The Ultimate Lens For Stealthy Wildlife Photography
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2024
- Today we have the Ultimate quality Wildlife Lens with stealth in mind. 10 times magnification in a light weight body the Sigma 500mm f5.6 lens . The latest quality Telephoto lens from Sigma . An in depth studio review and field testing of this lens with example video and stills
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Video Camera : Pocket DJI 3 & Sony EV 10
Sony A1
Sigma 500mm f5.6 DG DN OS lens
Stealth Gear trolley
German folding army mat
Peak Design camera slide sling strap in sage colour
Lens Camo from sales@outdoorPhotographyGear.co.uk
Equipment supplier www.castlecameras.co.uk
00:00 Introduction
01:12 Diving straight in
02:33 What this lens costs and features
06:25 In the Field
10:22 Langford Lakes Wiltshire UK
14:05 Back to the studio
14:47 in conclusion
17:51 Sample video and stills
Great review! I used the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF lens for a good while and I think this is very similar.. A bit naff that Sony have limited the FPS on 3rd party lenses!
Thanks Geoff . Yes I had the D850 & 500pf for a year and I was surprised how many quality keepers I took with that combo. Awesome . Agreed on the FPS but with the D850 was it 8 FPS ? 15 with my Sony A1& the Sigma 500 f5.6 🙂
Good review Mark! Interesting lens, looking forward to your shoot out. Have you tried it on your 6700, could be a good combo.
Thanks. I had the A6700 on it last night, great for video. Lovely action coming soon 👌
Great review Mark. You pulled together lots of information with supporting video…super job!
Much appreciated! Thanks Phil 👍
Good review mate, have a great time with the new lens. All the best Steve.
Thanks 👍 It is going well so far 🙏
I have this lens and you mentioned its 5.6 not f4, but I'm having to set it higher because with something big like ibis or heron the front of the bird to the back can be out of focus, I've not needed anything close to f4
Good call if you need the Depth of Field f5.6 or more is fine 👍
Awesome review Mark !!!....This lens definitely sounds very interesting I keep waiting for Sony to make something like this similar to the Nikon Pf 500 lens . Keep up the great work !!!
You and me both! Sony don't have the PF Patent I believe. But Sigma made a lighter version without .
Still testing mode one slipped to mode 2 OSS which ruined a nice bit of video of a Skylark. Probably recoverable in post but you have to get used to all its little quirks and dials 🤔
Hi Mark, nice photos of the Cetti’s (small point but I think it’s chetti rather than setti) - I was at Radipole yesterday and they were singing all over the reserve + managed to get a couple of shots as well. They must be one of the most frustrating birds to photograph. I think I’ll stick with my 200-600 as I’ve just upgraded my A7iv to an A1. Not sure my financial director would approve further expenditure right now! Was there much at Langford Lakes? - I haven’t been there yet this year.
Yes I had trouble pronouncing Cetti's warbler for some reason that day! Radipole is excellent for Warblers I have some shots from there . Langford Lakes is really overgrown as usual but the one stretch there just off the path is brilliant . Good choice on the A1, normally I say Glass over camera but it depends on circumstances 🙂
I understand the glass over camera comment but it’s just a hobby for me and as I shoot mainly birds, I fancied a few more MP for cropping and less rolling shutter than the A7iv. The 200-600 is fine for what I do and an upgrade to the 600f4 would be too heavy (physically and on the wallet) as I hate using a tripod although I did by the sirui monopod after seeing your review last year and use it occasionally.
Sigma and Fuji need to release this for Xmount.
Yes 👍
Thanks for the review. This Len’s would be fab on my Fuji XH2s with the 1.5x crop factor making it at around 750mm. Sigma have brought other full frame long lenses out for the APSC xmount so if they do this one I will be very happy 😊
Totally agree there is every possibility with Sigma . I put it on the Sony A6700 yesterday and the crop made that a 700 and that set up only weighed 4lb 8ozs . This is a breeze/dream to carry around 🙂 only 5/6 frames per second though !
Mark, Pleased you are enjoying the Sigma 500 F4. Will be in touch as soon as I am back in the UK after my current Kenya safari to do our shootout with the Sony 300 GM and 2x teleconverter. We can try both lenses with the A1 and A9iii. I must say it is that speed limitation which puts me off getting the Sigma, particularly using with the A9iii !
Great to hear you are back from Kenya keen to hear how the Sony 300 performed and the A9III. I had a look yesterday at Figsbury ring and not many Skylarks up there. But just went for an after lunch stroll with my Sister and wife today and fell upon 9 , in another Dog walking hotspot 5 mins from the door . We are certainly spoilt for choice lens and camera wise.
I only wish Canon could license the RF and EF mount to Sigma, even if only to this lens.
Well I am certain they will at some point 🤔
@@CamillaI Not this year. I checked Sigma site, and am glad they have started to have agreements with Canon to release a few lenses for the RF mount. Good start.
Fantastic review and has really made me look at adding this lens to my wish list haha. The weight alone is impressive coming from my Sony FE 200-600mm which weighs at 2115 grams haha, you certainly feel that lens after awhile when hand holding.
I have returned from many a field trip with a bad back carrying the 200-600 around. So 1370 grams is very impressive especially when the Nikon PF 500 f5.6 is nearly a 100g heavier 🤔
@@CamillaI Yeah totally, it's an amazing lens for the price point and was a great way to add that kind of range into a kit at a reasonable price but that weight is one of the cons for sure.
