www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Those nice people at Sigma have just released info on a new lens for we wildlife photography types.
It is -
APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM
Based on the excellent 'Bigma (50-500) but with a longer wide end, it has Optical Stabilisation (IS for Canon people, VR for Nikon!) supposed to allow hand holding at 4 stops slower than normal !
Mag Ratio of 5:1 geives useful photographs of larger butterflies, and a chance of arty stuff for the smaller ones.
No price yet - watch this space.
Let's hope they put OS into the Macro lenses - then I will be seriously hammering the old credit card.
Cheers
Hamearis
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08013 ... 150500.asp

They have also just released this monster...

[quote=press release]The Sigma Corporation is please to announce the new APO 200-500mm F2.8/400-1000mm F5.6 EX DG
Lens.

* The world’s first ultra telephoto zoom lens that offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at the 500mm focal length.
* The dedicated “Attachment” ensures autofocusing at the 1000mm focal length.
* SLD and three ELD glass elements provide high image quality from the maximum large aperture
* Supplied with ø72mm filter holder at the rear[/quote]

I bet you could take a tank out with that thing

Cheers,

- Pete

I spotted this photo on the wildaboutbritain fora.
I hope the (other) subject of this photo doesn't mind me posting it here, but it really does show this monster off!

Roger

Not exactly a walk about lens and I don't fancy trying to get it through an airport either!

OK, if I had that, I would get some pretty strange looks from lots of people, probably think your a spy or something, or someone with a large gun, if you did not know what it was

I think he's compensating for something ...

Proximity to the subject of course

Cheers,

- Pete

Just noticed the The Sigma 150-500mm is available on pre order from warehouse express for £749
Thats quite a bit less than Canon's 100-400 it will be interesting to see what the image quality is like and whether the minimum focus distance is usable for butterflies
Pete

I've heard that a number of long Sigma zooms are a bit soft at the long end. Can anyone with a Bigma or similar confirm this?

Heres a shot on my Bigma at 500mm, F10 ISO 640,
Judge for yerself

I've heard that a number of long Sigma zooms are a bit soft at the long end. Can anyone with a Bigma or similar confirm this?

Hi Eccs,

I owned the Sigma 170-500mm, known as the little bigma. That was reaaaaaaaaaaally soft at the long end, it was disappointing, hence I no longer have it.


Nice shot Mike.

The 170-500, and the 50-500 are in totally different leagues.
The Bigma (50-500) is a really good lens.
My attachment has a wierd crop, but I think it shows up the sharpness of the lens really well.
Taken at F8, and using a car window as a rest at 1/200th (ISO 400).
Really bad light, but just look at the detail in the lichen.
(I have had to reduce the size of this picture by 75% to get it on the website - loses a lot of detail!)
It is a great lens, which is why I still have it!
Roger
p.s. You can photograph big butterflies with it, or arty shots of small ones

The big difference between the 170-500 and the 50-500 is the EX glass, if a Sigma lens has got EX glass in my experience their usually very good. On the over hand, if it ain't got EX glass it's usually .......what's the word I'm looking for cr p

Gruditch

Thanks all. That's worth knowing. I've seen the odd 170-500 pop up on ebay occasionally and wondered if it was worth bidding for it. It could have been an expensive mistake.
I have two Sigma lenses myself, a 105 EX macro and a 400mm f5.6 APO Telemacro. The 400 isn't marked EX but it is a fine lens with very nice bokeh. The macro is very high resolution, but a bit 'clinical' perhaps.

I have the Sigma 12-24 DG HSM EX...it's a fine bit of kit.



Martin.