Nikkor 80-400mm or Sigma 150-500mm, which will be better in the range 300-400mm?

Nikkor 80-400mm or Sigma 150-500mm, which will be better in the range 300-400mm?

What do you intent to shoot with it? Buildings, elephants or people in paparazzi style? Without knowing this, the distance figure doesn't quite help with answering your question.

Here's some independent reviews of both lenses for you on FredMiranda.com.
The Nikon gets a 8.1 score and the Sigma earns a 8.5.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=115&sort=7&cat=28&page=3
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=358&sort=7&cat=37&page=1

And here's some detailed comparisons of the two lenses.
http://lenshero.com/comparison/Sigma-150-500mm-f5-6.3-DG-OS-HSM-APO-Nikon-f-vs-Nikon-VR-80-400mm-f4.5-5.6D-ED
http://forums.dpreview.com/...e=32102228
http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Xy1W
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=99843

Hope that helps.

Sigma

Sigma 150-500mm is extremely good and versatile, one of my telephoto lenses. While IQ should be the same, extra 100mm is a lot!

Sigma 150-500mm review - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/04/sigma-150-500mm-f5-6-3-apo-dg-os-hsm-lens-review/

How did you miss the amazing Nikkor 200-400 mm f/4? My guess is that the cost of the lens does not fit into your budget

It is an amazing lens.

As a rule of thumb the less zoom range a lens has the better the image quality will be. Image contrast will be higher, fewer distortions, better 'flat field' (the same exposure right across the field of view) etc.

The best is a prime lens (just a single focal length), the worst are wide range zooms. Any zoom with a zoom range wider than 3:1 is suspect.

All lenses have compromises in their design, none more so than wide range zooms. If you want good image quality avoid wide range zooms like the plague.

Sigma 150-500mm is a very sharp lens in that focal length range. If you can first try it somewhere before buying, then do that. This lens is not a small one.