Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

used for wild life photography,
easy to use, packaging is perfect
its heavy but thats to be expected

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I have only had it for a few days. I have been using primarily for wildlife photography. It has performed well for me. I have never had a lens this long before, so I don't have anything to compare it to. The focus can seem a little slow, but as I have gotten more experience with it the focus speed hasn't seem to be such an issue.
At 500mm it is much like a telescope, and can be hard to find your object. So starting with a smaller zoom factor locating the object and then zooming in on the object seems to work best.
The autofocus is nice and quiet. It comes with a nice case for the lens, which is nice for me, because the lens is big enough that it doesn't fit in my standard camera bag.
The lens is heavy so you will want a monopod or tripod in addition to the lens if you don't already have one.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I purchased this lens to get longer reach for nature photography; mostly birds, and grandson's football games. Hope to put it to good use next summer on a cruise to Alaska. So far I've been able to get outstanding, clear, sharp shots of birds and distant mountain scenes.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I recently purchased the sigma 150-500 lens after selling a nikon 70-300 vr11 lens. I use this lens mainly to photograph birds. This lens focuses quickly enough to capture birds in flight at 500mm and as long as its set at f8-9.5 the photos are sharp. the nikon was never that sharp fully extended. I also own a nikon 300 f4 which is just a tad sharper and the focus is just as fast. I really appreciate the versatility the zoom and added focal length
bring. The only thing that can negativly said about this lens is the weight but that is to be expected with this focal length. Another minus is the lens creep if the lock is not engaged. Overall the sigma 150-500 and my d300 is a winning combo.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

High school and College baseball and football.
Fast focus great clarity
Have not found anything I do not like about the lens

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

Our test shots with the lens reveal it to be quite sharp throughout the range especially at f/8.0. We use it for birding and for intimate landscape photos. AT the 500mm end, because of reviews I had read on the web, I had expected it to be a bit soft but it shows a sharpness that I consider to be very, very good. A happy surprise to be sure! With the right f-stop and shutter speed and ISO, this lens is very hand holdable from 150 thru 500mm. Extremely happy with the purchase.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I bought this lens with a bit of trepidation, but when I saw the results I was quite surprised and amazed. There is no doubt that this lens is incredibly sharp making it very versatile given the zoom. Yes the aperture minimum is f5 to f 6.3 -- so it is not a fast lens and the autofocus is better than expected. Not the fastest autofocus but not slow and usually on target.

Unfortunately, it died on me in the middle of safari in Africa and I had to manual focus the lens for the remaining three weeks. I will be sending it back to Sigma and I have read a number of other reviews here and elsewhere about the AF failing.

On the plus side, this lens is as sharp as a tack up to 400 mm and perfect at f8 to f 11. Beyond 400 mm it is a bit soft but sharpest at f8 to f11 here. Bokeh is not the prettiest, but I have dealt with worse.

On second thought I would either buy the 200-400 Nikon zoom or the nikkor 500mm f4 lens. If I didn't have the money for the above I would purchase the Nikon 80 - 400.

I use it on full frame and DX Nikon bodies. I have been a professional photographer for 30 plus years.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I have only fairly recently taken up photography as a hobby and was told about this lens at a recent workshop. I bought it because I have tickets for the London 2012 olympics next year and hope to get some great photos. To test the lens I took it up to the top of the Prudencial building in Boston. I have some amazing photos, despite very thick and rather dirty windows. I can even read the lettering on the side of a van parked on a side of a street several blocks and 50 floors down. I also used it to take photographs of a small castle in Spain which is lit up at night and have some good and clear pictures of it. There dosen't seem to be much lens distortion.
The lens is easy for a relative beginner like me to use, its' only disadvantage is its' weight, which is around 4lbs so I will need to buy a a monopod for the games and is the only reason I have given it a 4 star rating.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I used the Sigma 150-500 mm lens during about 30 minutes. I shot about 30 photos. The photo of a pigeon from a distant rooftop was unacceptable. Croping did not help it at all.The lense was heavy; it attached to the camera OK. I did not even open the extender I purchased with it.[...]; I am to place a large order.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I mounted this lens on my Nikon D5000 for my secondary interest in wildlife photography. My primary workhorse is a D7000 with 18-200mm for grandchildren and hiking. I am a serious amateur.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

Love the lens over all. Took it on a trip to Africa. Worked in auto focus for 3 days then the rest of my 2 week trip I had to use manual focus. Did send it in to Sigma as it was under warranty. I hope it lasts longer this time .

