sigma 50-500

[sequitur]

hey guys

yeah a bit old on this one

but anybody can comment on the CONS of this lens ? been reading loads of pros about it..


how's the AF speed ? compared to a 70-200 f/4 //2.8 ? good for sports ?

coming from a canon user here.

quite itching to get this lens.

 

[ST1100]

You lose AF at the long end unless you're using EOS 3 or 1-class body. That means one moment you're tracking something on AF, suddenly you zoom out and the AF stops functioning.

 

[sequitur]

is it ?!

never heard of this issue.. ?

as in the lens standalone... will lose AF ?

but i thought some people report that at 500mm the camera body reads f/5.6...

 

[Garion]

You lose AF at the long end unless you're using EOS 3 or 1-class body. That means one moment you're tracking something on AF, suddenly you zoom out and the AF stops functioning.

Correction, the lens can AF on non-pro bodies. I had used one with my 10D and it works fine. Somehow the lens tricks the camera into believing its aperture @ 500mm is f5.6, when it is actually f6.3.

Cons? On a 10D/300D class body, when fully zoomed out to 500mm, the AF sometimes hunts for some seconds and can't lock onto the subject. This is especially true in dimly lit environments or low contrast subjects, or a combination of both. It likes bright light, and performs best outdoors in sunny situations. Also, at max zoom, the viewfinder is quite dim due to the small max aperture. (f6.3). The lens is quite heavy too (1.9kg), and best used on a monopod or tripod.

However this lens is amazingly versatile and when used in the right situations, and in good hands, can produce stunning results. A budget nature photographer's dream lens.

 

[tomshen]

Confirm that Sigma 50-500 can do AF at all its range, by cheating the camera with reporting the max aperture at f5.6, no under exposure problem though.

This is a great value zoom, sharp, contrasty. Some days back I did a test by removing the single coated UV filter, and I found the result becomes much better. Shame to say that I have not used it for more than a year! Will find some time to go out with it since I have change my camera body already. Would be eager to see how its AF performs with a 1D.

I'll highly recommend this lens. You should see how I shoot with it with a 25mm extension tube to get close-up for the smooth background

 

[sequitur]

hmm...

actually thought of getting this lens for some really really occasional nature work, and probably for some sports like say, soccer @ national stadium.

would it suffice ?

i guess underexposure might be a problem yeah but i believe PS can correct that..


yup intending to buy this along with a tripod.

what about handholdability ? not really about the weight of the lens, but about the centre of gravity of the lens.. is it built in such a way that it's pretty good to handhold despite it's weight ?

 

[sequitur]

nobody ???

 

[tomshen]

Dun worry, it sits comfortably in my hands.

 

[Witness]

longer the lens...slower the focus....use manual...

 

[sequitur]

yup sorry didn't wanna post a new thread so here's a repost to anybody who can help..

what tripod + ball for a setup like that ?

10D (w/o batt grip) + 50-500 + 550ex ?

i'd estimate the total weight to be around say.. 3kg.

i was thinking along the lines of a manfrotto 190 series + giottos mh-1000..

anybody can vouch for the giottos ?

also considering the manfrotto 488. anybody ?

 

[chrisleng]

yup sorry didn't wanna post a new thread so here's a repost to anybody who can help..

what tripod + ball for a setup like that ?

10D (w/o batt grip) + 50-500 + 550ex ?

i'd estimate the total weight to be around say.. 3kg.

i was thinking along the lines of a manfrotto 190 series + giottos mh-1000..

anybody can vouch for the giottos ?

also considering the manfrotto 488. anybody ?

Hi , could I suggest you to read this before come to a decision?

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/viewtopic.php?TopicID=21719&page=1

 

[cheesypoofs]

I'll highly recommend this lens. You should see how I shoot with it with a 25mm extension tube to get close-up for the smooth background

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the extension tube do? Reduce the working distance?

I'm using the 50-500mm as well and 2 main issues that I faced with the lens:

1. General complain is that the lens collar is too stiff. For my case, its stucked! I cannot even rotate it.

2. It comes with a locking mechanism to prevent lens creep. Its a simple switch, which broke and ended up making gashes on the lens body.

Other than these 2, its a pretty solid lens, well worth the money.

 

[tomshen]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the extension tube do? Reduce the working distance?

