Got my Sigma 120-300mm today. Oh my!!!!

[JABACo]

When I started my photography career 5 years ago, it never occured to me I would own a lens this HUGE. When I ordered it, I felt it would a little larger than the 70-200mm. I had no idea that I'd need a pull behind trailer for this thing.

I'll put to the real test tonight at a local All-Star baseball game. My gosh, I think.....hell I don't know what to think. Any advice from those who own on.

[condyk]

Wow ... that's a great lens to own. Best of luck with it. Let's see some shots soon.

[JABACo]

I'll try to post some shots in the next couple of days if my back isn't strained. This thing, in size, makes my 70-200mm look down right dinky.

[formula4speed]

Time to order a monopod?

[JABACo]

Time to order a monopod?

I just upgraded my old mono with a Manfrotto 680B and I not sure it's enough.

[awp]

Being new to large lenses, I did not realize that i could rotate my camera\lenses within the tripod colar instead of using my flip on the monopod. Perhaps I am not the only one that did not know this

[Wolverine27]

Congrats on the fine lens purchase! When you have a moment would you mind shooting a pic of the 120-300 next to the 70-200 or some other lens so I could see just how HUGE it is?

Thanks!

[Keiffer]

Congrats on the new lense. I guess your in the "BIG" league now :-)

[ron chappel]

Yes please show some pics!

No hurry though :):)
This is one of my all-time-most-wanted lenses.I don't think i'll ever own one but hope to at least use one sometime in life.
Some users say it is allmost equal to the canon 300/2.8 (!!!!!!) ......wether this true is not really relevant.The simple fact that it's mentioned in the same breath as the mighty canon prime says volumes about how good this zoom must be!

[Cadwell]

Congrats on the fine lens purchase! When you have a moment would you mind shooting a pic of the 120-300 next to the 70-200 or some other lens so I could see just how HUGE it is?

Thanks!

Sorry about the awful picture. The 120-300mm is the one lurking over at back right, next to the 100-400L.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/gear_files/P1010001.jpg

;)

[Cadwell]

When I started my photography career 5 years ago, it never occured to me I would own a lens this HUGE. When I ordered it, I felt it would a little larger than the 70-200mm. I had no idea that I'd need a pull behind trailer for this thing.

I'll put to the real test tonight at a local All-Star baseball game. My gosh, I think.....hell I don't know what to think. Any advice from those who own on.

Congratulations on a fantastic lens. Suggestions? Don't be afraid to run it wide open at f/2.8 the optics are more than good enough even at that aperture. Get a quick release plate for your monopod/tripod. It makes dealing with the beast a lot easier.

[EOSAddict]

Sorry about the awful picture. The 120-300mm is the one lurking over at back right, next to the 100-400L.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/gear_files/P1010001.jpg

;)

Now that's just showing off!!:rolleyes:

[andygrif]

But is smells soooo sweeet!

(see power socket)

[GyRob]

whats the large lens on the left ? looks like a 500 f4.5.
Rob.

[CorruptedPhotographer]

Being new to large lenses, I did not realize that i could rotate my camera\lenses within the tripod colar instead of using my flip on the monopod. Perhaps I am not the only one that did not know this

I read that on my Sigma (bigma) 50-500 manual. Could you further elaborate?

How does it rotate so to say ?

[muscleflex]

show off!!!! im drooling

[dmwierz]

I read that on my Sigma (bigma) 50-500 manual. Could you further elaborate?

How does it rotate so to say ?

There is a knob on the side of the tripod collar (on the right of the picture). If you turn it CCW it will loosen. Once loose, just turn the lens inside the collar and when you reach the desired orientation, tighten the knob. There is a white alignment line on the collar (seen at the top in the picture) that lines up with a line on the lens body - on my 120-300, one line on the lens body is white and the other is red and is inside the Sigma logo, but they are separated by 90 degrees.

BTW, if you pull outward on the knob on the collar, the collar will open up and you can remove it (sometimes it's better to hand hold without the collar and foot).

Hope this helps.

[Bosscat]

But is smells soooo sweeet!

(see power socket)

I noticed that.

Is that what they mean by keeping your photography fresh???

[RockOne]

Sorry about the awful picture.
The only awful thing about that picture is that I dont own a single one of those lenses :-) !!
The 120-300 is on my dream lens list, which is probably what it will stay (a dream).

[muscleflex]

i want to know what the big lens is on the left too!!!!

[CorruptedPhotographer]

There is a knob on the side of the tripod collar (on the right of the picture). If you turn it CCW it will loosen. Once loose, just turn the lens inside the collar and when you reach the desired orientation, tighten the knob. There is a white alignment line on the collar (seen at the top in the picture) that lines up with a line on the lens body - on my 120-300, one line on the lens body is white and the other is red and is inside the Sigma logo, but they are separated by 90 degrees.

