[Reinier]

Hello fellow Photozoners,



Glad to be back to the forum after several months of absence.



If I may, I have a question straight away. Last winter my Sigma 400mm/5.6 APO macro got broken, unfortunately. It only worked on my analog EOS 5 and not on my EOS 5D. I miss this focal length quite regularly and want to purchase a new one >400mm lens. But I do not know which I shall buy, a fixed focal or zoom lens. My budget is limited in the region of 750 euro, so a EF 100-400 IS is out of the question.



I would use the lens for birds, boats, surfers, etc. I already own a EF 70-200/4.0 withouth IS, but 200mm is just not enough in most case. And a 2x converter does not do the job for me. Does anybody have any idea which lens would be a good choice for a 5D?



Hope to hear from you.





Best regards,



Reinier

[popo]

If you really want 400mm+ on that budget NEW, I guess that puts you in the hands of Sigma. I don't have experience of them specifically so can't suggest further on that.



Is 300mm "enough"? Of course that opens up the possibility of the 70-300 zooms, or even using a 1.4x TC on the 70-200 to retain AF.



Otherwise maybe if you get lucky you can find a used 100-400L or 400L prime in that budget, but I think that unlikely based on what I've seen locally to me. As an outside chance, perhaps a 35-350L? I bought one used not long ago but had to return it as it was rather too worn out mechanically due to age, so do check the condition carefully if you consider this further. The image was not quite as good as the 100-400L on the long end but it was closer than I thought it would be.

[Brightcolours]

[quote name='Reinier' timestamp='1284031488' post='2603']

Hello fellow Photozoners,



Glad to be back to the forum after several months of absence.



If I may, I have a question straight away. Last winter my Sigma 400mm/5.6 APO macro got broken, unfortunately. It only worked on my analog EOS 5 and not on my EOS 5D. I miss this focal length quite regularly and want to purchase a new one >400mm lens. But I do not know which I shall buy, a fixed focal or zoom lens. My budget is limited in the region of 750 euro, so a EF 100-400 IS is out of the question.



I would use the lens for birds, boats, surfers, etc. I already own a EF 70-200/4.0 withouth IS, but 200mm is just not enough in most case. And a 2x converter does not do the job for me. Does anybody have any idea which lens would be a good choice for a 5D?



Hope to hear from you.





Best regards,



Reinier

[/quote]

The best lens would be the Canon EF 400mm f5.6 L USM. Great prime. But with a price of around €1200 it is quite a bit out of your stated budget.



Only two lenses then fit your budget (and they are not half bad either, just not primes).

The Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 OS HSM for around €650, and the Sigma 150-500mm f4.5-6.3 OS HSM for around €800.



My personal choice would be the 150-500. Both lenses perform quite well, but both do lose some IQ at the long end... which means that the 150-500mm will deliver sharper results, better at around 400mm than the 120-400mm from Sigma.



The Tokina 80-400mm I would not consider. At 400mm it does not deliver great results at all, the Sigma 120-400 clearly being worth the extra money.

[couplos]

well,

this is maybe not an answer but...

I've been through the same reflections, as you are now,

but on AP-c,

I longely hesitated, the Tamron 200-500mm was favorite for me,

seems the lens is really wonderfull optically (?!),

the new OS-sigma's didn't enter in consideration,

as they seem not to be reliable,

so...

last option : canon 400mm5.6 or canon 100-400mm,

of course this would meen I would violate quite a bit my budget !



so how did I made my decision ?

1° of course look at the photozone review of course,

2° have a look at "lensrentals" for a more practical experience...

3° I went "have a look in the bag" of quite some english birders (and read their comments)

4° but not least...went having a look at pictures at Flickr taken with respective lenses, OH WELL !!



finally the last had the stroke ! looking at quite some pics from the tammy...

comparing what was posted of the 400mm5.6...OH WELL !



of course this is not scientiffic,

but in the end I went for the 400mm5.6,

no stabilistion, no zoom, no super-reach,and even wourse : not delivered before my vacation in Friesland!,

on the other hand:

it is L-glas (!), AF-speed is impressioning ànd unbeleavable quite ànd accurate,

metal barel, lens-hood integrated with the lens, quite light (less than 1200gr),

and for sure what can go wrong with such a simple design (only 7 lenses, no IS)



what made the breakthrough were the examples on Flickr however,

I guess one should only show these pictures he is proud of...

OH WELL !!

