Nikon 200-500 attached to the d500 is a dream made in heaven. I have been shooting with it for nearly 2 years and loving it.

thank you have been deliberating over these 3 lens thats helps a lot

Relative to focus speed, the Tamron and Sigma are not built to be used right out of the box. They both come with custom focus options. Their focus speed is greatly improved when customization choices are set up that reduce hunting in an expected environment. I do not know if the Nikon has that option, but the other two do and it is an important feature of the two lenses that is ignored in this review.

I've been through a Sigma 150-600C, Tamron 150-600 G1, Nikon 200-500. The 200-500 won hands down so it was the one I kept. I then was able to try the 150-600S and I agree what Matt says about its weight and handling compared to the 200-500 and the images were similar. I then purchased the Sigma dock and tuned the Sigma at all focal lengths and this is when that lens really comes alive. I now only reach for the 200-500 when I don't want to deal with the heft of the 150-600S, all other times the 150-600S is the clear winner.

the Tamron 150-600g2 does lock at any focal length sliding the the adjusting ring, slide forward to lock

Had this triple dilemma year and a half ago and because of more practical zoom range I went for Tamron 150-600 G2 instead of Nikon 200-500. Never regretted it, it's a great lens, sharp from edge to edge on all focal lengths and stabilisation works great. I agree that Nikon probably has tiny bit better pic quality, and it wouldn't be right if it hadn't cause of less range, but that is negligible, 150-600 range is more important to me. Anyway you can't go wrong with any of these 3 lenses.

Hey Matt, I use sigma 150-500 in 80d body for birds. Give me good composition for flying birds in day light and at sunrise time.

I have the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, and even with that I use a monopod or some other support (fence railing, for example) if I'm out past 300mm to be more stable. But even when in close toward 150mm, it's a beast to handhold. Autofocus can be an issue at times as well, but just make sure you have the AF switch set to FULL.

Birds always appear when you've packed up. Murphy's Law. LOL

I own the Sigma Sport 150-600mm. A few things that can really help the performance of this lens is: 1. Make sure you have the latest firmware (update using the Sigma Dock). 2. Customize the "AF Speed Setting" to "Fast Priority AF" (again, using the Sigma Dock). 3. Customize the "OS Setting" to "Moderate View Mode" (via the Sigma Dock). These customizations helped make my lens have faster AF and better image stabilization in the camera's view finder.

I have the Sigma Contemporary version and love it. Fairly light for its size and image quality is very close to that on my Canon 70-300L. I've even used it with good results for astrophotography.

Thanks for the great review Matt.

Hi Matt I shoot with the D850 and got after long deliberation the Nikon 200-500 and have not looked back. Works really well. If it was a tad faster it would be unbeatable.

Thank you for your review. Very interesting information. I'll follow up with tests of my own. I appreciate your efforts on our behalf. 📸

The review I needed, thanks

Thank you for the review!

Thanks, t's always nice to hear about more than just the specs. Weight is definitely a factor, as well as price. Thanks.

I'm confused which lens to buy. Thanks for your advice for buying Nikon/Temron.

Should check the Sigma Contempary instead of the Sport. closer match price and build wise to the Tamron.

Thanks for this, I bought a used Tamron G2 and I'm loving it lately.

Matt, I've got the Nikon 200-500 along with a D500 and D850. When I shoot the D850 in DX mode with the 200-500, the images are distinctly smaller than when I shoot it with the D500. Was wondering if this difference would be due to the lens or the camera and if this same issue may carry over to other lenses such as the Tamron or Sigma.

did you try to update the firmware on sigma (the only one that does that) it's way faster then nikon (20to 50%) faster depending on the way you tweet it...the hub to do this is only 50$ US, through a USB 2 port

I have been shooting with the Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 for well over a year and I really think it is the best bang for the buck Nikkor lens I own. Use it on my D700, D7200 and my trusty D300s, the images are great and the VR fantasic when shooting standstill or very slow moving subjects. My 300mm f/4.0 my be a tad sharper but when I add the 1.4 converter it is a subjective toss up and I am back up to f/5.6. You just can not beat convenience of the zoom when shooting kids sports and I hardly use my 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR any longer for the games.

Thanks Matt, my 200-500 arrives today!

Hi, thanks for the great review, I agree with you 100%, played around with all of them but the Nikon is the one I use for birds, I have it on a d750 and it is magical !

The one we all have been waiting for!!!

I'm also a Nikon user, and I like the constant f. 5.5. How sharp is the lens at ISO 100 & used on a tripod? I'm thinking of 40x48' or larger prints.

I've been very happy with my Nikon 200-500 with my D7200. Sharp as hell.

What camera bag were u using to pack two large lenses with body? @6.50 video time

Very helpful! Thanks for putting this together Matt 👍🏻

Any video for the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR vs Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon coming out soon?

