$600-$2,000: 10 Wildlife Photography Lenses Reviewed!

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Professional wildlife photographers Tony & Chelsea Northrup review EVERY wildlife lens under $2,000 for Canon, Sony, and Nikon cameras. Then, they ranked them from worst to best. The rankings are:
10. Sigma 150-600 Sport ($1,850)
Pros: Durable AF
Cons: Big AND expensive, slow AF, less sharp than it’s cheaper Contemporary cousin
9. Tamron 150-600 G1 ($600)
The least expensive lens is also the worst ranked… but if this is all that fits your budget, it’s still a good place to start, and when you’re ready to upgrade you’ll be able to trade it in at KEH.
Pros: Versatile, Inexpensive, Capable of producing great wildlife images… if you can get VERY CLOSE
Cons: SLOW AF. SO VERY SLOW. Really soft at 600mm. Our tests have shown it's outperformed by the Canon 400 f5.6 or Nikon 200-500
TIPS:
Use the focus limiter
Shut the aperture down to f/8 if you can
8. Canon 600 f/11 ($700)
Pros: Lightweight, Decent close-focusing, Sharp when you can fill the frame, Great stabilization, Decent AF speed (8 of 10)
Cons:
Only works with RF cameras, and we found AF to be frustrating with the R and RP. Thus, we can only recommend using it on the R5 and R6.
Not nearly as sharp as the 800mm f/11, considering cropping
Only work with their mirrorless R cameras, and the only R cameras we can recommend for wildlife are the expensive R6 ($2,500) and R5 ($3,900).
f/11 gives you less background blur/subject separation
Lets in less light leading to noise in low light or high shutter speed situations
7. Canon 400mm f5.6 ($850-$100 used)
Pros: Light, Well-built, 400mm makes finding subjects easier, adds versatility
Reason it’s in the test: it’s sharper than these other popular wildlife lenses, even cropped to 600 or 800mm
Cons: Not stabilized, so you always have to keep your shutter speed at 1/500 or shorter (unless you’re on an R5 or R6). Slow AF. Doesn’t focus very close. Discontinued… but KEH!
Above this point, it gets REALLY close. There are NO losers
6. Tamron 150-600 G2 ($1000-$1200)
Pros:
DRASTICALLY improved sharpness over the G1
Handling?
Light weight
BEST magnification up close (some breathing)
Cons:
Slow AF compared to native lenses
AF lagged a bit on fast-moving subjects, so birds flying at me at close range were basically always a little out of focus
Not unsharp, but kinda hazy
Truly awful chromatic aberration when shooting flying birds
Above this point, EVERYTHING IS RECOMMENDED.
5. Tamron 150-500 ($1400)
If you’re a Sony photographer who plans to travel or hike with the lens, or you don’t want to drop an extra $500 on the Sony 200-600, this is the lens for you.
Pros: GREAT AF… but it depends on your body. We only recommend the a1 for wildlife now, primarily because of EVF lag in other bodies. LIGHT. Easily handholdable.
Cons:
When you crop to 800mm, the equivalent aperture is f/11… compared to f/8.4 of the Tamron G2 and Sony 200-600
Pretty bad chromatic aberration in subjects with the sky behind them
Focus not as reliable as the Sony 200-600, especially with flying birds near the camera, the focus lagged behind the bird a bit, so the tail would be in focus instead of the head.
Recommended for:
Sony photographers traveling light or who don’t want to spend $2k on the 200-600
4. Sigma 150-600 Contemporary ($900)
Pros: Great price, Great sharpness at 600mm, Good magnification / close focusing. Real-world, VERY sharp shots at close range. Better pictures than the Tamron zooms and it’s big brother. Lock can stop the lens at 150 or 600
Cons: Slow AF compared to native lenses, Not great for flying birds (missed focus A LOT), Chromatic aberration for birds against a clear blue sky was pretty bad (not the worst)
Lots of “bad copies” out there (quality control isn’t as consistent as name-brand lenses)
Recommended for:
Canon DSLR photographers
Nikon DSLR photographers on a tight budget
3. Canon 800mm f/11 ($900 new)
Pros:
Sharpest lens in the test
Good AF
Amazing stabilization (how slow?)
Shockingly small and light
Cons:
TERRIBLE minimum focusing distance
Even cropped to 800mm, it’s a full stop slower than the zooms
Only the R5 and R6 have AF systems and viewfinders we really recommend… but if you have an R5, this lens is a no-brainer. Just carry it with you just in case.
2. Sony 200-600 ($2,000 new)
Pros:
Fast AF
SHARP
Internal zooming
Cons:
Most expensive
VERY heavy
Poor magnification up close
TERRIBLE focus breathing… 325mm at close range!
Tips:
Don’t bother with a TC
DO attach extension tubes if you want to fill the frame with small animals
Sony photographers with a budget under $10k
1. Nikon 200-500 ($1,400 new, $1,200 used)
Pros:
Fast AF
Great close-focusing (puts it ahead of the Sony)
Cons:
A couple hundred more than the Tamron and Sigma

[@TonyAndChelsea]

What lenses and bodies do you want us to test in part 2?

[@PhilThach]

Take your price point up high enough to include the Nikkor 500 PF and Canon 100-500 lenses. I think that my RF 100-500 is way sharper than my RF 800 but I'm waiting for the R7 to use it for small birds. Also, I'd like to see more about the R6 on your channel (not for wildlife where 20mp on full-frame is a little weak), I believe it has the flagship level autofocus for mid-level body pricing.

