Hi all, didn't realise this forum existed until tonight. Good to see so many people so close!
Anyhoo, I've decided that the 70-300ED I have just doesn't cut it, and the reviews of the Sigma 50-500 "Bigma" have seduced me. It's never a good thing to resist seduction, so I sent a mail to B&H asking about it, and got a very disturbing answer. The guy that replied told me this:
"The HSM lenses can NOT be used in manual focus on the D-70. It will only auto focus."
I *really* hope he's got his wires crossed, because this is a showstopper! Daves602 (or anyone else who has one), please tell me he's wrong! Surely they can't sell a lens that forces you to use autofocus? PS. This is one of the pics that seduced me. Not a bad effort for handheld at 500mm: http://www.pbase.com/proffesor/image/27864876
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Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Hi werble, welcome to d70Users.
The Sigma website http://www.sigmaphoto.com/html/zoom_intro.htm has info on the lens that includes this... " This, coupled with Sigma's HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), provide quiet, responsive autofocus function, plus "full time" manual focus." Looks like you are OK with MF with this lens! cheers Greg - - - - D200 etc
Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see. - Arthur Schopenhauer
Welcome werble - B&H, along with many other stores both in the US and Oz are not renowned for their customer service and knowledge - trust in the Sigma site.
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Welcome Werble, if you are thinking of buying from B&H, compare http://www.hksupplies.com & Birddog. Details are under bargains etc, but you may be pleasantly surprised
In Sigma we trust ???  g.
Gary Stark Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
Hi werble and welcome.
I have used the bigma on my d70, both with and without the sigma convertor. AF works perfectly without the teleconverter. **MF works perfectly without the teleconverter.** MF only with the teleconverter. All in all a great lens... and nice and sharp throughout the zoom range. hope this helps. http://www.markcrossphotography.com - A camera, glass, and some light.
I look on glass in the same way I do marriage - I have been married three times and each had merits - so now, with my glass I use the merits I like. 
Chris PS - I am a lot poorer money wise by having had three wifes and I suppose this happens with lens lust too. . . Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Could be a poll question...
Which number marriage are you currently in:- <1 1 between 1 and 2 2 between 2 and 3 3 after 3, stopped counting Greg - - - - D200 etc
Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see. - Arthur Schopenhauer
Greg - after 3 stop being stupid 
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
And I suppose, just as in marriage, we initially only plan to have the one lens!
Hey werble - may I throw a suggestion for your consideration - Nikkor 80-400VR. Covers a similar range, lacks HSM but has VR. Many on these forums will attest to its quality, eg have a look at mudder's recent Melb zoo pics.
OK I'm confused
From the Sigma site:
From Xerubus:
Xerubue not sure what the ** mean does it work only with the converter or does MF work perfectly without, meaning both with and without the converter:?
goodrich62... the ** were just to highlight the message.. could have used bold but was too lazy
it works in MF both with and without the teleconvertor. http://www.markcrossphotography.com - A camera, glass, and some light.
Thanks xerubus!
Just what I was after. Figured someone on this forum either had or had used the Bigma. I'll go check the bargains section for alternative places to get it.
The Nikkor 80-400VR is a bit pricey, and I've heard it's not very quick focus. The fast focus is more important to me than the VR. Well, so far - hope I can say the same in a few months! Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
check out bhphotovideo.com .. they seem to have the best price for the bigma at the moment.
http://www.markcrossphotography.com - A camera, glass, and some light.
Bigma
Just ordered it through B&H. Saw the thread on the troubles that Birdie has had, and didn't want to impose on his generosity. Will be asking him about macro lense later though!
Bigma + 7yr warranty + cheap and nasty UV filter = US$1118. We'll see how much it comes out to be by the time it reaches me. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
congrats on the purchase.... which postage method did you use? I usually use USPS, and each time I've bought a lens and accessories it has come through duty/GST free.
http://www.markcrossphotography.com - A camera, glass, and some light.
Their shipping info page said that UPS was much quicker than USPS for international orders, so I went with that. Was also about US$60 instead of $80, which made it a pretty easy decision.
Hope it arrives before christmas! Planning on a trip around the state, including Western Plains Zoo. Last time I went there was with a little 105mm zoom P & S film camera. Took a photo of a cheetah in the middle of its (large!) enclosure, and the cheetah was about fingernail size. Won't be the same with the Bigma! Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Re: Bigma
werble, Hope you have a mega luck on this shipping & order. With this price tag + shipping charges from B&H, Customs in Granville International Gateway (Clyde) will have their eyes on it, you'll be looking for less than AU$200.00 to make the contribution to our honest Johnny! Last week, I got a package from RRS with the value of US$443.00 including shipping and I got charged AU$60.75. Monday, I received a package from Filter Connection with the value of order is US$265.51 = AU$354.56, I received a notification from ACS, went to Granville, after opened the package for their inspection with the original invoice from vendor, they released the package without any GST charges due to the value of GST is not exceeding of AU$50.00. Apart from above incidents, I also had few shipments recently with value more than US$700.00 and I escaped same as other members Those above are my experiences in dealing with Customs at Granville International Gateway. Just try your luck!!!!! Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Hi Werble, welcome, remember to post a few shots with that lens when you get it, as you can see not many have it here so would be interesting to see the results from it.
