Well, I'm going to go against the grain here and do a "mass response" in one reply....
1. Gale, Paul, Russ: Here I am looking for one of these, and you think I'm going to tell YOU where a good deal is before I get MINE :!: :!: :!: :!: :lol: :lol: :lol: To be honest, there are a couple up on eBay right now that don't look too bad, although they are both Grey Market. Given that the first thing I'll do with mine is to modify the mount, the warranty is shot anyway so Grey works for me.
2. Harris, Harris, Harris. Please take this comment as it is meant:
Oh, one thing, helps to be as close to the birds as you can....
I just repeted that 14 times with my face all screwed up and in a very sarcastic tone. You ding-dang-dong-darling Floridians just torque me off no end with this "close" bit and always in the "sunshine", while I'm happy to be within 200 feet and not getting rained on :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: OK, enough drivel, thanks for the shots. I have seen, and heard, great things about the 1.7. I expect a degradation from the 1.4 in AF speed as the light drops, but that is one thing where the Sigma really helps is to have the full-time Manual focus as well. I expect that the 1.7 will still hunt far less than the 2.0, which surpisingly works once in a while when I have great light and good contrast. Thanks for the examples, they do help...
John, I have actually gotten decent results with my TC-20E, I think I have a "good" copy. I have even stacked my TC-14 and the TC-20, which is a LOT of reach on the 500mm and when the tripod is locked down, no wind, darned good technique and manual focus and really good light, even THAT works OK :wink: What both you and Harris allude to is in keeping with everything else I have heard.
OK, now to everybody else, so where, or where, to nab one of these beasties?
