Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN 'Sports' lens review

[@simon3461]

Wow - congratulations Sigma ! This is for sure a great lens - so small and light for a 500mm lens !

[@GarryM66]

Wow what a fabulous job sigma have done here. It’s 90g lighter than the Nikon 500pf that was a class leader. Yes expensive but that didn’t stop the 500pf flying of the shelves. Well done Sigma 👏

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using "PF" element !

[@cameraprepper7938]

In March 2024 I got the excellent Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens and I love ! Very compact, very Light weight, very easy to handle and operate, it is a joy to carry in my hand, which I can do without any problems for several hours hiking in the nature. It focus fast, it is very sharp, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens !

[@christophmuller3511]

I have the 500mm PF and love it, happy to see that this form factor now also exists for other platforms.

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using "PF" element !

[@christophmuller3511]

@@cameraprepper7938 so what?

[@micha3017]

Almost six years ago, the Nikkor 500 5.6 PF premiered. We are pleased that another manufacturer has attempted to make a similar optical instrument. The N500PF is actually quite a common lens at air shows, where you often spend several hours in the field, and as you can see, it has its audience, including me. Well done Sigma for getting the market going :)

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using "PF" element !

[@micha3017]

@@cameraprepper7938 Nikon 500PF is from 2018.

[@cy9nvs]

As with all Sigma lenses, stabilization and AF are the only concerns. Optically, it seems to be very good. As there's nothing quite like it for E-Mount, I think they're gonna sell tons of these.

[@janwedek]

Well, the 150-600 DG DN has quite excellent stabilization on L-Mount since the latest FW update. At that range it is mostly on the lens. So I would hope this one will do quite well too

[@robertbuckley7107]

This glass is the best glass I've ever used period !!! I've had all the canon primes, 600mm f4 / 500mm f4 etc etc..... This beats them hands down, the sharpness is just insane, it's lightweight, practical, glorious image quality and the image stabilization is the best I've ever seen..... It's rock solid, if you're on the fence just pull the trigger !! Seriously you won't regret it !!

[@breadandcircuses5644]

Again, a great review Chris! Do you think you could review the Sony 300mm f2.8 as well? It is supposed to be amazing and to take teleconverters pretty well. But I don't trust anyone but you. Your reviews are the most accurate and dependable lens tests on the internet, by far.

[@MrBEnIbb]

I really enjoy your reviews, since you basically make them for every lens with the same criteria. It would be so interesting to see those tests on modern Smartphones!

[@KurtisPape]

The smart phone photos would look terrible in raw format, it would be interesting to see what they look like on the test chart

[@sorwis]

I really hope this gets released for Fuji X.

[@stemcleeds]

Really enjoy your reviews, thanks for making them. Go well.

[@PhotographerSen]

Finally what I have wanted from Sigma (or any 3rd party) since the launch of Nikon PF 500 😍😍😍😍

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using "PF" element !

[@HigherJr]

What do you think about handheld filming with this guy, compared to the 400mm 4.5 Nikon, which you liked quite a bit (as far as I remember) 😅

[@muttishelfer9122]

Please Sigma bring this for Fuji X!

[@breadingshower1596]

They should just sell this with a Speedbooster for Fuji X making it a 333mm f4.

[@arberdemiri]

Right?! I would buy this in a heartbeat... Fuji needs more lenses like this. I would prefer to not buy another camera just for wildlife

[@christophergibbons8748]

Day 1, I feel after having the 150-600 since release I crave a prime for wildlife now

[@arberdemiri]

@@christophergibbons8748 would you still recommend it after owning for so long? I'm on the brink but the F8 is kind of holding me back

[@arberdemiri]

@@christophergibbons8748 how do you feel about the 150-600mm after owning it for so many years? I think my other reply did not go through, so ignore the duplicate questions if I'm wrong

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

This lens reminds me of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500 mm 1:5,6E PF ED VR lens which is available on the market since many years.

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using "PF" element !

[@admiralvontirpitz7115]

Pretty amazing indeed, but no TC for such a lens on Sony cameras, will severely limit its diffusion I’m afraid, much more that the 15fps limitation

[@lewcehjitl3282]

Yeah 15fps at 50mp is way too slow…..

[@networm64]

Honestly the bigger problem is it's price! can't justify buying it over other dark aperture tele lenses available! Even the fabulous Sony 70-200 GM ii with a couple of teleconvertors cost the same but giving you much more flexibility!

[@admiralvontirpitz7115]

@@networm64 Indeed at that price and with such aperture, for Sony shooters it’s really a tough sell vs the excellent (anche cheap in comparison) 200-600G

[@user-h1j6c]

A prime is a prime.

