Yay, just got a Bigmos! 1st Impressions!

I don't normally make these kind of threads, but I figured since there are so many differing opinions on the Bigmos (Sigma 150-500mm OS) that I might as well post mine! I am using it on a Canon 7d.

I bought it from Amazon, couldn't resist the special. Figured if I disliked it I could just return it or sell it anyway, so no risk, right? It arrived today at my work, got all kinds of really silly comments on it--I just kept telling people that I was compensating for something, got lots of laughs out of that.

Build, Fit, and Finish: It's very heavy compared to what I'm used too (a 15-85 and a 70-200 F4L IS). Can hand hold it, but I think after a bit I'd definitely tire of it. Feels very very solid. Not Canon-L good, but very good. Very well put together. No zoom creep. The zoom ring is fairly stiff but not overly so--it zooms smoothly, but even pointed straight down it doesn't creep. It has the new Sigma Matte Black finish, not the crinkle finish. However the zoom and focus rings still have some crinkle finish to them (pretty strange of them to do that). Thankfully the hood is the new finish. Tripod ring is very nice.

Focus: Focus is accurate and fast. Not as fast as my 70-200 or 15-85 though, that's for sure. Seems similar in speed to a 100-400L that I tried once. It's quick and silent. Seems to focus right on at all zoom lengths, however this is all indoors under mixed lighting, haven't tried outdoors in sunlight yet (it's horrid weather here). I was worried about the AF, but it's great, seriously. Could really use a focus limiter switch though--Sigma, you listening? I checked to make sure mine wasn't in any of the problem serials, but it's not, and oddly it has an extra digit in the serial number, it's like 11,3xx,xxx. *Shrug*.

OS: Works well. It seems exactly like the IS in my 70-200 F4L IS. They behave identically, both make the same exact click noise when engaging and disengaging, and it seems to be about the same effectiveness. It's not as rock steady as my gf's Tamron 70-300 VC (where if you don't move very much the viewfinder just stays completely still), but the Tamron jumps around if you pan or move a bit too much and are shakey like me, this behaves very nicely, just like Canon IS. I've read reports of the Bigmos OS being weird and snapping around or wandering around, or taking a long time to kick in and settle, that kinda thing--I haven't seen that at all. Literally behaves *exactly* like my Canon 70-200 F4L IS's system.

Image Quality: That's the real question, isn't it? I had extremely low expectations from what I've read on the internet. So far I've been pleasantly surprised. Now, tis' nowhere near my 70-200L or 15-85. Let's get that out of the way. I haven't gotten a chance to go out and use it for wildlife or birds, which will be the real test. I walked around taking some random pictures, and so far here are my observations: From 250-450ish seems quite good. 500mm is softer than 400mm. 500mm is decent at f6.3 (way way better than I was expecting, lol). I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it. It is a bit soft at 100% on my 7d, but sharpens up a lot at f7.1 and a bit more at f8. I would try to use F7.1 when possible, or F8. 450mm and below the sweet spot seems to be f7.1. 300mm and 400mm are pretty darn good at f7.1 from what I've seen so far. 150mm is good from corner to corner wide open, but I don't really care, I only took one shot at that, I mean, I'll use my 70-200 if needed for those focal lengths if possible.

Just two images for now, rest are on my computer at work, sorry, and I hafta get to bed. *grin* Don't worry--no endless images of test charts or anything, just two pics of my cat. Images are processed with my normal settings in ACR (33 sharpening, .8 radius, default chroma NR, no luma NR). Nothing done outside of ACR other than resize and crop.

First: 440mm, f7.1. full image:

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You are not alone in liking the bigmos there are several threads on it. I'm guessing they had more adjustment rings than bodies when they did the switch-over and It takes some time for all the components with the new finish to work their way down.

You guys kill me someties. I had this lens for about 4 months and never could sharpness out it like you guys are getting. Tried stopping down, backing to 450mm, even sent it to Sigma. Nothing helped.

Congrats! Your's seems to be a good copy (even though I hate cats).

huntersdad wrote in post #11577218
You guys kill me someties. I had this lens for about 4 months and never could sharpness out it like you guys are getting. Tried stopping down, backing to 450mm, even sent it to Sigma. Nothing helped.

Thats what you get for not lovin teh kittehs

Aardvark101 wrote in post #11577465
Thats what you get for not lovin teh kittehs

I'm not a cat fan either but my Bigmos is sharp

My Bigmos is sharp because I love the kitties!

Welcome to the Bigmos club! I've had mine for about a year, using it mostly for BIF, air shows and baseball games. I am very satisfied with its IQ, especially in view of its price. Mine does have zoom creep. Actually creep is not the right word, measured opening/closing is more descriptive. When pointed straight up or straight down the lens will travel full length in about 4 seconds. At a 30 degree angle from horizontal it is stable. When I shot the lunar eclipse a few weeks ago I used a rubber band to prevent creep. The lunar eclipse images shot with the Bigmos are on my Zenfolio pages: http://joefitzpatrick.​zenfolio.com

Beachcomber Joe wrote in post #11578041
Welcome to the Bigmos club! I've had mine for about a year, using it mostly for BIF, air shows and baseball games. I am very satisfied with its IQ, especially in view of its price. Mine does have zoom creep. Actually creep is not the right word, measured opening/closing is more descriptive. When pointed straight up or straight down the lens will travel full length in about 4 seconds. At a 30 degree angle from horizontal it is stable. When I shot the lunar eclipse a few weeks ago I used a rubber band to prevent creep. The lunar eclipse images shot with the Bigmos are on my Zenfolio pages: http://joefitzpatrick.​zenfolio.com

That's not creep! That's the built-in stopwatch function! (Good idea on the rubber band man, seriously--if I ever experience creep I'll remember that). Great shots of the eclipse, by the way.

You bought a 150-500 to do indoor pix of cats?

woos wrote in post #11576159
Image Quality: That's the real question, isn't it? I had extremely low expectations from what I've read on the internet.

Wish I had that kind of money where I could spend ~$1k on something that I had extremely low expectations for...

Good to hear the lens is working out well!

congrats...yeah the zoom ring will definitely start to loosen up on you...it'll probably start creeping...you can get it to not creep out by locking it i guess though ...

do you mind posting a picture of the lens itself...i haven't seen it in the new finish, and i'm just curious...i actually don't mind the crinkle finish

gasrocks wrote in post #11578546
You bought a 150-500 to do indoor pix of cats?

Yes, definately. I mean, wouldn't want to get too close--they are ferocious!!!

And yea I will try to post a pic of the lens tonight after work so you can see the new finish. Real question is how does the new finish hold up--seems like the zoom and focus rings would be where the most wear would be though, and they are the old finish--shrug, dunno. Anyway, gives me something to look forward to using a bunch this spring/summer (weather is so bad right now, cold, rainy, gusting to 40mph in the gorge that I live in!), specially if gf and I get chance to go out to hobart bay alaska and hang out with my dad for a while.

You bought a 150-500mm and it came with the new finish? I thought that lens was discontinued?

Just the lens finish.

woos wrote in post #11578771
Real question is how does the new finish hold up--seems like the zoom and focus rings would be where the most wear would be though, and they are the old finish--shrug, dunno.

Finish holds up pretty well - except the hood where it kind of flakes off (no, not by itself - after rubbing against other objects)