Super telephoto lenses are irreplaceable when shooting sports, birds, and wildlife photography. The problem is that these lenses are extremely expensive to boot. Does it mean that only photographers with deep pockets will be able to shoot these genres? Not really. There are several great budget lenses available if you’re willing to spend some time looking for them. We have already done the hard work for you and scouted the best budget super-telephoto lenses for the Nikon F-mount. We’ll soon come up with a similar discussion for the Canon EF mount.
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary
Sigma’s 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM is the contemporary version of the two lenses that Sigma sells. There is a Sports version too with some additional features. This one costs more than half of the price of the Sports version. At 150-600, this one has an extended reach that guarantees you’re never too far away from the action. Whether it’s the number ten on a soccer pitch scoring the winning goal or a kingfisher diving out of the water with a catch in its beak, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM will capture it all.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Even though this is the cheapest 500mm lens on the Nikon line-up, this is no mean lens by any stretch of the imagination. As a matter of fact, between the three lenses, I am a little biased towards this lens. Not because I have used this lens the most but because this lens handles the best, in my opinion. Ironically, the Nikon is the shortest of the three lenses. It also has the widest aperture at the tele-end, which is always a plus point. Also, the aperture is constant across the focal length, which is a great point to add. So, there will not be visual jerks when you travel between 200mm and 500mm.
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2
The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 is a formidable lens. With its 600mm optical zoom range and the aperture range of f/5 to 6.3, this is a solid lens to work with. The lens is VC (Vibration Compensation) enabled, and that means this lens is excellently suitable for hand-held shooting. This is the only lens among the three that comes with moisture resistant build, and that means you can use this lens in inclement weather. We would have loved to see a constant aperture across the focal length, and that would have been something. But it more than makes up for that in the form of excellent build quality, construction elements, and optical performance.
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