Sigma 120 - 300 F2.8

[nglen]

Hello i was wondering if any one can help me. I have been looking at getting a Sigma 120 - 300 lens , I have seen some fair reviews about the lens.
The best price i have seen is from a company called Simply Electronics which is an internet site and wondered if any one had used the company., and if so were they reliable. Regards Nick.

[BillyPilgrim]

Should be an excellent lens as long as you get a good copy. If you don't and you get it from Simply Electronics then I'd guess that you're in for a long and potentially expensive ride. Simply Electronics are based in Hong Kong. If you need to return the lens you will have to pay all the costs.

Have you factored in the cost of VAT and import taxes? Because you will almost certainly be hit by them when the delivery man knocks on your door.

You should also bear in mind that if you don't have proof of VAT payment then your Sigma warranty is not valid in the UK.

All I'm doing is repeating what has been said before on this forum. Please read this thread. Its a long one but very interesting and it should give you a good idea what it is like when something goes wrong with a purchase from Hong Kong.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...f2-8-lens.html

[glsammy]

As the one that suffered in this case, although not too badly financially, I can at least tell you my experience with that lens.
Shockingly bad just about sums it up! The biggest disappointment was getting the supplier to admit it, they never did which annoyed me, telling me a downright lie about who had checked the lens. Until that point I'd nothing but praise for Digital rev. I'll never use them again.
I do recommend you read through that thread and look at the sample images..
Just shows how bad a lens can be when things do go wrong!
At the end of the day you may be lucky. I was with my other purchases from them and saved a good bit of money.
I've still not replaced that lens, I simply can't decide what to get. I certainly won't entertain that one unless I can try a good one first to put my mind at rest, so if anyone has one and would like to meet me to do a test, just ask!

[nglen]

Thanks to you both for your answers , I did not realise that they were in HK. I shall leave them well alone. Now i am not to sure about the sigma i will have a look at cannon. i have about £1,500 at the moment tops. Thanks again Nick..

[BillyPilgrim]

Originally Posted by nglen

I did not realise that they were in HK.

There seems to be an increasing number of websites which look like UK suppliers but their goods are shipped from HK. I almost bought a lens from one of them a while back but realised at the last moment.

Now I always check the terms and conditions before buying. Somewhere in there should be a section about import taxes along with a few other clues. Its no good just looking for a postal address though as some of them have one in the UK. As did the site that I almost bought from.

[BruceP]

I have both the 120-300 f2.8 and the 300mm f2.8 prime and they are both fantastic lenses. The focusing is a bit slower on the zoom and it has a tendency to hunt a bit more with a 1.4x teleconverter, but both lenses are very sharp.