Canon 50-500mm lens

[Veldranian]

I am looking to buy a 50-500mm doesnt matter if it is sigma or not. I am on a very tight budget of £500 I found some on ebay but the aperture is something like 4.5-6.3. In a wood photographing deer that is not ideal. If you could find one for me that would be great.

[Geoff F]

When you get to 500 mm and with a wider aperture than F6.3 forget about a tight budget - you will need to rob a bank to get anything better!

A prime lens, like a 400 mm may be an alternative but it still won't be cheap.

I use the Sigma 150-500 but, in all honesty, I really need to work with something around F8 or F11 to achieve good results.

The only alternative is a smaller lens and get closer, but even then you will find that getting something wider than F4.5 will still be expensive.

[squishy]

Maybe have a look at a used older non-IS canon 300mm f/4L.
Gotta be the cheapest way to achieve that focal length and aperture with excellent image quality and fast auto-focus.
Not as flexible as a zoom, but fast zooms are even more expensive than the fast primes.

This is the lens I'm talking about:
Photozone review: Canon 300mm f/4L USM

Anything faster than f/4 longer than 200mm is going to lift a lot of weight out of your wallet and give you a lot of weight to carry.

[johnf3f]

I would agree with "Squishy" - if your budget is limited then the 300 F4 is VERY hard to beat. All the Canon + Sigma zooms I have tried (at these sort of focal lengths) are a significant compromise.

[John D]

Consider using a Sigma EX 100-300mm f4 lens which operates very successfully with a 1.4 TC if required.
I have used this combination for around 3 years or so and can recommend it.
See images on my website or WAB http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/pi...00/ppuser/1023 -all birds, mammals and some butterflies in particular.

Zenfolio | John's Wild World

John D

[cosmicma]

i agree with the canon 300mm f4 L ( non is ) which can be had for around 350 - 400 quid second hand if you can find one
add the canon 1.4x teleconverter second hand and you may be able to keep within budget if your timings right

what you end up with is 420mm at f5.6 and in my opinion better optics than the sigma 50 - 500
i have the older version sigma 170 - 500mm f4.5 - f6.3 which from what iv'e seen has similar performance to the 50 - 500mm they both start to go soft beyond 400mm and need good light to get the best out of them

i now own a canon 300mm f4 L and the 1.4x teleconverter and the results are considerably better

the 170 - 500 has been put back in it's box iv'e never used it since

i don't know the sigma ex 100 - 300mm lens but i would not rule it out the more you have to consider the more likely you'l find something that suits

[monkey]

Hi

I do predominantly deer photography in the New Forest and I always use a Sigma 50-500 which was secondhand on ebay and I love it. If you want to glimpse at my website I take scenic, close ups and deer etc all with my one lense. It also is great at locking onto birds in flight quicker than a lot of friends lenses when we are out and about.

Linda