Ross Martin wrote:
There is a ridiculous deal right now on our B&S forum for this lens like new at only $1975 from one of the best FM members (I purchased from him before), someone should jump on it!
Thanks Ross for the 'heads-up' on this! I've paid Frank and it will be headed this way. As I shared with him, it will be first used on an upcoming Arctic expedition with several Zodiac days. The Sigma is lighter/shorter/faster than my Sony 200-600, should have slightly better IQ and I can live with 15fps.
Lindrelt wrote:
Thanks Ross for the 'heads-up' on this! I've paid Frank and it will be headed this way. As I shared with him, it will be first used on an upcoming Arctic expedition with several Zodiac days. The Sigma is lighter/shorter/faster than my Sony 200-600, should have slightly better IQ and I can live with 15fps.
Congrats! No better seller on FM, and what a terrific lens for your expedition. This 500 is such a pleasure to use, and dang is it sharp!
Is anyone selling to get the Sony 400-800? I personally prefer the smaller size and less weight plus f/5.6 of the Sigma. Though the 800mm reach would be nice on the Sony.
I also am not too motivated to sell my Sigma for a $1000 loss in less than a year.
Anyone using this lens in the UK? Just wondering how you're getting on with reach with our smallish birds and wildlife compared to our US/Canadian/Australian cousins.
I'm currently using the 200-600 on my A1 which is ok, but considering switching to the 400-800G for some extra reach. However, the size, weight and aperture of the Sigma is appealing but the lack of reach may be the killer for me. I can also pick up a mint copy for about £400-500 cheaper than the Sony.
I just got a new Sigma 500/5.6 and spent an afternoon in the local park trying it out. Cutting to the chase, once I figured it out, I'm loving it. Mounted on my A7CR, the combination is light enough for my jittery 73-year-old hands to handhold and get images that are tack sharp @500mm/5.6 with the option to crop in post to ~26+mp for a ~750mm effective field of view that's still tack sharp. I shoot a lot of primes in shorter focal lengths but telephoto primes not so much. I find I like it. I'm definitely getting on in years and shooting this long prime somehow seems simpler, more organic than shooting my Sony 100-400 zoom. Shooting the prime seems to free me up to focus (no pun intended) less on the lens and more on the subject. I'm really looking forward to deploying this lens for a wide variety of subjects. Anyway, a couple of my initial images from the afternoon are posted below. All handheld, post processed in Lightroom/Nik Color Efex 7 and downscaled for posting. I need a lot more practice shooting it but this lens has me motivated to do that. It's a really fun lens to shoot. Steve
ratherfish wrote:
I just got a new Sigma 500/5.6 and spent an afternoon in the local park trying it out. Cutting to the chase, once I figured it out, I'm loving it. Mounted on my A7CR, the combination is light enough for my jittery 73-year-old hands to handhold and get images that are tack sharp @500mm@/5.6 with the option to crop in post to ~26+mp for a ~750mm effective field of view that's still tack sharp. I shoot a lot of primes in shorter focal lengths but telephoto primes not so much. I find I like it. I'm definitely getting on in years and shooting this long prime somehow seems simpler, more organic than shooting my Sony 100-400 zoom. Shooting the prime seems to free me up to focus (no pun intended) less on the lens and more on the subject. I'm really looking forward to deploying this lens for a wide variety of subjects. Anyway, a couple of my initial images from the afternoon are posted below. All handheld, post processed in Lightroom/Nik Color Efex 7 and downscaled for posting. I need a lot more practice shooting it but this lens has me motivated to do that. It's a really fun lens to shoot. Steve ...Show more →
Excellent shots, Steve! That Sigma 500 has been on my radar for a while.
ratherfish wrote:
I just got a new Sigma 500/5.6 and spent an afternoon in the local park trying it out. Cutting to the chase, once I figured it out, I'm loving it. Mounted on my A7CR, the combination is light enough for my jittery 73-year-old hands to handhold and get images that are tack sharp @500mm@/5.6 with the option to crop in post to ~26+mp for a ~750mm effective field of view that's still tack sharp. I shoot a lot of primes in shorter focal lengths but telephoto primes not so much. I find I like it. I'm definitely getting on in years and shooting this long prime somehow seems simpler, more organic than shooting my Sony 100-400 zoom. Shooting the prime seems to free me up to focus (no pun intended) less on the lens and more on the subject. I'm really looking forward to deploying this lens for a wide variety of subjects. Anyway, a couple of my initial images from the afternoon are posted below. All handheld, post processed in Lightroom/Nik Color Efex 7 and downscaled for posting. I need a lot more practice shooting it but this lens has me motivated to do that. It's a really fun lens to shoot. Steve ...Show more →
First images look great, Steve! I agree that the lens brings some simplicity and gets out of the way.
Sorry, I realize this is a 500/5.6 thread but thought I’d sneak in a shot from my 500/4 Sport in EF mount with the MC-11 adapter on A9 Classic. I’m thinking about selling this lens since I also have the FE 200-600.