How does this Tamrom G2 lense work on a Canon EOS200D camera? Any experiences?

Hi Sir,.... Can you please advise that At 500mm, who has the better image sharpness, Tamron G2 or Nikon 200 to 500 mm F5.6

I think the Nikon 200-500 is the clear winner. I use it on a D500 and it's a fantastic combination. I love it. But I still have a Tamron 150-600 G1 and use it on a D7200. Also this combination is good and gets me regularly on duty. Greeting Günter from Siebengebirge / German

Thanks for this great review. Now you are switched to a Z camera, would your conclusion this the same? Or have you also shot with the Sigma 60600 and if yes, how this it compare?

Thank you for sharing this video. It doesn't surprise me that the Nikon came out with the best image quality. The Tamron is getting some excellent customer reviews. Sigma seems to be improving.

great vid - thanks. I have a D500 and was weighing up the tamron G2 or nikon 200-500....I predominantly shoot rugby in winter...so maybe i should be going for the Tamron. Weather sealing. can anybody tell me differently?

Is the 600 mm for the Tamron and the Sigma a real 600 mm focal lenght or more a 560 mm going on 600 mm

WOW....wish i had these for my wildlife... Great video 👍

i think any of these 3 will change the way many of us take photos. i have the Tamron G2. i bought the 600 prime recently and sent it back as its not anything i could walk around with a stalk birds. I love the Tamron and use it often.

@Matt I belive that with the release of the new Sigma it's time for a new. 70-200mm f2.8 comparison, Don't you ?

The red bird is a Cardinal, lol. I recently purchased the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary and I have found it to be a good lens. Can't comment too much yet on focus, etc., because I am still using a D7000, hoping to upgrade to the D500 soon. Anyway, Matt, I think a helpful test for people that are considering these lenses for bird photography is a panning test. The Sigma has 2 stabilization settings and the panning (#2) is quite good. Testing could be made easier to track your drone in flight, making predictable and unpredictable movements, handheld and tripod, on full frame and crop (a lot of bird photographers like crop sensors, I'm sure you know). I have not seen anyone do that sort of test using something that can be replicated like a drone, and I think your opinion of the results would help a lot of people, including myself having already made a purchase. Just a thought as so many of us appreciate your insight. (Also, maybe use the contemporary Sigma because it's similar weight to the others and less money).

Hey Matt. I would love to see a comparison between a tamron 150-600g2 and canon 100-400ii on a crop body. I'm into surf photography but very interested to see if the image quality from the 100-400 versus the tamron. I hear it can be cropped and still look sharper than the tamrons and sigmas at the longest end . ? Love to see a review like this 👍

Can you suggest me the best wildlife lens for D7500? I am a beginner and has only 50mm prime for portraits and want to explore wildlife photography.

Hey Mat how do u think the Nikon would fair in lowlight eg Moon shots?

Very nice comparison!!!! Thanks!!!!

Thanks for another useful video. Minor point the length of a lens hood is determined by the shortest, not longest, focal length. -- in order to avoid vinetting. So, the Nikon should have the longest hood.

Whats the value proposition for the Sigma Sport? Is that weight due to more solid components and better sealing? Walking around Central Park is one thing, but if you are trudging through wilderness where lenses may get wet and muddy and possibly banged against rocks and trees, better build quality might save you. Does the "sport" model have that extra resilience to command the higher price tag

Nice little review. I have the Sigma 150-600 sport. Image quality will be lost as the lens needs calibrating to the camera body. Sigma lenses can be out by as much as + /- 14 without calibration! Once calibrated images are pin sharp at 600mm even if shot at distance!

D500 and nikon 200-500 is the best bird combo on a budget. You don't even need the 600mm of the tamron or sigma. Been using it and recomending it for a long time now. Even with the cheaper D7XX body its a great go to.

Where can I download the full photos? Don't see the link anywhere.

Great compare, I was always curious how they score against each other in practice. The more that I used to have 200-500mm Nikkor and was astonished about the great price-features balance. Personally I would like to point out also the much better value preservation of the Nikkor: they sell much better than the 3rd party models. One more detail: Sigma has two 150-600 models actually. The Sports is indeed a heavy beast promising a better images quality, but in Matt's observation if I understood it correctly, this was not so. A more comparable lens to the Tamron in terms of weight and price would be the Contemporary version of the 150-600mm Sigma.

I had the Tamron 150-600 which I sold to get the Nikon 200-500. The Tamron is not sharp wide open, I had to stop it down to f8. But the Nikon is sharp at 5.8 through out the range.

