• Welcome to Camera Craniums: The Photography Community for Enthusiasts.
 
Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 62,411
  • Total Topics: 5,704
  • Online today: 297
  • Online ever: 856 (January 21, 2020, 09:07:00 AM)
Users Online
  • Users: 0
  • Guests: 73
  • Total: 73
parkcameras
Amazon Spring Deal: SanDi...🌸🌼 Get Ready to Blossom w...Marantz Professional MPM-...Google Pixel 7a and Pixel...JasmineSanDisk Ultra 64GB USB Fl...SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO...GiaDo You Shoot Photos With ...Which eye do you use with...SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO...Duracell Plus Alkaline 1....RØDE VideoMicro Compact O...I must be one of the rare...Learning ResourcesPhotography and Time of D...

Sigma 50-500 EX DG

Started by Mick, October 16, 2008, 06:18:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Mick

Sigma 50-500 EX DG

Been using mine for over a year now, and still very pleased with the images it produces. 

Anyone else got one of these?  Likes and dislikes please.  :)
Thank You, "Guest" For Reading This Post.

My Gallery
Tinyportal.net Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0
Guitarist Guild Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0
The Garden Machinery Forum Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0

OpenSea

Tripod

As you know Mick I've had mine for sometime now.

What do I like about it?

Well I reckon its sharpness is awesome and really gets you into the shot. In good light its quick to lock on but seeing I use it mainly on a tripod nowadays I use manual focus and coupled with a nice cheap wireless switch is an ideal set up. I can sit in comfort and click away at wild life. (mainly birds)

My problem stems mainly with DOF and as you may well have found out it can be tricky getting that just right on birds. Some of the shots I've had are really pleasing with every eye and feather as sharp as you could want. So overall a fantastic lens and at the price well worth putting on the camera as much as possible. As a matter of fact I've got it permanently fixed to my 20D, giving me even more length.

What I don't like?

Not much apart from the weight but then any lens of this length is going to be heavy. I would love to have had stabilisation. How Karen ever managed hand holding. Must be my age, but then the Doc says I'm really fine and holding my hands out with no shakes is nice to know.

Yes mick overall a very good lens.

Been very busy with work but I've got to get out there..........

John

Mick

Thanks for you input John.  I seem to remember it was your's and Karen's pics over at pinquish (now PhotoPing) that made me want a 50-500 in the first place, and that was going back a while.   Still very pleased with it. ;)  :tup:

As you're probably aware I only ever hand hold mine, I don't actually own a tripod (or should I say, not one that can support the Bigma).   

I have to say though, as the days turn a bit murky during the winter a tripod has got to be the way to go.   I'm going to have to invest in one soon.  ;)
Thank You, "Guest" For Reading This Post.

My Gallery
Tinyportal.net Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0
Guitarist Guild Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0
The Garden Machinery Forum Running SMF 2.1.4 / Tinyportal 3.0.0

OpenSea

spinner

Like Tripod, I find it heavy to carry around. The AF hunts in anything other than brilliant sun shine (which makes for a problem walking in woods). But I'm getting fairly good at manual focus on the hop. I tried it mounted on my tripod but found it's too heavy and so the damn thing wobbles a lot, not the lens fault I obviously need a stouter tripod, with a better head. Other than  those minor issues I love it. I've been using it on a D50 and didn't like the noise on the high ISO's but I've picked up and D200 maybe have better luck.
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
Ol' blue eyes

http://ddsdigita4.wix.com/ddsdigital
https://www.flickr.com/photos/spin498/

Offertonhatter

Aaah the mighty Bigma. Wish i got one when they were £750, now they are £1200! Instead I got a secondhand 170-500mm instead, which is not as good nor sharp. However it was only £300.
Now though, I would probably get the Pentax DA*300mm F4 instead, I know it is shorter, but with the 1.5 crop it does have an EFOV of 450mm on my Pentax's.
Proud Pentaxian, so don't mention CaNikon....LOL

skellum

#5
I have used mine on occasion at football matches but only in very good light ( on a monopod ) for shots at the other side of the pitch fixed at 400 mil. Jim the train is now trying it for his cricket matches so we should see some results from him.
I tried selling it last year but had no responce so I may keep hold of it for now ( I paid  just over £ 700.00 Warehouse Express 2 years ago )

