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Holy Cow: new Sigma lens APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG

Yeah, it's quite... Impressive.

It also has it's own lcd for showing the focal length and current focusing distance.

People have also been discussing what to call it, the best I've heard so far is "Sigmarine" (it's huge and looks like a submarine).
 
If they sell it (the Sigma Japan site seems to indicate it's a proof-of-concept, but that could just be bablefish) and it's priced well, they'll sell a heck of a lot of them. 500mm at 2.8 is sweet!

I spent a bit of time trying to get from Bigma to Sigmonster to whatever this thing is, Siggasm was the best I came up with. I like Sigmarine though.

Edit: SigHubble?
 
compuwar said:
If they sell it (the Sigma Japan site seems to indicate it's a proof-of-concept, but that could just be bablefish) and it's priced well, they'll sell a heck of a lot of them. 500mm at 2.8 is sweet!

I spent a bit of time trying to get from Bigma to Sigmonster to whatever this thing is, Siggasm was the best I came up with. I like Sigmarine though.

Edit: SigHubble?
Click to expand...

Haha I like Siggasm 🙂
It does look a lot like a submarine...I just like how the body is dwarfed by the lens...😱
 
i don't like the matte look of the exterior, bring on the glossy 😉

but seriously thou, if they should do something about the exterior.

it says the tele converter is supplied as standard accessories, i suppose that could be an indicator of they will market it (or are currently marketing it?)

i wonder if that's gotten the Hypersonic motor 😉
 
mcarnes said:
Still think I'd rather have the Sigmonster.
Click to expand...

I looked at getting one, but I shoot wildlife, mostly birds- and coming from an f/2.8 lens makes it really difficult. For daytime stuff the Sigmonster works well from the shots I've seen from the one sample I've seen in the field. However, you lose so much working time when wildlife is active with such a slow lens.

I've been tempted a couple of times to go with a slower, lighter lens like the 200-400/4, but missing the sweet light around dawn when everything's active is just too much of a trade-off.
 
Did you see how small the camera looks in relation to the lens?
*Camera shown sold separately 😀
200-500_28_s.jpg
 
I'm guessing they put the LCD there because it would be impossible, or at least very difficult, to see the focal length markers on the top of the lens.
 
I like the fact that it comes with a 2x extender. The real question, however, is whether or not it comes with a forklift.
But seriously, why? Why do you need this kind of speed at these focal lengths? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have always been told that at 200 + you'd want smaller apertures to up your DOF.
 
compuwar said:
I'm guessing around USD$ 10,000.
Click to expand...

I'd guess more, maybe $15000.

Just look at the price of some of the Canon and Nikon super-telephoto, wide aperture primes out there. This lens is faster than most of those at the same focal lengths. It's also a zoom lens rather than a prime, which offers far more flexibility. Then you need to subtract a bit of money from what the Nikon or Canon equivalent would cost because it's a Sigma and not a Canon or Nikon. However, an expensive Sigma is getting quite close to the prices of equivalent Canon or Nikon........so maybe this Sigma is around 90-95% as expensive as the equivalent lens that Canon or Nikon offers. Too bad there's no equivalent right now from either company.
 
Lovesong said:
But seriously, why? Why do you need this kind of speed at these focal lengths? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have always been told that at 200 + you'd want smaller apertures to up your DOF.
Click to expand...

Wildlife, especially birds. Most activity is post-dawn and pre-dusk where the extra speed is necessary. My 400/2.8 gives me great DoF wide open, and an extra 100mm of reach would be awesome.
 
superted666 said:
Just read about the new sigma lens APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG


Incredible that they can manage that speed over that range and it comes with teleconverter making it 400-1000 f5.6 - apparently lens is designed not to loose quality when using the extender.

Now for the best bit 🙂 😀

Check out the pic of it
http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/news/200_500_28.htm
Click to expand...
will it come in KAF mount? not that this would be useful at all for me, except for making people feel jealous😛
 
Anybody thought about this thing actually fitting on a Wimberley or other brand gimbal head? (It sure wouldn't work on a regular ballhead!) It would almost have to have a specially-made tripod/tripod head....
 
Abstract said:
I'd guess more, maybe $15000.

Just look at the price of some of the Canon and Nikon super-telephoto, wide aperture primes out there. This lens is faster than most of those at the same focal lengths. It's also a zoom lens rather than a prime, which offers far more flexibility. Then you need to subtract a bit of money from what the Nikon or Canon equivalent would cost because it's a Sigma and not a Canon or Nikon. However, an expensive Sigma is getting quite close to the prices of equivalent Canon or Nikon........so maybe this Sigma is around 90-95% as expensive as the equivalent lens that Canon or Nikon offers. Too bad there's no equivalent right now from either company.
Click to expand...

The Nikkor 400/2.8 is $7800, the 600/4 runs about $2k more, and the 500/4 about $600 less. Canon's long guns are cheaper, so we'll stick with that- that should put a 500/2.8 somewhere near a 600/4, granted a zoom will add to the price. In the past, Sigma hasn't been anywhere near 90-95% at the long end in pro glass- the Nikkor 300/2.8 is about the closest comparison we can make, the Nikkor is $4499 for the USA version and the Sigma is $2599 (B&H USA only- Canon is $3750.) Furthermore, the Sigma 120-300/2.8 is $2700. Granted, adding the LCD and TC are going to drive up costs, but I doubt by more than $1000.

I'd say at $12,000 and under, Sigma have a clear winner, but over that it's going to be difficult unless performance wide open is stellar. However if they can come in at or under a Nikon 600/4, as long as it performs well, they probably won't be able to keep up with demand for the first year.
 
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