Sigma Announces 85mm f1.4 Art, 12-24mm f/4 Art, 500mm f/4 OS Sport

Don Haines

Beware of cats with laser eyes!
Jun 4, 2012
8,246
1,939
Canada
dufflover said:
Nice to see Sigma finally putting out a new super tele style lens, but yeah the price is too high imo. Agreed it's getting into "Canon land" where I'd probably rather hold out for a 2nd hand great-white or something instead. (not that I can justify that either personally)

Although if they fill in the gaps in the pricing with say a refreshed 300mm/2.8 OS for a couple of thousand less that would at least take care of the perception part of it lol. And actually have an affordable super tele that would attract customers.
(hey I can dream lol)
I was wondering about that too... At $6000 for the sigma, why not go a bit further for the Canon?
 
Upvote 0
Don Haines said:
dufflover said:
Nice to see Sigma finally putting out a new super tele style lens, but yeah the price is too high imo. Agreed it's getting into "Canon land" where I'd probably rather hold out for a 2nd hand great-white or something instead. (not that I can justify that either personally)

Although if they fill in the gaps in the pricing with say a refreshed 300mm/2.8 OS for a couple of thousand less that would at least take care of the perception part of it lol. And actually have an affordable super tele that would attract customers.
(hey I can dream lol)
I was wondering about that too... At $6000 for the sigma, why not go a bit further for the Canon?

Because some people can only go so far. But I agree also, for 6000 usd, almost 8000 in Canada. I wouldn't even consider it. I've seen canon 500mm f4 version one for under 5500 or I could buy a second hand 300mm 2.8ii and a second hand 1dx for almost the same. Sigma is doing good things, but in my opinion they are not 8000 cdn good.
 
Upvote 0

Hjalmarg1

Photo Hobbyist
Oct 8, 2013
774
4
53
Doha, Qatar
Good options, however, I am not going that wide with the 12-24mm lens; the 85mm 1.4A is an elephant of lens, it's so hugh and bulky that from my point of view as hobbyst lost interest, because I wanted a lens to carry along with my 24-70mm lens and not this brick.
500mm f4A is with the similar characteristics of the Canon counterpart so the decision here is more difficult.
 
Upvote 0
dilbert said:
Maybe the 500/f4 OS Sport will have better optical qualities than Canon's and/or focus just as good?

If the 50-100 and various Art lenses are anything to go by, Sigma is now producing lenses with very decent optical properties/qualities.

What's the difference between a 500/f4L IS II for $9000 and a Sigma 500/f4 OS for $6000? The 7D2 body, battery and other extras that you can bundle with the Sigma lens for the same price as the Canon lens.


You forget one thing: Quality Control

I have had dud Tamron and Sigma lenses in recent years because of poor QC where they let lenses thru which they shouldn't have or sourced from China.

If you are going to pay big money for a 500 best stick to Canon!
 
Upvote 0

jd7

CR Pro
Feb 3, 2013
1,064
418
Hjalmarg1 said:
Good options, however, I am not going that wide with the 12-24mm lens; the 85mm 1.4A is an elephant of lens, it's so hugh and bulky that from my point of view as hobbyst lost interest, because I wanted a lens to carry along with my 24-70mm lens and not this brick.
500mm f4A is with the similar characteristics of the Canon counterpart so the decision here is more difficult.

As the (pretty happy) owner of a Sigma 85 1.4 EX I was expecting to be very keen to get the 85 Art, but the (presumed/apparent) weight, the size and the price have certainly made me think twice. Will keep an open mind and see what the reviews say, but it will have to be spectacular optically to make we seriously want to upgrade.
 
Upvote 0
The weight is a sacrifice of ergonomics I'm willing to take for IQ. I've always been well conditioned with the 85mm portrait lens being a heavy mongrel. If you don't need it for portraits, there are f/1.8 options that are great.

Hmm... so how much behind this will be the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L III? http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=27612.90
 
Upvote 0
nightscape123 said:
That's a lot of money for a third party lens. If I was going to spend that much I would spend a little more and get a second hand canon lens.

Seems like a 500 f/5.6 for ~2k would have been much more appealing to a lot more people.

Yes, that is exactly what I wait for, if the AF is good.
 
Upvote 0
dilbert said:
Maybe the 500/f4 OS Sport will have better optical qualities than Canon's and/or focus just as good?

If the 50-100 and various Art lenses are anything to go by, Sigma is now producing lenses with very decent optical properties/qualities.

What's the difference between a 500/f4L IS II for $9000 and a Sigma 500/f4 OS for $6000? The 7D2 body, battery and other extras that you can bundle with the Sigma lens for the same price as the Canon lens.

