Choosing a lens

[MasterOfRoc]

I'm currently using the stock 55-250mm with my canon 500d

I'm after one to use for mainly Aussie rules stuff, but unfortunately have limited funds to work with.

Someone said a sigma ??-500?

Help plz!

[Speedway]

I regularly used my Sigma 150-500 for aussie rules before I got my 70-200 F2.8L ii and 2X extender and found it a good lens, the only drawback was when they got close you couldn't get them in the frame, the 50-500 would cover all situations here and I know a few who use it successfully.
Keith.

[Epoc]

There are few versions of the ? to 500mm Sigmas. 50-500 non OS, 50-500 OS, 150-500 OS, the best of these being the 50-500 OS. I own the 150-500 and am happy with it. For me no OS was totally out of the question at 500mm and my budget wouldn't run to the 50-500 OS. Hence my purchase. It does take some work to produce decent shots, but once you have a handle on, it can produce. One thing it really needs though is light. It is very ordinary in low light on a body that doesn't do good high ISO. But price wise is a heck of a lot of the lens for the money. I picked mine up Aussie stock, in mint cond with 5 months warranty left for a measly $630.

[etherial]

The Sigmas can be hit and miss, I've heard many people praise them and many the opposite.

Check where you normally shoot at, are you always at the 250mm end or something less? If you can cope with a maximum of 200mm (or maybe 200mm plus an extender), I would highly recommend the Canon 70-200 f4L. You can pick one up second hand or from overseas (grey market) for $600-700 and it is a brilliant lens for the money.

[MasterOfRoc]

Yeah, often at max

[Old Skool]

Another option is the 200mm F2.8L canon prime lens. Should get one for less than $1000. The F2.8 lets you shoot wide open so you get a nice background blur, plus afternoon Aussie rules games you need that as it starts getting dark. You can always then later on add a 1.4x teleconvertor to give you 280mm at F4. I have used that lens plus a Kenko 1.4X teleconvertor and at F4, the images are still really sharp. The USM focus on the lens is what you need to keep up with the action, the 55-250mm although producing good images only has a micro motor focus and it doesn't keep up with the action. Using the prime lets you concentrate on the action without worrying about zooming in & out. Worth considering??

[MasterOfRoc]

Still no idea which way I want to go :(

I'm thinking the sigma, mainly due to price restrictions, and extra reach

[MasterOfRoc]

Sigma APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM

Anyone want to talk me out of it?

[MasterOfRoc]

Or
Canon EF EXTENDER 2X MK III LENS Teleconver
And
Canon Telephoto EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus Lens

Edit
After further reading, neither :s

[rbat]

Do you think that range might be a bit heavy? Are you hand holding or taking a tripod with you?

[Speedway]

I use a cheap eBay $30-40 ball head monopod with my 150-500 on the gripped 7D (which would be heavier than the 500D/50-500 in weight) all day at the football and while walking through heavy scrub birding or shooting off road events. I feel the monopod is a must with this size lens although I regularly handhold when panning at motor sport or for birds in flight.
Keith.

[MasterOfRoc]

Yeah, I have a monopod ready to go, looks like the lens is waiting though, overspent on the car I wanted... Haha

[MasterOfRoc]

Just an update on this, I'm now running a 7d

I ended up getting the 150-500 and am very happy with it.

I am now looking at a further upgrade, specifically to a 70-200 2.8

Canon is out of the question, so it's sigma/ton

And probably with a 1.4tc

That means f 4 at 280mm?

What specifically, would you point me to?