crissew's reviews
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Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX DG HSM APO
10 out of 10 points and recommendedGreat price, focal range, image qualityMust understand photographic techniqueYou will see tons of people commenting on the difficulty with using this lens. You will hear that you can not take hand held pictures with it, that it is soft at the end. None of that is due to the lens, it is due to the user of the lens. A 500mm lens is not going to be as easy to shoot as a macro lens or 50mm portrait lens. Your depth of field at 500mm is only a cm so there is little margin for error. You will get a good number of bad shots but that is part of the game. I hand hold my lens very often and have achieved some beautiful shots. You have to understand what shutter speed you need for the focal length, you have to have good photo shooting technique to minimize camera shake when depressing the shutter button.
reviewed June 3rd, 2007 (purchased for $770)
Is this lens more work than your average lens? Of course it is. Being new to photography, I had difficulty with the lens initially but I didnt blame the lens. It will take you some time to master this lens, but once you do, it will amaze you. Some pieces of advice. Try and stay in the f8 range. Use the rolling shutter button technique. Make sure your shutter speed is at least 1/focal distance when possible when hand holding. If you can't do that, take a bunch of pictures and a few will come out regardless of the conditions.