Sigma have always provided good optics for their top tier lenses. But their AF motors, quality control and build are usually somewhat lacking. Their AF motors seem to make accurate AF an inconsistent mess, their Quality control is a bit of a joke. They charge you for a USB device to micro adjust a lens that should be right from the factory...and then there's the decentering issues that seem to plague Sigma lenses. This can't be corrected by the USB dock. Generally, their lenses are over weight, oversized and under engineered.
I'm sure the new 500mm f4 will perform really well shooting brick walls and lens charts. But how well will it perform on a wind island shooting fast and erratic coastal birds in flight? I tried it with a Sigma 120-300 OS and my 70-200 f2.8 LIS II with a 1.4x mkIII blew it away. The Sigma was unusable in that context. My 400mm f2.8 LIS blew it away too and I could forget about the gear and concentrate on the shots. With the Sigma I was constantly wresting with the AF.
 
Upvote 0
May 15, 2014
918
0
chrysoberyl said:
nightscape123 said:
That's a lot of money for a third party lens. If I was going to spend that much I would spend a little more and get a second hand canon lens.

Seems like a 500 f/5.6 for ~2k would have been much more appealing to a lot more people.

Yes, that is exactly what I wait for, if the AF is good.

I agree, I think that is the type of lens that could be quite popular with birders/wildlife folks. Once we start talking $6k for a lens, that is a pretty small, exclusive market.
 
Upvote 0
GMCPhotographics said:
Sigma have always provided good optics for their top tier lenses. But their AF motors, quality control and build are usually somewhat lacking. Their AF motors seem to make accurate AF an inconsistent mess, their Quality control is a bit of a joke. They charge you for a USB device to micro adjust a lens that should be right from the factory...and then there's the decentering issues that seem to plague Sigma lenses. This can't be corrected by the USB dock. Generally, their lenses are over weight, oversized and under engineered.
I'm sure the new 500mm f4 will perform really well shooting brick walls and lens charts. But how well will it perform on a wind island shooting fast and erratic coastal birds in flight? I tried it with a Sigma 120-300 OS and my 70-200 f2.8 LIS II with a 1.4x mkIII blew it away. The Sigma was unusable in that context. My 400mm f2.8 LIS blew it away too and I could forget about the gear and concentrate on the shots. With the Sigma I was constantly wresting with the AF.

Thank you - I needed that little reminder. The Sigma lenses I have, I use manually. And I checked centering upon receipt. But if Tamron were to offer a 500mm prime...I would probably try it.
 
Upvote 0
Luds34 said:
chrysoberyl said:
nightscape123 said:
That's a lot of money for a third party lens. If I was going to spend that much I would spend a little more and get a second hand canon lens.

Seems like a 500 f/5.6 for ~2k would have been much more appealing to a lot more people.

Yes, that is exactly what I wait for, if the AF is good.

I agree, I think that is the type of lens that could be quite popular with birders/wildlife folks. Once we start talking $6k for a lens, that is a pretty small, exclusive market.

Expecting good build quality, good image quality, and inexpensive is unrealistic. At your price point, the lens quality would probably not be to your liking.
 
Upvote 0
nightscape123 said:
That's a lot of money for a third party lens. If I was going to spend that much I would spend a little more and get a second hand canon lens.

Seems like a 500 f/5.6 for ~2k would have been much more appealing to a lot more people.

Both Sigma and Tamron already make one. The only drawback is that they're 1/3 of a stop slower, but they have the advantage of being collapsible to make carrying them easier.
 
Upvote 0

dufflover

OH YEAH!
Nov 10, 2013
258
0
Australia
BeenThere said:
Seems like a 500 f/5.6 for ~2k would have been much more appealing to a lot more people.

Yes, that is exactly what I wait for, if the AF is good.
[/quote]

I agree, I think that is the type of lens that could be quite popular with birders/wildlife folks. Once we start talking $6k for a lens, that is a pretty small, exclusive market.
[/quote]

Expecting good build quality, good image quality, and inexpensive is unrealistic. At your price point, the lens quality would probably not be to your liking.
[/quote]

I don't think say a mid $2k 500mm/5.6 prime or 600/6.3 prime is going to have to compromise that much; sure it won't be a great-white either but I think you could make an optically sharp prime at that price point.
 
Upvote 0
IglooEater said:
Both Sigma and Tamron already make one. The only drawback is that they're 1/3 of a stop slower, but they have the advantage of being collapsible to make carrying them easier.

True, but a prime would likely:

1. Be lighter
2. Be more compact
3. Be less complex, potentially less flare and CA issues and faster AF
4. Be less expensive to manufacture
5. Not be a dust and moisture huffer
6. Have sharper edges
7. Have no lens creep

John
 
Upvote 0