[@GuillaumeBeaudin]

Since it has such a high megapixel density, the Canon 90D with a big prime would be interesting VS the R5 or the A1. Canon 90D with the Sigma Contemporary vs R5 would be interesting too. Thanks for the great content!!

[@DrJake108]

Canon RF 100-500

[@michaelreed649]

What about some lighter lenses like the 100-400 tamron or something in yhat range (backpacking wildlife lens for longer haules than a day). Personally, i want Nikon mount suggestions.

[@jeremymcginnis7258]

Fujinon 100-400

[@alexwendt8565]

As a person who just recently bought a Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6, I am very happy about this video and my purchase!

[@PhotoReddy]

Same here... whew.....

[@Ausknutz]

And for a person who is thinking about getting one 200-500 f/5.6, that's the answer!

[@SSVHD]

Just got that lens two days ago for my D850. Had the Tamron 150-600 G1 and Sigma 50-500 before that. Nikon 200-500 is a big step so far!

[@ayman1035]

I got it but I had a bad copy I think, trying to return !

[@amiroa99]

I was lucky to have a good copy direct from Nikon Holland ...

[@paulhenderson7418]

At 7.50 talking about Sigma but showing the Tamron. Like me I think Tony secretly loves the Tamron G2

[@knagarjun]

Yeah, I noticed it too, and did a double take.

[@motorex1441]

i noticed that too.

[@subwarpspeed]

Also catched that and had to look in the comments. I'm a tamron 150-600 G2 owner so reacted with familiarity, if I hadn't own it I would have missed it.

[@dizmatt1]

I'm not familiar with the lens but the hugely branded TAMRON down the side was a giveaway!

[@pitcherthis6483]

I noticed that too and did a double take. I thought I zoned out and he had moved onto another lens.

[@KainoaBlackeagle]

Dear Chelsea and Tony, I'm extremely grateful for all of the hard work you've poured into this video, all of the lens and body specs, charting an easy to follow guide for us. You are both incredibly invaluable. I'm so in love with your Stunning Digital Photography book. I'm especially grateful for the methods you both teach with. Big big fan of Northrup Photography!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Thank you!!

[@tenrec]

A couple of "pros" you ought to mention about the Nikon 200-500mm zoom: 1) SUPERB image stabilization (vibration reduction) 2) The fastest lens in the test at 500mm: f/5.6. In addition, it is the only constant-aperture zoom in its class. 3) It natively fits only Nikon DSLRs, but with the Nikon FTZ adapter can be used on Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras as well.

[@adam_west_photo]

Good to see the Sigma 150-600 contemporary feature at #4. A solid choice for enthusiasts working they way into wildlife and sports. I think Tony wasn’t too keen on it when it came out, but I’ve had good results with it, especially with the excellent eye tracking on the R6. Why is Tony handling a Tamron lens at 7:50 though?

[@E4xtream]

The best lens review video I've seen in a long time. Kudos! Actually makes me want to get into wildlife photography. If only buying the gear was enough, eh?

[@tommynikon2283]

Thumbnail: what Chelsea and Tony keep in their glovebox.

[@godsinbox]

please mention the brand of the car, it helps for their tax write off.

[@PhilThach]

Lots of nice work here. I would love to have seen my overpriced RF 100-500 ranked but its high price kept it from being considered, I understand. I love my RF 800 f/11 but I feel like my 200-500 Nikon is sharper. Fine feather detail tells the tale. This is a really great video, thank you for all the hard work. I will say thanks to KEH for sponsoring but I believe "used photo pro", pays more for used gear. Also, the 200-500 is great on a Z50! Not just D500 and D7xxx. Thanks again, really enjoyed this.

[@danncorbit3623]

I typed in "full frame" into the search box and nothing happened. An amateur site that needs a lot of work to even be useful. I have bought many things from KEH and I trust them. Whereas "used photo pro" does not impress me at all.

[@PhilThach]

@@danncorbit3623 Understood, still, next time you sell some gear, I'd highly recommend getting an estimate from them before you accept an offer from KEH.

[@jeromeThailande]

I was stunned by the success rate of my Z50 ,a downgrade from the Z6 that proved to be an upgrade

[@modelrailwaynoob]

I use the D500 and the 200-500mm Nikon lens and kept my D7200 to use for macro

[@oleggontar2942]

@Photo Bunny same me. 200-500 close focus is amazing.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

@Photo Bunny I would like to try that lens

[@rzentz9690]

Been thinking about trading my AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR for the 200-500. Have seen several good reviews of the 200-500mm. D500 body. Both used and excellent condition from MPB. Similar to KEH: may have to try KEH with the coupon.

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

@@rzentz9690 Don't trade - just pick up the 200-500 and keep them both. I shoot both lenses on a D500 and wouldn't give up either one. The 200-500 is terrific for reaching out at distant subjects, while the 80-400 is terrific at everything else. Something about the image quality of the 80-400 that I can't explain, other than aesthetically really pleasing. I'm surprised you haven't noticed. Plus it focuses down to under 6 ft. On the D500 that's 600mm at 6 ft away - it's a butterfly master lens. I love the 200-500, but it's long and heavy and only focuses to 20 ft. and won't fit in a shoulder bag - of course that's true for most telephotos, but not the 80-400 which has none of these problems (I've replaced that long deep lens hood with a 3rd party smaller hood and it carries nicely in my bag while mounted on camera). anyway, nuff said . . .

[@mangoldm]

I used the Nikon 200-500 for several years on crop sensors before switching to the Sony 200-600 on the A7R3. The Nikon’s image stabilization was far better, allowing me to use shutter speeds far lower than what are useful on the Sony.

[@mattmangan1528]

For wildlife this is of limited use, as you'll generally be freezing action regardless.