Yes it may come down in price too after 6 months. I came in at 5lbs 2oz with the Sony A1 . I have just put the A6700 on and now we are at 4lbs 8oz getting better but only 5.5 frames per second video though excellent @@Ryan-Dinnage 🤔
I got mine Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN Sports Lens two weeks ago, when I got it, despite I have watched several video reviews, I was very surprised of how small and light weight this Lens are !!! I am very happy that I bought this Lens, it is very easy to use, fast AF, very sharp, you can carry it in your hands for hours without problems, I will very highly recommend the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN Sports. I do NOT think it is a problem with "only" 15 fps, I never use more than max 5 fps !
Thanks for sharing good to see you like it as well . A lot of lens for your money compared to most long Primes
@@CamillaI Well, I do believe that Sigma could have sold it at a bit lower price and still have good profit, I think the high price is because Sigma did not expect to sell many of the 500mm 5.6 DG DN Sports Lens, now with the great demand for tis Lens we will not see the price lowered any time soon.
Hey Mark! Nice new purchase! As you said, it’s still not quite the reach of your 600mm f4. Considering this and you have the Sony a6700 with the state of the art AI focusing, this would give you the equivalent of 750mm. Surly this would be worth a test? Would love to know your thoughts 💭 ?
Thanks, Ant
Just discovered some posing Larks 5 mins on my bike away, so you might have forced me to go out again now having just come back ! Thanks 🙂
I went out this morning with the A6700 & Sigma 500 f5.6 . Fortunately I took the Monopod as hand held video at 750mm is challenging . Good light and very good results very light and versatile . I had some great posing larks in the light scrub and tr
@@CamillaIMy understanding of the limitation is 15 FPS, not half of the body max FPS. That would be 60 FPS with the A9iii. Did you control how many FPS you got with the A6700 ?
I did not count but low 5 or 6 fps I guess, great video with the A6700 though 🙂@@benoittissier58
@@CamillaI My understanding is non native Sony lenses are limited to 15 FPS on A1 or A93. Not an issue on my A7R4 with 10 FPS or my a6700. Have confirmed this was noted after watching many reviews of the Sigma 500 f5.6 on TH-cam this morning.
Looks a great walk around lens. As you say 500mm can be a little too short for some wildlife, shame no teleconverter option on the Sony mount
Yes I just have to walk around the corner with the A6700 on it to get my local Skylarks in a minute making it a 750mm crop camera, as someone wants me to, but 500mm is often just short here in the UK as you say. The 50% frame rate is another deal breaker . I should only get 5.5 frames per second now with the A6700 ! 🤔
Hi, may I ask what camera strap connector you use for this lens? I just received my lens and I’d like to attach a strap to it. Thanks much!
Peak Design
3:10 the 95 mm Sigma filter, is that the Sigma “Ceramic” Protector filter? Thank you for your informative and helpful review.
The 95mm clear Protector just for use in wet weather. I normally don't use filter protectors. It has just been raining a lot 🤔🙂
@@CamillaI I don’t usually use filters either but after watching your review that made me research your Sigma “WR” filter only to find out that Sigma makes a better “WR Ceramic Protector“ filter, Sigma says it’s 30% lighter and 300% stronger, there is also a TH-cam showing a steel “ball drop test“, that made me consider this Sigma filter. I know that when using the SONY 200 to 600 mm lens, people have commented NOT to use a filter as it affects the Sony AF performance, just wondering how a filter on the Sigma 500 mm Sport lens effects its AF performance? Ok, thanks again.
what camera bodys does this work with the best?
A6700 and any full frame Sony Camera, the A9 A1 have the half frame rate. Other Sony not effected.
Be interesting to see 200-600 vs the sigma side by side
Yes it is a lot smaller and lighter . Shame I didn't think of that one 🤔 Just put it on the A6700 weighs in at 4lb 8ozs
@@CamillaI we meet up soon and do some comparisons
Yes good call . I am doing a shoot out soon against the A9III & 300mm f2.8 & TC but after that one @@sjm.photos 🤞
When you use the word stealthy does that mean it has a small radar cross section?
Well you could use the knob on the lens hood, but more to the point you could hide it under your raincoat, it is so small .
You have just reminded me to order the Moss Camo from OutdoorGearSupplies ltd it should be available today 🤔
Do I need to be jealous of this lens? I have the Sigma 150-600 C and their 1.4 convertor on my 5DM4.
Well if that is the Canon 5DM4, because it is unavailable in Canon mount , so no need to worry 🤔
king snide lens ,love mine ,as sharp as fck'
Yes agreed very fast AF too 👍
I'd say the ultimate lens for stealth wildlife photography is the Canon RF 100-500.
In the Canon line up I really liked the 400mm f5.6, a classic much underrated in my opinion 🤔
I have the sigma 150-600mm contemporary in the canon ef-s mount and I have no complaints about it I use it for pretty much everything, astrophotography, wildlife, weather, and landscape photos I carry it along with the sigma 17-50mm f2.8 ex dg os hsm that is unfortunately discontinued by the manufacturer I find this combination handles just about all the range of shots I take.
What that big white thing screaming hello? 😂