WTB: Long EOS Zoom (Sigma, Tamron, Canon)

jmankos

Looking for one of the following for EOS Mount....in order of preference:

1) Sigma 80-400 OS (DG preferred)
2) Sigma 50-500 Bigma (again, DG preferred)
3) Tamron 200-500 Di
4) I'd consider a Canon 100-400 IS if someone's selling one dirt cheap...but otherwise more than I want to spend.

I have cash now....ready to buy.....email me with what you got! (mankman@ptd.net)

photobug

Looking for one of the following for EOS Mount....in order of preference:
1) Sigma 80-400 OS (DG preferred)
2) Sigma 50-500 Bigma (again, DG preferred)
3) Tamron 200-500 Di
4) I'd consider a Canon 100-400 IS if someone's selling one dirt cheap...but otherwise more than I want to spend.

Can't help you with the purchase, but I have a Sigma 80-400 OS that I use on my 20D and I am very happy with the optical quality of the lens. (Subjectively, It may border on Canon "L" quality). I got some great glacier shots in Alaska with it, extended to 300-400mm, from a moving cruise ship (the shots that weren't great, weren't the fault of the lens). Great contrast, very sharp -- surprising, at almost 400mm! (the OS must have been working well, too).

My only disappointment is that the autofocus isn't as fast as my Canon USM lenses. It's OK, but not great. Repeating what every other Sigma 80-200 owner has ever posted: why, in a nearly-$1000 lens, didn't Sigma install its faster HSM focus motor?

Also, expect that when the OS feature is on, you'll be burning more power from your camera battery(ies) than a non-OS(IS) lens. I ran out of batteries at a critical moment in Alaska (awesome glacier calving! :-( ) ... and that was with dual batteries in a BG-E2 grip. I don't know exactly why that happened, but suspect (a) the aftermarket charger I used on that trip didn't fully charge the BP-511 batteries, (b) it was damned cold out, which reduces battery life, and (c) the OS used some power. However, I can't fault Sigman because I doubt the Sigma OS uses more battery power than Canon IS lenses; it's just a fact of life that on OS/IS feature requires power to function. (I have never run out of batteries while on OS/IS at any other time, so I suspect that factors (a) and/or (b) were the primary culprilt(s) that day.

Despite the 80-400's slower-than-hoped-for AF speed, overall I'm quite happy with the lens. I'd just hesitate to buy another Sigma lens unless it has an HSM focusing mechanism.