Chalk and Cheese I know!

[DanielMSalter]

I need a nudge in the right direction from someone. I know this is chalk and cheese but I just can't decide. I am looking at either getting a Sigma 150mm Macro lens or the Sigma 50-500mm OS lens. I just cant decide which one to go for. I have used the 50-500 OS before it is a great lens and I enjoyed taking nature shots with it and when I was in New York it was great for getting into those hard to reach places where no other lens could reach. On the other hand I have a 50mm Macro lens which I have fallen in love with it is such a sharp lens and I use this to walk around everywhere but you have to get very close to the small subjects for macro and you scare a lot of small subjects away.

I just can't decide.

Benefits of the Macro:
I love the sharpness of Macro lenses even when used for portrait and land scape,
Its Cheaper,
Lighter,
sharper,

Downside:
No OS,
does not have as large a range

Benefits of 50-500:
I love the range of the lens 50 is great for portrait and landscape,
50-500 is a fantastic range for nature or things far away
has OS
has a greater list of uses due to the large range (i think)

Downside:
Heavy,
expensive,
not as sharp as macro,

As I say it is chalk and cheese.

[ravncat]

What kind of photographs do you want to create?
What kind of focal lengths do you currently have?
You can get to macro with tubes and closeup filters - on a telephoto lens though i don't know that the 50-500 would be great at that.

I don't know what macro you're thinking of - but I think the key to the answer to your question - is asking yourself - what you really want to do with that equipment - out in the field, what are you finding yourself bumping up against more? Need more zoom? Take lots of macro photographs and wish you had better working distance...

Which problem happens more often?

[Henry Wilt]

How important is IQ to you?
A prime lens (fixed focal length) will give you better IQ, will be cheaper and lighter to carry.
The 50-500mm is a super zoom so the IQ will definitely suffer. I've read on here you that if the focal length goes over 3x approx (i.e. 50-500mm = 10x or 70-200mm =< 3x) the IQ will go down quickly.
It really comes down to what you want to do with the lens and how much you're willing to sacrifice IQ.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by DanielMSalter

I am looking at either getting a Sigma 150mm Macro lens or the Sigma 50-500mm OS lens.

Other than the fact that the lenses cover the 150mm focal length, they share pretty much nothing in common and are so different that they really cant be compared.