OT(ish) Sigma vs Tamron

On Sat, 18 Aug 2007 08:54:40 GMT, Bob Harrington
wrote:

"Peter.D.Evans" orbscure.AT.hotmail.DOT.com wrote in
.109.144:

Are any of you photographers out there using either the Sigma 50-500
or Tamron AF 200-500 lenses? My plan is to purchase either for use
on a Nikon N80. If you are, I'd appreciate your thoughts with regards
their use for airshow display photography - and some examples of your
work using either posted here would be great too please!

I have a Bigma for my K-M Maxxum 7D and am pleased as punch with it. Other
than the Popeye forearm and ruined back from horsing that beast around, that
is...

Having that 10:1 zoom range is a real plus when dealing with large and small
planes, close and distant fly-bys and taxiing, etc.

Image quality is pretty darned nice, though I am optically challenged as a
bat so my opinion may not be worth all that much.

I will post a series of shots taken with the above rig just last weekend
under the heading "Sentry Eagle Nighthawk" in a few minutes|hours|days|eons.

Bob ^,,^


Hey Bob, I was just going to ask you about the Sigma since I'm finding
the 75-300 with my Sony doesn't reach quite far enough sometimes.
After seeing your Nighthawk pics, I gotta check out the Sigma!

Just Plane Noise wrote in


Hey Bob, I was just going to ask you about the Sigma since I'm finding
the 75-300 with my Sony doesn't reach quite far enough sometimes.
After seeing your Nighthawk pics, I gotta check out the Sigma!

The Bigma ain't cheap, and it does weigh in at well over 4 lbs - but I love
it anyway. Mine suffered an internal boo-boo a few weeks after I purchased
it that required a warranty repair trip back to Sigma. They fixed it and
had it back to me in less than two weeks, and it's worked perfectly since,
two and a half years.

Only problem now is that, being a zoom, it has managed to suck in a little
dust that has settled on internal lens elements. Not enough to affect image
quality, but it does annoy me a little when I clean the beast. Not quite
ready to send it in for a deep cleaning yet; perhaps a run through the
washing machine on the 'delicate' setting will suffice...

Bob ^,,^