Used Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG APO OS (Optical Stabilizer) HSM AutoFocus Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon AF Cameras

2018-12-10T09:30:31

I'm only a novice but I really like this lens. I've taken a lot of wildlife pics. and am very pleased with the outcome

MARVIN P.

2015-04-03T21:00:00

I bought this lens for wildlife photography as we live on a creek with a salt marsh and there are many birds and waterfowl to photograph. My eye isn't critical enough to detect some of the optical deficiencies others have noted about this lens so to my eye the results are very pleasing. I bumped my ISO to 800 to ensure a faster shutter speed and help reduce possible camera shake. That, coupled with the image stabilization, has allowed hand-held shooting at full zoom. I was pleasantly surprised. As one would expect, the combination of this lens and my Nikon D7000 is pretty heavy. Long walks in the woods could be pretty tiring but the ability to photograph an eagle without having to do massive enlargement is worth the trade-off. Extra care handling this lens is necessary due to its weight and size. I don't know it would take being bumped around and don't want to find out the hard way. The cushioned case that comes with the lens is a necessity.

Aspiring P.

2015-03-24T21:00:00

only had it a month,shooting birds on the river. No problem hand held, with vibration reduction on. Focus not bad.I'm no pro so this is good enough for me.

MICHAEL A.

2014-07-14T21:00:00

Nature shots, AF works well, like the O/S and the construction of the lens seems very well made. A learning curve and getting used to the weight of a larger lens. Overall, very pleased and the price fits my budget.

George D.

2014-06-04T21:00:00

i am happy with lens. picture quality is better than i have read about. uses are wild life, focus is ok,but does hunt a little.for the money go for it ,and understand short comming.low light,creep.in good light have taken hand held photo when ihave to

oldman

2014-04-14T21:00:00

This is a big lens, both physically and in value. I own two now, and both are well-made and equally sharp at all focal lengths. If the cost, size, and weight of the big pro telephotos are out if the question, this Sigma lens is an amazing alternative. So far I have been impressed with overall image quality, and the extra 200mm of zoom over the Nikon 70-300 I was using previously is a big difference. The image stabilization has worked perfectly so far. Combined with the weight of the lens, handheld shots have been easy and sharp.

Ethan

2014-03-25T21:00:00

4 Stars because no one is perfect. This lens performs very well. Has given me access to some totally awesome shots.

SUSAN M.

2013-10-21T21:00:00

I waited and researched a great deal before buying this lens. In photography you get a wide range of followers as in any hobby. I have read numerous blog comparisons saying never buy 3 party lenses and especially not zoom lenses. There is even and example of one guy blowing up the image 600 times in photoshop to show at a single pixel level how two adjoining pixels are slightly differnent in an after market lens compared to a prime lense costing 4 to 6 times more money. If you have the money and are that OCD then you need to pay all that extra money. If you are an avid hobbiest not looking to make $1000 or more off just one photo then buy this lens and you will be more than happy with the result. If no, maybe you should consider photo lessons to better your results.

Scott H.

2013-09-28T21:00:00

I use this lens primarily for wildlife (birds, alligators, rodents, large cats and others critters) and some landscape photography. It has proven to be an excellent and quality piece of equipment...is it as sharp as a prime lens, not quite, but so close, most photographers would not be able to differentiate! I'm constantly amazed by the results and had I relied on the biased reviews, this review would never had been written. If you are serious about and truly considering this lens, I suggest you read the professional review with excellent photos found on Adorama's web site. The article is written by a sports photographer, showing and explaining photos from a college football game...Tuscaloosa, Alabama was the location of the football game between Alabama & Arkansas, SEC rivals. If his "photos" and commentary does not convince you, then I surely won't be able to either. If price point is an absolute consideration, then buy it! If you can afford the camera brand version then buy that one... In 6 weeks I have taken 4000+ photos and mostly very good, but some not so good. The lens did not make the mistakes for the "not so good" almost photos. It was all my fault... In order to expose great photos you really need to understand how to use the camera settings and how they work with the lens. Sure there are a few things lacking with this lens..."they are not deal breakers". It takes some time to figure it out if you have never used a super long telephoto lens. Is it heavy, sure it is, but not unbearable. Use a monopod with it and improve the quality of the photos. Read and follow the instructions included and you will do well.

TOM R.

2013-09-23T21:00:00

Lens works well for wildlife photography. It can be hand held with good results

Bob

2013-06-24T21:00:00

I was seeking a fixed prime 500mm lens. However with the high prices and I wouldn't be using the lens that much I bought this lens. After using twice I found it to be good quality. The shots at 500mm were sharp. This is a real good buy.

PAUL G.

2013-05-19T21:00:00

I've used 500mm lenses in the past (with my Olympus OM2), but they have only been mirror lenses. Comparitively speaking, this one is a beast. I've only gone on short walks so far, but my arms begin to ache just carrying it around, and it dwarfs my D5100 camera body. I'm worried about going on longer outings (like the zoo) because of the weight. However, the quality of the images is surprisingly good. The Optical Stablizer (OS) feature is very useful (although it can really suck down the battery) when trying to hold it steady beyond the 400mm range. I have found the auto focus feature to be fairly rapid as well -- at least, it is not noticeably slow.

Bob

2012-12-19T19:00:00

Great lense for wildlife with good lighting (sunlite). Pictures are sharp,best if you shoot at 450mm and below. I have used the lense with and without tripod. If without tripod set the sutter speed to at least twice the focal length. 300mm focal length would be at least 1/600 second. The price is right for this type of lense and 1/3 the price of a Nikon and almost as good as the Nikon.