Thanks for the compare Matt. I'm in the market for one of these. My only wish (which others have already stated) is that you compared the Sigma Contemporary as opposed to the sport. I think for myself I'm going to purchase the Nikon version. I'll use your link to B&H to support the channel. I've already checked and the price is the same.

awesome video as usual im not a pro but a very passionate severely sight impaired/blind photographer and im in market for my nikon z7 camera a wildlife lens was looking at the nikon 200-500mm wuth adapter but now looking at the sigma 100-400 but watching this video and might consider the tamron 150-600 now any suggestions would be great cheers

Wich of the 3 lens is more adapt for Nikon D500?

Thank you for just what I needed to know.

What about the Sigma Contemporary? It's cheaper and lighter than the Sport (which I presume you tested), would be interesting to see how it compares

What strap would you recommend for carrying these outside of Monopod Matt?

I use Nikon D7200 with the the Sigma C. I wasn't happy at 500mm -600 mm until I spent fine tuning with usb dock. Now it is sooooooper sharp.

The Sigma has a lovely push-pull zoom mechanism, it's much faster and easier than by using the zoom ring. I have this lens, it's lovely once you've got it tuned right and gotten used to the weight.

I have a Nikon D90 (most basic of basic), i am not in a position at this present moment in time to change that Camera body. I did try Digiscoping, but very soft pictures, and impossible to get anything moving on water or fast. It is an incredibly frustrating venture. I notice most of the birds you were shooting were in a park and semi tame. I am in the wilds and all the birds are very, very skittish. So - Question is, how far away (max distance) from the camera will i get a reasonably good picture of the Birds, and secondly, will them lens work with my wee Nikon D90. Thanks, a great video. Big thumbs up. 👍 👍 👍

Top notch video. I also like the sharper pictures of the Nikon lens. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. ❤❤❤❤

should have brought in the contemporary version instead

Hands down the Nikon 200 to 500 rules ...I never leave home without it

Hell Matt: SIGMA 150-600, will you please explain some details on lense: what condition are; C2- C1-OFF, OS- 2 -OFF, 2.80-10mm or 10m-Infinity -full, focus: af--md-mf? what are these

Nikkor 200-500 or tamron 600mm g2 which is better ?? Please reply

I use a D7200 with 70-300mm right now and I have problems with not having enough range, i feel like I need much,much,much more range and since I cant afford a 600 or 800mm prime I need to decide between the 200-500 nikon or 150-600 tamron g2 or sigma 150-600 contemporary with 1.4x converter

I've used all three lenses myself on a D500 for bird photography, and I wound up purchasing the Tamron 150-600 G2. I would say up-front that my experience could easily be chalked up to sample variation or possibly the difference between APS-C vs full-frame. The Nikon 200-500mm didn't quite impress me as much and had to be stopped down to f/8 to get detailed images. The Sigma 150-600mm Sport just wasn't good for sharpness, stabilization, or autofocus, and it's comparatively heavy and expensive. The Tamron has the best stabilization, great sharpness at all focal lengths, is reasonably lightweight, and is well-priced. I also have a lot of pleasing images of Great Blue Herons and those "red birds" that "have a baseball team named after them" taken with this combination ;)

Will the Nikon work fine with my old 3200?

I was always looking for this comparison, thanks

A fair comparison with the Tamron would be the sigma C not S, since the arguments to select the Tamron were the weight and price.

I have the Nikon for a d850. The local camera store told me to purchase it over the Tamron. A teacher was purchasing the Tamron for his class, but the employees said it doesn’t handle low light near as well as the Nikon 200-500mm and that’d what I love about my Nikon kit.

I agree that the Sigma Sport version is more difficult to handle than the other two, that is why four years ago I opted for the Contemporary version. I needed a lighter 600mm equivalent than carrying my Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 + 2x extender or a full 600mm Nikkor prime. I wanted a more walk around hand holdable lens since I was used to carrying the Nikkor 300mm and a tripod. The Sigma Sport version weighs almost as much the Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 with a 2x. After years of heavy use photographing primarily wildlife, I found the Sigma to be a great performer and have had no issues. I can lock focus fast (although not as fast a Nikkor prime) and have no problem tracking birds in flight. A lot has to do with how the focus settings are configured. I also primarily use it with the D500 body which is, to me, the ultimate camera for wildlife photography in its price range. I think for your comparison test, the Contemporary version would have been a better model to use since it would also have been in the same price range/weight category as the other two. I have not tried the Tamron or the Nikon zoom but was considering buying the Nikon 200-500 until recently when the 500mm f/5.6 PF ED lens was announced and now I think I would prefer that for its light weight, size, and performance (although it is over double the price of the zoom).

Thank you for sharing this video. It is critical information to those who are shopping a for lens.

Is the lack of weather sealing on the Nikon 200-500 something to me concerned about. I live in Denmark and the weather constantly changes, we are also surrounded by coastline so Im a bit worried about sand getting into my equipment.