Oldboy

My shot of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, with the wings spread out, was taken with the Bigma. I don't use it that often but it's there if I need it. Might be heavy but lighter than my 400mm F2.8.  :tup:

bones615

Quote from: skellum ( Dave ) on May 14, 2009, 12:28:43 AM
I have used mine on occasion at football matches but only in very good light ( on a monopod ) for shots at the other side of the pitch fixed at 400 mil. Jim the train is now trying it for his cricket matches so we should see some results from him.
I tried selling it last year but had no responce so I may keep hold of it for now ( I paid  just over £ 700.00 Warehouse Express 2 years ago )

Might be worth trying to sell again, prices are through the roof. Have a look at completed listing prices on Ebay, may get close to getting your money back.
Seems the credit crunch has not affected camera & kit prices!!

bones615

What is it like at the 50mm end?, would love to get one but just would not use it enough to justify the outlay (especially to the wife) for a long lens. Anyone compared it to the Tamron 200-500?, the reveiws rate them fairly equal but if the Sigma is good at the short end it might help my case. Currently using a very old but very good Canon 70-210 f4 push/pull zoom with a 2x converter.

Simon

Oldboy

Quote from: bones615 on May 29, 2009, 04:32:47 PM
What is it like at the 50mm end?, would love to get one but just would not use it enough to justify the outlay (especially to the wife) for a long lens. Anyone compared it to the Tamron 200-500?, the reveiws rate them fairly equal but if the Sigma is good at the short end it might help my case. Currently using a very old but very good Canon 70-210 f4 push/pull zoom with a 2x converter.

Simon

Here's a photo of the tree where the Great Spotted Woodpecker nested using the Bigma 50-500mm at 50mm.


And a shot of the Parrot in the same tree using the Bigma plus a Sigma 1.4 converter at 700mm but using Manual focus only.



As you can see it's a great lens and you can also use a Sigma 2x Converter but before using converters have to lock the lens at 100mm via a switch on the side of the lens.  :2funny:

bones615

How bloody heavy is it? My tripod feels wobbly the monopod shrinks to 3ft tall and hand holding - need to go weight training.
Need to go some where nice to use it anger but the family is embarrased to be seen with me & it (probably more me than the lens). Bought a uv filter for it - nearly bankrupt. I do hope it lives up to its reputation.

Simon

Oldboy

Quote from: bones615 on June 29, 2009, 04:00:45 PM
How bloody heavy is it? My tripod feels wobbly the monopod shrinks to 3ft tall and hand holding - need to go weight training.
Need to go some where nice to use it anger but the family is embarrased to be seen with me & it (probably more me than the lens). Bought a uv filter for it - nearly bankrupt. I do hope it lives up to its reputation.

Simon
It weighs 1.842kg so shouldn't be a problem hand-holding. My Nikon 400mm F2.8 weighs 6kg and I can hand-hold that but not for long.  :P

anglefire

I was going to reply in a similar vein before I had to out and do kids taxi.

I hand held the 300mm f2.8 all day for 2 days - and that weighs 2.5kg. Mind you, I have got used to carrying a fair amount of weight over the last couple of years - though my 400mm is a baby in comparison - about half the weight of the 300!
----------------------------------
Mark
* A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE - THE SHORT STORY* 'Hydrogen is a light, odourless gas, which, given enough time, turns into people.'

CPS Gold Member
My Website

Current Bodies:
Canon 1Dx
Canon R3
Canon R5

Sold Bodies:
Canon 350D
Canon 1DMk3
Canon 5D
Canon 1Dx Mk3

Alfonso_Frisk

The family are chipping in to buy me a new lens for my 50th in August.
I want to go bigger than my Nik 70-300vr and just done some browsing. One on my list maybe the bigma 50-500 but after reading this thread I cant believe how much the price has gone up, and the big nikons are way too expensive for me right now.
May have to look at a Tamron instead. Anyone use one?
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/nosmo_king2007
http://www.seateamimages.com/search.php
Wine improves with age, The older I get the more I like it.

bones615

Had mine a little while now, when i was looking into it the reviews on the tamron 200-500 rated it about the same, prices where similar so the extra length on the short end swung it for me. Always in my bag but not used too often. Overall its a great lens & i have got some nice pictures with it but as has been said only in good light.
Whichever one you go for bear in mind the extras you may need to spend on - filter, stronger tripod & monopod (bought a new monopod but I have still not used it).

Simon

Camera Craniums is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon.