Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras

For whatever reason - this is my only lens that tends to hunt a lot while it tries to focus. When the subject IS detected (I predominately shoot macro shots of insect genitals typically from a mile+ distance) the recoil on this guy renders any shot almost completely useless (non crane held mind you).Couple that with the fact that you MUST leave this lens on your body or you will lose it due to the color scheme of the lens (camo green - really?), and the fact I can only shoot this with earplugs (EXTREMELY LOUD - do not shoot past community noise ordinance or near a window/mirror) there is a lot to be said regarding the R&D of this lens.Outside those small cons - overall I’ll call it a decent lens.ONE LAST MENTION:Do NOT take to any ceremonial event - period. I was hired for a wedding and straight up blew the wig off the priest, made the bride cry, blew out (as is hanging outside the ear canal/dangling on the lower lobe) the ear drums of the couple I crouched next to (did not think to make sure people around me had ear protection), broke my chin, bruised my ribs and bent my monopod in half just for a “kiss shot”.TRIPOD at the very least. At ALL times.

For only $26,000, obviously this isn't going to be the top of the line lens. You get what you pay for on such a small budget.

I purchased this with the optional man-pad anti-aircraft/tank option for when I shoot in war torn areas for self protection. All in all, really rugged, and I use the m60 turret on my Jeep to mount this bad boy.I zoom around a fair amount and image stabilization is tough which affects image quality. I have not found a gimbal that will hold this yet although I am in conversations with NASA regarding their stabilizers for their cameras.I have used the man-pad anti tank once on an approaching vehicle that was engaging my new at about 2000 meters. All I can say is wow. The only thing I found was an axel and a few other scraps. The photo was not impressive as it simply showed the projectile smeared in flight and then an explosion of some sort. Needless to say the shooting stopped.What I would like to see in future iterations is a rail mounting system to potentially mount a ma-deuce for closer encounters and potentially laser rangefinders. I also would like to see a blue tooth adaptor to control all the features from my iPhone as clicking off the man-pad rounds is a bit scary up close and personal like. Maybe a hydraulic lens shield that snaps down to cover the lens as I find myself having to clean rocket propellant or maybe just buy some throw away Uv filters. Finally, be careful if you do choose the man-pad options as the ITAR rules are important considerations. At over 30k with options, a bargain if you find yourself in Afghanistan during a firefight. The green is also easily adapted to camo colors.

First of all, many of you seem to be getting a laugh from the reviews and comments. The intimidation of this lens would probably lead everyone to think its a missile, rather than a piece of photo gear. Though I haven't dished out $30k to buy this, (no average Joe will)I was able to borrow it for a few from a friend's dad, who owns a large photography company in my town. I thought I would give an actual honest review.Alas, it's large. Paraphrase that a bit better -- it's huge. It is virtually impossible to take rewarding photos without a heavy-duty tripod. It weighs about as much as my three year old son does. That being said, this lens is downright outstanding for nature, animal, or sport photographers. I personally used it for scenic photos, and it got the job done in a fashion never thought possible. I was able to take a photo of small birds from great distances in a way that I could see the specks of dirt on their feathers. Keep in mind, its not a considerably long focal range. 200mm in reality is not very long, but when used with a tele-convo, I can take pictures at focal lengths close to 1000mm. All in all, build quality is stellar.When used on my 5D MII and 1D Mark III, I noticed the colors didn't pop as much as my other lenses, in particular the ones apart of the "L" series by Canon, but I did notice that this lens works great in a large array of light sources. At a mere f/2.8 or so, you can take pictures without having to worry about low light conditions. Obviously, larger light = clearer pictures.If your looking for a great lens that portrays a great focal range, great build quality, and a nice companion for your (hence) professional photo career, this lens is for you. Its no small cost, obviously you all know that. Besides the cost, there is nothing bad to say about this bad boy. Honestly though, I don't truly recommend this to any hobbyist because I know you all can use the money toward something a little bit more 'down to Earth'. If you make a decent amount of profit from your company, go for it. You won't regret taking the plunge if you do.

Quick shopping. Great products. For the size, received it quickly.

I bought this lens in hope I could get some great photos with my Polaroid camera. Boy was I wrong, I took it of the box and was shocked to see what seemed to be a homing missile. After taking it out of the box and blowing my back ( poorly made Handel) I attempted to snap it on my Polarized camera. Come to find out it didn’t work, thanks Sigma. I decided to take it to my close by camera store. The only way of transporting this camera was on the top of my 4x4 truck. I was bumping Da baby (popular 2020 artist) and some must have miss heard me and thought I said “da bomb” after seeing the green monstrosity on my car. I was torn away from my 4x4 and handcuffed. Thanks sigma.