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

AF does not work well with my Nikon D7000. I returned and see whether the changed one will be ok. Zoom ring is very heavy; and Lens is very heavy. I always have to use Monopod or Tripod. Manual focus works well and very sharp picture in good light condition.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

Recently purchased this lens along with a D7000.

Primary function is bird and wildlife photography. Replaces my el cheapo 70-300mm Nikkor in that respect. It's my first Sigma lens and was concerned about reliability, time will tell if the concern is warranted. So far the lens is great. The AF is much faster and much more accurate than the little Nikkor. The Nikkor really likes to hunt around when changing subject distances, and it's very noisy. The Sigma is right on. VERY quiet and very fast. OS is amazing. It's my first stabilized lens and it works very well. I bought this instead of the Nikkor 80-400mm since it is $600 less, with more length. Also read plenty of reviews about the poor AF on the big Nikkor.

Happy with purchase so far. The lens weighs a ton, but comes with a tripod ring with a hand grip. I am able to shoot without a support, but my arm gets tired after a while. Have ordered a monopod.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I wish this review would allow a picture. I show better than I tell. I've been on one photo shoot of birds. I can see their ruffled feathers in the wind. I'm talking blue birds and not huge eagles. You have to be pretty darn fast with birds. I'm taking on bears next time and I think this lens will be big enough to keep me and the animal at a safe
distance. I'm a not young woman and the lens is heavy and my tripod is heavy, but who cares as long as the image is wonderful.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I photograph birds and I have very pleased with the quality I am getting photographing birds in flight. I can easily zoom in if a bird gets close. I just wish I could use my teleconverter in autofocus mode.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

If you just want range and pin sharp isn't essential, look at the tamaron 200-400. It's much cheaper. I enjoyed that as an entry level lens for a long time. But after 10 years of use in tropical countries, it's full of mold. I've also started taking photography more serious but couldn't spring for a many thousand dollar nikon lens so went for the sigma. I do a lot of wildlife photography so the range was essential in my choice. Over the past few days I've tested the lens and while many say it's ideal at f8 at 400mm I had excellent results at f6.3 at 500mm. So use it ALL. The key with this lens is lots of light so you can keep the speed up. Remember, a good rule of thumb is match the speed setting to the focal length so at 500mm, the shutter speed should be around 500 and that is tough without lots of light. Tweaking the ISO to a bigger number is a trick that helps... And a tripod... Although the motor on the lens is sweet and really helps with sharpness when handheld.
Hope this helps someone.
Photopoa

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

Gets me that photo of a distant bird I could not get before. Compared to my existing Nikon 70-300 lens, it is bulky and I could not use it as easily as I do the Nikon. One would have to set up the photo you wish to take as the lens is not as easy to maove around. But once set up on the tripod in correct area it does exactly what I hoped it would.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

I have the 70-300mm from Nikkor, not the DX one, I liked it very much. Despite the rewiew of another owner of these lenses, saying that "just need to cut", I decided to buy. LUCKY ME!!! The lens are very heavy and big, and I can´t take it everywhere I go, but is very SHARP, almost like a 50mm f/1.8. Took a few pictures from butterflies with both lenses and with the 150-500mm, I could see it´s "face". The ones that I took with my 70-300 where not sharp enough. Fast and accurate autofocus, if you aim for the eye, you get the eye, even from a distance (and you get a sharp eye). 4 stars because it is difficult to use because of the weight!

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

So far, my images with this lens are high quality. Not as contrasty as expensive glass, but excellent for the $$$. My biggest problem with this lens is the poor connections of the electrical contacts. I frequently missed photos when the lens had rotated by ~ a half millimeter, so the body couldn't communicated with the lens properly.

Comments about Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Nikon AF:

This is not the the first one, I bought this lens 4 years ago. Wow, has time changed. when shooting wild life, this is the way to go. For the money you can't go wrong. The quality is at it's best !