5 frames shot with Tamron 15-30 on a Nikon D810, 1/40 at f16, ISO64
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Tamron Canada was kind enough to let me spend a few days with “Bigron” – the new Tamron 150-600 DI VC.
Tamron 150-600 F5.6-6.3 DI VC versus Sigma 150-500 F5-6.3 APO DG HSM (Part 1)
My intention was to use this lens as would the average shooter who purchases a $1,300 super telephoto. No comparisons with big primes, no test charts, no pixel peeping.
As Bigron is only available in Canon mount at the moment, I tested it with the three Canon bodies I see most often amongst wildlife photographers: 70D, 6D and 5D Mk III.
Bigron has been tested and compared against many lenses, but for some reason, nobody has matched it up against it’s one true competitor – the Sigma 150-500 F5-6.3 APO DG HSM. Until now!
Tamron 150-600 F5.6-6.3 DI VC versus Sigma 150-500 F5-6.3 APO DG HSM (Part 1)
Most photographers entering the birding/wildlife scene gravitate towards this Sigma. It’s reasonably inexpensive (around $1,000) and has great reach. Purists bemoan it’s AF speed, AF hunting and small/slow aperture. A quick search of Flickr, however, reveals some truly stunning images.
At first blush, you notice the two lenses are very similar – Bigron is only slightly longer and about the same weight. The filter diameter, and therefore front element, is also larger on Bigron: 95mm versus 86mm on the Sigma. Aside from a weather-sealing rubber o-ring, most of the differences are internal.
Both lenses are smaller than many of the super telephoto primes from Canon and Nikon, and very hand-holdable.
The following parts of this test will focus on a few things: a controlled environment to look at sharpness and vignetting and impressions and samples from three days of birding.
You may notice in the photos that Jobu Surefoot Plates are installed – I used a Jobu Junior 3 on my Manfrotto 055CX Pro4 Tripod and Manfrotto 680B monopod.
I’ll leave you today with the last 3 images – the Tamron 150-600 F5.6-6.3 DI VC and the Sigma 150-500 F5-6.3 APO DG HSM against a ruler. Stay tuned for Part 2 – Sharpness and Vignetting
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