Nikon D500 and SIGMA 18 - 35 F1.8 Combo

LASTOLITE

LASTOLITE

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Stumbled upon this sigma offering, have seen a few reports on it but not with D500 anyone have this combo? Would love a couple of experienced users to comment....Handling for one f1.8 through the range is a bonus!! Could be the answere to some low light work with fast action? Focus speed good? Fast? lightning fast?

Thanks
 
While I can't comment on how it handles with the D500, I did have this lens with the D7200 and it was fantastic.

Focus was snappy and it was incredibly sharp.

@minnnt had one too, so im sure he'd be willing to give his tuppence worth. :)
 
@rookies has the combo.

I had it on a D7100 and it was fabuloso. Great lens that is like having a a s*** load of primes in your bag. The IQ is unbelievable. Focus is good but not as good as the Nikon 17-55. Weight is considerable but the D500 is quite a big body so it should match and balance well.

HTH's.
 
LASTOLITE said:
Stumbled upon this sigma offering, have seen a few reports on it but not with D500 anyone have this combo? Would love a couple of experienced users to comment....Handling for one f1.8 through the range is a bonus!! Could be the answere to some low light work with fast action? Focus speed good? Fast? lightning fast?

Thanks
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Considering the exact combo myself,, my only niggle is I have had the FF version 24-35mm f2 and the first one I had was poor until f4, couldn't get it right even with dock, after f4 it was razor sharp. The second copy was a lot better, but again not 100% wide open, and after a HA I sent the lens back while I consider my options.

Not to get into arguments, but I'm also considering getting the D500 with the 16-80mm from Panamoz, I'm seeing some good reports with the 16-80mm also............It's not f1.8 though. I'm changing from the D810 to get some reach back as I will be getting the 300mm PF and a 1.7tc to replace the Sigma 150-600mm I had with the D810.

I remember David using the 18-35 and he had some excellent results, as usual.
 
minnnt said:
@rookies has the combo.

I had it on a D7100 and it was fabuloso. Great lens that is like having a a s*** load of primes in your bag. The IQ is unbelievable. Focus is good but not as good as the Nikon 17-55. Weight is considerable but the D500 is quite a big body so it should match and balance well.

HTH's.
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Thanks for all the response - I am hoping it will be the above experience if I go for one....
 
The combo of the D500 and maybe this lens is for capture of fast dancers in low light conditions and I am between stage and first row of seats often so hence the wider angle on the cropped body. The F1.8 constant is what attracted me in the first place...So following a dancer around the stage at f1.8 and being able to go wide...well 27mm ff equiv would mean alot.....The 17 55 f2.8 nikon is a lens I love, owned one when I had my D300 and was tack sharp and lovely to use..but f2.8 I have! in the 14 24 24 70...The F1.8 means 400th at iso1000 nice frozen action, may even capture some dust or sweat flying....in the lights......

I am back in DX world......Said I would never go back but the D5 is just not worth the extra over this cracking body!!
 
Calumet do a 30 quid a day hire on this lens, and If you buy they will knock the hire off the cost......So will go and give it a try out.....
 
LASTOLITE said:
Calumet do a 30 quid a day hire on this lens, and If you buy they will knock the hire off the cost......So will go and give it a try out.....
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Mine turned up yesterday hoping to give it a try out over the weekend. Seems a very nice lens and will report back with my findings, unless you have already bought the combo?

DSC_1536 by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
 
Swanseajack said:
Mine turned up yesterday hoping to give it a try out over the weekend. Seems a very nice lens and will report back with my findings, unless you have already bought the combo?

DSC_1536 by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
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You know its great that I am not on the wrong track in my thinking, I have a buisy week before I can look into hiring for a day, so ANY! feedback would be welcome very welcome! Could you give the automatic AF fine tune a go too with it..?
 
LASTOLITE said:
Any first impressions to report.....
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Not really had the chance to try the combo as the weather has been poor here and we didn't go out last weekend as hoped. I carried out my initial brick wall test, I know :D, and the lens seemed very sharp straight out of the box wide open, at the full focal range. I have the dock, but I haven't checked firmware or settings yet.

As for the camera, I have been using it with a cheapo Sigma 70-300mm APO lens and a Kenko 1.4TC, for my garden bird photography. Again the weather has been grey and drab and these two are the best of the bunch. The DR isn't as good as my D810 as expected, but I still managed to pull a lot of detail out of the shadows on the photos...Considering the conditions it's performed excellent. It's hard for me to compare as my latest cameras have been the D750 and D810 and it's been a while since I have used a DX camera.

I like the nipple over the d-pad for moving focus point, I think the sharpness is going to be good in comparison with my last DX camera the D7100. I'm not blown away by the AF as I was possible expecting, but then I haven't given the camera a test outside yet. It's still early days and if budget allows, it's going to be a nice compliment to my D810 for my wildlife photography. If I had to choose one now it would be the D810, due to lack of knowledge and use of the D500, that may change over the coming weeks and months.

As said, it's still early days.......

Trying out my Nikon D500. by Swansea Jack, on Flickr

Bullfinch by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
 
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Thanks! I would afree on the D500 D810 DR Comparison, but as you say as expected. I would be amazed if it were not the case! I am counting on the AF and the Low light capabilities myself....The F1.8 constant through the zoom range on the 18 35 I am hoping will be a killer combo for fast dance in stage light....

Thanks for reply BTW, appreciated!(y)
 
LASTOLITE said:
Thanks! I would afree on the D500 D810 DR Comparison, but as you say as expected. I would be amazed if it were not the case! I am counting on the AF and the Low light capabilities myself....The F1.8 constant through the zoom range on the 18 35 I am hoping will be a killer combo for fast dance in stage light....

Thanks for reply BTW, appreciated!(y)
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Had a little play yesterday with the combo in highish winds and as I'm not too steady I was pleased of the performance of the combo. The combo nailed some BIF shots of gulls hovering over head and they were just dots in the sky, well impressed considering it's a wide(ish) lens and not designed for BIF. Also had no problems focusing on my dog who was down on the beach with my wife and a distant away.


Not tried the AF tuning, but here's a link if interested > http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d500_tips/af/auto_af_fine-tuning/


About the best of action I could post. My dog shifts a bit and as he's close it had no probs focusing on his chest/head. Of the nine photos in the sequence, it's hit the dog with everyone and considering my disabilities that's about the best I have had with any camera, and I have had a few! And different from my initial testing around the home. The dog had run up the slipway shown in photo two.

D500 and Sigma 18-35mm f1.8, the dog is fast, so pleased with the combo. by Swansea Jack, on Flickr

Ogmore -by-Sea.... playing with the D500 by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
 
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Brilliant Simon! focus hit rate was the part I was wanting to check out and if its nailed focus on all your shots, thats good news!! Thanks for posting, very useful as is the link to the fine tune focus method.

Many thanks
 
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