New Sigma Lens Prices (1 Viewer)

WHIMBREL · Feb 25, 2008

Spoke to a Sigma representative at Focus on Imaging at the NEC Birmingham, yesterday, he informed me that the new Apo 150-500mm F5-6.3 lens will retail at approximately £750, the Apo 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 lens will replace the current 135-400 lens and retail at around £600.

Of course dealers will discount on these prices. I was shown prototypes of both lenses and was impressed, and considering they don't carry the EX label, both are still of a good quality finish and have Optical Stabilizers and Hyper Sonic Motors. They should be on dealers shelves within two months.

Hope this is of some interest.

Bill

postcardcv · Feb 25, 2008

WHIMBREL said:
Spoke to a Sigma representative at Focus on Imaging at the NEC Birmingham, yesterday, he informed me that the new Apo 150-500mm F5-6.3 lens will retail at approximately £750, the Apo 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 lens will replace the current 135-400 lens and retail at around £600.

blimey - a lot cheaper than I expected, should prove very popular.

Corax67 · Feb 25, 2008

That sounds very reasonable indeed - wonder just how much the discounted cost might be ? ? ? ? ?

Roy C · Feb 25, 2008

Hmm, £750 or less for a 500mm with 4 stop IS - a lot cheaper than I though, I hope this does not mean that it is going to be poor IQ.

ikw101 · Feb 25, 2008

A 4 stop gain due to the OS on the 150-500mm F5-6.3 lens sounds intriguing. I can't help thinking this may be optimistic however it'd be great to be proved wrong. How good is the Sigma OS on their existing 400mm zoom?

HokkaidoStu · Feb 26, 2008

Those prices sound great (should be even cheaper here in Japan).

OTOH it does sound a bit too cheap. Can't help but wonder about IQ. Just have to wait for some reviews I guess.

Having said that the older 80-400, from the reviews I've read, seems to have almost comparable IQ to the Canon 100-400 although it comes up short in other aspects. I've never used one though so I'm just going on what others have said. If the new ones are as good as this plus HSM it'll be a steal.

WHIMBREL · Feb 26, 2008

Forgot to mention, both these lenses can take tele-converters...

Keith Reeder · Feb 27, 2008

Personally I've got a lot of confidence that these will be cracking lenses.

I always liked my little 135-400mm, and a quick look at Mike From Ebbw's gallery gives an idea of what it can do.

The 80-400mm OS is a real gem too, right up there optically with my Canon 100-400mm (and I won't have a bad word said about that!

)

Incidentally, I reviewed the 80-400mm ages ago here: http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/142/cat/14. Ignore the review after it from "bkrownd" - he seems to be reviewing the Nikon 80-400mm VR!

Although the new Sigmas aren't (so far) branded as "EX", they surely look the part, and at these prices will fly out of the shops.

I only have two small doubts/misgivings.

One is around the quoted "four stop" image stabilisation (four stops??) but to be honest the two stop-ish stabilisation on the 80-400mm was plenty, and it's reasonable to suppose that a near three-year-newer lens will have raised the bar there.

The other thing is the fact that the 150-500mm is f/6.3 at the long end. Not a surprise (the 50-500mm is the same), but I'd have been first in the queue if the new lens had been f/5.6..!

Adey Baker · Feb 27, 2008

Keith Reeder said:
The other thing is the fact that the 150-500mm is f/6.3 at the long end. Not a surprise (the 50-500mm is the same), but I'd have been first in the queue if the new lens had been f/5.6..!

Only about a third of a stop difference, but I guess it would still require quite an increase in the size of the front element with the subsequent increase in size, weight and price.

Roy C · Feb 27, 2008

I assume the f6.3 will be reported as f5.6 for AF purposes (same as the Bigma).

paul goode · Feb 27, 2008

If I heard correctly, eavesdropping on a conversation

at Focus on Imaging
Sigma are doing away with the EX designation and making all new lenses to the same high standard.

postcardcv · Feb 27, 2008

paul goode said:
If I heard correctly, eavesdropping on a conversation at Focus on Imaging
Sigma are doing away with the EX designation and making all new lenses to the same high standard.

