- High-magnification zoom lens with a 10x zoom ratio, optimized for digital SLR cameras
- Features SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements for superior correction of chromatic aberration
- Features zoom lock switch to prevent “zoom creep”
- Lens construction features 20 elements in 16 groups
- Includes a zoom hood and removable tripod collar
Product Description
This new superzoom encompasses all popular focal lengths from the 50mm “normal” to 500mm ultra-telephoto; a 10:1 zoom ratio, providing tremendous versatility. The use of an apochromatic design and four elements composed of SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass, plus a seven group zoom system and multi-coated optics, enable this wide-ranging zoom lens to provide a high level of performance, as well as versatility. It also employs a rear focus system to insure quick, convenient manual focus and a non-rotating front barrel. This, coupled with Sigma’s HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), provide quiet, responsive autofocus function, plus “full time” manual focus. This lens also features a Zoom Lock mechanism to help eliminate “zoom creep” when the lens is tilted up or down. The use of magnesium in the tripod mount helps reduce the weight of this lens, while maintaining the strength and rigidity necessary to support it. A custom bayonet “Perfect Hood” is provided to protect the front of the lens from extraneous light. Nature and sports photographers will appreciate the performance and versatility of this amazing new superzoom lens from Sigma.
Amazon.com Product Description
The Sigma APO 50-500mm f4-6.3 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras is a high-magnification zoom lens with a 10x zoom ratio. The advanced optical design of the lens is optimized for digital SLR cameras, and the super coating on each glass surface produces superb color rendition, while reducing flare and ghosting. This lens uses four pieces of Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass for excellent correction of color aberration throughout the entire zoom range. The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) provides quiet high-speed AF function, as well as full-time manual focus capability. This lens also features a Zoom Lock device to eliminate “zoom creep” when the lens is tilted down. When the lens is set to the 50 millimeter focal length, it is remarkably compact and provides easy handling. The tripod mount is composed of magnesium, to minimize total weight. It is also easy to grip and carry the lens due to ergonomic design of the tripod mount. Non-rotating front lens elements, due to the rear focus mechanism, make possible the use of a custom bayonet “petal-type hood,” which prevents extraneous light from degrading the image quality. This mechanism also allows the use of circular polarizing filters, since the front barrel does not rotate during focusing or zooming.
ShutterFlash @ 3:56 pm
The auto focus is super quiet and reasonably fast in most situations, although mounted on my D30 it does get confused in complex lighting. This is a BIG and HEAVY lens. I use the neck strap provided with the lens, as well as the strap on the camera at the same time. Although I’m probably overcautious, I don’t trust the weight of the lens hanging from the camera without extra support. Mounted on a monopod, it is well balanced although following birds in flight presents a challenge. Optically, it’s truly beautiful through all f stops. It looks like it will take any abuse I can reasonably give it, being solidly constructed and manufactured to very precise tolerances. I wanted a quality super telephoto and I got one at a great price.
Fight2FlyPhoto @ 5:08 pm
This has been my primary lens for all of my aviation photography and has never let me down! I have photographs that I’ve taken as slow as 1/40 at the 500mm end without the use of any tripod/monopod with fantastic results! The lens obviously comes in at 8 pounds and in my opinion really helps with panning. The real reason for purshasing this lens is its incredible zoom range. At airshows I keep it in the 300-500mm end of the lens most of the time but there have been many times I had to quickly zoom to the 50mm end to frame that “perfect” shot to include an aircraft taxiing right in front of me along with the other aircraft still in the air. I also shoot at a local airport for my clients and not having to quickly change lenses/bodies continually makes this lens well worth its weight in gold!
the only issue I’ve had with this lens is when I’m shooting in windy conditions. That long lens acts like a sail and can really be a problem when shooting a slow/stationary object.
Nearly every photograph on my website, fight2flyphoto.com, was taken with this incredible lens.
Bill Meade @ 7:25 pm
Other owners of this lens will walk up to you when you are shooting in public with this lens, and they will ask how you like “bigma.” Bigma is the nickname of this lens.
I’ve used this lens for 4 years, it has enabled me to discover much. For example, girls and women, can *feel* you looking at them. With this lens, you can get far enough away (30+ feet) that females can’t feel you looking at them. And, then you get great head and shoulder candid shots. And then, their mothers call you up and say “I just love that picture because she didn’t know you were there.” Another constituency you will have improved access to, is small children. They also, like to have their pictures taken, and with all the digital cameras around today, they are masters of over posing. With bigma your church will ask you to become the unofficial photographer because you get “better” pictures of the kids (i.e., candids without posing) than anyone else.
