x for the times when you need somthing longer.

Bob

I'd personally go with the 500 f/4.

gasrocks wrote in post #6305537
Thanks Sam. I think there is a reluctance to talk about non-Canon equipment in general here. I think that is the main benefit of using a Canon DSLR - ability to use alternative lenses. After all, Canon does not make everything.

As time goes on, I'm increasingly interested in the MF alternatives; results can be incredible.

On another note, I wonder where the OP went......

I don't know if you could go that far wrong with either. Both appear to have pretty stellar results for what they are.

If we do hear form the OP, I'll probably tell them to work up to the expensive lenses like most of the rest of us did. I had an EF 300/4, then 400/5.6, then FD 500/4.5, then EF 500/4.5 before getting the 500/4 L IS. SIgmonster is a very special tool that most people never manage to master so I'm reluctant to suggest it.