[@kirkstickney7394]

@@mattmangan1528 depends on the type of wildlife you’re shooting. Not everything flits around like a hummingbird or a squirrel on crack😃😃😃

[@adiapte9575]

Please include Nikon 300 mm PF F4 lens on this list. That lens used comes around $1700 and with TC1.4 it becomes 420 mm. Its amazing as well

[@tylerdoestech]

Thanks for yet another fantastic video, Tony and Chelsea! I loved the premise around this test, and thank you for revisiting these camera and lens combinations over a couple of weeks, which I know cannot have been the easiest thing to do.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

You're welcome! And yes this was HARD lol

[@CapturedByKen]

I have the Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm ...think I'm gonna keep it for awhile, I use it practically every single day for work

[@cocoyete]

I'm a Canon shooter but I have to say I agree with #1..... I've seen that lens in action and images, it's just an amazing lens. Tony, Chelsea: Thanks for another great video, I own the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary and have gotten great results for an amateur wildlife photographer.

[@kvedwards1971]

Was really hoping the Canon 100-400mm mkii made the cut. I love that lens

[@RDowson]

I’m guessing they count it as out of scope due to the retail price. It’s cheaper if you shop around though. It’s probably the best lens of them all.

[@JonBagge]

Me too. I use it for hiking, and it's really versatile allowing whatever wildlife I didn't scare away :-) , flowers using the macro, and the 100mm is wide enough for some landscape shots.

[@dhondtdigital]

Yes, I had the Canon 90D + EF 100-400 w/ 1.4x III which was an amazing combination IG: denver.mike

[@harvymckiernan93]

Interesting mix. I love using my z50 with the Nikon 200-500. Very, very impressed with the sharpness, speed and overall balance. Even breaking the reciprocal rule handheld 125th at 500mm. I prefer it over my Z6 combination, yet to find out why. There's something about the z50 that makes the image pop and puts a grin on my face

[@harvymckiernan93]

@@planetfun85I was watching another KZbin channel the other day and it clicked. Greater pixel density.....

[@thesilenttraveller7]

are you using a converter? the z50 is a mirrorless z mount camera while the nikkor 200-500 is a dx format lens.

[@harvymckiernan93]

@@thesilenttraveller7 The 200-500 f5.6 is for f mount full frame. I just use the ftz adapter and naturally get the x1.5 crop factor from the z50

[@tc6912]

Thank you for all the time you put into this. I know this lens is outside the price range you selected, but the Canon 100 500 seems like and important lens to Canon at this point. Any thoughts on why the camera manufactures don't try to fill the gap between the $2000 and $13000 lenses with something like Nikons 500PF. This is a great lens and I would love to see a 600 version. For future: Nikons Z6ii, 7ii with the 500pf Canon R5 with the 100-500 Sony A7R4 with the 200-600 Sony A9ii with the 200-600

[@adamsnow138]

Thank you Tony and Chelsea for the review! It was what I needed! I am a Canon 90D owner and have been looking very closely at the Sigma 150-600mm contemporary lens as a goto for bird photography! It is great to see that you give high praise for that combo!! This makes my decision much easier!! A Huge thank you!

[@andrewbutler9533]

Yeh! My set-up still wins! D7200 and D500 with Nikon 200-500! Think I'll stay with my DSLRs for a while yet. Great video you guys, I can tell you put a lot into that. 👍👏

[@markguerin6071]

Tony & Chelsea, thank you for a great overview of wildlife lenses. Thank you for making photography accessible to all levels of consumers.

[@andywessels4719]

at 7:50 while talking about the Sigma Contemporary lens you actually show a Tamron lens 😁😁

[@stevecook625]

Yes I saw that too.

[@jimgsewell]

The Sigma Contemporary also comes with a collar, just like the Sport. For some reason they didn't show that.

[@steveritzel559]

I was wondering the same thing. Rewound it a few times just to make sure I wasn't missing something. Should I keep my Tamron or get a Sigma?

[@kentrowell9678]

I saw that too!

[@suzannehawkins383]

haha I am specifically looking to see if others noticed that lol.

[@sajeevana3746]

The video is informative and helpful. Thank you 🙏 Love from WAYANAD, KERALA, INDIA .🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[@jamesrodriguez3671]

You 2 are awesome! You've taught me a lot as I'm trying to find a camera and gear for landscape photography. Plus you both are light-hearted and have a sense of humor making your videos easy to watch

[@johngambriel4493]

Great review/ranking, but I was a little surprised that the Sigma 60-600mm Sport did not make it onto the list. I had paired it with the Canon 7D Mark II and later with the Canon R5 with great results. I have since added an RF100-500mm Canon with both Canon RF teleconverters and the results of the Sigma 60-600 versus Canon RF100-500 are almost interchangeable. Lately, I have focused primarily on the Canon glass because of the size and weight benefit and have been extremely happy with the TC 1.4/Canon RF100-500 combination and less so with the 2x TC. Auto Focusing can be problematic with the 2x on the RF100-500 and sharpness is a little softer than the TC 1.4 and the Canon RF100-500. Thanks for all of your great work on such things. I always enjoy both of your inputs.

[@jal2550]

Yay! My lens won. I use it with my Nikon D850, love it!

[@dennisharris144]

Honestly, how does it get any better than this? Unbiased tests performed by experts, who are not selling their sponsor gear. Your videos help me so much I wish I could return the favor. Well I am an Excel expert but not sure how much that will help you LOL

[@robertdavis1255]

Congratulations on a great video... These are the videos I love to see & hear your comments... I have a D500 & always wanted a good wildlife lens like Nikon 200-500mm...thanks for your help...cheers ..from Australia..

