Like to test Canon 100-400 IS USM and a Sigma 50-500 OS HSM

[ToVeR]

Well, as so many people in the photography and planespotting forums around the world, I recently started looking into an expansion of my lens collection. My current equipment consists out of:

• Canon EOS 50D

• Canon EOS 400D

• Canon EF-S 17-85mm

• Canon EF 70-300mm IS USM

• Tamron 18-200mm (I hardly use this lens, I keep it more as a spare should the need ever arise)

Now, I am looking at two new options (three actually):

1. Canon EF 100-400mm IS USM
2. Sigma 50-500 OS HSM

I will not ask for people's opinions, as they are readily available in other topics. However, it is difficult, if not impossible, to form an opinion about this for oneself before having tried these lenses. So, my question is really: Could anyone at this forum offer me the opportunity to test one or both of these lenses in real life conditions? In my opinion the only way in finding out if it serves my needs, yes or no. What I would test: plane spotting, obviously, but I would also like to give it a try with panning shots of cars as I intent to do a bit of autosport photography this year (I found a nice spot to try this out at the Brussels ringroad). Doing this with some good weather would be ideal (although beyond anyone's control, really, but can perhaps be planned).

I have already tried the 100-400 last weekend, but the weather was appalling. So a new test is most likely needed. Despite the conditions, however, the Canon gave me a good impression, as long as the weather was not too bad. For me windy conditions are clearly a no go, in combination with dark grey skies.
A Sigma 50-500 OS HSM I only had on my camera (the 50D) last weekend in the shop (Konijnenberg in Belgium). Hardly a representative environment, and again: outside pictures do not really show anything useful because of the weather.

So: Are there fellow spotters on this forum that would allow me to try or temporarily borrow their Canon 100-400 or Sigma 50-500 lens? For Sigma I would prefer the OS version, as I get the impression that it differs from the older non-OS version. Moving about in the BeNeLux is not a big issue, as long as testing time is significantly longer than travel time .

Oh yeah: the third option is not to purchase anything and continue with what I have now.

Looking forward to the response.

Tom

[brno]

www.juzaphoto.com



Groet,

[ToVeR]

http://www.juzaphoto.com

Mij bekend. Site geeft geen slechte beoordeling van de Sigma. Al is de Canon in een aantal punten duidelijk beter. Ik heb de Sigma in een winkel een keer geprobeerd en onder slechte omstandigheden leek de OS mij inderdaad ook niet echt overtuigend, ondanks de beweringen van Sigma. Ondanks dit geeft die site voor mij wel aan dat voor mijn generalistische gebruik deze Sigma ook wel OK zou kunnen zijn. Daarbovenop: ze sluit beter aan (geeft eigenlijk zelfs te veel overlap) met mijn Canon 17-85. Dat is een probleem dat ik heb met de Canon 100-400: het gat tussen 85 en 100 hoe klein dit ook mag lijken. Als ik mijn foto's tot op heden bekijken, zijn er toch zeer veel die in dat bereik zitten.

[wild weasel]

www.pixto-f.nl

[ToVeR]

http://www.pixto-f.nl

Tsja. Ook de 100-400, hé. Daar kan ik ook in België wel aan geraken om te huren. Het probleem lijkt eerder bij de Sigma te liggen. Het begint een éénzijdige vergelijking te worden.