Anybody fancy using a Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8?

[squishy]

when I was chatting to sigma guys a couple of years ago, well, they said the MOD had just bought 15 of them.

I'd imagine that that's why sigma made it


Stewart, I'd love to bill rental for one to a client some time.... but no, I could see how it wouldn't leave your warehouse too often...

Yep, they must have been short on FGM-148 Javelin SAM launchers

 

[mithrandir]

 

[Olly_K]

Yep, they must have been short on FGM-148 Javelin SAM launchers

class !!

 

[squishy]

Should point out that's not my photoshop work, I just found it on an image search

 

[scottthehat]

the thing that amazes me is how hes tried to save abit of weight by cutting his sidies like that so he can lift the thing.

 

[squishy]

the thing that amazes me is how hes tried to save abit of weight by cutting his sidies like that so he can lift the thing.

Yep, all that effort and it's still bent his spine backwards

 

[cyclamens]

This looks like the 20 grand one on the WHE site:shake:

Looks like a bazooka........how long before the 'It really is a lens officer' thread gets posted

Sorry sguishy - just seen your post. Excellent PShop work

 

[squishy]

Sorry sguishy - just seen your post. Excellent PShop work

Should point out that's not my photoshop work, I just found it on an image search

 

[cyclamens]

@squisy

I don't pay attention either. I did realise the second bit was wrong as well

 

[maninsuitcase]

Not much interest in it but how much does a beast like that cost even second hand?

There was on on eBay earlier this year for about £13k if I remember right. Was a Nikon unit bought for a specific project apparently then sold on as no longer required.

 

[-halli-]

Thanks, guessed it might have its own power source

My guess is that it has its own gravity field!

 

[Sony_SoFar]

Just read the review, its the only lens of that size etc in the world. I also googled the price £13,000 - £20,000 :O

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sour...0CFwQrQQ&fp=4a16ff2329d75f15&biw=1345&bih=584

 

[StewartR]

Thanks for all the input, guys. Let's see what we've got....

Not that I would want to hire it thanks...

I just can't see the business case stacking up

No, I wouldn't rent it.

Never, ever seen anyone use one. That should tell you something .

I'm not sure there'd be much call for hire other than for novelty value.

Totally nuts, would never see myself using something like that to be honest.

Stewart, I'd love to bill rental for one to a client some time.... but no, I could see how it wouldn't leave your warehouse too often...

Nope, the sheer size and weight would not be worth the flexibility of the zoom.

Not much interest in it

Quite a few in the "NO" camp, then. I'm not surprised.

I'd love to have a go with one of these lenses. ... I expect it to be £250 minimum if not more [for a week] so I can't see there being a huge market for it.

I would LUV to try it wheather I would as purely a hobbyest is another question, how much would it be for the normal 3 days?

I'd love to use it purely for 'willy waving' - i.e just turn up casually with that badboy where there are others using normal long lenses, handholding etc. I doubt there is much of a market for hire though.

man i want one, will keep dreaming.

Personally I'd love a go at one, but I am not sure how much I would pay.

A few people in the "MAYBE" camp, but I don't think any of you would pay the price.

FYI this lens costs £13,000 new. I don't know what I would charge for a week's hire but I think it would have to be £400 at the very least, probably more like £500.

I don't think I'll be buying it!

 

[StewartR]

Rent it to the old bill as a surveillance lens!

Ha ha. We did have a customer once who hired a Sigma 300-800mm with a 2x TC, for "covert surveillance". He was a very polite chap but his body language was somehow intimidating and made him seem much bigger than he was. Maybe that's an asset in the world of "special ops". I was too scared of him to ask who/what he was covertly surveilling.

Anyway, back in the office we worked out that with that gear you could take a recognisable photo of someone from 1-2 miles away, so long as the atmosphere didn't intervene. That's pretty covert to my mind!

 

[Keebsuk]

The lens is £24k rrp but can be purchased for £12k. Bargain!

Andy

 

[jd.smith]

It even comes with a X2 converter!!!!

http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/telezoom/200-500mm.htm


do you think its aimed at agoraphobic togs??

 

[itsdavedotnet]

I don't think I'll be buying it!

I think that maybe there would be enough bizarre uses for a rental one in the states, but the UK might be a bit too small... maybe give the heads up to your counterparts over there - especially if they get you to package and send it over there, so you can have a play first

 

[Keebsuk]

There is a video of it in use, can't find it atm. It is a beast and comes with an led display to "assist the user"! It should carry a health warning due to it's 16.5kg weight! I bet Lowepro don't do a back pack for it yet!!

Andy

 

[DemiLion]

Ha ha. We did have a customer once who hired a Sigma 300-800mm with a 2x TC, for "covert surveillance". He was a very polite chap but his body language was somehow intimidating and made him seem much bigger than he was. Maybe that's an asset in the world of "special ops". I was too scared of him to ask who/what he was covertly surveilling.

Anyway, back in the office we worked out that with that gear you could take a recognisable photo of someone from 1-2 miles away, so long as the atmosphere didn't intervene. That's pretty covert to my mind!

It's the exact opposite Stewart. Most of the real guys blend into the background so fast that you don't even realise that they exist. I suspect that your customer was elevating his status a touch, anyone who was really playing the game would have claimed to be a bird spotter or similar!


Shame, I would have loved to have seen that monster available for hire!