How would the contemporary compare to the sport as its a lot lighter and that seemed to be your main complaint about the sigma

Hi Matt. Thanks for your review! I ordered the Nikon 200-500 yesterday. I will be using it with my new Nikon Z6 which has built-in IS. Do you know if the IS in the lens will play nice with the camera IS, or should I disable one or the other?

One reviewer I watched thought the Nikon shot at 500 and cropped to 600 was still sharper than the Tamron & Sigma but IIRC that was the Sigma contemporary and may have been the G1 version of the Tamron. Those Herons do fade into the brush quite well.

I own both the Nikon 200-500 and Sigma 150-600 sport, and the Nikon is by far the better lens in my opinion. Others have had good results with the Sigma, but my copy was so soft at the long end (500mm plus) that it was pointless going there. No amount of tuning with the dock, Focal and lens align made an improvement. Bad copy/poor quality control maybe, but my 200-500 is tack sharp straight out of the box and returns better images across the focal range. The Sigma would also often hunt like crazy autofocusing with my D500.

Have shot the Sigma sport and the nikon The Sigma is a lot heavier, but you're getting a lot better build quality and weather sealing (hence the tighter zoom you noticed Matt) I own the Nikon, the little bit more light at F5.6 and the portability is useful, and the VR is class leading. Sharpness was equal between the two for me. The Nikon takes a 1.4x TC quite well too (thanks to that aperture)

💥💥 I owned the Sigma sport for only a couple of months before selling it. I could not get any sharp images and a few years ago I owned the 50-500. Same horrible experience. The Tamron is excellent.

I own that D500 - Nikon 200-500mm. The biggest reason for getting the Nikkor lens was to have the constant aperture of F5.6. Having the F5.6 all the time takes some of the fuss out of shooting wildlife where everything is happening quickly. Only gripe I have is that the throw is really, really long on that lens though. (and sidenote: my lens would not retract after about 2 years of use. Had it repaired rather quickly after arguing with Nikon repair over the phone.)

always good to here that the Nikon wins your opinion. Because I own that lens & have grab a few good pics from it. Although I own all Nikon lens I would consider the Tamron 24-70 g2 for my next lens purchase. Thanks for the great review.

Hi Matt, Thanks for another great lens review, Could i be a pain and ask if you could please do a short review of the roller camera bag that you were using as i noticed that it had four wheels and i have been looking for one that is Airline Cabin friendly! Thanks... All the best Gary

I have just gotten recently the Sigma 150-600mm sports. Matched with my Nikon D800e, it is amazing and I am learning to have fun again.

Nice video Matt! I have the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary and am generally pleased with the results. The Contemporary version can sometimes be soft, especially above 500mm, but I find that as long as I have good light, and can keep the shutter speed high, photos are usually pretty sharp. I rented the Nikon 200mm-500mm and agree it's a great lens, but I bit heavier and bulkier than the Sigma C. I also like the fact that you can customize the Sigma lens with the Sigma dock, to fit your shooting style.

Since this was a sport lenses review I was hopping to see the AF on fast animal tracking or other objects for that matter because that’s when a lens shows it’s tru color.

Sir please make a review on new nikon 500 mm pf

Thank You!

I use the 200-500 on my D500. Excellent combination. Evan more so with the 1.4 adapter

Just bought the Nikon D850, thanks for the video, imma gonna get the Nikon 200-500

That was an interesting comparison, the Nikon surprised me with the image quality over the other two. I was hunting for heron the other day and it appeared when I put my camera away too!

What are your thoughts on the (older) Nikkor 80-400? (Would be used on D3s & D800 bodies) Thanks

Weather sealing could be key factor if on boat with some splash or in the dustiest safari or in the stickiest rainforest. And Sigma has the best build. Otherwise spare money with the other two or with the Sigma contemp which has only mount sealing

I love the Tamron G2

I love Tamron’s g2 lenses, have the 24-70 and will be getting the 70-200 next. Even with my love for Tamron, I have the Nikon 200-500 as my telephoto lens. It’s better and reasonably priced, unlike all of Nikons other lenses which are better, but cost 2x as much for the marginal increase in performance. I’ve had bad luck with Sigma in the past and my bias won’t allow me to put more money on the line to give them another chance.

hay mat how come tony northrup thinks both the sigma and tamron lenses are crap whats your take on that?

I'm going to ask this one question as I've never had a satisfactory answer to. When it comes to Sigma and Tamron lens of the same class - is it true or false: *Sigma lenses perform best on Nikon bodies and Tamron on Canon bodies in general?*

I rented both the Sports and the lighter Contemporary. I bought the Contemporary. In deep pixel peeping they were the same. The Sports is weather sealed but my Contemporary has been excellent.