This seems like a very strange move to me, Sigma have spent a lot of time and money telling the world how good their EX range is. It seems like a very odd marketting decision to drop it.

WHIMBREL · Feb 27, 2008

The finish on the prototype that I handled seemed indistinguishable from the current EX lenses, so there may be something in the rumours...

Bill

Jaff · Feb 28, 2008

As Nikon are still dragging there heels with the affordable glass market these new lenses will surely push even more Nikon owners down the Sigma route, a 500mm zoom with OS and HSM! That will probs be on just about every Nikon camera out there in the forseeable future.

Will it be the final straw and force Nikon to pull their finger out!

Keith Reeder · Feb 28, 2008

postcardcv said:
This seems like a very strange move to me, Sigma have spent a lot of time and money telling the world how good their EX range is. It seems like a very odd marketting decision to drop it.

Oh, I dunno, Peter: "here at Sigma, all of the lenses we now make are of the same high quality that you grew to love in the "EX" range..." is a pretty good strapline!

Keith Reeder · Feb 28, 2008

Jaff said:
Will it be the final straw and force Nikon to pull their finger out!

Maybe not.

I can see the marketing guys at Nikon being pretty happy with Sigma here, because at a stroke, they've removed a very good reason not to buy the Nikon D40/D40X/D60.

None of these have in-camera AF drives, meaning that there was little or no affordable way to use them in a birding context, because there were no affordable long lenses with in-lens AF - only the Sigma 80-400mm OS and 50-500mm really, and neither are cheap.

(I believe that Tamron are now in the frame too, but I know little about their current range).

Now, you can have a 400mm or 500mm lens with OS and HSM that won't break the bank, and the D40, D40X and D60 are back in the birding game.

There's also now a realistic upgrade path for users of those cameras who want to get into (say) sports photography.

ikw101 · Feb 28, 2008

Jaff said:
As Nikon are still dragging there heels with the affordable glass market these new lenses will surely push even more Nikon owners down the Sigma route, a 500mm zoom with OS and HSM! That will probs be on just about every Nikon camera out there in the forseeable future.

Will it be the final straw and force Nikon to pull their finger out!

Hope so, I'd still prefer a VR enabled version of the 300mm f4 and a 1.4tc to the new Sigma.

I notice the new Sigma has been described as a walkabout lens. Any ideas about it's weight the Bigma could hardly be described as light.

Roy C · Feb 28, 2008

ikw101 said:
Hope so, I'd still prefer a VR enabled version of the 300mm f4 and a 1.4tc to the new Sigma.

I notice the new Sigma has been described as a walkabout lens. Any ideas about it's weight the Bigma could hardly be described as light.

1910g - slightly heavier than the bigma.

Mick Johnson · Feb 28, 2008

postcardcv said:
This seems like a very strange move to me, Sigma have spent a lot of time and money telling the world how good their EX range is. It seems like a very odd marketting decision to drop it.

Not that strange and a good marketing ploy if you ask me, why?, because my monies on they won't now come with the 3 year 'EX' warranty but 12 months.

Maybe they have no faith in their new OS.

WHIMBREL · Feb 29, 2008

Sigma 80-400 OS to be discontinued?

The popular Sigma 80-400 F4.5-5.6 APO EX DG OS lens is also to be discontinued. I received the very latest Sigma catalogue from under the counter at Focus on Imaging,they were getting rid of their old catalogues first from on top of the counter!!, the 80-400 OS lens is not in the new catalogue.

Does this mean that the Sigma 80-400 OS will now be heavily discounted at dealers, knowing that the new 120-400 and 150-500 OS HSM lenses are on their way?

Bill

New Sigma Lens Prices (1 Viewer)

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