Okay, I use the Bigma or Sigma 50-500 4.0-5.6 for nearly all my wildlife shots. I really want to be able to improve my skills and keeper rates when shooting birds in flight such as duckI am having a terrible time using the AI Servo on my 40D with the Bigma. I suppose part of the issue is that the lens is too slow. However, I believe it should be much faster at locking focus than it is. I am beginning to suspect a possible malfunction of the camera.
The other day it was overcast and the ground was totally snow covered. It was about 30 degrees outside. As my friend and I were shooting ducks I had my camera set for AI Servo and multi burst. I just could not get the lens to focus. I am wondering if there is a setting in custom settings I could have wrong that prevents the lens from focusing as fast as it can. Would it lock focus faster if I use all focus points?
Is the 40D just slower than other canon models or is the Bigma just the wrong lens? I would appreciate your opinions.
The Bigma is f/6.3 on the long end. Not that that matters much but doesn't help on top of all the other drawbacks of your setup.
If you can get keepers with your setup in "one shot" (not Servo) will tell you a lot. It would point to Servo being a problem. If it's one that can be fixed at that temp, with that lens, and that body, no one knows.
F/6.3 lenses are the ones I see used in "one shot" focus mode for action shots, with a high success rate. Where the lens just won't track at all in AI Servo to speak of.
You can rent a 400/5.6L for a week for about $80 online. Rent lens or rent glass.com. I believe it will answer all your questions. It's a major step up from the lens you have.
Andrew J wrote:
The Bigma is f/6.3 on the long end. Not that that matters much but doesn't help on top of all the other drawbacks of your setup.
If you can get keepers with your setup in "one shot" (not Servo) will tell you a lot. It would point to Servo being a problem. If it's one that can be fixed at that temp, with that lens, and that body, no one knows.
F/6.3 lenses are the ones I see used in "one shot" focus mode for action shots, with a high success rate. Where the lens just won't track at all in AI Servo to speak of.
You can rent a 400/5.6L for a week for about $80 online. Rent lens or rent glass.com. I believe it will answer all your questions. It's a major step up from the lens you have....Show more →
Andrwe, I understand what you are saying alright. I have thought about the prime lens option, however I find I use the telephoto range of the Bigma often. My concern about the 400 5.6 or say even the 500 f 4 is that I will too often be too close to my subject to get them in the frame. Do you think that the 100-400 f 4.0 - 5.6 would be about the same as the Bigma?
A good one would be better but tracking is not it's strong suit. People seem to rent bad 100-400s very often. I don't believe they hold up to even the smallest banging around.
Maybe get the 400/5.6L for action shots and use the Bigma for everything else.
Andrew J wrote:
A good one would be better but tracking is not it's strong suit. People seem to rent bad 100-400s very often. I don't believe they hold up to even the smallest banging around.
Maybe get the 400/5.6L for action shots and use the Bigma for everything else.
Thanks Andrew, I will be looking into this as an option. I currently have aa Canon 70-200 f 2.8 L IS and will stay with it until I can afford a longer focal length prime. If I could just afford a 300 f 2.8 my needs would be met nicely. That 300 by itself and or with a 1.4 or even a 2 X at times. I need an inheritance !
I have the Bigma, the 80-400 OS and the 100-400 L and tried all 3 last summer shooting R/C fun fly events, both on my 40D and 1Dmklln. Only the 100-400 did well on both bodies, and although I could get the odd good shot with the Bigma they usually came from the 1Dmklln, not the 40D. That was in warm weather so I'm pretty sure cold temps will slow the tracking down somewhat, so that has to add to your issue. I don't think the Bigma is known for a fast AF and part of the problem is the lack of a limit switch, so it hunts back & forth over the full travel.