[@terryvitanza28]

I would be interesting to have some comparison with popular m4/3 lenses on the field : panasonic 100-400mm, olympus 100-400, olympus 300mm f4, olympus 150-400 f4.5. I'm not a fan of m4/3 but a lot of users think that wildlife photography is one of the best use of m4/3 format. We need a real life comparison.

[@hankroest6836]

The Oly 100-400 should have been here, I think. The Panny, maybe not. And the Oly 150-400/4.5 is $7,500, so way out of this price range, tho selling out faster than they can make 'em.

[@joonas2265]

Tony would just trash the format and lenses tested. Not worth it, trust me.

[@Armand747]

You two help me so much, I appreciate all the hard work you do for us.

[@EnigMagnum]

was studying stat for the exam...saw the upload and read the title...and i'm here.

[@AnOpticalView]

Excellent video and bears out my experience with those lenses I have used myself. Nikon 200-500 a worthy winner

[@thekeytoairpower]

B roll at 7:49 shows the wrong lens...

[@alandyer910]

Great review! The short video just doesn’t show and viewers can’t appreciate how much work goes into such a huge group test. Thank you.

[@jerrybassett7695]

Glad to hear the good things about the Sigma 150-600 C; I just bought it along with a Nikon D500 and the learning curve is steeper than my previous setup of Nikon D90 with the Sigman 18-300mm. The D500 is like a Porche over the D90 Beetle, and I've made some good images with the D90.

[@Tilburger72]

Thanks for your review!. I was wandering (also because I've noticed this more), why isn't the Sigma 60-600 taken into account?

[@DenisDolisy]

Thanks for the great video. It was really interesting to watch. One info i'd like to add : the Sigma 150-600 works very badly with any R-system camera, the AF is very inconsistent and inaccurate (even on static subjects), that's why i switched to the RF 100-500. This seems to be a firmware issue (Sigma has a quite hidden statement with no detail on their site) which gets worse with cameras with IBIS (it performs worse on my R5 than on the RP i had previously)

[@joefratt]

would it work well with a fuji?

[@DenisDolisy]

@@joefratt i don't know. It really depends if the camera system has been opened to third party manufacturers or not. As I could see, they don't make the lens for the x mount so you'd have to use a third party adapter which is really a hit or miss thing as it would be depending on the adapter but I'd expect it to work really poorly. If i were you, I'd spend a bit more and go for the original Fuji lens

[@richiebricker]

As I hope others do, I really appreciate all of your content. Ive learned so much from you guys in the 2 years. THANK YOU

[@lonewolfphotography01]

I've been using the sigma 150-600mm contemporary for just over a year and absolutely love it . It does struggle at times in low light but that's easily compensated for . Great video thank you 😊

[@martyd5819]

For another $600 go get the RF 100-500. Best bang for the buck. IMO

[@Knowbody42]

That one's next on my to-buy list.

[@floriang2801]

It’s a very good lens. But it does not have the highest performance per dollar ratio of all these lenses.

[@martyd5819]

@Photo Bunny This lens stays on my RP 90% of the time. It works for the types of shots I take. An EF 24-70 round out a 2 lens kit.

[@rreichar1]

I enjoyed this video a lot. Solid recommendations. I have 2 systems that I use for wildlife. A Canon R6 with the Sigma 150-600 contemporary and a Panasonic G9 with the PL Leica 100-400 lens. I got the RF f11 600mm with the R6 package but I wasn’t thrilled with the 600. I ended up selling it for enough to buy the Sigma plus the 1.4 extender. I will probably still buy the 800mm f11 at some point. I couldn’t find one in stock anywhere when I bought the camera. Meanwhile the adapted Sigma works well. I think my dream setup might be the R5 with the RF 100-500 lens shooting in crop mode. Not as light as my M43 setup but reasonable. My photos typically go on social media so I don’t need huge megapixels as much as I need lots of reach. The 500mm on the R5 is 800mm equivalent in crop mode at around 18 megapixels I believe. And I don’t have to store lots of really large files. I know storage is cheap but I keep way too many photos.

[@ianbrown704]

This test is amazing, and the time it must have taken for you to complete it is so much appreciated. Thanks and stay safe. Ian (UK)

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

Interesting. Good to see you still like my Nikon 200-500. (Always nice to have one’s buying decisions validated.)

[@billy9506]

Loved this one! Thank you so much. I especially liked the quick and informative explanation to focus breathing! Great work as always.

[@patricksmith2553]

(*WARNING!*) You're risking destroying your Nikon D850, it's missing the bottom rubber piece that covers the electrical contacts for the vertical grip. I know a few people have completely fried their Nikon camera's from dirt, debris and or water getting into those electrical contacts. Just either buy a new replacement rubber part or put the grip back on. If you sit that D850 down and moisture gets in there...you are screwed. Or at least your D850 will be!

[@vikasswaminathan742]

No one gives a fcuk about Nikon

[@BrianJohnson-bq9tr]

@@vikasswaminathan742 yeah, that's being constructive.

[@vikasswaminathan742]

@@BrianJohnson-bq9tr Everyone hates nikon lol, btw wht do u shoot with?

[@imoldgreggboosh3467]

NO ONE CARES ABOUT vikass swaminacesspool . . .

