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Sigma 800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Neilos
- Start date
Cristian Mihai
Cristian Mihai
Another cheaper and not so long alternative would be a Sigma 50-500 mm... You'll have 800 mm equivalent in 35 mm with a max aperture of 6.3. If you want to use the Sigma 120-300 with a 1.4x teleconverter you'll have only 520 mm equivalent in 35 mm. Using a 2x teleconverter you'll have 960 mm with a max aperture around 5.6 (I suppose). So, IMHO, Sigma 120-300 plus a 2x teleconverter is better then Sigma 50-500...
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I use to own the Sigma 120-300 2.8 ex dg hsm.In my opinion it was a great lens.The only issue i had with it was,that it was heavy.There is a lot of good quality glass in that lens,that's why it's a very good performer.I used it as a walkaround lens,but i have to say after an hour just hand holding it coupled to a nikon d2x it got to be heavy.I would suggest that you consider a monopod,or tripod for support.
I don't know the Sigma 800mm,but I do know that they have a 300-800mm telephoto lens.This lens will definetly need a tripod.Right now i use a Sigma 500mm f4.5 ex dg hsm,which is a great lens.For my set up with the Nikon d2x and a 1.4x converter i have an effective 1005mm which is good for me.Whatever you choose,good luck.
Ivan
I don't know the Sigma 800mm,but I do know that they have a 300-800mm telephoto lens.This lens will definetly need a tripod.Right now i use a Sigma 500mm f4.5 ex dg hsm,which is a great lens.For my set up with the Nikon d2x and a 1.4x converter i have an effective 1005mm which is good for me.Whatever you choose,good luck.
Ivan
Pitvar
Well-known member
I'm teaching myself as I go but I'm lucky enough to have got a Sigma 120-300 2.8 HSM non DG on a Nikon and the 2x and 1.4x converters by Sigma - it is heavy - handheld in good light is OK but otherwise its a tripod/monopod/hide clamp job really. I've attached a hand held Pied Flycatcher with 1.4x and a very poor hand held of a spoonbill with both converters stacked one on the other [and trying to hold the weight of a folded tripod up] - but it is a record shot from 700m away!
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Vernon Barker
Well-known member
I have just changed my Sigma 120-300 for a Canon 100-400. The Sigma is great without converters; with1.4 its Ok to good, but with 2 TC it leaves a lot to be desired.
Canon is significantly better.
Canon is significantly better.
mikfoz
It's not a competition. Watch the birdy!
Just get one of these babies instead of being such a skinflint. 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG.
Of course the 800mm prime is a good lens, which is why it costs £6500 or thereabouts.
Perhaps a more honest title for the thread would be, "Now that I've got your attention by mentioning an unfeasibly expensive bit of pie in the sky, please tell me about this more ordinary (yet still astronomically expensive) lens there's a chance any of you will have ever seen/used."
Of course the 800mm prime is a good lens, which is why it costs £6500 or thereabouts.
Perhaps a more honest title for the thread would be, "Now that I've got your attention by mentioning an unfeasibly expensive bit of pie in the sky, please tell me about this more ordinary (yet still astronomically expensive) lens there's a chance any of you will have ever seen/used."
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It could be that he'd spotted the 800 going for £4250 here and was canvassing opinion without running so much risk that someone else would take the plunge whilst he was still dithering.
I see that someone leapt at the chance of £2000 off the price of a 300-800
I see that someone leapt at the chance of £2000 off the price of a 300-800
mikfoz
It's not a competition. Watch the birdy!
I should blinking well hope so at that price!
I'd love to be able to afford one! :-C
Maybe one day if I sort my wistful dream of making photography pay out...
interesting feedback guys the 800mm is available at £3566 and I was thinking of this intead of a canon prime which are a lot more with less reach.
the 120 - 300mm would be used for close up work mainly mammals or birds from hides etc - I have read its not been the best at focusing - it would be a lot of money if it didn't do the stuff.
the 120 - 300mm would be used for close up work mainly mammals or birds from hides etc - I have read its not been the best at focusing - it would be a lot of money if it didn't do the stuff.
Jaff
Registered Member
Don't forget if you do get the 800mm it's VERY heavy and will need some equally heavy duty support which adds another few hundred pounds to the bill as well as making the whole rig virtually impossible to use in a out and about context. Had a feel of someone's Canon 600mm F4 IS on a Gitzo tripod (carbon fibre though) with a wimberly head, my god that'd give me back problems! 
If you do a fair bit of walking/shooting then it may not be the right choice. With the price you just quoted have you thought about a Canon 300 f2.8 IS with TC's for a few hundred more? Not trying to dissuade you from the 800mm at all because you'd get some crackers I'm sure but such big lenses are not suited for everyone in my view. But it'd be a perfect hide lens, you can never have too much reach as they say! Especially when it comes to small birds. In short I'm just saying think about what you'd do with it and in what places you currently shoot at that you think the extra reach would be most beneficial :t:
I think that's about it for my limited knowledge.
If you do a fair bit of walking/shooting then it may not be the right choice. With the price you just quoted have you thought about a Canon 300 f2.8 IS with TC's for a few hundred more? Not trying to dissuade you from the 800mm at all because you'd get some crackers I'm sure but such big lenses are not suited for everyone in my view. But it'd be a perfect hide lens, you can never have too much reach as they say! Especially when it comes to small birds. In short I'm just saying think about what you'd do with it and in what places you currently shoot at that you think the extra reach would be most beneficial :t:
I think that's about it for my limited knowledge.
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Buy it's a big heavy lens, the length of it makes it very trocky to use from a car or in a small hide. The minimum focus distance (a massive 7m) is also an issue, I was standing next to a chap with one a while back and while others were snapping away he was having to back of to be able to focus.
Pitvar
Well-known member
I'm also finding that going from a consumer Nikon 70-300 VR to a prosumer lens like the 120-300 2.8 is an excellent lesson in improving technique! You get away with stuff with a VR that aint going to happen with a lens like that! [Still like my 70-300 for a walkabout lens though!]
Pitvar
Well-known member
Just back to the 120-300 issue - attached are three shots from this morning in gloomy conditions - D80 set to full auto for comparison [bar manual focus which is slightly out on the Sigma].
The bird on the feeder looking right is cropped to appx 20% of the area of the shot - sorry not sure how to describe crops and is Nikon 70-300 VR at 300mm the bird on the post is Sigma 120-300 2.8 with 2x teleconverter at 250mm i.e. doubled to 500mm and cropped to 50% of the area. The bird on the feeder looking left is the Sigma hand held without any converter again auto and similar light and cropped to a similar size.
Anyway hope it helps but my rubbish technique might not - I'm going to book a course!
The bird on the feeder looking right is cropped to appx 20% of the area of the shot - sorry not sure how to describe crops and is Nikon 70-300 VR at 300mm the bird on the post is Sigma 120-300 2.8 with 2x teleconverter at 250mm i.e. doubled to 500mm and cropped to 50% of the area. The bird on the feeder looking left is the Sigma hand held without any converter again auto and similar light and cropped to a similar size.
Anyway hope it helps but my rubbish technique might not - I'm going to book a course!
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Jaff
Registered Member
Sorry Pete but when I read this it sounded like the policeman from Allo allo had written it. I can actually hear what it would sound like in my head! 3