WILLIAM M.

2012-08-21T21:00:00

It's just a great lens, but heavy.

DON

2012-07-19T21:00:00

I bought this lens with my Nikon D300. I knew it was going to be heavy and intended for bright light work (6.3 dah). For the money I am fairly pleased with it. I try to manual focus as much as possible, but have not had any major issues with autofocus. Sure sometimes it misses but so does my other Nikon lenses. Have since set my camera to focus priority. Would I buy this again? Probably not. Would prefer a 2.8. I haven't had any mechanical problems and I have owned it since it was first released.

Jim

2012-07-15T21:00:00

Great for landscapes and wildlife photos, works great and able to use hand held but you do get better clarity with a tripod

Mark

2012-07-07T21:00:00

My husband bought me this lens to shoot wildlife. I am very happy with it so far. I took it to my daughter's horse show last week and it did very well. It's pretty heavy, so I did have some blurry shots because I had trouble holding it. The ones I got were crisp and clear I was able to zoom on her face from across the ring! I have noticed it does hunt for focus at times, but definately not a dealbreaker. I would buy this lens again!

Lisa

2012-03-16T21:00:00

I purchased this lens based on its feature set and affordability. My uses are twofold: Wildlife photography for pleasure, and sports photography to pay for more gear. This affordable lens has opened up both opportunities at a price I could afford. That is a good thing. A not so good thing: the first unit I received had a defective autofocus mechanism, right out of the box. From reading the reviews and experiences of others, I knew that might happen when I ordered this lens, although I figured most likely I would receive a fully functional lens. Thanks to Adorama's return policy, it was not a big deal, just a delay. But logic tells me that the manufacturer should test each lens before it ships, and only ship functioning lenses. It would put less stress on buyers and sellers, and improve their reputation as to quality. The replacement lens I received is (knock on wood!) fantastic. Its AF is fast and accurate, and I do not find it noisy. I use this lens on a Gitzo tripod with a Benro B-3 ball head and a Wimberly Sidekick. For me, the weight of the lens is no issue. Also, I have no opinion on the image stabilization, because it stays switched off when shooting with a tripod. All in all, this is a wonderful set up. A nice touch from Sigma, the lens comes with a well-made case, a case shoulder strap, and a neck strap that attaches to the lens to facilitate attaching the lens to the camera body safely. So now my only question about how long the lens will last without needing service. However, I'll roll the dice and bet that the lens will last long enough to pay for its replacement with a high end faster lens.

ROBERT H.

2012-01-26T19:00:00

Numerous members of our club have purchased this lens and slowly one by one the focusing mechanism (Sigma's HSM) has given out. Sigma wants a lot of money to repair. So we are left with a large, heavy, manual focus lens. That, I already had. Save your money for a camera brand prime lens instead.

ROBERT B.

2012-01-22T19:00:00

Noisy when OS is engaged, but acceptable lens for more distant wildlife shots.

I o.

2012-01-15T19:00:00

I used the Sigma 150-500 lens on a Nikon D80 to photograph seals and birds, and on a N70 and N80 (35mm film cameras) for ocean scenery. The bad: autofocus on the D80 was often slow -- too slow to catch some fast-moving wildlife. The lens takes inconvenient, expensive 86mm filters. It's supposed to work with full-frame cameras, but on the film bodies, there was noticeable light falloff near the edges, even with no filter attached. The good: When it focused properly on the D80, I got some great pictures with this lens. The image stabilization is very effective. It's surprisingly easy to handle for its (gigantic) size. Bottom line, the autofocus wasn't everything I had hoped for, and I wouldn't recommend it for use on a film body, but I can't complain about the quality of the pictures when used with a D80.

ALAN W.

2012-01-01T19:00:00

This is a great lens for the photographer that needs a long focal length for occasional use. I have used it on a Nikon D300 and D3S. However, it requires a great deal of light and a good tripod to operate at its best. One of its best features is the ability to lock the lens at 150mm to eliminate lens creep.

Patrick C.

2011-10-16T21:00:00

I took this lens to Glacier National Park and got great shots of wildlife. The 500mm brought grizzly bears close without getting close. Pictures were clear and sharp. The lens is heavy and not fun to carry in the back country. Lens creep is a pain too. It would really help to have better friction to stop it.

GW

2011-10-11T21:00:00

This lens performs better than expected; I'm very pleased with it. I shoot birds, wildlife, flowers, and more, and found it to be quite capable in every area. The lens was larger and heavier than I expected but found it is manageable and hand-holdable. This is important as most of my shots are hand held. It has an overall good feel to it and is responsive and focuses faster than expected.

DOUGLAS V.

2011-09-24T21:00:00

works well, gives me capabilities that I didn't have before. Got some great shots of Eagles at long range with it

railroader

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Works well for wildlife because of the zoom and stabilization. Takes some getting use to having to rotate the zoom the opposite of most zooms, but livable. Overall, seems to be a good product so far.

STANLEY R.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I am a weekend wildlife photographer. This lens has proven to be highly reliable.

vdjyvr

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I use for Wildlife Photography.

LALIT P.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I needed a long telephoto zoom lens and this was a less expensive choice. Focusing is tricky and slow, but if done right under ideal lightning, pictures are sharp. I have to strain to carry and use it due its weight, but that is part of the deal. I would recommend it.

ROGER B.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Not the best lens I have purchased. I would not recommend this to a friend.

Rod