[@cristhianmora5962]

@@vikasswaminathan742 you're the special needs kid

[@jazzdanne]

Tony & Chelsea - I had the Nikon D500 + 200-500/5,6 but the combo was heavy and bulky and I was not always getting sharp results. It was like a lottery. The D500 I liked very much but not the 200-500/5,6. It has quite a lot of focus breathing in my experience as well. I switched to the Olympus E-m1 mkII with the 300/4 Pro and I get sharper results all the time. I do not get the amazing autofocus of the D500 but a more lightweight and compact duo is hard to find. I like the mirrorless camera much better than the DSLR. My new setup made me enjoy photography again. :) Ps. I don’t like pairing fullframe lenses with APS-C bodies. Olympus is no such compromise.

[@steveyoung6422]

I have the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary paired with my Canon 90D. Couldn't be happier with the results !!

[@QuietOC]

The FE 200-600 G OSS doesn't have focus breathing. It's angle-of-view is constant with focus changes.

[@yuanfengjiao231]

Agree. Just tested, the focus breathing is not noticeable. The claim in this video is totally misleading.

[@duncanwallace7760]

Nice one, although I still cant imagine an f11 lens for wildlife photography, but I've not tried it. I'm pretty excited for the upcoming Nikon Z 100-400 & 200-600. If the F 200-500 topped your list, the Z versions should be impressive indeed. We just need a D500 equivalent to go with them.

[@Rickyp0123]

So there will be a Nikon Z 200-600? Do you know when it will be released?

[@davidpearson3304]

@@Rickyp0123 think Tokyo Olympics. That would be the perfect time to release them. Now whether or not they will be in stock is a whole different kettle of fish.

[@tc6912]

If Nikon plans to get equipment into peoples hands before the Olympics, they need to do something soooooooooon! July 23 start date. Waiting anxiously!

[@duncanwallace7760]

@@tc6912 What I heard is the Z9 will be 'tested' by a select few at the Olympics and released later this year. Maybe some of the lenses will be released though, hopefully.

[@UtubeEric12345]

I have been away from the YT photography scene for a while, so this was probably my second video in several months. But this video reminds me of why I like your channel so much! Very good work, and I especially like how you finish up with both explaining your methodology while also acknowledging that other testers very well might come to a different conclusion.

[@geraldheitman7687]

I bought the Nikon D500 and 200 - 500 F.6 lens specifically for wildlife but it works well for everything I do with other Nikon lens too.

[@Neopulse00]

So brave of you guys posing with all those lenses. I'd be too nervous to do that 😅

[@gewglesux]

They're in a VERY decent part of town, with Very decent people, in a Very decent part of the country...

[@jonathanboyd7343]

Confused, #4 sigma 150-600 at 7:51 in video picture of Tamron 150-600

[@MK-bg9bj]

What about the new Sigma 60-600mm Sports lens ? Should make it's way easily into the top 5.

[@EF5Cyniclone]

Yeah, I've been considering getting it and was hoping it would be compared when I started the video.

[@rcpmac]

Ok, this is 2 years old now and I’m looking at comments to see if anyone caught that the sigma contemporary review at around 7:00 ended with Tony demonstrating the lock feature except he’s holding the Tamron.

[@912582]

Always top preparation and justifications from you guys, no arguments at all. I'll just drop in my recent secondhand mint Canon 5Ds with existing 400 f5.6 - total cost $1,700 - the body is effectively a medium format for other things so versatile, reassuring to see you still keep the lens in the frame also. Thank you for the always honest, helpful and consistently neutral advice and results! It's also refreshing to see a KZbin channel as sucessful as yours maintain a low key non-confrontational vibe. Would be great to see you two and Steve Perry get together for a few joint works.

[@rghurst]

At what distance does the Sony 200-600 actually start giving your a full 600mm?

[@stevenphua8643]

I wanted to know also

[@duncanmcinnes5819]

I also use the 1.4x convertor and am curious how that also effects the lens breathing.

[@thrallingFRglory]

Maybe include the M43 lenses in your part 2?

[@avikmajumdar7668]

the best comparison video till date. I love it because I just bought nikon 200-500 and I love that lens

[@TheodoreSchnell]

Canon 90D -- I bought this in February, in part because you said it was a good wildlife and sports camera. I love it and would be interested in seeing how it ranks among your choices for wildlife photography. Btw, I picked up Tamron's 150-600 G2 at the same time I bought the camera. I have been loving it -- and yet remain jealous that, as much as I enjoy using this combination for shooting songbirds, that the R5 and R6 rock wildlife photography that much more. But, I am, after all, a guy on a budget. I am blessed to have been able to afford what I have now -- it was an upgrade from Canon's bridge camera, the SX70, for which I also felt blessed to use. Love your videos and the wonderful way you two complement each other. Thank you!

[@paullefko]

