APO 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM

[tescotts]

anybody here know anythings about this lens ?

[DeSwitch]

Ever considered to buy this lens before but none of the shop here have ready stock. Cathay will only order if you pay a deposit and if Sigma send them a defective one, you also have to take but still can send back to sigma. Too troublesome and high risk so I didnt buy in the end. Was quoted around $4k plus. cant remember exactly the price. between 4.5K to 4.8K. In the end I buy an old Canon 500mm f4.5L at around the same price.

Some says its a gem, Sharp, light and handholdable for short period. I personally had not seen this lens yet.

[tescotts]

Originally Posted by DeSwitch Ever considered to buy this lens before but none of the shop here have ready stock. Cathay will only order if you pay a deposit and if Sigma send them a defective one, you also have to take but still can send back to sigma. Too troublesome and high risk so I didnt buy in the end. Was quoted around $4k plus. cant remember exactly the price. between 4.5K to 4.8K. In the end I buy an old Canon 500mm f4.5L at around the same price. Some says its a gem, Sharp, light and handholdable for short period. I personally had not seen this lens yet.

Thanks Deswitch for the info, i am a Nikon user, not many Nikkor of this class in the B&S, and the $$ are high too, seem like a risky investment.

Cheers

[smallaperture]

Originally Posted by DeSwitch Ever considered to buy this lens before but none of the shop here have ready stock. Cathay will only order if you pay a deposit and if Sigma send them a defective one, you also have to take but still can send back to sigma. Too troublesome and high risk so I didnt buy in the end. Was quoted around $4k plus. cant remember exactly the price. between 4.5K to 4.8K. In the end I buy an old Canon 500mm f4.5L at around the same price. Some says its a gem, Sharp, light and handholdable for short period. I personally had not seen this lens yet.

What? Pay a deposit? This is a SH*T arrangement. Bad customer service.

Goods should be made available for testing, inspecting, smelling, touching, molesting before you bring out the card from your wallet. I understand that you can return the goods after you try it for 7days in the US. I think a place like Carrefour has such a policy too - return within 7days for a full refund with no questions asked. Well, the goods returned are no longer "virgin".

[knpan]

sigma servie...is unreliable.. more than once and twice i expereinced this..

[TMC]

Originally Posted by smallaperture What? Pay a deposit? This is a SH*T arrangement. Bad customer service. Goods should be made available for testing, inspecting, smelling, touching, molesting before you bring out the card from your wallet. I understand that you can return the goods after you try it for 7days in the US. I think a place like Carrefour has such a policy too - return within 7days for a full refund with no questions asked. Well, the goods returned are no longer "virgin".

look from the dealer's point of view. this is not a fast moving item, 10 people might ask for the lens per year, how many will buy? They are not going to fork out 5K just to get 1 of this lens for display purposes.

[DeSwitch]

I understand their point of view so thats why I didnt buy. If I had seen the real thing, it may be a different story.

[ckw10066]

Originally Posted by DeSwitch I understand their point of view so thats why I didnt buy. If I had seen the real thing, it may be a different story.

What TMC said is right also, photographic equipment is diff from consumable goods which is come in bulk, you can easily return or excharge. So is a matter of trust & brand reliability, may be if the dealer offer a extended warranty then may be is a good consideration.

Happy photographing

[TMC]

it is the testing part that is the killer in this matter, you cant see first hand how the lens is like unless you bought it.