Sigma 80-400

corkandproud

Looking for a good tele lens and have decided this is fit for purpose
(for my Canon 30D)

Does anyone have one, and how much should I expect to pay?

mikeanywhere

If the 70-300 is anything to go by then this one will be awesome!!

311

Check out the review of it here
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/sigma_80400_4556os/index.htm

This lens is suppose to be good for the money aswell
https://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=322810

Carrigman

€832 plus postage at www.Digitalrev.com. €1293 plus postage at www.pixmania.com. That's some difference!

Borderfox

I have seen some wishy washy reviews about this lens. Old focus motor and some delay when shooting to do with the OS system. Dont get me wrong I love Sigma, I got a Bigma last week and the HSM focusing is really fast.

Spyral

I've the 70-300 but Im using it on my film camera so its a about a 45-200 but in terms of optical quality its good and works for me.

Borderfox

I agree the 70-300 is excellent but only up to 250mm after that its soft unless stopped down significantly. Have a try of the lens in a shop corkandproud and see what you think.

440Hz

Ah the BIGMA!! Indeed a lovely lens! However, the day I got my 70-300 IS (Canon) I went shooting with my mate who owns a Bigma, and we put them to various tests. The canon came out on top, and my mate preferred my somewhat cheaper Canon.

Also there was no way I could use the Bigma, far too heavy.

rymus

Borderfox wrote:

I got a Bigma last week and the HSM focusing is really fast.

Have been pondering on getting this as my next pre-Christmas present to myself; How fast is the focusing? Fast enough for sports? Any other thoughts on the lens?

Coming back to the 80-400, I was always of the opinion (after spending a small amount of time with each lens) that th 50-500 was the more logical choice. The OS didn't seem too wonderful at all. Given it's been a couple of years since I last had the lens on my camera so it could well have been updated. Or not I guess...

andy1249

I've the 70-300 but Im using it on my film camera so its a about a 45-200 but in terms of optical quality its good and works for me.

Focal length is always quoted in terms of 35mm film ( or full 35mm frame ) cameras , so its a 70-300mm on a film , it goes up for APS-C DSLR's , ( eg for a canon thats 112 - 480 ) but never goes down .... ever !!

Borderfox

Focus is as fast as on my Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX obivously it has to go a little bit further but imo its as fast as the smaller zoom. It is a monster but I will be using a monopod or tripod all the time and the way I look at the purchase is that I will take pictures that I wouldnt get with any of my other gear eg. I shoot equestrian sports (Polo, Showjumping, Racing) and the bane of this is when they get out of range. So far I am very happy with the lens. Sorry for taking this off topic. Heres the first shots taken from the apartment balcony this afternoon of a Blue Tit (all that was to hand)





I suppose its like all the other lenses like the 80-400 OS in that they can be used for whatever you want you just find the way to do it.

Borderfox

I am going to try to get to the Zoo this Saturday and finally take a picture of a Giraffe! To the OP what other lenses are on your shortlist?

Calina

re the 50-500 - I like it a lot rymus, the focussing is top notch (noticeably better than the 70-300 actually) and very quick.

these came off it lately:





in the last month or so...

OP one thing to consider is whether you can put a teleconverter on the lense. You can't with the Sigma 70-300 but I don't know about the 80-400...

Borderfox

Just looking at the Sigma brochure, you can put a tc on the 80-400. Nice shots off the bigma Calina