Sigma 500 f4.5

[tigerburnie]

Time for an update, still using this lens, though these days minus the extender, odd occasions the auto focus was less than satisfactory. I mostly use this with a tripod, or from my car when out in the Glens, I have managed to get some half decent hand held shots, but with my 1D iv it is a heavy combo and not the most agile bits of kit, lately when out walking I have taken to using the Canon 100-400 for hand held stuff. Still like the Sigma, though I have noticed a bit of movement between the section holding the lens mount and the section that takes the drop in filters, nothing too bad, but I am noticing it, not sure if it's a simple fix to tighten up whatever has come loose.

[tigerburnie]

Re: Sigma 500 f4.5

Ideal in a hide on a bean bag, or like me I use my rucksack for a rest, just mind you don't hit something or someone with it.

[ctrollen]

Re: Sigma 500 f4.5

Thanks for that.

I was at Slimbridge earlier for a few hours (and will be there again all day tomorrow). The weather and light was dull, dull, dull and I was in a hide contemplating what to do when 400mm is too short but 560mm at f/8 is too limiting in poor light, especially the speed of auto-focus.

The Sigma might fit the bill, and more importantly the budget. Ish.

[tigerburnie]

Only had this lens a short time, but I thought I would do a "first impressions" review and then maybe another later on. First and foremost this was bought on a budget, it does not have image stabilisation, nor does it work with Canon extenders, however what it does have is quite impressive. First of all (first after the fact that is a 3rd of the price of a similar Canon f4.5), it is so much easier to carry, it is a bit unwieldy to use when you first get a lens this big, but you can use it hand held. Sit it on a tri pod and it really comes into it's own and with a kenko 1.4 extender I get a full and fast auto focus function that is slowly starting to produce the goods, giving me 700mm which is exactly what I wanted. I use it in my rather dark corner of the local forest with out the extender and the f4.5 is quite a lot better than the Canon 100-400 fully extended at f5.6. I am tending to keep the shutter speed quite high when not on the tripod and if required wind up the iso a bit to get the shots. A bit of lifting of the shadows on photoshop is all I do with a bit of cropping to tidy up the composition, all in all I like it so far. I noticed a couple for sale by dealers off loading brand new, but shop stock for under £2k, not bad at all for a big prime lens.