 

[Yv]

OMG - do you recall me and hand holding a 120-300 at brands all day before realising the monopod QR plate was still attached to the tripod collar, in my bag, on my back [ :bang: ]..... I think this might have beaten me!

 

[stan the man]

Is there a micro fourthirds adaptor for it?

or sony alpha

 

[Syd]

That is the most humerous piece of camera equipment I have ever seen - thank you for the smile
On topic I would personally never be able to use something like that!

 

[BigJohn]

The only time I could see myself wanting to use one was on safari . I've read some where that you can get a special mount for 4x4's

 

[Trig's]

Anyway, back in the office we worked out that with that gear you could take a recognisable photo of someone from 1-2 miles away, so long as the atmosphere didn't intervene. That's pretty covert to my mind!

Or the curvature of the earth
Just thought - can you imagine if Sigma done a macro version of this lens :shrug:

 

[Laudrup]

One went on ebay a few months back for about £7500. Wouldn't be surprised if the CIA were using something like this to keep an eye on Osama's compound. Although I wouldn't even use one for a week if you let me have it for free I'm afraid, it looks like a logistical nightmare. Great feat of engineering though!

 

[adamjohnson100]

I looked at this lens in the flesh at the camera show, "Nec" this year it's big.

 

[chris321]

Stewart - From the photographer in me, I'd say BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT NOW PLEASE . However, looking at it from a business point of view, I'd say it would probably be a dud. At £500 a week, so few people would be renting it that it'd take years to break even.

Weren't you worrying about the boxes taking up too much room in the loft not too long ago? You'd probably be needing to get a loft extension to fit the box for this one

 

[TCR4x4]

One went on ebay a few months back for about £7500. Wouldn't be surprised if the CIA were using something like this to keep an eye on Osama's compound. Although I wouldn't even use one for a week if you let me have it for free I'm afraid, it looks like a logistical nightmare. Great feat of engineering though!

Im pretty sure the CIA have better lenses than this for that purpose! The Predator UAV for example.
I dont think some bloke with a massive 500mm lens sat outside in a jeep is very conspicuous!

 

[blade_922]

Im pretty sure the CIA have better lenses than this for that purpose! The Predator UAV for example.
I dont think some bloke with a massive 500mm lens sat outside in a jeep is very conspicuous!

haha so true. Im sure the CIA has real time satellite surveillance, would love a shot of that lol

 

[Thedodo]

That is insane, on a recent TP meet we had some canon 800's to play with and they were big....as for this one wellsay no more!

 

[shabba]

If you want reach then......... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opteka-650-2600mm-Definition-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B001GKLLRY/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1305626687&sr=1-5 That P.O.S is what you want.

I bet the quality it TERRIBLE, its just a telescope by the looks of it.

 

[StewartR]

Weren't you worrying about the boxes taking up too much room in the loft not too long ago? You'd probably be needing to get a loft extension to fit the box for this one

Ha ha. The loft is pretty big, but I think I'd need to reinforce the floor.

 

[StewartR]

Im sure the CIA has real time satellite surveillance, would love a shot of that lol

I read somewhere that some of the CIA's surveillance satellites are broadly comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope, but with different sensors of course. I can't remember the source, but that's probably a good thing because if I told you I'd have to kill you.

 

[Laudrup]

Im pretty sure the CIA have better lenses than this for that purpose! The Predator UAV for example.
I dont think some bloke with a massive 500mm lens sat outside in a jeep is very conspicuous!

The C.I.A. surveillance team in the rented house near Bin Laden’s hide-out took pains to avoid detection not only by the suspected Qaeda operatives they were watching but by Pakistani intelligence and the local police.

Observing from behind mirrored glass, C.I.A. officers used cameras with telephoto lenses and infrared imaging equipment to study the compound, and they used sensitive eavesdropping equipment to try to pick up voices from inside the house and to intercept cellphone calls. A satellite used radar to search for possible escape tunnels.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was a 200-500 or 300-800 on a tripod. A predator drone won't be able to fly over there 24 hours a day for months.

 

[maninsuitcase]

Wouldn't surprise me if it was a 200-500 or 300-800 on a tripod. A predator drone won't be able to fly over there 24 hours a day for months.

There's also a chance some one could spot a drone even at a decent height, they aren't exactly small. A lens hidden away at a suitable distance is probably much harder to see, especially if they put some mesh/net over the end to stop reflections. I doubt pixel perfect IQ was top of their needs list.

 

[DemiLion]

They operate at approx 15,000 to 25,000ft. You really ain't going to be seeing or hearing them, unless there is a very very unlucky reflection as the operators are trained to avoid those.

 

[Gavin Brooks]

I seriously considered this lens when offered a brand new one for only £12k a year ago but I ended up buying the sigmonster 300-800mm lens which is fantastic especially on my Canon 1D mk4. A also considered the Canon 800mm but at the time it was no image stabiliser and £9k!

So in answer to your questing on renting one would be a big no no from me.

 

[icnoble]

This lens is bigger

http://gizmodo.com/353073/canon-120056l-usm-the-bfg-of-telephoto-lenses

 

[holty]

when i was in the army they would cal this lens a sam missile

 

[Gavin Brooks]

Adding a Sigma 2x extension gives me a nice 600-1600mm, actually on my camera it increase by a factor of x1.3 so it actually beomes more like 780-2080mm and the sharpness and clarity is still amazing

But I can be a little and add another 2x teleconverter and get 1560 - 4160mm....