- 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