I always figured on having to pay GST. A friend bought through B&H, and Customs called him and took his CC details for the duty/gst/tax.
Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
That's UPS Expedite (I hated it very much, especially once you deal with Sydney UPS office) Not UPS Global Priority, if there's any involvement with Customs then you'll expected up to 15 days for this time of the year, will take from 5-10 working days from the US to Sydney in normal state. I never like the way of UPS Expedite, more slowly than snail mail. USPS/ EMS only took 3 days from NY to Sydney Last edited by birddog114 on Thu Dec 16, 2004 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Glen, it might take a while to get some I'm not too embarrassed to make public, but ok...
Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Brickwalls have become very scary to me since joining this forum
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
After all those brickwalls why do you think my avatar is a cigarette!!
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Have have the unofficial VR club, now the brick-wall-o-phobia club.
Werble, I can't wait to see your results with the Bigma. I reckon it would be terrific at western plains zoo!
If what Birdie says about delivery time comes true I won't have it by then - be stuck with the 70-300.
Better than nothing, but disappointing... Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
I would like to tell my experiences with UPS Expedite services to you and other members. I learned a lot in shipping with them and now I always asked my suppliers/ vendors in the US use USPS/ Global Express Mail (EMS) in every order or FedEX cos we have an account with them. Don't panic! hope you will get it soon and enjoy your holiday with it. Most of the Customs guys in Granville International Gateway knew my face now. I went up there nearly twice a week, and end up talking to them about digital camera last time while waiting for processing, they asked me about P&S and other DSLR stuffs, have fun!  Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Well, latest status is departure scan in Louisville, Kentucky. The parcel the filter's in also went to Jamaica, but apparently there's a Jamaica in New York state. That'd make you read the fine print on any competitions to win a week in Jamaica...
Not sure why, but they split it into two parcels. One is 0.7lb, so I'm guessing that's the filter. The 6.9lb parcel I'm figuring contains the lens... Of course the lens is 24hr behind the filter, because the filter's so important... Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
By putting the filter on the lens (doh) it would have come under the Home Securities Act and as such would have been blown up by customs security.
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Naahh, surely it's the warranty that's the problem? Anything is ok unless it's guaranteed to *work*.
Fingers crossed it's here before christmas! Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
The Bigma has landed!
Filter arrived yesterday, as expected. After all, if you split a shipment into two, the part you can't use without the other will always arrive first... Copying images now to see how they look on a decent sized screen, but man this thing has some reach! Tried it with a monopod I bought on the way home , and it's quite usable. You wouldn't call it small though. Unobtrusive, subtle, light - all these words are completely inappropriate. The kit lens makes the camera look cute though...
Definitely notice the difference in light at min and max zoom. Think it'll make me use high ISO settings pretty often. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
See if I can figure this out.
Images are about 150KB. Bigma at 50mm Bigma at 200mm Bigma at 500mm OK, how do you get them inline? jpg really cuts down the sharpness, but part of that is definitely me. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
I am impressed - I don’t see any problems with these shots
Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Highlights the need for a good tripod, esp for long exposure stuff. The moon shot may have to wait for a good set of legs.
Next step the TC! Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Heading out to Western Plains zoo between xmas and NY, so hopefully will have a nice pic of a big cat for an avatar. Maybe a lion's eye...
Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Werble - this is a good site for pics taken with bigma:
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/50500_463_ex_apo_rf Chris Chris
-------------------------------- I started my life with nothing and I’ve still got most of it left
Wow, that has some reach! It'd be tricky trying to get a sharp shot at that length zoom without some form of support... I struggled with my old non-VR zoom at anything >200 or so... Hmmm, wonder what shaky hands suggest??? Dunno if I shoulda gone there!
Cheers, Mudder Aka Andrew
Chris - some nice pics there. This is the one that hooked me, especially the Eastern Towhee in the top left corner. Love the light on it!
http://www.pbase.com/proffesor/sigma_500mm_birds Mudder - no, don't go there! Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
werble... i'm glad it finally arrived, and as expected the shots look nice a sharp...
enjoy your new toy... cheers http://www.markcrossphotography.com - A camera, glass, and some light.
Werble,
Where were those shots taken from? Looks like the IBM or Nestle buildings to me. If so, I'm just around the corner from you, Kent up from Market. Perhaps we could meet for lunch one day with our big lenses and have a bit of a fun shootout? It'll need to wait until after I get back from the US now, as today's my last day in the city for this year; anytime on or after Jan 10 will be fine though. g.
Gary Stark Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
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