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New Sigma 50-500 DG compared to old EX (1 Viewer)

A

aligraham

Well-known member
Does anyone have the new DG version of the Sigma 50-500 and have any comparison to the older EX version? I was considering the canon 100-400 L or 400mm F5.6 prime, but now things have got more complicated by becoming aware of the Sigma lens (and possibly the Tamron). Problem is also that i am not really a birder as such but take aircraft and general wildlife pictures so i need versatility, but without comprimasing sharpness.
How realistic is it to handhold the 50-500 lens in reasonable light?
 
Snappy has tried the two and has come down very heavily in favour of the newer lens.

This thread

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=33887

touches on it, but he also says (in his other identity - Kevin Bates, bird and aviation photographer):
The new Sigma DG 50-500 seems little different in looks to the older APO version but in use its a different story.

The lens has very fast focus and is consistently sharp from 50mm to the 500mm top end.

On my first shoot I was happy hand holding the lens at 500mm using shutter speeds of 1/500 and the images were crisp and sharp.

My main interests are aviation and bird Photography and this lens is an asset to my photography.
Click to expand...
And if you look at his work (much of it handheld) you'll realise that his opinion's worth taking seriously...[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/font]
 
Decided

Thanks--I have taken the plunge and ordered the DG Bigma. This started as a difficult decision between the Canon 100-400 IS and the Canon 400 f5.6 prime. And now i have went for something completely different. The prime sounded like a good choice but since i wanted flexibility it looked like the zoom was the way to go. After looking at the photos from kevins site i was impressed and thought the results would certainly be good enough for me. His subject matter is much the same as what i am interested in.

Will need a bigger bag now.

After getting the Sigma for £625 i should be able to get one and still have change after initially budgetting for the Canon.

Cheers
 
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Ali very interested to know how you get on with the lens as I'm also on the verge of splurging on a new bigma DG.

Out of interest where did you decide to buy from?
 
Atoman said:
Ali very interested to know how you get on with the lens as I'm also on the verge of splurging on a new bigma DG.

Out of interest where did you decide to buy from?
Click to expand...

I bought a lens before on Ebay--a UK address--lens was new and perfect.
The supplier was close to me and turned out i knew him so now deal direct. I don't know who his supplier is. But as i am buying it from a UK source then i pay no duty--whether he does or not is another question.
 
Bit late -but - I ordered the new lens after having the original and couldn`t tell the difference. I have returned it in favour of the Canon 100-400 which I am happy with.. A lot of people love the Sigma but personally I could never get a decent picture at 500mm.The 400 prime is streets sharper but obviously not so flexible.
 
Hi:
On the couple photo sites I visit most users have not been able to detect a difference with the DG version of the Sigma lenses. The big difference is apparently a coating that prevents glare in some situations from the sensor in digital cameras.

I have not seen anyone do a complete test of the new lenses though.

Cheers
Craig Ryder
 
Hi Barry,
I use the non-DG version of the 50-500mm Sigma on my D70.
I had a tip off Steve Round (excellent photographer, lives on the Wirral) he used to use the same lens before eventually upgrading to a 500mm F4 IS on his Canon. He advised me never to shoot at the full zoom, 500mm, but to just knock it back a bit say 450mm.
I agree with him, I can rarely get a crisp image at full zoom.
Another tip I'm sure I read somewhere is to try and shoot at apertures of around F8 / F11 and not fully open at F6.3 (at 450/500mm)
I'm sure someone may back me up with that. I hope !!!!
I find it a great lens, but good light is a must to get crisp images, the Sigma 500mm f4.5 EX Apo HSM is next on my shopping list, but it'll be a while yet.
I'm sure there are other members with the same set-up who can give you more tips, agree with me or just shoot me down.
 
tufty said:
Hi Barry,
I use the non-DG version of the 50-500mm Sigma on my D70.
I had a tip off Steve Round (excellent photographer, lives on the Wirral) he used to use the same lens before eventually upgrading to a 500mm F4 IS on his Canon. He advised me never to shoot at the full zoom, 500mm, but to just knock it back a bit say 450mm.
I agree with him, I can rarely get a crisp image at full zoom.
Another tip I'm sure I read somewhere is to try and shoot at apertures of around F8 / F11 and not fully open at F6.3 (at 450/500mm)
I'm sure someone may back me up with that. I hope !!!!
I find it a great lens, but good light is a must to get crisp images, the Sigma 500mm f4.5 EX Apo HSM is next on my shopping list, but it'll be a while yet.
I'm sure there are other members with the same set-up who can give you more tips, agree with me or just shoot me down.
Click to expand...
hi tufty Cheers for the imfo. Are we talking about the right lens this is the (SIGMA 50-500 mm1:4-6.3 APO DG HSM D)
 
hi tufty thanks for the tips. also on the apertures.i set it F8 it is alot better. i havent been at it for long. i just wanted a good cam and lense.do you think what iv got is ok.
 
I find it a fantastic lens for the price, I have the non-DG version and I bought it 2nd hand in mint condition last year for £450.
I have attached a couple of images I took a couple of weeks ago on Pensarn beach, North Wales.
I was crawling on my belly to view a group of roosting waders on the tideline, and got these two shots of Sanderling.
Obviously shooting at f8 isn't always possible, when light levels are low but I try to keep around that setting, you can always use a higher ISO say 320 or 400 but then the noise starts creeping in.
 

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Hi, I am novice photographer and was not happy with my Nikkor 70-300 ED both for reach and also felt the results seemed often washed out compared to my other lens/cameras. I bought the Bigma DG for my D70 and am very happy so far, especially find the quality of the photos better.
Attached are a couple of my first attempts.
 

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tufty said:
I find it a fantastic lens for the price, I have the non-DG version and I bought it 2nd hand in mint condition last year for £450.
I have attached a couple of images I took a couple of weeks ago on Pensarn beach, North Wales.
I was crawling on my belly to view a group of roosting waders on the tideline, and got these two shots of Sanderling.
Obviously shooting at f8 isn't always possible, when light levels are low but I try to keep around that setting, you can always use a higher ISO say 320 or 400 but then the noise starts creeping in.
Click to expand...
hi paul,
with u living in chesire, have u ever walked down the river weaver or down to kingsley? there is a lot of interesting birds down there.
 
Hi Barry,
I have walked along the Weaver on a few occasions but mainly looking for Dragonflies / Damselflies.
My local patch for birding is Sandbach Flashes, but the majority of birds there are distant and I digiscope them, or at least I used to. I have gone off digiscoping since getting my D70.
I can't wait till May next year when we (myself,wife and two children) are going to Lesvos for the first time. I think my camera will be getting a lot of use over there.
 
E-bay contact

Hi
I don't suppose you have a contact for this guy who sells on e-bay do you?
I'm looking to purchasea new sigma lens the 300-800 DG APO EX
cheers
John



aligraham said:
I bought a lens before on Ebay--a UK address--lens was new and perfect.
The supplier was close to me and turned out i knew him so now deal direct. I don't know who his supplier is. But as i am buying it from a UK source then i pay no duty--whether he does or not is another question.
Click to expand...
 
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