BTW, if you pull outward on the knob on the collar, the collar will open up and you can remove it (sometimes it's better to hand hold without the collar and foot).

Hope this helps.


dmwierz, yes now it makes sense,thank you so much for the elaborate explanation and assisted image.I often take the collar off for handheld shooting.



JABACo, sorry for not congratulating you earlier, congratulations man :D good job selecting a fine lens!! Also lovely photo of your arsenal.
A question for you, I see that this lens runs about 1800$ more or less. Which other lenses where you comparing or considering before you actually got this one? I guess you would have been comparing lenses in the category of similar focal lengthes and price.

[Cadwell]

:lol: Look, it was the only piccy of 120-300mm in company with other lenses that I had at that time of the morning, OK... I wasn't about to get the camera out and start snapping away ;)

For those of you with insatiable curiosity, Rob called it right. The big lens on the left is indeed a Sigma APO 500mm f/4.5 EX prime.

Now, can we all get back to the important business of congratulating JABACo on his new 120-300mm please, and I want to see some pictures taken with it!

[CyberDyneSystems]

whats the large lens on the left ? looks like a 500 f4.5.
Rob.

Yesa,. that's the 500mm f/4.5 indeed.. the "BiggerMa" :lol:

[CyberDyneSystems]

DOH! second page.. didn't see it. ;)

Congrats on the 120-300mm! :)

[xuxu1]

Congrats and enjoy!!!

Time to order a monopod?

I started doing it the other way round. I already have the monopod,,, now what??? :lol:

ED

[muscleflex]

:lol: Look, it was the only piccy of 120-300mm in company with other lenses that I had at that time of the morning, OK... I wasn't about to get the camera out and start snapping away ;)

For those of you with insatiable curiosity, Rob called it right. The big lens on the left is indeed a Sigma APO 500mm f/4.5 EX prime.

Now, can we all get back to the important business of congratulating JABACo on his new 120-300mm please, and I want to see some pictures taken with it!

can i be your friend? pretty please? :-P

[JABACo]

Thanks to all for my going into the hole of nearly $1850.00, and not mention the dog house when my wife finds out. Good thing she never goes to my office.

I did take some (in my opinion) very good shots last night, being Thursday night. I barely had the chance to view them myself. I will post some tomorrow (Saturday) when I get the chance.

I used it with the 1.4x TC on baseball diamond where the left field fence was about 285 feet from home plate. I was amazed how fast the lens focused with the 20D.

For those of you that have the lens on their wish list, here is how I paid for this monster. I got a gig with the local newspaper doing a weekly publication for the local youth baseball. I bartered my services for free advertisement and all recognition of photo's taken, baseball and softball. While supplied the newspaper with photo's, I retained the copyrights. There for, each Saturday when the publication came out with the Saturday morning paper, everyone, whether they were involved in the local baseball leagues or not, got a copy. Tomorrow (Saturday) will be the 13th issue. So every Saturday I got several dozens of calls for information on how parents and like could purchase the photo's. Here's the best part and some of you will think I'm crazy. The first 10 weeks I would let them buy ANYTHING. Until I was able to shoot their team at least two or three times. As they called I took their name, number and e-mail. Then, I contacted them, and this the really crazy part, I sold them the digital negatives of CD. They had to buy all of their child pictures. No picking or choosing. They got bad, good and great shots. I would then print a label with their childs picture on it with the name, team and year.

I have picked up a over 200 clients doing this. The best part is most if not all of these children play other sports. Now, when I go to, say pee wee football game, I will have several of these kids playing. All the while shooting knowing these are sold.

How much did I make. Well, since April, I have purchased a second Epson 2200, a 20D, the Sigma 120-300mm and a 580ex with money to spare.

Why the second Epson 2200. Well during the initial 10 weeks or this pubication, I would randomly pick 5 or 6 shots or each team and print a 13x19 shot and sell them on the spot at the games. I do not print anything smaller. If they want smaller shots they have to buy the CD.

[CorruptedPhotographer]

JABACo,good business man ;)

[muscleflex]

good job! now how about some sample pics?

[JABACo]

Ok, guys I'm trying to upload a few shots but have to make them a tad smaller.

[JABACo]

Sorry guys, I just don't know how to reduce the picture size so that POTN will take it. Can anyone tell me exactly how to do this. I have PS CS.

[muscleflex]

just go edit then image size..then change it to 800 - 600

[muscleflex]

if file size..then change the compression till you get to below 100kb (it'll tell you on the bottom what size is predicted after you've pressed save)

[wilflee]

Or you can host the image on a separate server (such as www.imageshack.us) and post a link here. They accept files up to 1 meg.

[scott stokes]

congrats on new len .I hope to get one next year.