A few from the Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm lens

[Ollie]

Hi all.
As many of you know I have the Canon 400mm f5.6L lens and the Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm lens) I use the Canon mainly as it's lighter and slightly sharper than the Sigma. However the Sigma is still a great lens and here are a few photos that I hope show what the Sigma is capable of.

Granted these are all took at my feeding station in decent but not ideal conditions as all but one (the Goldfinch) were in shade. But at the moment I haven't time to get out far just catching the odd hour here and there with the camera when possible.

If anyone is getting fed up with photos from my feeding station just say so and I will give them a rest for a while.


Coal Tit


Coal Tit


Goldfinch


Starling


Starling


Robin


Roger

[NickCantle]

An excellent set of images again Rog. As you might know, I've been umming and arring about getting the Sigma 50-500mm because a few here rate it. Many people on here favour the Canon 100-400mm, and fair enough, but as you've said before, the Biggy is excellent for Dragons and butterflies too, which I hope to utilise. But yes, anything showing me how good the Bigma is, is great for me, because I want to make the right choice. These images are top notch Rog. I particularly like the second Starling. If it's that a good quality image with WABs image compression, the file itself must be excellent.

May I ask what distance you are from the feeding station?

Cheers,

Nick

[Fourwings]

A stunning selection Roger, it shows what can be achieved with the Bigma with a little practice.
Its certainly not the easiest lens in the world to get to grips with, but once you have, the results can be stunning. Its just one of those bits of kit that requires pateince while you refine your skills with it!
I remember my first few outings with mine back in the Late Summer, my hit rate for good images with it was absolutely terrible, infact it very nearly took a flying lesson from the top of Bempton cliffs at one point!!
I stuck it out and listened to good advice from friends here on WAB and slowly but surely my results with it improved.
I now love my Bigma and couldn't imagine not owning one, if you get out in bright sunlight the results from it can be literally Jaw-dropping.
When I viewed my images of the Stonechats from yesterday they really suprised me, if you had said I could get images like that from the Bigma five months ago I'd have probably fallen off Bempton Cliffs laughing!!

[glsammy]

Yep, I'm fed up wit them Roger,please stop.. Only joking!!

Not a bad old lens is it? In fact I think they're better than the ones you were getting with the 400mm F5.6, especially as it was cleaned by a pro..

Seriously, you'd be hard pressed to get much better than these. And here's me thinking of blowing over a grand on a different lens. I must be stark raving bonkers.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

An excellent set of images again Rog. As you might know, I've been umming and arring about getting the Sigma 50-500mm because a few here rate it. Many people on here favour the Canon 100-400mm, and fair enough, but as you've said before, the Biggy is excellent for Dragons and butterflies too, which I hope to utilise. But yes, anything showing me how good the Bigma is, is great for me, because I want to make the right choice. These images are top notch Rog. I particularly like the second Starling. If it's that a good quality image with WABs image compression, the file itself must be excellent.

May I ask what distance you are from the feeding station?

Cheers,

Nick

Thanks Nick. In my opinion if you want to use the lens for dragons, damsels and butterflies as well as birds you can't go wrong with the Bigma, it's an excellent all round lens as Graham's images on WAB show.

I'm not very good at guessing distance but I would say I'm only around 6 yards from the birds for these. In fact I have to back off the Bigma to around 400/450mm to get all of a Starling in the frame. I can get them in at 500mm but they have to be sat just at the right angle to do it.
Roger

[Ollie]

Thanks Graham and Steve. I certainly would never part with the Bigma, simply for it's versatality as well as it's image quality. Fair enough it needs decent light being an f6.3 but when you get that light it's a cracking lens.

Anyone who doubts it need only look at your recent Stonechat images Steve and Graham's Gallery as well.
roger

[NickCantle]

Graham's images do certainly show the versatility of this lens, as do many of the Bigma owners on WAB. I'll definitely be becoming part of the Brigade over the next six months. I'm looking forward to getting some nice ones of the partridge I think that when I first thought of 500mm I was a bit - but it's not really that much is it? Well, it's more than adequate in some situations

But yes, another notch on the Bigma checklist for me,

Cheers Rog

Nick

[Seajay]

Great shots Roger!

Is there something wrong with shots from a feeding station then? It is an excellent place to study bird behaviour espescially the interaction between different species and it is usually comfortable and you can prepare everything to get the best from your equipment. At the moment I'm waiting for one of the Greenfinches to react to the Great Tit again and the Robins to react to the Collared Doves. These will make great shots. I don't think I would have seen this in the field - only if I was very lucky.
The drawback of course is the limitation on species.

Keep your shots coming Roger - they're great, from your garden or the field!

Colin

[DOXHOPE]

Some really good captures there matie

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Seajay

Great shots Roger!

Is there something wrong with shots from a feeding station then? It is an excellent place to study bird behaviour especially the interaction between different species and it is usually comfortable and you can prepare everything to get the best from your equipment. At the moment I'm waiting for one of the Greenfinches to react to the Great Tit again and the Robins to react to the Collared Doves. These will make great shots. I don't think I would have seen this in the field - only if I was very lucky.
The drawback of course is the limitation on species.

Keep your shots coming Roger - they're great, from your garden or the field!

Colin

Thanks Colin.
No there's nothing wrong with feeding station shots. I agree it's fascinating to watch how the birds interact with each other. Sometimes I feel as though I aren't using my skills with the camera to there full potential as the birds are coming to me rather than me finding them. Then on the other hand thinking about it that's more down to field skills than skill with the camera but I always try to make a point of letting people know that they were took at the feeding station.

I think the Goldinches that visit me are nearly as quarrelsome as the Starlings. I am now getting up to a dozen Goldfinches at the same time and they completely hog the two niger and two sunflower heart feeders. Woe betide any birds that tries to muscle them off. They soon get their heckles up and see them off.

Roger