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Need to know whether I should buy a Sigma 50-500 or go with a Nikon 70-200mm VRII with a TC. (1.4 or 1.7). Costs of either is ok.

Any thoughts. Please recommend one or the other, and if there is a different lens idea to consider in this range please let me know.

My wife already owns a 17-200 Nikon VRII and has gotten great photos the last 3 years with our D90. We'd probably sell it after this purchase.

Indoor sports action. Outdoor wildlife. I understand the Bigma will not be as sharp as the 70-200, but we will have greater zoom with the Bigma. Will the 70-200 with a 1.7 TC still look better than the Bigma 120-340 range.

Thanks!

Indoor sports - I'd think the Bigma, coupled with a D90, would not be good. You'd need fast shutter speeds and the lens would be too slow and the high ISO capability of the body not good enough.

I've tried the 70-200 with a 2xTC and it was OK - focus was slow. It wouldn't be as slow with the 1.7xTC but you'd notice a difference. Indoor sports again, with the D90, this might result in lots of missed focus shots.

Wildlife outdoors wouldn't be so much of an issue on the D90 body though, but that Bigma is slow.

There's no getting around the fact that you have to pay for mm. A compromise will result in a compromised end result. Going DX obviously gives you more 'reach'.

I'd be tempted to go down a different route altogether, if you're seriously into that sort of shooting. Going for a D7000 body will give you much better high ISO capability and more megapixels which will allow to to crop tighter and still maintain detail. This can give you more 'effective' mm. A 70-300mm VR lens on my D90 was just used for bright light, outdoors, and sports. Now on a D700 body I can use it at much higher ISOs and it's found a new lease of life. On a D7000 you'd have virtually similar high ISO capability, the extra croppability (if there is such a word, but you know what I mean) and the DX crop factor.

There's the Sigma 120-300/2.8 OS to be considered too. It gives you more reach without the need for a TC and has f2.8 for fast action. And some people give it high praise.
If it were not for the sloppy quality control issues that Sigma reportedly has... So you batter make sure that you can give it back w/o prohibitive restocking fee.
I have tested the Niikon 70-200/2.8 VRII here also with the Nikon 1.7x TC and I found that the quality already starts to deteriorate, albeit on a very high level and mostly visible only at 100% view. How this combo compares to the Sigma 50-500 I don't know.

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

Have you considered the nikkor 200-400mm.

Cheers

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Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

Nah - skip that, go for the extra stop and the 400mm f2.8

Umm, 4xxxx and Dubaiphil: I think those suggestions are easily over twice the price

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

I can only say what I'd go for - and in this case it would be the 50-500mm.
But that's just me - most of the others would certainly choose the 70-200mm. But I really like every mm of extra reach.
For portraits and low light the 70-200mm really is better indeed. It just doesn't get the reach - not even with a tele converter.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III + Canon EOS 33v
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

I was being ironic, Thomas!

Ah ok! But you should make this clear to the unsuspecting crowd

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

I bought the 70-200 and the 200-400. Plus the 50-500.

Oh, just kidding.

The 70-200 is sitting under the tree. Thanks all for the advice.

Great choice it is an amazing lens that won't disappoint

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Camera: Canon 550D with battery grip
Lenses: Canon 24-105mm f/4L, Canon 50mm f1.4, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm,
Accessories: Manfrotto 055XPROB with 808RC4 head, Canon 430ex II speedlite, Lowepro Nova 180AW and Lowepro Pro Runner 450AW

Oh that is so lame, every hot girl who can aim a camera thinks she’s a photographer -Stewie Griffin