It's Bigma Time !!!

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Sure is Boddie, but once you get used to it you don't notice the size and it's capable of excellent images. I'm sure baronsdale won't be dissapointed once he/she has got the hang of the balance of it.
Roger

I did really like the balance of it on the 30D actually. Felt really very nice indeed. I was showing Steve (Fourwings) my front pack and think he was pretty impressed. Great for a big lens rig

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by eeyore

personally I crave a 600mm IS prime nother one for the wish list , thatv would be bad on the back though , the glass Trafic cone

I had chance to use a 600mm Prime when I was at Bempton. Although you can't fault the images you can get from it, I simply couldn't live with a monster like that. I struggled to handle the thing, and I was in danger of falling down the cliff.
I was very relieved to hand it back.

[mike kingshott]

Had mine for just over a week now (picked it up second hand). Taken lots of pictures but not been happy with too many yet - many because i'm getting used to holding it steady on a Monopod - i am getting better though and i'm sure i'll love it soon enough!

Good luck with yours..

[gez]

hi im after a bigma soon. am i right in guessing i will need a good tripod? if so which would you recommend please, cheers gez

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by gez

hi im after a bigma soon. am i right in guessing i will need a good tripod? if so which would you recommend please, cheers gez

Not really, I'd recommend at least a good monopod, with a quick release plate. Make sure it's a good one though, I originally had a Jessops 330 that simple wasn't up to the weight of the lens/camera.
I ended up with a Manfrotto Magfibre, with a 234RC quick release head. It's excellent in use and supports the camera/lens perfectly.

[gez]

cheers glsammy...so i guess the head goes straight onto the tri with no probs ...& how many notes will this cost approx..ty gez

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by gez

cheers glsammy...so i guess the head goes straight onto the tri with no probs ...& how many notes will this cost approx..ty gez

My Manfrotto Magfibre was £100 + £24.95 for the Head. You get one quick release plate with the head, which screws directly onto the support supplied with the lens. It then simply clicks straight onto the head. I got them from: Warehouse Express Online.

[paulthomas]

Gez,

Just remember a monopod will probably only give about 1 stop so you'll probably still a shutter speed of something like 1/400th. Personally I wouldn't even consider using a lens of that focal length on anything other than a sturdy tripod or a beanbag unless it was image stabilised. YMMV.

[glsammy]

Everyone to their own, but I can get excellent images at way lower than 1/400sec with the monopod.
Have a look at my Gallery images, not one was taken using a tripod and many hand held here's an example:


This was taken hand held at 1/100sec, through double glazed windows, with the Bigma.

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Everyone to their own, but I can get excellent images at way lower than 1/400sec with the monopod.

Is this the same Bigma that you weren't happy about here?

Originally Posted by glsammy

This was taken hand held at 1/100sec, through double glazed windows, with the Bigma.

Sorry Graham but all I see are over-saturated yellows and an overall over-processed plasticy look. I hope the Bigma performs better on 4/3rds because I wouldn't be at all happy with an image like that. YMMV.