Cicopo wrote:
I have the Bigma, the 80-400 OS and the 100-400 L and tried all 3 last summer shooting R/C fun fly events, both on my 40D and 1Dmklln. Only the 100-400 did well on both bodies, and although I could get the odd good shot with the Bigma they usually came from the 1Dmklln, not the 40D. That was in warm weather so I'm pretty sure cold temps will slow the tracking down somewhat, so that has to add to your issue. I don't think the Bigma is known for a fast AF and part of the problem is the lack of a limit switch, so it hunts back & forth over the full travel. ...Show more →
Cicopo, thanks for the reply. I think I am going to be searching out another lens for the birding shots. I get pleasing results from the Bigma in nearly all other situations. I do hope I will not have to upgrade the camera though because I think it would be out of my reach.
The 40D should work well enough that you don't need to replace it. I have used it in low light sporting events and found that it tracks well enough. It was a major step up from the AI Servo in the 30D. I don't think it's so much a body issue, though the f/5.6 limit is an issue. Combined with this, I think Cicopo's last sentence is the key to your problem.
The Bigma is just not a good choice for BIF shots. It is heavy, bulky and slow to focus. Any telephoto lens that does not have a focus-limiter switch is just plain stupid.
Try the 400 f5.6. You can usually find a good used one on the FM Buy & Sell.
My 40D sucks in AI servo when coupled with the Canon 100-400L and the Bigma would be worse IMO. I now only use fast primes for AI servo work on the 40D which has helped a lot, but it's still not great. This is not all the camera's fault as these zooms just don't have the AF speed for this sort f fast action work.
Canon needs to release a new 100-400 with much faster AF as a viable alternative to the 400 f/5.6L.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
My 40D sucks in AI servo when coupled with the Canon 100-400L and the Bigma would be worse IMO. I now only use fast primes for AI servo work on the 40D which has helped a lot, but it's still not great. This is not all the camera's fault as these zooms just don't have the AF speed for this sort f fast action work.
Canon needs to release a new 100-400 with much faster AF as a viable alternative to the 400 f/5.6L.
Hopefully if they did they would just update the optics (a bit) the AF and the IS but not put the price up much. \i would hope they dont go down the route of making it a constant F4 (like the nikon) as although it would be a great lens the Cost (and Bulk) would put it out of the reach of alot of buyers
Ian.Dobinson wrote:
Hopefully if they did they would just update the optics (a bit) the AF and the IS but not put the price up much. \i would hope they dont go down the route of making it a constant F4 (like the nikon) as although it would be a great lens the Cost (and Bulk) would put it out of the reach of alot of buyers
An f/4 zoom would be welcome, but not as a replacement, as a new high end product. I'd actually like to see a 150-500 f/4-5.6L IS offered - it's about time Canon offered something in the 500mm range that's semi affordable and portable.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
My 40D sucks in AI servo when coupled with the Canon 100-400L
Huh then something's VERY VERY wrong w your gear or w your skills!! If you use the AF switch limiter the 1-400 IS is quite snappy and tracks very very easy on a 40d! I can even track incoming (head on) seagulls w it..and that's a hard 1 for both the lens and the AF system!! Even fast flying ducks are a piece of cake w the 40d + 1-400 IS! Gosh I've been tracking cormorants IF even w a XT+70-300 IS!!
For the OP....i'm w Tony (Imagemaster) here!
Pixel Perfect wrote:
My 40D sucks in AI servo when coupled with the Canon 100-400L and the Bigma would be worse IMO. I now only use fast primes for AI servo work on the 40D which has helped a lot, but it's still not great. This is not all the camera's fault as these zooms just don't have the AF speed for this sort f fast action work.
Canon needs to release a new 100-400 with much faster AF as a viable alternative to the 400 f/5.6L.
Thanks P P, I will be looking to get one of them but I may just have to see what a 400 5.6 would cost also. I do love the bokeh you get with the 100-400 . I used to have one but ended up trading it and another lens to get my 70-200 f 2.8 IS.
tach18k wrote:
Have you tired the 70-200 with the TC-1.4II, may get your reach and keep the faster AF.
I have used the 70-200 f 2.8 IS with a 1.4 Tamron TC and it is somewhat faster that way but it is still not what I know it needs to be. The 70- 200 f 2.8 IS is a very good lens for my other shooting and it has produced some real nice results even for birding. But it is almost always too short. With the 1.4 TC is is still just 280mm.