I'm using the 50-500mm as well and 2 main issues that I faced with the lens:

1. General complain is that the lens collar is too stiff. For my case, its stucked! I cannot even rotate it.

2. It comes with a locking mechanism to prevent lens creep. Its a simple switch, which broke and ended up making gashes on the lens body.

Other than these 2, its a pretty solid lens, well worth the money.

ET: To reduce min working distance and get out-of-focus background. Actually somehow the image will become bigger at the same shooting distance with/without the ET.

I applied some oild to make the collar not so tight.

How did u break the switch? :bigeyes:

Some samples of the 50-500 with D60:

 

[sequitur]

TOM
AMAZING.

so can you recommend me a ballhead ?

 

[tomshen]

Arca Swiss B1 ... If you can afford...

Or else FOBA, which is what I use. There are other lighter ones, Markin I heard is a good one.

btw, when u get the 50-500, get a tripod plate (S$130) for it. A big difference in terms of stability. When using long lens, you have to stablize everything, your tripod, ballhead and camera/lens shake. Use cable release as much as u can, possibly together with mirror lockup.

Good luck, this is an amazing tool and I'll really want to have more opportunities to use it, if I can find some wild birds....

 

[sequitur]

hmm
i dunno man
i myself prefer quick releases

i think i'm gonna get either the 190 or the 055 manfrottos..

as for the ball head.. i'm with a budget of $150.. what fits this range and can take the bigma ? markins is way too ex !

 

[Garion]

hmm
i dunno man
i myself prefer quick releases

i think i'm gonna get either the 190 or the 055 manfrottos..

as for the ball head.. i'm with a budget of $150.. what fits this range and can take the bigma ? markins is way too ex !

Go for a good sturdy tripod. This lens isn't light. The 055Pro is recommended, as a minimum.

For ballhead....you have to get a good one...no doubt it costs more...but if u get those in the region of $100-$200 the likelihood is that your whole combo will creep even when the ballhead is locked down, due to the weight. And its very frustrating to constantly re-adjust the rig to compensate for lens creep. I know becoz I experienced it before. Go for something like the Markins or Acratech Ultimate Ballhead, or if you are restricted by budget, perhaps the Foba which is slightly cheaper.

If u are going to buy a ballhead with Arca Swiss style quick release, get the Wimberley P30 lens plate (~$130, CP). Fits this lens to a T.

 

[sequitur]

Go for a good sturdy tripod. This lens isn't light. The 055Pro is recommended, as a minimum.

For ballhead....you have to get a good one...no doubt it costs more...but if u get those in the region of $100-$200 the likelihood is that your whole combo will creep even when the ballhead is locked down, due to the weight. And its very frustrating to constantly re-adjust the rig to compensate for lens creep. I know becoz I experienced it before. Go for something like the Markins or Acratech Ultimate Ballhead, or if you are restricted by budget, perhaps the Foba which is slightly cheaper.

If u are going to buy a ballhead with Arca Swiss style quick release, get the Wimberley P30 lens plate (~$130, CP). Fits this lens to a T.

actually i need the lens more for sports and like national stadium events than nature. all these stuff that are like pretty fast happening. so am i right to say the most of the time it won't creep within 5-10 seconds of stopping ?

okay i've been looking at the following models.. also dunno if available in singapore or not.. i mean i've been reading thru them online

giottos mh-1000-621
http://www.giottos.com/eng_public/products_variation_detail.asp?ProductID=15&VariationID=144
manfrotto 488RC4
manfrotto 468RC4

(are the RC4s available in singapore ? ) more or less they're in the $150-$250 price range but i still can consider. the 1000-621.. is that the "acra-style" sliding release ? if it is then i can try to get that + p30 liaoz

markins and arca/acra... really way too ex liaoz.. :dunno:

 

[MaGixShOe]

The manfrotto 468 RC2 or the 488 is really damm heavy as a ballhead already. and its HUGE! the ballhead alone is already 1 KG and plus the 055pro, i wont think u want to bring it out of the house anymore.

If u are getting the 055pro, can try the Markins ballhead from the CS MO. seems good.

 

[sequitur]

hmm.. yeah.. maybe i just get the 190.. but i don't like my centre column up and without the centre column up, the 190 is way too low. (though i'm not tall.. like 162... haha)

hmm
markins
too ex lah !!!