Question for Bigma owners

[sharky]

I'm thinking of getting this lens and have a quick question about apeture. Can anyone give me a rough idea as to which focal lengths the apeture changes. For example, when does it change from f4 to f5.6 etc?

I'm thinking of either getting this a 300f4 or a 400 f5.6, so the apeture at these lengths are of particular interest.

[sharky]

Looks like I have asked the first unanswerable question in the history of this forum...

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Zooms generally go to their maximum aperture rather quickly..that's about all I have to say about that. I'm interested in this as well, though, as I was considering picking one up.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I don't still have it,. so I'm not 100%.. but by 300mm it's waaaaay past f/4 (it's f/4 @ 50mm obviously,. )

Likewise I think by 400mm it's allready smaller than f/5.6.. but that I'm not 100% sure.

[cfcRebel]

Didn't see you post until just now. The max aperture changes from 4 to 4.5 at about 65mm, to 5.0 at about 75mm, to 5.6 at 110mm all the way to 500mm.
Hope that answers your question.

[RikWriter]

Didn't see you post until just now. The max aperture changes from 4 to 4.5 at about 65mm, to 5.0 at about 75mm, to 5.6 at 110mm all the way to 500mm.
Hope that answers your question.

Not quite. At some point between 110 and 500 it changes to f6.3.

[RikWriter]

BTW, as someone who went from the Bigma to the 400 5.6L, I would definitely reccommend the 400. MUCH easier to hand-hold, lighter, and also a sharper lens.

[sharky]

Didn't see you post until just now. The max aperture changes from 4 to 4.5 at about 65mm, to 5.0 at about 75mm, to 5.6 at 110mm all the way to 500mm.
Hope that answers your question.

THAT'S what I was after. I have a 70-200 that's f4 at 200, but it sounds as if Bigma gets very light-thirsty early in the range. Time to go shopping for a 300f4 or a 400f5.6, I think!

[ScottE]

THAT'S what I was after. I have a 70-200 that's f4 at 200, but it sounds as if Bigma gets very light-thirsty early in the range. Time to go shopping for a 300f4 or a 400f5.6, I think!
At f/5.6 the 400 mm is 1/3 of a stop faster than f/6.3. I would hardly make a buying choice based on that. I had a 400/5.6 lens, now I use a 50-500/4-6.3 because it is much more useful in a variety of situations.

[RikWriter]

At f/5.6 the 400 mm is 1/3 of a stop faster than f/6.3. I would hardly make a buying choice based on that.

I would...that, and the fact that the 400 is much lighter.