Sigma 500 f4.5 - How do you keep your's steady (1 Viewer)

Grahamdevenish · Jun 22, 2014

Morning all,

After months of deliberating I've now taken the plunge and bought a Sigma 500 F4.5 EX APO USM. It's a mint 2nd hand one and is really good condition.

I'm currently testing it to ensure sharpness and have played around a bit with micro camera calibration (I use mainly a Canon 7D but occasionally a 5D Mk1).

My question is, how to you guys and gals who've got one of these lenses hold them study??

I normally use a Manfrotto Monopod with the Manfrotto Gimbal equivalent but not sure if it's solid enough.

I've got a Benbo Mk1 Tripod as well as a Trekker but of course there is extra weight and carrying involved.

I'd be interested to find out how you all get such amazingly sharp images?

Many thanks,

Graham.

GYRob · Jun 22, 2014

Its a very nice lens so should be able to get sharp shot's .
A fast shutter speed is what I aim for and smooth panning with your subject really helps too .

Rob.

Frank Anderson · Jun 22, 2014

I've had mine now for over four years and have been very happy with the results it produces. During that time I've learn't different methods of keeping it steady.

I nearly always take a monopod with me though don't use a head with it - just attach it straight onto the lens. Sometimes I will use my bag to rest it on and a lot of the time I will sit with my bag strapped on, acting like a back seat support and rest the lens between my knees. Birds in flight I will simply hand hold it. Often it's just a case of improvising to whatever's around and good technique. I've never used it on a tripod before as I like to travel as light as possible and remain mobile.

Roy C · Jun 22, 2014

To get the best out of a lens like this anything less than a good tripod and Gimbal head is a compromise IMHO.

flanken · Jun 22, 2014

When I had this lens, I used to shoot it mostly handheld, and didn't have any problems with getting sharp shots as long as I kept the shutter speed over about 1/800s; I typically used 1/1250s or 1/1600s as my standard speed as long as the light allowed it. It is quite a heavy lens, so handholding can get tiring after a few shots. For longer shooting sessions, I used an Induro CM25 monopod with either the Manfrotto 234 tilt head, or later on the Sirui monopod tilt head. Any reasonably sturdy monopod should be more than adequate for this lens; the tilt head is not mandatory, but is a useful addition for achieving vertical angles.

Grahamdevenish · Jun 23, 2014

Hi

Thanks for the comments so far - I've had a test day and lens looks to be sharp - I used my Benbo Mk1 Tripod and the Manfrotto U Shaped Gimbal head and although the DOF is soooo narrow, the important bits are sharp.

Here's an example on my Flickr page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamdevenish/14302778610/

Thanks for your comments, any other views?

Graham.

Frank Anderson · Jun 23, 2014

Your photo looks nice and sharp. You're right about the narrow depth of field and sometimes it seems there's a fault with the lens when it's just the f4.5 aperture. Practice difference support methods to give yourself some more options. Have you tried it with a converter yet? Mine takes one very well.

Grahamdevenish · Jun 24, 2014

Frank Anderson said:
Your photo looks nice and sharp. You're right about the narrow depth of field and sometimes it seems there's a fault with the lens when it's just the f4.5 aperture. Practice difference support methods to give yourself some more options. Have you tried it with a converter yet? Mine takes one very well.

Not yet Frank, they had a Sigma Converter but it didn't work with the lens so have just ordered a Kenko Pro 300 DGX as per advice elsewhere on this forum! as the one I was bidding for but lost on eBay went for £90 with postage and I can get a new one for £129 !!! Should arrive Wednesday.

I also use a beanbag as another option and also have a solid monopod as well, so lots of options to try....

I'm off to the Farnes in the next week or so and am looking forward to really putting it through its paces.

Thanks, Graham

AndrewA · Jun 24, 2014

The lens works really well with the Kenko Graham. I do sometimes find that for no reason at all however the aperture in the lens closes right down when you focus resulting in the view finder going almost completely dark. The only thing to do then is switch the camera off then on and the aperture opens up again. Its not often it does this about maybe 1 in 100 times. It happens if I have the lens and converter on either the 1D4 or 7D.

Frank Anderson · Jun 24, 2014

AndrewA said:
The lens works really well with the Kenko Graham. I do sometimes find that for no reason at all however the aperture in the lens closes right down when you focus resulting in the view finder going almost completely dark. The only thing to do then is switch the camera off then on and the aperture opens up again. Its not often it does this about maybe 1 in 100 times. It happens if I have the lens and converter on either the 1D4 or 7D.