I must admit however that most-(I don't incude myself)-fixed-focal shooters,

have quite a bit more skills/experience than zoom-shooters,

so this should be relativated but even then...

just have a look.



kr,

couplos

[allanmb]

I would suggest getting a Sigma 100-300 f/4 EX and getting a 1.4x converter. Thats an amazing combination and has done me very well on a number of occasions!



Allan

[Brightcolours]

[quote name='allanmb' timestamp='1284112128' post='2629']

I would suggest getting a Sigma 100-300 f/4 EX and getting a 1.4x converter. Thats an amazing combination and has done me very well on a number of occasions!



Allan

[/quote]

That Sigma 100-300mm f4 EX DG HSM is quite a bit over €750 itself, though.

[Rainer]

A 2nd hand EF 400/5.6L usually sells for 800+ on ebay, but every now and then,

one can get away a bit cheaper.



A 2nd hand EF 300/4L (non IS) sells for 650+ and if you add a 1.4TC (again 2nd hand),

you are still within the budget, have reasonable optical quality, and AF ist still working.



But generally, saving a bit more money and trying to get a 2nd hand EF 100-400L is what

I would do.



just my 2cts ... Rainer

[wim]

[quote name='Rainer' timestamp='1284119210' post='2633']

A 2nd hand EF 400/5.6L usually sells for 800+ on ebay, but every now and then,

one can get away a bit cheaper.



A 2nd hand EF 300/4L (non IS) sells for 650+ and if you add a 1.4TC (again 2nd hand),

you are still within the budget, have reasonable optical quality, and AF ist still working.



But generally, saving a bit more money and trying to get a 2nd hand EF 100-400L is what

I would do.



just my 2cts ... Rainer

[/quote]

+1



I agree, a 100-400 is really great. I had one, and sold it when I neede soem money, and it was the lens I used probably least at the time. Until I realized that I also shot a lot of macro and semi-macro with it, especially combined with a 500D close-up lens. So I got another one when I had the funds, late last year. It is the only zoom lens remaining in my arsenal, and I am quite happy with its performance.



Kind regards, Wim

[Reinier]

Hello Guys,



Thanks for the replies and advise. I thought your comments over for a week, but I am not convinced about the Canon 100-400. It is way over my budget and I have used it some time ago, but I wasn't to keen about the push/pull zoom, to be honest. It becomes a large piece of equipment when zooming towards 400mm. It has IS, but it is too big and too heavy for me to hand hold it <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> . I need a tripod for such large lenses, so why buy a lens with IS whilst using it on tripod only.



Are there any cheaper options from Sigma, because the Canon 400/5.6 or 300/4.0 are very hard to come by second hand in the Netherlands. And if you find one, then the 400/5.6 is almost priced as a new lens, just like the 100-400 by the way.



Hope to hear from you.



Best wishes,



Reinier











[quote name='wim' timestamp='1284239191' post='2654']

+1



I agree, a 100-400 is really great. I had one, and sold it when I neede soem money, and it was the lens I used probably least at the time. Until I realized that I also shot a lot of macro and semi-macro with it, especially combined with a 500D close-up lens. So I got another one when I had the funds, late last year. It is the only zoom lens remaining in my arsenal, and I am quite happy with its performance.



Kind regards, Wim

[/quote]

[Brightcolours]

[quote name='Reinier' timestamp='1284667557' post='2859']

Hello Guys,



Thanks for the replies and advise. I thought your comments over for a week, but I am not convinced about the Canon 100-400. It is way over my budget and I have used it some time ago, but I wasn't to keen about the push/pull zoom, to be honest. It becomes a large piece of equipment when zooming towards 400mm. It has IS, but it is too big and too heavy for me to hand hold it <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> . I need a tripod for such large lenses, so why buy a lens with IS whilst using it on tripod only.



Are there any cheaper options from Sigma, because the Canon 400/5.6 or 300/4.0 are very hard to come by second hand in the Netherlands. And if you find one, then the 400/5.6 is almost priced as a new lens, just like the 100-400 by the way.



Hope to hear from you.



Best wishes,



Reinier

[/quote]

Like I mentioned before, the only 2 lenses that fit the bill are the Sigma 120-400mm OS and 150-500mm OS. And of course the older 80-400mm OS.



Any second hand lens is hard to get in the Netherlands.... so it makes little sense to advice on gems from the past, like a Sigma 400mm f5.6.



The best prime still is the Canon 400mm f5.6 L USM, but cheapest I can locate it is 1096 euros. And that is from an online electronics store (simplyelectronics).