Canon 70-300IS with Sigma 150-500 OS or 100-400 IS?

I have already got a sharp copy of 70-300 IS USM. I need more reach and I love OS/IS for handheld photography.
I want to have more options by spending about £500+.

So two option are to buy Sigma 150-500 OS and keep 70-300 for portability or sell it and buy a 100-400 IS.

Thank you all GURUs in advance for guiding me the correct way!

Having owned all three I would go for the 150-500mm IS and keep the 70-300mm IS if you want to do that. if it was me my first choice would be build towards a 70-200mm 4.0 IS and 400mm 5.6 L combo. Better IQ but no IS/OS/VR of course. But the 150-500mm Is a very good lens and most flexible option. I don't rate the 100-400mm IS ... sorry. Lots do so take your choice.

Did you check into the Sigma 120-400 OS ?

I have just returned from a safari in Tanzania where I used a Canon 450D and Sigma 150-500 OS. I am absolutely delighted by this combination.

I just got back from borneo and carried my 150-500 evertwhere. Quite heavy with all the gear but fantastic range and great lens. Takes a while to get used to hand holding the beast but the OS is great. Sell the 70-300 and save and get the 70-200 f4IS and the 150-500 combo. In my opinion both are great lenses and versatile.

Here are some shot from my borneo trip and Hong Kong wetland center with the SIGMOS -

Wow nice pics I got my copy of the BigMOS and I was very disappointed with it. Maybe I got a bad copy?

I also have the 150-500 OS and am very pleased with it... I recently came back from a safari in SA and swaziland and used this lens most of the time... I only used my sigma 70-200 f2.8 for night drives with a flash, so probably 90% of telephoto work was with the bigmos and i loved it. I think the 70-300 IS would make a great completement and would only trade it for one of canon's 70-200.

Whichever long lens you choose, I'd keep the 70-300 for those occasions where you want something lighter to walk around with. It's a fine lens, you already own it. Why take a hit in the wallet by trading it in?

So 150-500 OS is better than EF 100-400 IS?

funhouse69 wrote in post #6445646
Wow nice pics I got my copy of the BigMOS and I was very disappointed with it. Maybe I got a bad copy?

There was a firmware update for using on a 40D. There a note about it and the serial numbers on the sigma website.

Syntrix - can you provide a link for that info please? I looked and did not find it.

It's hidden on the jp site!

http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/ne​ws/info_080527.htm

I see lots of admirers for 150-500 here. Some other forums I follow, criticizes it for slower AF and soft images especially at 500MM. And they say OS is too pretty slow and there is a lag.

As a wild life lens (birds) these shortcomings can be pretty critical if they are there. specially AF.

Any views?

But, other than for BIF, I do not use AF for wildlife. Syntrix - thanks for the link. I had a Sigma 120-400 for all of 1 day before returning it and thought maybe my copy fell under this recall but no, drat the serial numbers do not match. I had high hopes for the 120-400 but......

kaushama wrote in post #6447156
So 150-500 OS is better than EF 100-400 IS?

Some things on the Sigma are better, some on the Canon are better.

kaushama wrote in post #6447247
I see lots of admirers for 150-500 here. Some other forums I follow, criticizes it for slower AF and soft images especially at 500MM. And they say OS is too pretty slow and there is a lag.

As a wild life lens (birds) these shortcomings can be pretty critical if they are there. specially AF.

Any views?

I have said it many times that the Sigma is a great lens as long as you don't pixel peep. Stopping down to f/8 increases sharpness and contrast to a very good level, putting it close to a stopped down 100-400. The 100-400 is better wide open. the Sigma is better at 401-500mm. How soft is the 100-400 at 500mm? AF is similar to the 100-400. OS on the Sigma is better with one exception. There is a slight lag. To compensate for this you need to let it stabilize. If you hit the AF button and then the shutter you will get soft images, still usable, but soft. Give the OS time to settle and it works great.

Wide open at 500mm. 1/13s!!!, f/6.3, ISO 1600
Full size, click here: http://www.pbase.com …/image/10101200​9/original

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