First off thanks for the informative review, deciding on gear is difficult task and it great to see comparisons between body types and lenses that will be used with them. I have full frame , crop and M43 and tbh at the end of the day the M43 does fantastically well and holds up to the other formats in blue hour and daylight. Its about getting the story and it does just fine at that with images that are more than sharp enough. I would contend that because of the format size it can generally, not always of course, offer greater image quality as a whole with better hit rates of keepers because frankly the stabilization is better and your ability to move is less encumbered, you can also change lenses faster should the animal get closer to you, more on that in a moment. M43 for wildlife photography its light weight and easy to travel with. Lenses that are heavy and take up volumes of space are lenses that generally left at home. They dont travel well on planes and push you towards weight limits when your travelling to places like Africa. Last time in Africa I used a D500 and 80-400 lens (the latest model) and it was great combo, well until the elephants were not so thrilled at the machine gun sound of the d500. After the obligatory safari’s the D500 and the one two other lenses I brought was put away and not used again because of size and weight. A smaller apsc crop sensor cam was used. Wildlife photography defined in the this comparison of small and medium sized birds and a chipmunk is much more than the this, we can all agree upon this. Larger animal photography can benefit from these lenses when your further away, but when they get closer the 200 mm is just not usable as they are just too close. Ranges such as 80-400 100-400 are very versatile for a wider range of wildlife beyond birds and tiny animals. I think the sony lens having the focus breathing is actually a benefit because you can back off, but it doesn’t t back off enough I would want to see even more. When your 20 feet in front of rhino your going to be switching lenses. This video really clarifies the comparison of lenses on the specific use case of wildlife birding. Large bulky voluminous lenses and lenses with significant weight are carried by people for small distances, perhaps a few hundred meters at best but your defiantly not hiking with these things into the mountains or for more than a mile or so. Most people in even without a camera will walk only a mile into the back country anyway. Ok some will but I will contend the number is really small. This is a real practical limitation to long zooms which is why you always see them for sale used. The ads read Got this lens used a few times, needs to find a new home, like new …… Ok now onto the last point and lets talk about f-stops. Tony is well known for not using m43 based on equivalency of Fstop, there are many videos produced over the years that discuss this “deficit”, however in this video comparison there is no problem with slow lenses such as the F11’s or even 6.3’s why? We get a glossed over its a great lens in daylight ….. but the truth is the lack of larger apertures when blue hour shows up causes one to up the ISO up leading to the “dreaded” noise and leads to the decline of dynamic range and color fidelity. Moreover, Full frame cameras dont have have the image stabilization ability of say M43. Now your going to have to take a full on tripod which is of course more weight and diminishes your mobility. The slow lenses offer very limited use case, which despite there good image quality makes it less practical lens to purchase. M43 6.3 is nearly the same DOF as the F11, a lumix 100-300 5.6 is so much smaller offers essentially equivalent DOF as the much larger Canon F11. I just think of the practicalities in my use case of hiking, travel, editorial and documentary work. I be surprised to see see the Canon F11 was indeed significantly better than say 100-300 lumix version 2, on a modern m43 sensor I bet its not. Listen this is very well done video, I and so many other appreciate the effort here. Long zooms have place in peoples kit and they are tailored for specific use cases. What I look for is the combination of versatility, size, and weight. Every camera and lens decision carries compromises, if I know that the car is taking the lens and I’m not walking any significant distances than sure bring these FF telephotos along; Conversely if I am going be traveling, hiking and carrying I’m going as light as possible and knowing in advance what type of shot I’m going for. Thanks for the video, well done and very needed in the community

[@rpgroome]

Tony & Chelsea Northrp: An almost twenty minute video and you never address the key question, how did you get a Tony Northrup funk pop? Is it custom, a modification, or just one that happens to look a lot like you?

[@gewglesux]

I thought i remember see somewhere that you can have a custom one made for you or you can do it yourself..

[@jennifergow6524]

The Sigma 150-600 Contemporary is not limited to Canon. I have this lens in Nikon F mount and it works brilliantly both on my D3200 and Z50 through the FTZ adaptor. For wildlife I usually couple with with the Z50 for the superior autofocus and 11 frames/second burst mode.

[@danielweber3433]

Does your copy look sharp at 600 with a far away subject? Mine was washed out quite a bit.

[@lawrencekeeney4317]

I just want to give a thumbs-up to KEH. I have used them over the years and was very pleased with them each time.

[@BrianJohnson-bq9tr]

I'd love to use them but they rape us on shipping to Canada.

[@CamillaI]

Great review will direct my newbies to this review for wildlife lens awesome work Hope your 600 comes soon Tony amazing combo with the A1

[@CraigLively]

Wow! This is the first time I've seen anyone rank the Sigma 150-600 Sports lens lower than the Contemporary!

[@voicesfromagespast]

Apparently the Contemporary is sharper at most lengths, while the Sport is sharper at 600mm where you'll mostly be using it anyway. I'm not sure how much time they spent comparing them but it seems misleading.

[@terryloewenberg2764]

I think you’re forgetting that sharpness at 600mm is not the only ranking criteria?

[@beksf]

the quality of photos when compared side by side are either identical or the contemporary is better.

[@KatoandSara]

This is the best review thus far! What an informative and thoughtful ranking of lenses. Thank you for doing the legwork. A+++

[@Daniel_fotos_da_varanda]

Do you like animals? Follow us 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@randallbrander8157]

If you buy the Techart TZ-01 adapter you can use any Sony E mount lens on Nikon Z mount Full Frame cameras. Especially with the Tamron 100-500mm or the Sony 200-600mm.

[@judithwinkler1553]

Would have appreciated hearing about lenses that can be adapted to micro four thirds. When I have to replace my Olympus, I'll replace it with a used Sony or Canon, so adapting sony or canon mount lenses is my priority for any new lens purchases.

[@ptdphotos]

No love for the Sigma 60-600 Sport? :) It is at the top end of the budget you put out there

[@666Tomato666]

I'm guessing the IQ and the high weight disqualified it

[@ptdphotos]

@@666Tomato666 It weighs slightly less than the 150-600 sport that was on the list, and I would really argue that the IQ would have disappointed. I had the Sigma 150-600 C (on the list) prior to upgrading and the IQ is a well above what that lens could produce. It is just one of those lenses that gets missed in a lot of these wrap ups and I'm not sure why as the extra 40mm on the wide side really makes a difference, and the step up in OS is noticeable as well

[@jdw715]

Internal focusing may change the the focal length if not at infinity. From the Sony manual: •Depending on the lens mechanism, the focal length may change with any change in shooting distance. The focal lengths given above assume the lens is focused at infinity.

