Sigma or Nikon - Which Should I Choose?
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary or Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR?
Well, this is a turn for the books.
My last blog post mentioned how I was trading in my Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM lens for the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens with MPB.
But then a curveball was thrown my way…
I asked myself, “Is this really what I want? Or, am I settling on "near enough is good enough" just to save a few pennies?”
The latter was true.
I stumbled across what I always knew to be the dream pairing for my Nikon D500.
It was a decision that followed plentiful research on the subject over many months. YouTube reviews (such as this one from Grays of Westminster) were invaluable in helping me to weight it all up.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
The lens was being offered "Used", in "Excellent" cosmetic condition, and with no noted off-putting defects such as occasional autofocus failure, moisture or fungus.
The only "Note" was a stuck-on filter. No biggie (unless it's a 10-stop non-variable ND filter, of course).
I examined the images…
Pristine.
The great thing about MPB is that the photos you see are of the exact product you are purchasing.
I zoomed in!
"I'm going to take a chance on this!", I thought to myself.
At £699 and with the added peace of mind of MPB's hassle-free return policy, I had nothing to lose except perhaps time wasted.
The lens arrived…
I located my filter wrenches - inexpensive tools designed specifically for removing hard-to-budge lens filters. Still the offending article did not surrender itself.
In any case, it happened to be a UV filter: functional and protective but also known to degrade image quality (sharpness) particularly at longer focal lengths. It needed off!
Fortunately, I was able to separate the front filter thread from the front element. Having mitigated any risk of causing damage to the lens outer optics, I took a hammer to the UV filter glass. (Not good practice and totally unadvisable - last resort only!) It was a clean break leaving only the rim in place. I can live with that.
Food for thought: why would anyone spend £1200 on a lens only to stick a budget-at-best crappy filter on it?!
Anyway, I'm absolutely over the moon to get my hands on this not-so-little legend.
Read Nikon’s introduction of this lens HERE. Or, to purchase, head over to MPB.
Here's a run-down of the main specs:*
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200–500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Focal length: 200–500 mm (telephoto zoom)
Maximum aperture: f/5.6 (constant throughout zoom range)
Minimum aperture: f/32
Lens mount: Nikon F (FX/full-frame compatible; also usable on DX bodies with crop factor)
Format compatibility: FX (full-frame) and DX
Optical construction: 20 elements in 12 groups
Special elements: ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to reduce chromatic aberration
Coatings: Nano Crystal Coat to reduce ghosting and flare
Vibration Reduction (VR): Nikon VR with up to 4.5 stops of stabilisation (CIPA equiv., subject to camera/body)
Autofocus: Silent Wave Motor (SWM) with full-time manual focus override; electronic aperture (E-type)
Focus distance: Closest focusing distance 2.2 m (approx.)
Maximum reproduction ratio: Approximately 0.24× (close-focus tele capability)
Diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded)
Filter size: 95 mm front filter thread (Quality filters at this size will cost you a pretty penny!)
Dimensions: Approx. 119 mm (diameter) × 270 mm (length)
Weight: Approx. 2300–2350 g (around 2.3–2.35 kg)
Mount features: Integrated tripod collar with Arca-compatible foot (removable)
Weather resistance: Seals at mount and key locations for dust and moisture resistance
Colour: Black
Notes:
Designed as a relatively affordable, constant-aperture super-telephoto zoom suitable for wildlife and bird photography, with strong reach and close-focus capability for its class.
VR performance and AF speed are good for handheld tele work but may not match higher-end pro telephoto primes in ultimate speed or stabilisation.
How does the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200–500mm f/5.6E ED VR perform in the field?
I took my new toy for a spin at St Bees Head, close to the harbour town of Whitehaven.
The improved specs instantly translated into better images and a more enjoyable shooting experience whilst out on location.
The VR (vibration reduction) is quite simply outstanding! Nikon boasts 4.5 stops and I don't doubt it! It was an exceptionally bright day so my ISO was never going too high even when shooting at 1/4000 of a second to freeze the motion of birds in flight.
In any case, it would clearly have been possible to use much slower shutter speeds had I needed to.
(Un)expected challenges:
1) Size and weight
The lens is not only far heavier, but also surprisingly longer, especially at full extension than anything I've previously owned.
I carried the Nikkor 200-500 some 7.5 miles along the England Coastal Path. Although, not unmanageable, I certainly felt it!
Bearing the load, I soon discovered that my handholding technique could use some work - the 10 FPS rapid-fire shutter of my Nikon D500, paired with this absolute monster of a super-telephoto lens, created shake akin to firing a gun. The force would physically move the focus point away from the subject; not a problem for "Group AF" but for "Single AF" (tiny, twitchy birds, for example), this could be the difference between hitting or missing.
2) Autofocus
The autofocus system on my D500 is sublime - a pleasure to experience. My old Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM lens on the other hand left a lot to be desired. But as soon as the autofocus technology in my Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR revved up, it was powerful indeed, and even required some reigning in!
With my previous lens, I had set "Focus Tracking with Lock-On" to "Erratic" in a bid to give it some welly in the event of unexpected action. That was however all a bit too much for the Nikkor lens, which was jumping around all over the place.
Dialling in a setting of "Delayed" prevented this.
Verdict:
Overall, I'm thrilled with my latest acquisition and we shan't be parting ways anytime soon.
Be sure to check out my next blog post on the subject of shooting in monochrome (B&W), which will surely include some shots taken with the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens.
* Disclaimer: This post contains AI-generated content from Squarespace AI and has been reviewed/edited by a human. Such content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice or relied upon for accuracy. Cast a Light Photography© disclaims any and all liability for any errors or omissions in the content produced by AI technology and advises that users exercise caution when relying on such content. No copyright infringement is intended. I do not own nor claim to own the rights to AI-generated text or stock imagery. I have no affiliation with any of the brands or businesses mentioned in this blog post. All opinions are my own and reflect my favourable experiences. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement when buying, selling and trading equipment.