Posted by Nick Leadley on October 12, 2014 at 11:59 AM
Hello all...
I'm on the verge of upgrading to a more current telephoto lens and am looking for any thoughts/impressions/comments from anyone who owns or has used either of these lenses.
I've read some online reviews that state the Sigma lens has some sharpness issues. Has anyone found this to be the case?
Thanks!
Nick Leadley
www.touchthewildphotos.com
Posted by Nate Chappell on October 12, 2014 at 1:51 PM
Hi Nick,
I have not used the Nikon 600mm but have only heard good things about it. I have tried the Sigma fixed 800 F5.6. I sent it back because I couldn't handhold it, it was light enough in terms of total weight but I had a hard time balancing it and what would probably be more useful info to you is that it wasn't sharp at all wide open at F5.6 or even at F6.3. If I stopped it down to F7.1 or more it was very sharp. If I was going to buy one of the big Sigma lenses, it would be the 300-800 zoom not the 800 F5.6 fixed lens because of the great range that the zoom gives you.
Posted by Greg Lessard on October 12, 2014 at 5:30 PM
Hi Nick,
I have not used the Sigma 800. I have used the nikon 600 without VR with a D7000 (half crop sensor, essentially making the 600 function like 900mm lens). It is amazingly sharp and has very fast autofocus. I have lost focus with birds in flight less then 5 times out of hundreds of opportunities. It is not a hand holding lens, maybe it is with VR, but you need to be seriously strong to do that. The f4 is a major difference compared to f5.6. I have found that in many situations, the 600 was a lot of lens. I have spent a lot of time using a tamron 200-500 (also with the d7000 for an effective 750mm) and found myself backing up considerably to leave room for flight images with the 600. I personally wouldn't want the 800, because it is so long. I probably wouldn't even consider it with a full frame, because a 1.4x teleconverter on the 600 puts me right back in the same neighborhood and at a faster f stop (840mm f5). The used 600 and a new sigma are in the same ball park price wise, but I suspect that there is a huge difference in quality. I personally would go with the Nikon 600. Either way, I hope you have fun with your new lens!
Discussion
2 repliesI'm on the verge of upgrading to a more current telephoto lens and am looking for any thoughts/impressions/comments from anyone who owns or has used either of these lenses.
I've read some online reviews that state the Sigma lens has some sharpness issues. Has anyone found this to be the case?
Thanks!
Nick Leadley
www.touchthewildphotos.com
I have not used the Nikon 600mm but have only heard good things about it. I have tried the Sigma fixed 800 F5.6. I sent it back because I couldn't handhold it, it was light enough in terms of total weight but I had a hard time balancing it and what would probably be more useful info to you is that it wasn't sharp at all wide open at F5.6 or even at F6.3. If I stopped it down to F7.1 or more it was very sharp. If I was going to buy one of the big Sigma lenses, it would be the 300-800 zoom not the 800 F5.6 fixed lens because of the great range that the zoom gives you.
I have not used the Sigma 800. I have used the nikon 600 without VR with a D7000 (half crop sensor, essentially making the 600 function like 900mm lens). It is amazingly sharp and has very fast autofocus. I have lost focus with birds in flight less then 5 times out of hundreds of opportunities. It is not a hand holding lens, maybe it is with VR, but you need to be seriously strong to do that. The f4 is a major difference compared to f5.6. I have found that in many situations, the 600 was a lot of lens. I have spent a lot of time using a tamron 200-500 (also with the d7000 for an effective 750mm) and found myself backing up considerably to leave room for flight images with the 600. I personally wouldn't want the 800, because it is so long. I probably wouldn't even consider it with a full frame, because a 1.4x teleconverter on the 600 puts me right back in the same neighborhood and at a faster f stop (840mm f5). The used 600 and a new sigma are in the same ball park price wise, but I suspect that there is a huge difference in quality. I personally would go with the Nikon 600. Either way, I hope you have fun with your new lens!