[@jathyadharmasena988]

Hi Tony and Chelsea , I've been watching your reviews for many years now. love you both for bringing a lot of informed comparisons. This is an eye-opener video that I watched many times.

[@messylaura]

7:48 wrong footage, talking about the sigma and showing a tampon

[@Zx30]

tampon? lmao

[@girlabrian]

🤣

[@SteveMasonCanada]

:) :)

[@patricksmith2553]

Uhh NO, the Canon 800mm f/11 IS is NOT anywhere near the same image quality as the $12,399 Nikon 600mm f/4E VR FL. Your own side by example was glaringly evident, I could see an enormous difference in image quality, especially the contrast, which is much better on the Nikon. I'm not sure why you would mislead people, I'm sure the Canon 800mm f/11 is not a bad lens, but no it can't nor should it be compared with the Nikon 600mmm f/4 FL.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Have you shot then side by side? We do several times every week. Trust me, I'm the guy carrying the 13lbs of Nikon gear having my shots turn out almost identical to Chelsea's. The sample shots were taken with different cameras and Lightroom tends to wreck R5 raws, which might explain the exposure and contrast difference (though the Nikon definitely has better contrast). Anyway don't underestimate that Lil Canon.

[@Zx30]

The RF 800 with the R5 is truly nuts. I was getting TACK SHARP results of squirrels a few days ago at 1/250 handheld...AT 800MM. The quality, stabilization, and reach at the $800 price point is just NUTTTSSSSSS. It CAN be a little rougher when there's little sun due to the F11, but it's definitely a beast in sunny conditions during the morning or evening light.

[@andreasthegreat8509]

Try the Olympus 100-400, way better and not much mor expensive.

[@Zx30]

@@andreasthegreat8509 I'll keep it in mind if I ever get an Olympus camera xD

[@larbueno]

About a year ago I sold my VERY sharp Olympus 300mm f4 to Bozeman Camera (great business and great staff!) so I could buy the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary. I found a used 1st generation Metabones .71 Speedbooster and together with my Panasonic GH5, I have an exceptional video and stills super telephoto combination. I've been in the nature filmmaking business since 1989 and am very impressed by the sharp, contrasty images I get with this setup. I manual focus all video and the MF ring on this lens is a bit stiff to turn, even after a year+. The tiniest rotation of this ring affects the focus, but I've learned to handle these limitations to achieve tack sharp focus in 4k video most of the time. I've had it in the rain while filming and have had no issues with fogging whatsoever. To me, it is THE best bargain in a professional-results lens I've ever been aware of. I've heard many reviewers praise this lens for it's excellent IQ, then call it a good entry-level lens...somewhat diminishing it's excellent performance with faint praise. Just because it's not a multi-thousand $ lens and doesn't have stated weather-proofness doesn't mean it isn't a tremendous tool. I'm biased. I can get great images while using it!

[@untouchable360x]

Those lenses cost more than my car.

[@sergeantcrow]

I bought a Tair 3 300mmm f3.5 for £30 . I also use Sigma DL 70-300 £40. The Eos version doesn't work on my 20D but the NK version on cheap adapter on 20D does.. Old but they do the job...

[@sarajitsil]

Absolutely a fantastic video. Appreciate the hard work that went behind making this content. It helps a lot. ❤️

[@atomikmaster1]

Thanks guys. I may have been a little hard in the comments over the years and I apologise if I may have caused any hurt. I appreciate what you and your channel have done over the years. I may not agree with all your views and conclusions but I am greatful for them. Thank you 👍🏿 🌞

[@douglasbamforth3529]

being a senior citizen on a limited budget I thank you for suggestions on the budget part. I just take the pictures for my own enjoyment so do not need the latest and greatest.

[@samuelsherman5513]

The sigma 150-600 and nikon 200-500 are the two I've been considering the most with the nikon ftz adapter. The only thing giving me pause is that I know Nikon is supposed to have a 100-400 and a 200-600 Z mount lens coming out sometime in the next year (but I feel like they'll probably be much more expensive)

[@patrickmayer7813]

I have the Tamron 150-600mm G1 (Minolta-A mount). Using it on a Sony A7II through LA-EA3 adaptor. Focusing is slow… Good advice to use the range limiter. Good for slow moving wildlife, or it moves from side to side. Also pretty good for aviation/airshow photography: planes are usually far enough that AF won’t hunt too much to find them near infinity. One last word: Tony’s advice to use it at f8 is key. This aperture setting is the sweet spot for this lens.

[@AliasJimWirth]

Totally appreciate you two; your efforts, presentations and, "straight shooting", keep me coming back. Thanks for another useful video. I like the added explanations too.

[@TheExtraTerrestrial]

Wow, didn't realize that Sony 200-600 had such massive focus breathing. That would be a deal breaker for me. You're also spot on with the 200-500 at the top spot. That was my go-to lens for quite a while, and is still great if I need to zoom out. However, since getting the Nikon 500PF, nothing can match it. It's even good with a 1.4X TC to get 700mm at f/8. Only drawback is the price, but it's not too bad compared to the other exotics. Thanks, guys!

[@user-xf8jz9qy9m]

I have just purchased a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary which I'm still about to try out. I was glad (and rather surprised) to see it ranked in fourth place, above the much praised (and pricier) Sports version.

[@michaelbutler4961]

Thank you for taking the time to put this video together.

[@paultheriault9932]

You are on point! Excellent work, even found that you confirmed a pairing that I’ve suspected to be very good. Concise, smart and professional you folks are top shelf!!

