The winner is… Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM | S

It’s a mighty lens that proves a prime can outgun a zoom

Everybody loves the versatility of a zoom lens, but sometimes a prime is closer to perfection. As the flagship lens in Sigma’s Sports stable, the 500mm f/4 is a magnificent beast and delivers the most scintillating performance of any lens in the group. However, there’s no denying it’s big, heavy and expensive to buy. Our second choice for all-round performance is the Sigma 150-600mm Sports although, again, it’s very weighty. The Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary and Tamron 150-600mm G2 lenses are rather more manageable, the Sigma edging ahead for features and image quality, while the Tamron is more extensively weather-sealed.

The Nikon 80-400mm is smaller and lighter than any of the 150-600mm lenses and, while it doesn’t give such powerful telephoto reach, it delivers impressive image quality. Even so, the newer Nikon 200-500mm has faster autofocus, more effective stabilization and greater reach. It’s also much better value for money. Nikon’s 500mm f/5.6 prime is relatively expensive to buy but delivers very good image quality in a very manageable, compact and lightweight package.