[@lewcehjitl3282]

@@networm64 primes are the best for image quality everyone knows this. This sigma paired with the Sony a7rV in crop gives you 26mp at 750mm… Nikon fanboys will always rage.

[@terje5723]

Owning a Sony 200-600 and being an amateur this purchase sadly cannot be defended. If they release a slightly larger 600/5.6 for not much more money though I have to reconsider

[@cameraprepper7938]

I had the SONY 200-600mm 5.6-6.3 G Lens, I sold it last year, I was tired of the bulky size and heavy weight. In March 2024 I got the excellent Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens and I love ! Very compact, very Light weight, very easy to handle and operate, it is a joy to carry in my hand, which I can do without any problems for several hours hiking in the nature. It focus fast, it is very sharp, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens !

[@frostybe3r]

Or perhaps you're not good enough for the 500 5.6?

[@The_GreenMachine]

the fact that Sony doesnt allow 3rd party TC adapters is making me avoid 3rd party lenses like this.. i REALLY hope they can release the mount for 3rd party TC's sometime soon

[@cameraprepper7938]

Do you REALLY need teleconverters !?

[@The_GreenMachine]

@@cameraprepper7938 the fact that i have to crop so much tells me yes i do, cant zoom with my feet when theres water in the way

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@The_GreenMachine I have 60 megapixels, so no problems with crop ! But if the situation anyway need a 4000mm lens, then I would not even bother to try and take a photo. Teleconverters is too overrated today and not in good quality !

[@The_GreenMachine]

@@cameraprepper7938 4000mm is quite a lot you'll lose quality just due to the atmosphere. All I want is something a bit longer so my 42mp sensor doesn't need to crop to 20mp or even 15mp. The less digital zoom I have to do the better the image quality will be when I print it out to hang on the wall. Plus trying to focus on something small you have a higher chance for it to not be in focus.

[@SlaveNCMC]

Hi, Christofer! Thanks for all those reviews. What do you think about multishot super resolution of A7RIII?

[@justinhoward6755]

Chris, do you think this lens would perform better on thenew A6700 vs your older APSC?

[@mnm5529]

I doubt that such a lens version will appear on Nikon mount, but really hope that adapter from E to Z runs the lens smooth.

[@deonharris5977]

Need this lens to be available in Fujifilm X mount Nice lens

[@lakejindsay]

You can get a used copy of the 200mm F2 for around 3K. It includes a 1.4 TC which gets you to a 420mm field of view and an equivalent DOF of F4.2. It's very heavy - but incredibly sharp and it's bokeh is much more attractive, IMO.

[@deonharris5977]

@@lakejindsay yes all true but that is still a far cry from the 750mm fov you get with the 500. For wildlife that is crucial

[@philipsq6848]

I really like the Canon 400mm and one day might replace it with a used one of these. The Canon is still amazing for the price.

[@JoATTech]

That one caught me off guard.

[@starbase218]

Looks good. Only issue being the focus breathing I guess. It seems like there is a lot of that. But is it already 500mm at infinity, or is it 500mm at closest focus?

[@realpokski]

Lense focus length is by definition at infinity focus. Even those macro lenses which can focus to infinity! That said, lenses are rarely exactly the focus length they advertise, so it could actually be e.g. 490mm and be sold as a 500mm.

[@jfphotography69]

All telephoto lenses from ALL manufacturers exhibit focus breathing. It's a characteristic of telephoto lenses, do to the long focal length.

[@jeroenvdw]

From another reviewer I understand that this Sigma 500mm is the same as the Sony 200-600 at 518mm. So either it's a 518mm lens or the Sony has it wrong

[@jfphotography69]

@@jeroenvdw The Sigma 500mm f4 sports is not anything like the Sony zoom at 500mm, the Sony at 500mm is a f/6.3 lens lens, the Sigma is a 500mm f4 prime. Two different types of glass. The Sony 200-600mm is not in the same league as the Sigma 500mm f4 sports. I see lots of idiotic posts on YT, the person who fed you this stinking pile of crap is one of those.

[@jeroenvdw]

its f5.6 not f4@@jfphotography69

[@christophergibbons8748]

If this gets released for Fuji then day 1

[@livejames9374]

Please test the older 500 PF and new 600 PF.

[@KungPowEnterFist]

I have both the F 500 f5.6E PF and the Z 600 f6.3 PF. The short answer is the Z 600 PF is better. The long answer is the Z 600 PF AF's better (on a Z8/Z9), has better resolving power in good and less than good light, has better VR, is virtually silent AF/VR, obviously 100mm more reach, and technically is closer to the magic focal length to aperture ratio being a stop and third away from the 600 f4. The F 500 PF seems to get stuck on foregrounds a lot more and does not continue to try to find a subject, has less resolving power at distances in good light that would be considered far for either lens, has less resolving power in less than good light at any distance, less good VR, a little noisy but not very noisy like some other F glass, obviously 100mm less reach, and technically further from the magic ratio being a stop and a half away.

