[highyellow1]

Ok, so I'm a little confused. Does the Sigma HSM lens work with the TC or not?

I looked at the webpage and it seems to show them working for some but not all?

Thanks.

[dylansalt]

The Pentax 55-300 has really really good IQ for its price - I do own one and have really got some brilliant shots with it

Compared though to the Nikon 70-300 VR it feels cheap and from 70-200 without a doubt the Nikon is sharp really sharp - it knocked my socks off when I looked at the results

For me in lens vr is much nicer to use with long lenses or zooms at their maximum as it stabilizes the view and helps you concentrate on your subject easier.

I have added a pic here shot at 300mm wide open on South African weaver with zero cropping taken with the Nikon and 3D Continuous tracking and 9 points assist

Weavers dont sit still for a second and are bouncing around continuously especially when I was this close - seems sharp enough for me for a consumer zoom

Although you can't tell, the light was close to dusk and I was shooting at about 1000iso

[dylansalt]

This shot was shot as jpeg and all I did was sharpen slightly

Also at 300mm wide open at about 900iso due to light conditions

Is good enough for me;-)

[jsherman999]

This is actually a tough choice, because the Sigma 100-300 f/4 is a very good zoom - but the Nikon AF/tracking is very good, also.

If you were shooting general telephoto, I'd say the K-5 + 100-300 is by far the best choice, but when AF and tracking are a big part of the deal... I don't know.

Really the best choice for your intended application may be a D7000 (or D300) + Sigma 100-300 f/4. Best of both worlds. A D90 might even be a good choice here.


.

[highyellow1]

Dylansalt & Jsherman, thank for the input and nice pics.

Can anyone tell me whether the Sigma HSM lens work w/ the TC or not?

[jsherman999]

Dylansalt & Jsherman, thank for the input and nice pics.

Can anyone tell me whether the Sigma HSM lens work w/ the TC or not?

About the best lens/TC combo there is out there is the Sigma lens + Sigma TCs - very little IQ degradation, and the Sigma TCs will work fully with HSM (on a Nikon body at least.)

I don't know if the Kenko, etc TCs will work.

[highyellow1]

So Sigma HSM lens will work with their TCs on Nikon mounts?!?

Interesting, that is definitely something to consider.

[gawan]

Here is some proof for the Sigma 100-300mm. I used this lens with K10D, always with a grinning face because it is so good. It is sad it is discontinued now.

Pentax version does not have HSM, works nicely with a 1.4X TC, but you better do manual focus if you go with 2X TX.

These are 300mm (without a TC), both cropped to some degree:

[highyellow1]

Gawan -- nice pics, love the squirrel, great capture.

I see everyone just continues to rub it in w/ pics of the Sigma 100-300.

[highyellow1]

dylansalt -- you say that pic of the weaver id with the Nikon 70-300 VR? How is the AF and what body did you use?

[dylansalt]

The af is very good in all forms of light - the weaver was shot using 3D tracking with 9 points assist

I recently covered a 21st and took some shots with the lens without using the af assist light and it worked flawless.

It was a dark venue so Im more than happy with the results this lens produces

It's a nicely constructed lens as well and balances well in the hand

I'm using the D7000.

[dylansalt]

No judging of pics please :-)

I was asked to do random shots of my son's girlfriends 21st

The one below was one of quite a few taken at ISO3200 F5.6 1/50 sec @ 300mm taken from about 8m away across the room.

I don't like using the af assist light and I have it switched off - Color might look different to viewers as Im editing on an led screen which tens to render a "punchier" look compared to other monitors

I also use my pop up flash to add in a bit of light