SIGMA 50-500MM F/4.5-6.3 - AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW by Mike Johnson

Article from Journey Entertainment Blog

DSLRs have become a go-to tool for outdoor videography because of their great capabilities and affordable price. Personally, I have been hesitant of using a DSLR as a primary hunt camera due to the lack of a good long reach lens. Short of spending thousands on a fixed 600mm lens, a 70-200mm is about the best one can expect. 200mm is a decent focal length for archery range shots.  

A TOUGH DECISION– An upcoming project to the mountains of Azerbaijan had me wavering on the choice of a full frame sensor camera. A 5D/FS700R combo had all the features I wanted in a camera, but fell short of the focal required to pick up those once in a lifetime shots I did not want to miss. I spent some time researching other lens options with just a few requirements - 1) It had to be versatile. No fixed telephoto lenses. 2) The lens needed to fit and communication with both the 5D and FS700R. 3) Finally, it had to be quality. No aberrations, sharp focus, etc. 

After comparing a number of options, I settled in on Sigma’s 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 with the Canon EF mount. Not only did this lens have 2.5x the reach of a 70-200mm, it was also nearly 30% wider! Still, I had a few concerns. First was the speed of the lens. The f/6.3 lenses I have shot with before were very slow. Not good for those first and last light situations. Second was whether or not this lens (being an “off-brand”) would communicate with the FS700R through a Metabones adapter. A close third concern was the quality of the image. I’ve shot with Sigmas before and always thought they were great lenses, but the longer the telephoto reach, the more to go wrong. At just over $1,500, I wasn’t certain this lens would be quality enough, but took the gamble anyway.
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Products Mentioned:
Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM
Price: $1,509

• For Digital SLRs w/ Canon & Sony Mount
• Full Frame or APS Size Sensor Cameras
• Standard to Super Telephoto Zoom
• OS (Optical Stabilizer) Minimizes Blur
• Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM)
• Compatible w/Sigma APO Teleconverters

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THIS LENS





Metabones Canon EF to Sony NEX Adapter

Price: $399

• Adapts Canon EF Lens To Sony NEX Camera

• Retains Electronic Communication

• Auto Aperture and Auto Focus Supported

• EXIF Data and Image Stabilization

• Powered by Camera Body

• Open Aperture Button for Manual Focus

• Detachable Tripod Foo

• Green and Advanced Function Modes

• Compatible with Fully Manual Lenses

• Compatible with NEX Full Frame Cameras

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THIS ADAPTER

Sony NEX-FS700RH w/ 18-200 Powered Lens

Price: $8,299

• 4K Exmor Super 35mm CMOS Sensor

• Capture 1920 x 1080/60p AVCHD Video

• 4K/2K 12-Bit RAW to AXS-R5 Recorder

• 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 PZ OSS E-mount Lens

• Up to 960 fps Super Slow Motion

• CineGamma Curves Including S-Log2

• ISO 320 to 64,000

• 3.5" LCD Screen with VF Attachment

• Dual XLR, HDMI & 3G/HD-SDI Connectivity

• SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick Duo Slots

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THIS CAMERA

Canon EOS 5D Mark III (Body only)
Price: $3,399.00

 • 22.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• 3.2" Clear View High Resolution LCD
• DIGIC 5+ Image Processor
• 61-Point High Density AF
• Full HD 1080/30p and 720/60p Formats
• Built-In HDR and Multiple Exposure Modes
• Extended ISO Range (50-102400)
• Up to 6.0 FPS Continuous Mode
• Dual CF and SD Memory Card Slots
 • Durable Magnesium-Alloy Construction

CLICK HERE FORE MORE INFO ON THIS DSLR