Ultra Tele lens

I am going to Canada for a holiday next Easter,

this is still a way off but my finances demand that I start saving for these things early!

Basically I am concious that the last time I was there 320mm was not always long enough. Since then I have gone to a *ist DL2 with 50-200 as my longest truly good lens. Technically I could mount the 80-320 but the 50-200 is so much better that it's not really worth it.

So I am thinking of adding to my current twin lens kit. The current contenders are

Sigma 135-400 - Perhaps a little short, but the cheapest option
Sigma 170-500 - focal length right on the money
Sigma 50-500 - a bit pricey but from its reputation, just wow!

Any alternative suggestions would be greatfully received, but keep in mind that I am not a rich man and the above are already pushing the limits of what I can justify, the 50-500 particularly.

Does anyone have any experience of the above or similar lenses? I need something that can be hand held at need, and which can be carried around all day. I am no stranger to carrying heavy lens kit bags but I like having two shoulders the same height off the ground if you see what I mean!

It's difficult to hand-hold a longer lens than 300mm on a DSLR. 500mm is a very serious focal length which demands a tripod. Unless you are sure you will use it, you would be better off getting something shorter.

G

Where in Canada you goin?
Coffee's always hot at my place....(has to be, really...everything else is frozen...or soon to be.).

my uncle lives on Vancouver island, so we're going to visit him and his new family. I can't wait, Its the most beautiful place I've ever been.

I've hand held my 200m M series prime on a 2x TC (400mm F8 ) with a pretty good success rate, it just lacks some contrast. I also have a walking stick with a camera thread on the top for some much needed support, so hand holding would literally be for when its that or nothing.

I'm still torn between the 170-500 which fits right on the top end of my lens collection, and the 135-400 which I feel I can reasonably hand hold throughout its range.

I say get a K10D, use your 80-320 and crop if necessary.

Dan

I'm beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with my 80-320, everyone on here seems to love theirs and tbh mine isn't all that great, every "test" I've ever done suggests that my Sigma made Zeiss (still a consumer grade 70-300) is sharper but even that struggles to justify itself vs the DA ED 50-200.

I'm gonna stic my neck out and offer this advice:
if you're gonna use it alot, the sigma 170-500 is a great lens. but comit to a tripod.
if you insist on handheld, you will lose sharpness, and might as well go with a lesser quality, but more convient lens...samyang 500mm mirror lens for example...not as sharp as a prime lens, but not so far off in a handheld shooting contest, and at half the length and a third the weight, you may find yourself getting sharper images just because it handles better.

ok thanks for the advice people,

It's pretty clear that I'm going to need a tripod to get the best out of one of these (which I knew anyway, I did say handheld "at need" not all the time, basically I am concerned not to end up with a lens which is just to heavy to even think about hand holding)

so do you have any suggestions for good but relatively inexpencive camera supports? Within reason I'm looking to know how much I have to save up to get a good one, looking to avoid "buy cheap, buy twice" syndrome. I have a Hama mini-tripod which has always served me fairly well but I have this feeling it might not cut it for a really long lens. Or am I selling it short?

a beanbag.
a manfrotto super clamp(which combined with a ball head and neoprene mousepad can clamp to anything like a car window, or railing or fence, bicycle handlebars etc).
Anything manfrotto (try thier pistol grip head)

forgive the stupid question Don, but what do you mean when you say a beanbag. Are you litterally talking about the things you used to ballance on your head at sports-day as a primary school child? or is it a technical term for something more complex?

A bean-bag of the sort that you used to balance on your head! It is a very versatile support for a camera. Some photoequipment suppliers do have some quite exotic bags, but a basic one can be found here http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/cat.asp?c=109&1=Beanbags
and they are cheap in the way that manfrotto equipment isn't.

what a fantastic idea, that would never have occured to me!

I like the look of the super clamp as well, nifty little thing and surprisingly inexpencive.

...or from Mike Lane himself at http://www.nature-photography.co.uk/Grippabags.htm, same price but includes postage to UK.

Got one of these myself, and it gives good support, but did need about 2.5kg of dried beans to fill it sufficiently. But if you go for a lighter filling, it won't be as solid. Bit of a lump to carry round, I tend to use it if I'm shooting from the car, or a hide (the shed type you get at reserves).

Dan