[@lakejindsay]

Is Sony still limiting/reducing the burst rate for third party lenses? That's a bogus move if they still do that.

[@KurtisPape]

Yep they still limit it, some sources say it's limited to 15fps so only the A1 and A9's are affected, I have also heard from other sources that it limits every camera to half it's frame rate so many Sony cameras will be limited to 5fps, this I doubt this is true though. This is only with autofocus engaged though, in manual focus you should still see the full frame rates.

[@budthecyborg4575]

Unless you can score a Canon 400f5.6 used then this is going to be the best option for wildlife photography out of a backpack. This is almost exactly the same as the Nikon 500f5.6, size, weight, image, price (within 15%), so the height of irony that leaves Canon as the only company without anything similar to a 500f5.6 in current production.

[@KungPowEnterFist]

Just for absolute clarity, Sony is the one that does not produce such a lens or anything near it. This lens is made by Sigma. Canon does still make the EF 400 f4. It is a bit long in the tooth, but it is still available for purchase as a new lens.

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma did it without using a "PF" element.

[@striderwhiston9897]

Would love a lens like this on Nikon mount

[@livejames9374]

500PF? 600PF? 800PF? 400 4.5?

[@striderwhiston9897]

@@livejames9374 all heavier or a lot more expensive, would like an option like this lens.

[@livejames9374]

@@striderwhiston9897 500PF is regularly ~$1800 on b/s board for like new units, less than $3000 during Nikon sales and weight difference is minute ~60g. Also looks to have much better image stabilization. It’s been great in use for past 6 years, I highly recommend it. The 400 4.5 is lighter, same price but of course shorter at 400mm. Also highly recommend it.

[@livejames9374]

@@striderwhiston9897 500pf can be found for almost half priced in like new condition on B/S boards, the 60g difference won’t even be noticeable. The 400pf is same price or cheaper during sales and is lighter. But of course it’s shorter at 400mm. I highly recommend both.

[@jfphotography69]

The PF is an older design lens made for DSLRs, using it for any video work with a mirrorless and you will start hearing the autofocus mechanism noise. I should know, I own the fantastic Sigma 500mm f4 sports, been using it with the Z9, for stills it's fantastic, just like on my D850 and D500, but for video, you need to place the mic away from the lens. That goes for all lenses made for DSLRs. Doing video with the built in mic of the camera with any DSLR lens on a mirrorless camera, will be a nightmare, unless you are planning to remove the audio and replace it with a different soundtrack.

[@flashersan4564]

I currently own a Sony 300mm f/2.8 lens (with a 1.4x teleconverter). To complement this lens, I am very much looking forward to Sigma releasing a 600mm or 800mm lens.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I was just about to get the SONY 300mm 2.8 GM with teleconverters, when I saw the Sigma DG DN OS Sports Lens announced, so I ordered it, because the SONY 300mm 3.8 GM is larger and heavier then the Sigma. So in March 2024 I got the excellent Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens and I love ! Very compact, very Light weight, very easy to handle and operate, it is a joy to carry in my hand, which I can do without any problems for several hours hiking in the nature. It focus fast, it is very sharp, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens !

[@fib621]

insane image quality

[@kaimelis]

Happy medium is not what we are looking for Chris. I am genuinely interested in how the lens performs on a 60 megapixel sensor, and this is the one thing holding your reviews back a little. It does not matter if the resolution outresolves the chart.

[@jfphotography69]

It should perform like a dream. These news lenses are made for high megapixel sensor cameras. Don't forget, it's not the megapixels that count, but the person behind the viewfinder.

[@sjaakcoppens1000]

Like the lens very much; could be my (very) long lens on a6700. However still no possibility to rent it at “my” store. AND: question Why would sigma (or other company) not make a speedbooster so that makes the lens for the APSC sensor cameras two lenses: > one with extra reach 750mm > one with gaining 1 stop light at 500mm. In that way it’s price is more “bang for the buck”.

[@AG-nj3ky]

Wow, just wow

[@SouthCarolinaiNaturalist]

Not sure your FF vs APS-C comparison is fair - a full frame sensor WITHOUT aliasing filter vs APS-C with AA filter.

[@mskurre06]

You forgot to meantion that the foot is arca-swiss supported

[@cameraprepper7938]

I am not a fan of arca-swiss, it is far from as safe a foot as fx some from the Manfrotto system.

[@JamesClark1991]

If having a small telephoto lens is a priority it could also be worth checking out the Sony 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 APS-C lens to use in crop mode. It's small, sharp, affordable, linear focusing and image stabilised.

[@haaspaas2]

Ive heard a lot of people complain its not very sharp on long distance subjects. Do you have experience with it?

