Camera Labs

Hello,

I am a wildlife photographer looking for a new lense.
I've narrowed it down to a few. This particular lense seems like a great balance between affordability and performance from what I've seen.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses ... avigator=3

I will be using this lense on a fairly old Canon body but am planning to upgrade in the near future.

I'm most concerned about sharpness at the high end of the focal length, as many of my shots I imagine will be at anywhere between 400-500mm. Any other pros and cons you've found with this lense would be great to know about as well.

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions regarding this?
Possibly any alternatives in mind?
Thanks very much for any info...

Jess Findlay
jessfindlay.zenfolio.com

Another forum member has reviewed it here.

I use the Canon 100-400L and I don't fear to use it at any setting, but it is much more expensive.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Hello Jess, and welcome to the friendly Camera Labs forum!
To enjoy your stay here please have a look at the house-rules!
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Popo has already pointed you in the right direction. I personally tested the Sigma 120-400 OS which is a close cousin of the 150-500 if you look at the design.
I gave the 120-400mm back after intensive testing (see my review here) because the OS was only 1 stop effective and there where some halo-like effects around bright subjects. I assume the 150-500 is similar in this respect.
Well, if you shoot mostly with a sturdy tripod, the efficiency of the OS is of no consequence for you. But if you're handholding much (as I do) a good working IS is tantamount to getting sharp images.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses