Last night, I believe that my cr**y *ss Tamron AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Macro gave up the gusto... I have been eyeing the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM but $1700 is not something I can afford right now. I need a lens though and I am not sure when I will be able to afford the $1700, so here is my question... Which lens should I get or at least avoid? I shot a lot of MTB, Road, and Cross racing.

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM at $414
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM at $1139
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO IF HSM at $839

I know there have been discussions here before and lots of recommendation for the Sigma. Would this still be the case over the other two lens that I have listed?

Thanks
Shane

Sigma's good stuff is very good. I think Canon's AF will always be faster and more accurate. But you certainly get a lot for your money when you buy Sigma. I have the old Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L. I bought it used, for $1000, about 6 years ago. I've never had a problem with it. Image Stabilization would be nice. But most of the time, you don't need it. Plus, if you want more reach, the 70-200 f/2.8L works really, really well with the Canon 1.4x converter.

Another option is the Canon 70-200 f/4L. It gets excellent reviews here and I don't know anyone who owns it who isn't happy. You do lose a stop. But it's much cheaper and a lot lighter. The 70-200 f/2.8L weighs a ton. It will do a number on your arm if you shoot with it all day. I'll be at Sea Otter in a couple of days and I'm looking forward to a sore right elbow.

I wouldn't mess with the 70-300 lenses. I don't like the slow apertures. If you really need the reach in one lens, and speed and depth-of-field control don't matter much, then that lens would be fine. But I love my f/2.8 aperture, and I use it. I love shallow depth-of-field mountain bike photos.

Hope that helps. Let us know what you decide on.

also, you can get the sigma for much cheaper than that.

Girlfriend told me I can only get the Canon f/2.8 with the IS because I would only want it down the road... So I found a place that is 12 month same as cash...
lens should be here on Friday... Should be nice sunny weather for a time trial this weekend.

She's right :)
My wife said I sholdl get it now because I will only want to change later.
Little did she know ... 70-200 L IS USM and 24-70 L USM and 10-22 USM
And I still want a 600mm IS lens, but second hand it was £2000 ($3000) and an old model at that !