Sigma 50 - 500mm

[ken-the-pen]

Hi, I'm new to this but know enough to know that I almost certainly want a Sigma 50 - 500 lens as I want to photograph birds across a lake (about 100 yards away). I've seen a few advertised but they are either from USA or they are on sites where I can't get a human to answer, so I'm very wary. Can anyone help me with a place over here in the UK that has a voice at the other end and at a reasonable price please ? Hanging on your every word.....Ken
Or do you think a 150 - 500 is better ?

[ron1863]

Hi and welcome to WAB. There are loads of sites on the internet selling photography gear and the majority have a phone number if you wish to speak to a sales rep. Browse a few to compare prices then phone.
The only problem with lenses at the moment is that the price has shot through the roof in the past few months due to the recession.

[Richard G.]

Originally Posted by ken-the-pen

Or do you think a 150 - 500 is better ?

Better? I doubt it, still think there are good reasons why the 50-500mm is more expensive than the 150-500mm.

I've owned the latter for a couple of months now though; main reason for choosing this over the Bigma was the Optical Stabilisation. I fully intend and do use this lens handheld most of the time and the OS helps me do this, even at 500mm and to surprisingly low shutter speeds. Of course this is only useful if you're subject is not moving.

It's generally accepted that both lenses require you to stop down to get the sharpest results, especially at the long end. f/8 seems to be the sweetspot for the Bigma, I'm finding that f/9 is optimal for the 150-500mm. This also contributes to slower shutter speeds and again the OS can often come into play.

If you're going to be using a tripod or mostly shooting in good light though, the Bigma is likely to produce slightly better results, but I doubt there's much in it.

As for where to buy, I've found Warehouse Express to have a good service and good prices...

[ken-the-pen]

Thanks Ron 18.......no sorry my memory has gone ! And Richard .....no it's gone again ! I had actually seen a chat including glsammy ? I think that was his title, and someone on that site was quoting about £700 for the 50-500, and named some link but I couldn't find it. I am trying to shoot Red Kites across a lake and had a Canon 75-300 f4-5.6.....but the auto has packed up and the manual is very hit and miss especially for me.....I'm almost on a par with the wide end of the lens....and my eyesight makes it difficult for me to see to the end of my lens. let alone what lies beyond it....in order to focus that is. I have got a couple of reasonable shots, but obviously need an auto focus....but they will all be Red Kites on the wing and probably hand held.....but a shorter lens will not be of any help to me....the lake is possible 100 to 150 yards wide so I need the longest reach I can get....thanks both for your imput....I'll have a look at that Warehouse Express that you recommended...Ken

[Richard G.]

Ken, I fear the £700 price Graham quoted you for the 50-500mm was a few weeks ago, before the aforementioned price rises. It's now approaching £1050 I'm afraid

[Words]

Ken, try Park Cameras. I was there yesterday and they have a used 50-500 for sale at around £750. Slightly marked (I looked at it) but I presume otherwise ok. Always found them good to deal with.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Richard G.

Ken, I fear the £700 price Graham quoted you for the 50-500mm was a few weeks ago, before the aforementioned price rises. It's now approaching £1050 I'm afraid

More than a few weeks ago, more like 6 months ago.

If you really want to shoot birds in flight, another alternative could be the Canon 400mm F5.6 L. Its auto focus performance is spot on, extremely fast. I've recently picked up a good second hand one for £700. Don't worry about the supposed lack of 100mm, the quality of the Canon more than makes up for the very slight difference. It has the added advantage of being much lighter and easier to hand hold.
I went to Gigrin farm last week for the Red Kites and the lens didn't disappoint.


Here's a couple of example shots:





Make sure you click on the shot twice to see the full detail.

I'm not saying the Bigma isn't a decent lens, it is, and many of my earlier Gallery shots were taken with it, but I can see much more detail with shots taken with the Canon. You would lose the flexibility of the zoom of course, it could all come down to what other interests you have and if you have any other lens. Only you can decide on that.

[cherrywaff]

i dont know if i,m suposed to say this on this site but i have a practically unused bigma i bought just fter christmas i am finding it a bit big for me as i,m a small female and am thinking of selling if your interested please e.mail me and we can discuss.
cherry

[ken-the-pen]

Hi Ron 1863, Richard G, Glsammy, Words and Cherrywaff, thanks for all your inputs, I actually found one of the 50-500mm Sigma's for £845 on the internet and then found a used Canon 100-400mm for £975, which seemed to be a better buy from what I had read on the various forums. I then decided to go the way of the Canon lenses....which I am still considering, however some folk reckon that the L 400mm f5.6 is even better....and it is about comparable in price. Where I have a problem is that I actually got to test one of the Sigma's at a shop and was rather disappointed in the results...I know that I'm new to it but it didn't seem any better than my Canon 75-300mm (which sadly doesn't work properly any more....the auto has packed up for some reason) so I didn't feel that I was really benefitting by a move to that. I really want to try a prime lens to see the results and to see what it is like to have a non-adjustable lens, which I assume would take some getting used to? Unfortunately no shops seem to have the prime lenses in as they say they are too expensive to have as dead stock on their shelves. Birmingham has only two camera shops ! Worcester at least has five shops all of which I visited, but they didn't have a great deal of choice and only one prime, which was a 105mm so wasn't much good as a tester. I will wait till I can get a look at a prime for the big buy.....in the meantime I did find a lens in Worcester which I liked so I bought that as an interim measure, it is a Tokina AT-X840 D and the shots I took with it were crisp and good in colour and contrast....(I don't know if I hit it lucky with the daylight, or if I just happened to get a good lens...I know that even the lenses differ in quality and you can get a good one.....anyway I bought it...£350 for the lens the hood and a Hoya Polarizing filter thrown in). It's too late for a change as I have bought it....but I'd appreciate any opinions if any of you have any or if you know the lens itself....but it certainly gave me some really nice sharp shots yesterday....even though I understand that the autofocus ain't exactly the fastest of the bunch? So Cherrywaff, thanks for the offer, but I'm fixed up on the zoom now....its just a question of looking out for a prime at the right price....once I've had the chance to try one out that is. Ken

[ken-the-pen]

Hi again to you same group I hope.....have any of you had any experiences with the prime lenses and any advice for me on those...and glsammy especially, have you had any dealings with a shop in Burton on Trent...can't remember its name at the moment, but its a big place by the look of the website if I can find it again...and they have a few prime lenses by the look of it....I just thought that as you are the nearest geographically to there, you might have visited it at sometime. Oh have just found another place, it's Simply Electronics at Gedling in Nottingham, have you had any dealings there at all ? Ken