Sigma 500mmf/4.5 (1 Viewer)

[Neil-T]

I am looking at a Sigma 500mm f/4.5 EX DG model tomorrow to go with my D300 for birding. It is the latest version and the seller is asking 2K for it. Is this around the ball park figure for a secondhand model? or should I try and knock a little off? I am going to take my camera with me and try it out, and if it's to my liking I will probably purchase it. I will take my 1.4 and 1.7 converters with me (both Nikon) to see how it performes with these. Just thought some of you guys could give me a few pointers. Neil.

 

[apbarr]

I am looking at a Sigma 500mm f/4.5 EX DG model tomorrow to go with my D300 for birding. It is the latest version and the seller is asking 2K for it. Is this around the ball park figure for a secondhand model? or should I try and knock a little off? I am going to take my camera with me and try it out, and if it's to my liking I will probably purchase it. I will take my 1.4 and 1.7 converters with me (both Nikon) to see how it performes with these. Just thought some of you guys could give me a few pointers. Neil.

Last 2 on Ebay went for £2,300 and £2,500 so £2k is a good price

 

[Neil-T]

I noticed simply electronics are doing them for £2699 on ebay.

 

[Sy V]

Neil

2K is a great price providing the lens hasn't been used to knock fence posts in!
Of course, you'd expect to pay more for the equivalent Canon fit item...

 

[apbarr]

Neil

2K is a great price providing the lens hasn't been used to knock fence posts in!
Of course, you'd expect to pay more for the equivalent Canon fit item...

Last Canon fit one on Ebay sold for around £1,800 so £500-£700 less than the Nikon equivalent, seems right to me

 

[Neil-T]

Picked the lens up today and very pleased with it. It comes with a full neoprene cammo cover and a custom made cammo bag to hold the camera and lens.

Just a quick question. I have the 1.4 and 1.7 latest model of Nikon TCs, they will not fit the sigma at all, is this because of the little lug on the TCs? I also have a Kenko 1.5 TC which fits ok, but I can't seem to AF with it, is there something i'm doing wrong, or a setting in camera, I understand that with the 1.5 TC it takes it above f/5.6, but only slightly, is there any way I can get this combo to AF? And will I have to remove the lugs on the Nikon TCs to get them to AF. Thanks, Neil.

 

[apbarr]

Picked the lens up today and very pleased with it. It comes with a full neoprene cammo cover and a custom made cammo bag to hold the camera and lens.

Just a quick question. I have the 1.4 and 1.7 latest model of Nikon TCs, they will not fit the sigma at all, is this because of the little lug on the TCs? I also have a Kenko 1.5 TC which fits ok, but I can't seem to AF with it, is there something i'm doing wrong, or a setting in camera, I understand that with the 1.5 TC it takes it above f/5.6, but only slightly, is there any way I can get this combo to AF? And will I have to remove the lugs on the Nikon TCs to get them to AF. Thanks, Neil.

I'm jealous, that's my next lens unless nikon update their 80-400mm. I think there's a physical problem fitting the Nikon TC's to the Sigma, most Nikon lenses don't fit them either. Search these forums as I believe you can achieve af by taping some pins on other makes of tc

 

[yousif almadani]

I'm jealous, that's my next lens unless nikon update their 80-400mm. I think there's a physical problem fitting the Nikon TC's to the Sigma, most Nikon lenses don't fit them either. Search these forums as I believe you can achieve af by taping some pins on other makes of tc

i got sigma 150 macro 2.8 and nikon d300 but i am unable to use my teleconverter-nikon 1.4 on my sigma 150 macro...

sigma fit only on sigma and nikon made for nikont

 

[Duke Leto]

Picked the lens up today and very pleased with it. It comes with a full neoprene cammo cover and a custom made cammo bag to hold the camera and lens.

Just a quick question. I have the 1.4 and 1.7 latest model of Nikon TCs, they will not fit the sigma at all, is this because of the little lug on the TCs? I also have a Kenko 1.5 TC which fits ok, but I can't seem to AF with it, is there something i'm doing wrong, or a setting in camera, I understand that with the 1.5 TC it takes it above f/5.6, but only slightly, is there any way I can get this combo to AF? And will I have to remove the lugs on the Nikon TCs to get them to AF. Thanks, Neil.

the 1.4 will work on a sigma 500/4.5 and AF in all but low contrast and low light shots, the 1.7 doesn't, easy to cut of the lug, its a 5 min job with a dremel. Sold my VGC Sigma before last Christmas for £1500 but I guess the exchange rate is pushing up used prices.
I understand that the lens itself can vary in sharpness, so try before you but in case the one your after is a soft one

 

[Neil-T]

I tried the Kenko 1.5 yesterday in fairly good light and it would not AF, do you have to tape the pin/pins like the canon TCs? if so, which ones do I tape. One other question about removing the lug on the Nikon converters, do I leave the silver ring on or take it off, I have seen a few reviews where they have done both.

My last question is, and it may sound a bit silly, there is no MF/AF button on the Sigma 500 f/4,5, so how do I manual focus the lens with or without a converter attached. Thanks for the help so far, so much to learn again after going through all this with the Canon camera's and converters.

 

[nsclayton]

http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/0078YS
http://nikonpages.heymanphotography.com/tcmod/

 

[Keith Reeder]

http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/0078YS

That's only for Canon TCs, Nick.

 

[nsclayton]

Sorry, I thought it was the same for Nikon.

 

[Aegea]

I've never heard of having to tape the pins on a Nikon teleconverter, it should at least try to af. Does that converter af with other lenses?

Also this review at photodo says the af/mf button is close to the mount:

http://www.photodo.com/topic_28.html

 

[Neil-T]

Thanks all for the prompt replies. I have tried both the Kenko 1.5 and the Nikon 1.4 TCs yesterday. The Nikon will AF fairly well but needs descent light, the Kenko will only AF in optimal conditions.

The only problem I need to get around now is how to edit the NEF Nikon raw files in Elements 4, any ideas guys? I find it surprising that Nikon don't supply the equivelent software as Canon do with DPP.