JayT
Really great images, Ross. Some of the best fall foliage compositions I've seen! I've been very much enjoying my 500mm ƒ/5.6 as well, though I haven't gotten to anywhere with the kind of elevation to make use of it in landscapes.
Stargenx wrote:
Really great images, Ross. Some of the best fall foliage compositions I've seen! I've been very much enjoying my 500mm ƒ/5.6 as well, though I haven't gotten to anywhere with the kind of elevation to make use of it in landscapes.
Thank you, Brian! I wish I had used it more before fall aspen season ended. I had the Tamron 50-400 on most of the time so kind of forgot about using the Sigma 500, but when I did I was impressed all over again with the stellar image quality. Glad you are enjoying your Sigma!
Does anybody have test images from Sigma 500mm/5.6 DN with teleconverters on high resolution body?
Preferably those that would show performance at sides too.
I am now looking for a lens over 400mm. I have a Tamron 50-400. I use it for Moon-landscape alignment photography (it works great). In my country, the 400mm long distance shots are already impacted by air haze/distortion on a7r5 in warm months, but on cold winter days longer focal lengths are possible. I am considering 200-600, Sigma 500mm without and with TCs, and 400-800/8. The 200-600 has high copy variation. In a high resolution comparison, I have seen the 500 was much better than 200-600 (more details in sigma shot, 200-600 with a lot of LaCA). The 400-800 also has copy variation with some copies being worse at 600 compared to better 200-600 on image sides. So I like the idea of 700mm f/8 with 1.4xTC at less than 2kg.
I am aware of the TC incompatibility, but there are ways to overcome it. First, there is a trick with turning camera on an off which when successful enables operation with manual focus. I am ok with manual focus. Second, there is now a trick where TC is modified to bypass internal chip and route all contacts to the lens. Camera thinks it is operating with 500mm/5.6, but TC is there. AF works though there was some complaint about less optimal distribution of DoF (bigger part of it in front). Third trick is using it on Nikon body with adapter, then TC works with AF (so it shows the logic for denying operation with non-Sony lenses is not in TC but in the camera).
TravelinBriNY wrote:
Nice buy, I wish I could buy this lens for 2000; I would pick it up. At 3000 its a bit out of my range as a 3rd party lens with limitations (no TC)
I agree. I bought mine like new on our B&S board for about $2k and it looks like others have gone for around that price.
jtra wrote:
Does anybody have test images from Sigma 500mm/5.6 DN with teleconverters on high resolution body?
Preferably those that would show performance at sides too.
I am now looking for a lens over 400mm. I have a Tamron 50-400. I use it for Moon-landscape alignment photography (it works great). In my country, the 400mm long distance shots are already impacted by air haze/distortion on a7r5 in warm months, but on cold winter days longer focal lengths are possible. I am considering 200-600, Sigma 500mm without and with TCs, and 400-800/8. The 200-600 has high copy variation. In a high resolution comparison, I have seen the 500 was much better than 200-600 (more details in sigma shot, 200-600 with a lot of LaCA). The 400-800 also has copy variation with some copies being worse at 600 compared to better 200-600 on image sides. So I like the idea of 700mm f/8 with 1.4xTC at less than 2kg.
I am aware of the TC incompatibility, but there are ways to overcome it. First, there is a trick with turning camera on an off which when successful enables operation with manual focus. I am ok with manual focus. Second, there is now a trick where TC is modified to bypass internal chip and route all contacts to the lens. Camera thinks it is operating with 500mm/5.6, but TC is there. AF works though there was some complaint about less optimal distribution of DoF (bigger part of it in front). Third trick is using it on Nikon body with adapter, then TC works with AF (so it shows the logic for denying operation with non-Sony lenses is not in TC but in the camera).
I´m on the same boat as you are. Nowadays I use Tamron 50-400mm and "patiently" waiting for new Sony 100-400 and I have my eye on Sony 200-600/Sigma 500, Sony 400-800 in meanwhile The Sony 400-800 is losing the competition, in my opinion. It´s a bit slower for A7RV, and the weight isn´t something to write home about. Sigma lacks flexibility, and there has been no price drop till this moment. I hope the new Sony 100-400 is going to be f4 + TC 1.4/2.0. Thus, it could offer something equivalent to Sigma with TC 1.4 (560mm f5.6) or Sony 400-800 with TC 2.0 (800mm f8).
The Sony 400-800 is losing the competition, in my opinion. It´s a bit slower for A7RV, and the weight isn´t something to write home about. Sigma lacks flexibility, and there has been no price drop till this moment. I hope the new Sony 100-400 is going to be f4 + TC 1.4/2.0. Thus, it could offer something equivalent to Sigma with TC 1.4 (560mm f5.6) or Sony 400-800 with TC 2.0 (800mm f8).