Nikon 200-500mm lens VS Tamron 150-600mm lens PRO & CONs ????

Dakota

Senior Member
Be getting a new D7200 soon with the 18-140 lens to start. This summer I want to get a good telephoto either one of the above lenses. What are the pros and cons of these two lenses. I like to do wildlife
an some sports and air shows and zoos. I have seen picture from both lenses and both seem to do a god job. Looking for feedback on them will be appreciated. Thanks

Bill
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Be getting a new D7200 soon with the 18-140 lens to start. This summer I want to get a good telephoto either one of the above lenses. What are the pros and cons of these two lenses. I like to do wildlife
an some sports and air shows and zoos. I have seen picture from both lenses and both seem to do a god job. Looking for feedback on them will be appreciated. Thanks

Bill
You might want to read this head-to-head review:

Nikon 200-500mm vs Tamron 150-600mm vs Sigma 150-600mm C

...
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
On the generation 1 of the Tamron you really needed the aperture up at f/8+. I spoke with the Tamron rep last week and he told me the wide open end of the lens on generation 2 had been greatly improved over generation 1.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Not had the 200-500 but have had both 150-600s, nothing wrong with the Tamron (now) but i felt the Sigma 150-600 had the edge for IQ, choosing now though the 200-500 would be difficult to ignore.
 
I have the G1 Tamron version and would have a problem splitting the G2 from the Nikon as the G2 has focus tuning throughout the zoom range with the use of the base, The Nikon I think will hold its value better .
Best tip for birding lenses is to wrap them with rifle wrap .Not only is this cheaper ($2 a roll ebay)than the neoprene rigs but it does not slip about and gives great protection
 
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NVSteve

Senior Member
I have the Tamron "G1" and am facing the same choice. Having shot with the G1 quite a bit, the biggest thing I'm looking for is IQ wide open. I thought my shots with the Tamron were okay, but after reading a bunch of owners complaining about it being soft wide open and also hazy at 600mm, I've looked through most of the shots I've taken and can agree. Nikon is currently in the top spot on my list, mostly because the IQ is very good at f5.6, whereas the Tamron (both of them) requires stopping down to come close to what the Nikon delivers. Then again, the Nikon also doesn't have the extra 50mm on the short end & 100mm on the long end like the Tamron. Still looking and debating myself, but as I mentioned, the Nikon is the top runner for my needs. I almost didn't even consider the Nikon because a few people have said the AF is slow. But, a ton of birders are saying the AF is no slower than the G1, which has been perfectly fine for me. All I can say is good luck reaching a decision!
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
I can only speak for the Nikon with first hand experience.
The good.
Constant F/5.6 (Important if you're going to use a TC, although I don't recommend it for action shots.)
It is just as sharp wide open at 500 mm then it is stopped down.
The IQ is fantastic, bokeh is awesome .
For BIF shots the VR in "sports" mode is the best VR that I ever used. (I always use this lens hand held) I have taken shots at 500mm with 1/200th SS with no camera shake . sharp!

The not so good.
Zooming from 200-500 takes more then one turn of the wrist.
Not crazy about the lens hood.
 

Dakota

Senior Member
Of these two lenses Nikon 200-500 & new model Tamron 150-600 G series which has the fastest auto focus especially BIF. Thanks

Bill
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Of these two lenses Nikon 200-500 & new model Tamron 150-600 G series which has the fastest auto focus especially BIF. Thanks

I haven't been hands-on with the Tamron G2, but between the G1 and the Nikon 200-500 my experience was that the Nikon was the faster to auto focus. I haven't done much BIF, but have used both for sports and similar fast action shooting.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Of these two lenses Nikon 200-500 & new model Tamron 150-600 G series which has the fastest auto focus especially BIF. Thanks

Bill

You might want to read this head-to-head review:

Nikon 200-500mm vs Tamron 150-600mm vs Sigma 150-600mm C

...

Did you read the article @Horoscope Fish posted? The fact that the Nikon is a fixed aperture while the Tamron is a variable aperture doesn't really come into play here. Usually fixed apertures tend to be better, but the Tamron has a slightly faster aperture on its wide end. This is what it says about speed:

2) Fixed Versus Variable Aperture

Sigi and Tami both have a variable maximum aperture while Niki has a fixed maximum aperture. Historically, fixed aperture zooms have been faster, sharper and more expensive than variable aperture lenses. But that pretty much applies to the f/2.8 zooms. Those were made for the professional market and built to higher standards than the slower variable zooms of yesteryear. At a fixed f/5.6 the Nikon 200-500 is not a fast lens and only 1/3 stop faster than Sigi and Tami at maximum zoom. Is there an advantage to a fixed aperture? Very little it turns out. The two cases are: 1) when shooting manual wide open, setting your exposure, then zooming and forgetting to reset your exposure; and 2) when zooming wide open when shooting video. In case one this is pretty inconsequential given how much exposure latitude modern sensors give us. In case 2, DSLR videos are usually shot at 1/50 sec, hence it would have to be real low light to shoot wide open even at base ISO. Add to that that zooming is out of fashion these days (get a boom dude) and any advantage of fixed over variable won’t come into play for 98% of consumers. With Sigi and Tami, once you stop down to f/6.3 (only 1/3 stop slower than f/5.6) the lenses will stay at the same aperture when zooming. If shooting video with the aperture wide open then you can’t zoom without altering your exposure (because you’ll probably be at 1/50 sec you’ll only be able to shoot wide open in very low light or with a neutral density filter attached [95mm ND filters start around $300]).

So there’s little advantage to a fixed aperture in this case and Sigi and Tami are faster at their wide ends than Niki. Bottom line – I wouldn’t worry at all about one being fixed and the other two not.
 

Friggs

Senior Member
I have the Nikon 200-500. I was going to get the Sigma but a friend talked me into going with the Nikon. I am glad I did. Sharp wide open at every zoom range. The VR is amazing. I keep it in sport most of the time. It can jump around in normally and move the focusing point around. And normally my ss is above 1/1000 sec and they recommend either turning it off or having it on sport at those speeds. I have gotten sharp images at 500mm on a crop body, so 750 at a ss of 1/60 sec. Now not all the time but it has happened and that is hand held. I will try and find the one I am thinking of and share it. I would strongly recommend the Nikon. But I know people who are happy with either. But the ones I have talked to that have tried both have leaned towards the Nikon.
 

Friggs

Senior Member
Nikon D300. Nikon 200-500 @ 500. ISO 1600. F5.6 1/80 sec. Handheld.

DSC_4001-1.jpg
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Nikon D7200. Sigma 150-600 C at 600mm (900mm equivalent). F7.1 1/2500 Sec. ISO 800. Handheld.

ground_squirrel_111613.jpg


Nikon D7200. Sigma 150-600 C at 460mm (690 mm equivalent). F7.1 1/3200 Sec. ISO 800. Handheld.

egret_808421.jpg
 
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Roy1961

Senior Member
Contributor
ROY_6554.JPG


I would like to throw my lens into the mix, Sigma 50-500, ISO 250, SS1000, F6.3 hand held from a moving car/train around the wild animal park.
 
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