New Monster Lens

It's not April 1st, so I suppose it's for real. Sigma is coming out with a 200-500mm f2.8 lens, with a 2x accessory! Didn't say how much it will cost, but I suppose the old saying "If you have to ask, you can't afford it!" probably holds true.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08013101sigma250500.asp


Kent in SD

Hmmm...

I hereby dub this lens the Sigmasaurus.

Weight 15,700g (553.7oz)

That will be healthy for my back

Wim.

That thing looks like a rocket launcher! Be careful where you are at with that or you might have the authorities come over for a chat.

The Sigasaur for short, Dan.

When I was in college at Michigan, when Purdue came to Ann Arbor for football games they always brought their marching band...which included THE WORLD'S LARGEST BASS DRUM....which they rolled around on a cart. It took four people to wheel that thing around and they had a fifth and sixth person on either side of it that would--at the appropriate time--smack it with a huge mallet. It was transported in a special trailer that read, naturally enough, THE WORLD'S LARGEST BASS DRUM on the sides.

Does the Sigmasauras come with it's own special trailer--that reads WORLD'S LARGEST f/2.8 LENS on the side--with which to transport it? And does it come with it's own crew of four to wheel it around and help operate it? (I figure the other two crew members, and the mallets, are probably not necessary)?

Plus, you're going to need to haul around a car battery to fire up the autofocus.

Sigmasaurus, or as Steve said Sigasaur. Does that mean if you're not very bright and bought one you'd be a Sigmoramus?

Kerry, the two extra crew members and mallets are still needed for the lens. As you tote the thing around in the woods, fatigue and hunger will set in. Then confusion. Then you are hopelessly lost, and yet still carrying a lens that is bigger than most automobiles. The extra crew members and mallets will allow you to beat out an SOS through the woods for food, water and rescue.

Never go out into the wild without being prepared.

And Bill, if you became so enamored of the lens that you fell in love with it and treated it as a statue, we could name you "Sygmalion."

WOW, I knew they had recovered the S.S. Hunley, this is proof enough!

Kerry, the two extra crew members and mallets are still needed for the lens. As you tote the thing around in the woods, fatigue and hunger will set in. Then confusion. Then you are hopelessly lost, and yet still carrying a lens that is bigger than most automobiles. The extra crew members and mallets will allow you to beat out an SOS through the woods for food, water and rescue.

That's a thought, Dan, but I'm not sure I buy it...I'm not convinced that it's possible to take this lens off road.

I suspect Hummer will come out with a specific platform (gas driven) just to get the lens where we need it. It will be much more expensive than the lens itself, but who among us wouldn't pay a combined $50,000 to guarantee perfect images. I mean, the lens will guarantee that, right? Anyone how buys it will be a better photographer, right?

Imagine what the tripod would weigh?

Don - real men don't use tripods!

Chiropractors, physical therapists, knee surgeons, personal trainers and Hummers, yes. But not tripods.

O.K. guys, they just forgot to tell in the ad, there comes a free Sherpa with the lens.

have fun

Bertl Menegoni
Innsbruck
Austria

Only one free Sherpa? I'd expect them to throw in a minimum of 4!

If only they made it in black I would buy one.

You avian and wildlife folks better start pumpin' iron! At 34 lbs +, you're gonna need to be in shape to use this puppy.

-PB

Given the size, the superfluous logo on the side really should be subsidized by Sigma as billboard space.

All kidding aside, the lens may offer some new possibilities. I like to take photos at night, and am constantly amazed at just how much light there is around here when there's wall to wall snow and a full moon. I hike across the hills and fields without a flashlight. If you were to take something like a 500mm f2.8 lens and stick it on a Nikon D3, ramp up ISO to 3200 or even ISO 6400, I think you'd no longer be limited to taking wildlife photos in daytime only. I think it could be done. As is, my D80 at ISO 800 does pretty well with an f1.8 lens on those full moon nights with plenty of snow on the ground. Maybe this is the promise of digital--to get away from having to take photos only during the day? I mostly shoot at night now, myself.


Kent in SD

No doubt an amazing piece of technology (and glass). Like the Canon EF 1200/5.6L, I wonder how many they'll actually sell.

I will have to start buying my lottery tickets now. That way I can afford the lens AND the sherpa to carry it.

Hmmm...to be perfectly honest, I can't think of a single reason why I would actually want this lens, regardless of price. Two reasons for this...

1. In my real world I actually have to carry my gear (up mountains, across streams, etc.). Add the 34.6 lbs of this lens to the other 40 lbs of NECESSARY equipment that I already have to carry and you have a show stopper...

2. What? No VR/IS function? How could they miss this??

I can hardly wait to see a photo of this lens mounted on the roll bars of a jeep (just like in the old Rat Patrol TV series).

Brad

Actually Brad, that sounds like a pretty cool thing to have on Safari (mounted on a vehicle I mean). I wonder if any of the expensive private reserves would consider offering a rental option of that lens mounted on the vehicle? I guess having the right mount available would still be a problem.

Too bad there's no 4/3rds mount. It would be an equivalent 400-1000 f/2.8, or an 800-2000 f/5.6 - and would have IS in the body!! Of course, I don't know that IS would do too much good at 2000mm equiv.

After seeing this, it's even bigger and more cumbersome than I originally thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K77UvaiHii0

Jim,,,Be careful what you wish for. I'm sure LensCoat could come up with a black tent(cover) for it.

So how much do you all think this cannon is going to cost?

Well here's the Canon 1200mm f/5.6, which is close to what this Sigma would be with the 2X teleconverter (it would be a 1000, f/5.6). So it might give you an idea of the price (although this IS the used price) :

Canon 1200 mm Monster

Of course, the Sigma is also a zoom, and can go down to f/2.8.

Purely a guess, but I'll say $8,000 for the Sigmasaurus. Remember, they also have a 500-800mm f5.6 that is similar.


Kent in SD

The Siggy fella's testimonial in Richard's link talks a possible range from $10,000 to $20,000.

If this lens turns out to be $10,000+ (and it may well be,) it won't sell very many. Maybe not even enough to recoup development costs. This might be a "vanity" or "show" product. Sigma might have made it more to advertise their design and manufacturing capabilities than for sales. Car companies have long done something similar by sponsoring race car teams on the high profile pro circuit. They really don't sell the race cars they develop, but it is good advertising for them when their race car does well on races widely watched on TV.


Kent in SD

I just read B&H's description for the Canon 1200 with the link posted above. Ordinarily, they are really pretty dry (boring) but someone was having some fun with this one. It does recognize the silliness of the lens, unless you REALLY need it.

It is a bargain of a lens, as well. Merely $99,000 dollars. I'll have to check to see if the credit limit of my Mastercard can be raised to cover it.

Kent - I've definitely been thinking that's exactly what this lens is - just a show piece, and it keeps us all talking. (Well, typing anyway )

Dan - Glad someone else enjoyed that description. And what a price...crazy.