[@haak737]

A good, compact, light, fast and sharp combo is the nikon D7200 body (675 grams) with the nikon 300mm f/4 ED PF VR (755 grams) and the 1,4 III converter (190 grams). 420mm x 1,5 crop = 630mm. No zoom, but good for birding and only 1,6 kg.

[@donaldlaing8397]

I use the 300PF with a Nikon 1.7X TC to get a 510mm focal length. It slows the AF a little but quality is still great. It is a great pairing with the D850 for fast, accurate AF.

[@spidersj12]

I ordered my own Sigma 150-600mm contemporary EF mount along with the Sigma 100-400mm contemporary EF mount for my Canon EOS R last weekend as I already have the full set of Canon EF-RF mount adapters and drop in filters. I have had the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art EF mount and the 70-200mm F2.6 Sport lens for the past year. The new lenses should be arriving sometime soon.

[@abhishekbanerjee3214]

Tony & Chelsea - thank you for all the hard work. This was an amazing video. (this is coming from a person who enjoy educational content more than gear reviews) :) :)

[@derbagger22]

I bought the Sigma 150-600 C last year and it works well paired with both my Canon RP and M50. With adapters, of course. The autofocus is meh on those cameras, but I've enjoyed learning how to get around that. It's an amazing lens for the $$$

[@adude394]

Great stuff. I had never even heard of KEH before last month, when a photography expert friend in the UK pointed me to them. Suffice it to say, I've given them quite a bit of business in the last few weeks.

[@cameraprepper7938]

We need more Prime Tele Lenses, like 300mm 4.0 (4.5), 400mm 4.5 (5.6) and 500mm 5.6 (6.3) !!! I have the Sony 200-600mm 5.6-6.3 G on a Sony A7RIV which I most often use in crop APSC mode (26Mp), but I will recommend others to get the Sony A6600 together with the Sony 200-600mm 5.6-6.3 G.

[@oldbonesuk1139]

Amazed at where the Sigma Sport was on your list, i have 2 of them and a Canon 600 f4 Prime, I was blown away at how close the Sigma came to the Primes sharpness and quality, also at launch a few years ago, the Standard none sport version was nowhere near as sharp, I tested before before spending any cash

[@toddcdavid]

Agree. I wonder if Chelsea confused the contemporary and the sport versions? Sport is definitely the sharper and faster of the two.

[@davidnorman7005]

Dear Chelsea and Tony Thanks for the great and very useful video. However, one small addition. You mention using extension tubes with the Sony 200-600mm lens. Yes, this works fine and is very useful for smaller subjects. But the extension tubes must be full-frame versions. I have an older set of Kenko tubes, and they cause serious vignetting. The corners are simply black which means one must crop the image to something less than 80%. I now have purchased new Kanko tubes marked “for Sony E-mount Full Frame” and these do not have any vignetting. The older version has a circular aperture whereas on the new version there are cut-outs both sides to eliminate the vignetting. One should also point out that the internet is very confusing! If you look on Amazon you will find many different manufacturers of extension tubes for the Sony E-mount, some with round apertures others with cut outs for full-frame. Some manufactures of the version with a circular aperture say “for APSC” others say, “on full-frame cameras switch to APSC”, others simply list all Sony E-mount cameras with no mention of vignetting. Thanks again for the video, I will be putting an old set of Kenko on the Swiss version of EBay but will make a note saying “APSC only”.

[@robertmoore1132]

You missed one - nikon 300 F4 PF, blows the 200-500 out the water for sharpness and weight - also takes a 1.4 and 1.7 TC really well (yes I'm aware of the 500Pf But thats like 3.5k so a little over this videos price point)

[@balintk.9373]

Also for 2k you can find decent 300mm F2.8 vr1 lenses or older ones.

[@troycarpenter3115]

This was an absolutely amazing video. I'm trying to select my first grown up camera and I really want to get into wildlife photography. The problem is that pair of body and lenses...among DSLR or Mirrorless, but that's another subject. This last few minutes of this video has helped me figure how to pair things. I am starting this journey, but I don't want to start at the beginning. I'd like to invest in something that will allow me to expand and grow. What you did here with the body and lenses at price points really really helped!! Thank you both so much!

[@KeesRecourt]

Thank you, great review Tony and Chelsea! I love my Nikon D7200 & 200-500 mm combi, which I acquired for about $1200 in total. Perfect for wildlife and sports photography, using a HQ VR and constant diagfragm of 5.6.

[@LOSOSOS2000]

Excellent job! Respect for the many hours of hard work and patience Chelsea and Tony! Alex - Brussels, Belgium

[@ytr8989]

It’s time to have a macro lens competition. A 105mm macro lens from each brand - Sony, Canon, Nikon;, and Sigma; you’d have to settle for the 80mm macro for Fujifilm.

[@thekeytoairpower]

Canon R6 shooter... after renting the sigma C and the tamron G2 I have put a deposit down on the Sigma. The Tanron crashed my camera twice and went into a glitch mode and kept racking focus back and forth rapidly even when the shutter was not half pressed. I will hang onto the sigma whilst I save up the 5-6K for a used 200-400 f4 with built in teleconverter. It has all the advantages of the sony so it is the grail lens. I will probably also pick up the RF800. I don't like the limited focus points, but there is an area near me with tons of birds but absolutely no cover, and the birds are more shy than in the other places I shoot. The fact the lens is relatively inexpensive makes it a good deal. That said maybe just getting the RF 1.4 teleconverter and using it with the Sigma C would be a good option for $500 less. Great video.

[@letsfindout6587]

I have a 800mm f11 brand new didn’t get to test it I sold my R6 switched to Sony the dynamic range is much better on the a7iii so awesome. If you live in California I can sell it to you if you want.