Interesting you have that happen to you. In the last six months, the same thing has been happening to me too. I thought the camera was at fault.

Grahamdevenish said:
I'm off to the Farnes in the next week or so and am looking forward to really putting it through its paces.

Don't know if you've been there before, but you'll love it - an amazing experience. I've been there a number of times, last year with the Sigma 500mm as I normally just use a 400mm lens. It was useful for getting closer to some of the birds but I found it more of a challenge to get the birds in flight due to the narrow focal view point. The Puffins at least, come in so quickly from the sea that you have little time to frame, focus and shoot. I didn't bother with any support on the day. Take plenty of spare cards and a short lens (and hat) for the Terns

Grahamdevenish · Jun 24, 2014

Thanks Frank, we went to Staple Island just the once at the very end of July, last year, while we were there they recorded their first ever Red Kite over the Farnes!! Looking forward to this year as well!

I'll probably take the 500 but also have the 100-400 in the rucksac, as well as a wide lens - Tilley hat already packed!

Graham

a.dancy · Jul 10, 2014

I have a Velbon Sherpa Pro...probably not available now. It is not as solid as other the pro tripods but it is pretty tough and holds the lens more than adequately. I have had it since 2007. I use a Manfrotto 701 RC2 head which is not ideal. I use non commercial bean bags or my camera bag and when appropriate I hand hold. I would suggest a shutter speed of 1/800 secs although on some occasions I have obtained sharp shots at 1/200...but rarely.
I cannot get AF with converters using a 7d

However with a 2X converter and accurate manual focus and using a shutter release cable I have obtained sharp images when using a tripod. Here is an image @ 1800pixels

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24940353@N03/9312561552/sizes/o/

I love the lens , focuses very quickly, a solid performer with flight shots.

Grahamdevenish · Jul 10, 2014

Hi all,

Quick update, back now from Bempton Cliffs and the Farnes and really put the lens through it's paces - For Bempton I used the Benbo Tripod, which on a walk of several miles really dragged on me - I bought a Manfrotto Carbon Tripod from a chap I met in a Camera Shop in Harrogate, when looking at New Tripods!! I've also ordered a Gimbal head which will bring the combined carrying weight down by approx 3kg !!

Results….. I'm really pleased with the lens, shot it on both my 7D and 5D Mk1, with, and without the converters, and the initial results can be seen at this Flickr Album;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamdevenish/sets/72157645652984353/

Flight shots are still the most challenging to get sharp, so practise, practise practice - As Gary Player the golfer once said when asked if he felt he was lucky to win the Open he said,

" The more I practise the luckier I get!"

Cheers all and keep the comments coming - It's really interesting to hear the different approaches - BTW Great Red Kite shot!

Graham.

Grahamdevenish · Jul 10, 2014

a.dancy said:
I cannot get AF with converters using a 7d However with a 2X converter and accurate manual focus and using a shutter release cable I have obtained sharp images when using a tripod. Here is an image @ 1800pixels

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24940353@N03/9312561552/sizes/o/

I love the lens , focuses very quickly, a solid performer with flight shots.

Interesting, when I bought the lens (second hand) they also had a Sigma 1.4 Converter which didn't AF. Following advice on this forum and other sources I went for the Kenko Pro 300 DGX from FleaBay which DOES AF!!

And that's a great Red Kite shot!

Graham

Grahamdevenish · Aug 31, 2014

AndrewA said:
The lens works really well with the Kenko Graham. I do sometimes find that for no reason at all however the aperture in the lens closes right down when you focus resulting in the view finder going almost completely dark. The only thing to do then is switch the camera off then on and the aperture opens up again. Its not often it does this about maybe 1 in 100 times. It happens if I have the lens and converter on either the 1D4 or 7D.

Quick update, I've also now got a Sigma 300 f2.8 (apo ex DG ) and while trying the lens out at an Air show with my 7D the same thing happened with me - I cleared it by pressing the shutter which gave an underexposed frame and then back to normal!

It happened a few times so I took the converter off.

Weird that its never happened with the 500 !! I'll now have to consider a Sigma 1.4 just for the 300 now - that a a bit annoying!

thanks

Graham

Sigma 500 f4.5 - How do you keep your's steady (1 Viewer)

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