New lens options...

[od404]

Hi all!

Looking for a new telephoto lens (for my 30D), mainly going to be used for motorsport and have been looking at the following two:

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO HSM II
Canon EF 70-200mm f4L USM

Both are similar in price (or at least the price difference is irrelevant to me), and obviously the wider apeture of the Sigma is a benefit, but does anyone have any other thoughts on build quality, image quality etc? Or perhaps any suggestions as to other lenses to be looking at in the same sort of price bracket as these?

Thanks in advance
Steve

[Gemm]

This topic has come up a couple of times before and it seems the choice depends on whether you gain more from f2.8 or IS. From my experience, Canon seems sharper wide open and its AF is faster (both on locking onto the static subject and tracking). But they are both still great lenses.

[od404]

In this case the Canon isn't the IS version (I've read the F2,8 vs IS threads), as the Sigma isn't much more than the Canon I've listed (but a good deal less than the Canon with IS) I wanted to know if by gaining the extra stop with the Sigma I'm sacrificing more from the general image quality?

[john185k]

Personally i would go with the sigma for the speed

[Cabinet Enforcer]

Be aware that sigma has just recently announced a new 70-200 2.8 lens with image stabilisation and their new fancy-pants glass. Price hasn't been announced yet, may be worth hanging on to see what its going to be, it could push down the price of the non OS version.

[Gemm]

Oh sorry! I thought you meant the IS version. My mistake!

[itsnotarace]

Try the Sigma before you buy, I had an early one (before the Macro version) and it was optically perfect but I know a couple of people who have bought since - one was really soft and the other had back focusing issues (returned a couple of times for service/adjustment and not fixed).

Saying that though, Sigma UK customer service were pretty good to me. Just seems to be hit and miss with the lens quality control

[od404]

Yeah I've read that about the Sigma quite a lot, and is probably what's putting me off. Otherwise I'd be all over it as they say.