Seen it all before

Firstly thanks for what has become my all time favourite photo magazine with what I feel are the best equipment reviews, tips and techniques. Even the letters page is the best!

I wanted to comment on the super telephoto Big Test ( N-Photo 76). I am not sure whether this actual test is exclusive to N-Photo or is a syndicated article? I have seen a very similar set of lenses with similar comments in another magazine…

I would like to point out that the 500mm end of the Nikon 200-500mm VR has a superior MTF curve to the Sigma Sport 150-600mm. It is clear both lenses are fine optical instruments, but your Big Test chose the Sigma as the winner. I understand that handling and other factors are taken into account, but it is clear that the Nikon 200-500mm VR is significantly lighter and has superior handling, so I am slightly confused – are published MTF charts relevant?

The magazine is great, so a slap on the back for all the hard work! Ian Douglas, Plymouth We use a centralized testing team that also produces reviews for the other photography magazines we publish. The reviews in our Big Tests are customized for N-Photo, but the test data we produce in our labs – and basic facts and figures – form the basis of the review for the same lenses that also appear in these magazines. The key difference is that all the lenses are Nikon-fit, and we compare them only to other Nikon-compatible lenses, and thus are 100% relevant to Nikon photographers.

In the super telephoto test, the Sigma proved slightly sharper than the Nikon at its longest zoom setting at all but the widest available aperture, where both lenses performed equally. The maximum focal length is also 100mm longer, giving greater telephoto reach. The Sigma also had better build quality and smart features like auto/manual priority autofocus options, and a facility to lock the zoom at any marked setting.