Sigma 50-500mm OS vs. Canon 100-400mm IS

[JTPAIN]

Hi there,

Quite simply I would like to know which of these lenses comprehensibly produces 'nicer' looking pictures - e.g. sharpness, contrast, bokeh, IS etc. - I have heard mixed comparisons of both and am therefore pretty confused. Which is the better lens?

[Rocco]

Hey there. I started to look at it.. and it got pretty clear right off. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=113&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API= 2&LensComp=374&CameraComp=9&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=1 &APIComp=2

Those are Bryan's ISO crops for sharpness. Great tool. Doesn't look like he's done a review on the lens, but he has at least done that much.

Personally, I'm not familiar with the Sigma. Is it in the same price range as the 100-400? You'll find a bunch of advocates of that lens on this site.

[JTPAIN]

Yep, they pretty much cost the same in the UK - £1000 +-£200 each way.

[neuroanatomist]

Love my 100-400mm!

Rocco, the comparison you linked isn't relevant for two reasons - one, it's the non-OS version of the Sigma, the OP is asking about the OS version. Second, you've got two different cameras selected in the drop down - if you pick the 1Ds II for both (that's the only one on which Bryan tested the non-OS Bigma), the IQ difference isn't that much.

[Rocco]

Haha! That's what happens when I browse the internet at 3am. My bad.

[elmo_2006]

Hi there,

Quite simply I would like to know which of these lenses comprehensibly produces 'nicer' looking pictures - e.g. sharpness, contrast, bokeh, IS etc. - I have heard mixed comparisons of both and am therefore pretty confused. Which is the better lens?

Hi...

You can check out the reviews here and here.

The Sigma or *Bigma* is considered a contender but I doubt that it can beat the Canon 100-400L however; for the price and the 10x zoom factor it does well if without it shortcomings like it's vignetting and AF issues at the long end.

Please note that I recall a Sigma Service Bulletin whereby Sigma had issues with the AF system on some of there telephoto lenses. I'm not sure if that was addressed - one would assume it was.

On Flikr, there is a user that goes by the name *Airforcehound* or something and his go to lens was this lens until a recent mishap. You want to search there, the photos look great!

I personally don't have one, but I was curious about some of Sigma's telephotos including the 150-500.