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Anyone using the Sigma 150-500 with A900?

dhsimmonds

New member
I am trying to decide whether to buy the Siggie 150-500 or the Sony 70-400G lens next.

The Sigma has more reach (500mm) but at the expense of one stop slower than the Sony (400mm). The Sigma price is also approx. 70% of the Sony!

Wildlife photographers speak highly of the Siggie on C or N mounts but as this lens is also available in the Sony/Minolta mount at the same price as C and N mounts, I am wondering if anyone out there has experience of this lens?

Wildlife subjects are my objective, I know that the a900 AF can cope and it is quick enough on shutter release, but as always the lens is all important!
 

dhsimmonds

New member
Well after much research I finally settled on the Tamron 200-500 F5.6/6.3

It is very big when fully wound out but not so big as the Sigma (Bigma!)

I took it out to the nearby New Forest National Park for some test shots with the A900, all hand held (Should have had at least a monopod me thinks)
 
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Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Dave, if I'd seen this thread earlier I'd have strongly recommended the 70-400 Sony as mine is probably the sharpest lens - even wide open - of its class I've ever used.

BUT - it looks like you got a winner too, as much as I can see from jpegs. (I'm not sure about the horse's ***, but I really like the deer with its out-of-focus buddy behind.) (And I guess that's a New Forest pony not a horse...I lived in Burley briefly as a kid.)

I'll post a couple of 70-400 shots soon.

Bill
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Here's few fom my Sony 70-400, highly cropped so they're almost at 100%. All taken in Yellowstone last month. All at 400 mm.
 
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dhsimmonds

New member
Hi Bill

The 70-400 was high on my list but the Sony mount Tamron came up as a used model for 490GBP in my local dealer and as it seemed to rate very highly I am trying it out. So far I like it, it's only 10.5 inches long when retracted and about 1250g in weight. A bonus for me is that it's in all black finish so the critters are not so likely to spook.

I carried it around all day yesterday without any problems fatigue wise. It's not too fast in aperture, just about all my shots were at full zoom 500mm the deer were at f8, the pony and heron were at F10 and you can see the difference. All at ISO400.

So you lived at Burley! Great village, it get's very busy in the tourist season. The heron and pony were taken at Stoney Cross and the deer at Boldrewood. I live near Romsey so not far from the Forest.

It is the rutting season here in the New Forest so you can imagine the sounds and that big white stag wasn't letting any young male anywhere near his harem. In fact he wasn't letting any old male near as he didn't go much on me either!

I called the one of the pony "does my bum look big in this"!

Great shots with the "400" Bill, Yellowstone is a fantastic NP, I was there in September last year, we stayed at Yellowstone for several days.
 
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