It's Here!

What I have to say about my Bimga is it's condition - credit to Pete, he knows how to look after his kit. I wouldn't have thought twice if I bought it brand new and it was in this condition.

I noticed that - they still have the previous version of the 150-500mm which was the price I quoted (we don't really need OS given the camera already has it!)

I would normally expect the shorter zoom range to indicate better performance, but I haven't used either so I really don't know. I do know that if you're buying a new Sigma you need to buy it in a shop where you can put it on your camera and test it, as apparently their quality control can be a bit variable (but get a good one and it'll be fine).

Sigma used to have a reputation for variable quality, mainly due to the reverse engineering I think. Nowadays though they have a good reputation and generally make excellent lenses. Also, unlike Tamron who seem to have forgotten Pentax with their new lenses, Sigma do still come out with great lenses for K mount cameras at a good price.

OS on the lens can actually make sense with something like the Bigma as you can see when it is working, which you can't with in camera IS.

The Bigma has the reputation for a very good IQ - better in fact according to many than the 150-500. Obviously it has it's limitations given the size of zoom involved, and the slow long end, but it is an excellent lens, and one of my favourites.

I have heard one or two people say that this actually makes them feel "sea-sick", which is quite interesting. Nothings suits everyone I guess.

Not too surprising - remember the fuss about the APT when a bunch of (probably slightly drunk) journalists complained about feeling seasick?

The "problem" there was that the train's tilting mechanism was too good. It was cancelling out all of the sideways G force that you'd normally expect to feel, causing an imbalance between the eye and the inner ear (which causes all motion sickness - it's the brain having a panic attack about how one sense tells it that you're moving while another disagrees). After the system was adjusted so that not all of the sideways G was cancelled out the complaints ceased.

With OS on a lens the image you see in the viewfinder will be stabilised, which could have similar effects as what you're seeing won't match what your inner ear is reporting.

I would imagine that it would make manual focussing difficult?

Oggy has the 150-500mm and to be honest I don't think there is a lot in it from what I have seen of his pics.

This was primarily on Canon mount, because apparently Canon's AF routines are more difficult to reverse engineer or something along those lines. In fact Sigma lenses which are fine on other mounts* still occasionally have FF problems on Canon.

*i.e. it isn't a fault with the line like with the 50 f1.4

One can only dream of a Bigma, Bob, still if the Lotto comes up trumps, then who knows.Lol

kindest regards,

Peter.

Oooooooooh - that`s a lovely one !!


Tony

I tried out the new version of the Bigma when I was up at LCE in Colchester. I did a very quick comparison between the in-body stabilisation and the in-lens OS, and found the in-lens performance better, probably by about a stop. But I must stress that was a very quick test, just handholding in the street outside the shop.

However, I found the in-lens OS made precise framing difficult, as the view would suddenly lurch about, rather than just wobbling as I'm used to with the in-body stabilisation. I suppose the lens steadies the image as much as it can, but when the movement proves to great, it has to re-align itself.

Seemed like a nice lens, but far too heavy for me. Been there, done that.

Dan

Or from an online retailer which pays for return postage on faulty items.

Hi Snootchies. Is yours the APO DG EX. that's what mine is. Bought in 2007 for the princely sum of £675.00. At that time most dealers were selling for £735.00 but Jessops were selling for £750.00 and with a special money off (10%) I got £75.00 off. Not bad eh!. I love mine and hope you get as much enjoyment out of yours as I do. CHEERS Vic.