I’ve used the lens on a D70 taking kid-event pictures, high school soccer pictures, and high school marching band pictures. Yes, I had and hated the auto focus problems – particularly in sports. So, if you have a D70, be prepared to be patient until you get the hang of the lens. Bigma will force you to read your manual and to experiment with autofocus and to measure the % of out of focus pictures you get, and keep trying new things. But after the pain, this is a good thing. It is called learning.
Now I’m using the 50-500 on my D300 there are smaller and less frequent autofocus problems. The sensors in the D70 were not quite good enough, I think. So, if you have a D70 and don’t like this lens, you might want to trade the 50-500 for a D300. Or borrow a friend’s D200 or D300 and see if the lens performs better. Root cause may be the camera, not the lens.
Bigma Advice:
- You will need a [monopod[ASIN:B0002YE6EU Canon Monopod 100 for SLR Cameras & Lenses]] to avoid killing your back. If you get the Canon like I have, the swivel top has loosened to the point where super glue reengineering is required.
- You also need to know to turn the aperature all the way down when you put the lens on the camera, or Nikons won’t shoot. You will know that this has happened by listening to your self say “What the __ll is wrong? Why won’t it shoot?”
- Get a [Nikon lens cleaning pen[ASIN:B00006JN3G Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System]]. With all the glass in a bigma, there are spots, dots, and nits galore to police off the inner and outer lens surfaces. Keep the glass clean and the pictures are visibly sharper.
- Don’t ever use the tripod mount on the camera with bigma attached. I did this once by accident. Always, always, always use the tripod mount on the bigma handle. That’s what I say to prevent a recurrence.
I must agree with the encomium shared by other positive reviewers. I wouldn’t be without bigma. It puts the camera into a world you won’t see without it. You bought the Nikon because your eyes are bad, you love the egoboo of giving an undeserving parent a great picture of their kid, and your pocket is no longer so empty. Buy the bigma to get the most out of your Nikon. Bigma + Nikon = increased egoboo.
A. A. Safer @ 8:42 pm
I own the Olympus 35mm Macro lens and the Leica D 14-50mm Standard Zoom lens, so I needed something with more zoom capabilities. I searched for all the telephoto lenses available for the Four Thirds Mount System, but either too expensive, or not they don’t come with a high zooming range. Then I saw the Sigma 50-500mm Telephoto lens, and thought that with that price tag, this would be like a dream come true. I had to wait about 4-5 months for this lens to be available on line (but it was worth waiting for), and as soon as I found out it was on sale I ordered one.
Assembly: The lens is very sturdy and all the parts are well assembled. You won’t see any loose parts. And its a perfect fit for my camera, Panasonic DMC-L1K. Afterall, it’s ‘Made In Japan’.
Materials: High Quality matt, yet metallic feel. High quality rubber zooming and focusing collars.
Focusing: Auto focus could take some time if you’re shooting a scene with lots of objects. And when the zoom is at it’s maximum, it would be quite a challenge to focus on your subject, so it’s highly recommended to use a tripod. Manual focus works perfectly, although a tripod is highly recommended, not only to steady the camera, but also due the lens’ own weight.
Image Quality: I’ve used this lense for about 1 month, so far excellent image quality (colours, sharpness, etc.)
Weight: This could be an issue for this lens, because weighing about 6 pounds, you could get tired of holding the camera for a long time, resulting in a shaky and blurry images. So tripods are recommended.
Price: Excellent price for this type of lens. Most telephoto lenses with the same range cost about $2000 and over.
Overall: Excellent lens for any photographer. A valuable asset for any photographer’s gear.
Colin J @ 10:18 pm
I was first thinking about this lens a year ago. I had seen some great results on different forums but ended up not buying it. I bought a teleconverter instead for my existing lens. Now a year later after being disappointed with the teleconverter I decided to go ahead and buy the Bigma. What a difference. The images are sharp, there is no CA, edge sharpness is good. Yes, it is a little heavy and not the fastest 50mm lens out there, but who buys a 50-500 zoom for the short end anyway? I took it out to a local lake and got some great shots of Osprey, Red-tailed Hawks, and Herons. None of these would have been possible without the Bigma. All shots were taken hand-held. The Bigma on my K10D with shake reduction work well together. I took a few test shots handheld down to 1/60th, while not crystal sharp there were still far superior to anything I could have gotten with the teleconverter on a tripod.
All in all I highly recommend this lens.