[@jfphotography69]

​ No telephoto lens is sharp on long distance subjects. Regardless of focal length, your main objective is to fill as much of your viewfinder as possible to maximize your sensors resolution.

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@jfphotography69 Many zoom Lenses are compromises, so are the SONY 70-350 which cannot be compared to prime Lenses at all for sharpness !

[@drbeardo6960]

RF version of the same lens😢😤

[@Matti6950]

Christopher watched to much Planet of the apes :D (haha i loved that joke about build quality of Sigma outlasting human kind). Nice review, thanks.

[@Kliffot]

No TC ? too bad... And no Fuji ? 😑 The X mount is awaiting exactly that kind of prime. The patent about a XF400mm f/4 and XF 550mm f/5.6 are already almost two years old, what is taking so long ?

[@lewcehjitl3282]

Sony is calling your name. Experience best battery life and autofocus. You won’t miss Fuji.

[@photovideomusic]

@@lewcehjitl3282 They will miss cameras designed by photographers, rather than Playstation makers. Yeah, Sony menus and shooting interface suck.

[@johansallman1259]

It looks like Sigma actually made a 250mm f/2.8 and then put a built in 2.0x TC in it to make it 500mm f/5.6. 🤔

[@henrikw377]

You're right, interesting. I was scratching my head about the design of it close to the mount.

[@ridingtherr0502]

It couldn’t be as sharp tho. IQ is always deteriorated by TC

[@victoroliveira1611]

if you're not using sony cameras you're right. Otherwise Sigma didn't offer a TC to sony E mount and ... the TC from sony are only compatible with sony lenses... and a prime lens will be always sharper without a TC attached to it ... specially the 2.0x TC.

[@johansallman1259]

@@ridingtherr0502 not if it's properly integrated.

[@johansallman1259]

@@victoroliveira1611 read again. I'm referring to an integrated TC. Similar to how they basically integrated an E-mount adapter in their HSM lenses when Sony went mirrorless. Extended the back of the lens to get the right distance to the sensor.

[@dariuszkrzan]

I think it's a strange size comparison between a 500mm f5.6 and 500mm f4 and then say they made this one 70% smaller when they are not even the same aperture lenses

[@One-co5rj]

Watta?😃

[@TechnoBabble]

Yeah, they didn't "make" it 70% smaller. It's 70% smaller because of modern optical design AND the smaller aperture.

[@RomanHaussener]

Canon RF mount version coming soon! *cough* 😉

[@photovideomusic]

The main thing I learned from this lens review: Welsh zoos have rock wallabies.

[@SirTubeALotMore]

I’m going to ditch Sony and Canon for putting restrictions on a good lens like this. New system will be a Leica or Nikon

[@haaspaas2]

The biggest downside to me are the 3rd party lens limitations imposed by sony. No tc is a big shame on a lens this sharp, and 15 fps is dissapointing.

[@xmj6830]

Still better off that no compatibility at all..yeah canon

[@cameraprepper7938]

Do you need 15 fps !? I don´t !!!

[@Tapirrr]

Please review the tamron 17-28 f2.8

[@hendrickziegler8487]

There is a Nikon-branded version of that lens. Christopher Frost has already reviewed it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5a1aX16ia9oe6M Except maybe for flare characteristics that lens should be optically identical to the Tamron 17-28 f2.8

[@hellopsp180]

I dont think many people will go for this lens. For that price they are probably just going to go for a Sony branded lens so they can unlock the faster FPS and teleconverter usage for their camera bodies. I wish Sony didnt restrict it so much for 3rd party lenses, so that these lenses are less limited.

[@diogocarvalho6247]

My antique Sigma 100-300 f/4 is bigger and heavier! 😅

[@stjepanjina]

Stabilization on Sigma is disastrous

[@jfphotography69]

No stabilization issues with my Sigma 500mm f4 sports on my D850, D500 and Z9, or Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art in my Z9.

[@unspecialist]

Try watching the video but where the stabilizer is turned on, it helps your trauma

[@generaltso9402]

Too bad Sony crippled it with 15fps and no TC

[@ImadogGarcia]

The Sony 200-600mm has f6.3 at the long end. More reach half the prize

[@livejames9374]

Or almost twice the weight and size

[@pentagramyt417]

@@livejames9374 and twice softer image than Sigma

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@livejames9374 Exactly, I had the Sony 200-600, too big an to heavy ! In March 2024 I got the excellent Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens and I love ! Very compact, very Light weight, very easy to handle and operate, it is a joy to carry in my hand, which I can do without any problems for several hours hiking in the nature. It focus fast, it is very sharp, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens !

[@scottcampbell9479]

And it's not sharp enough

[@alexmirza5210]

Yes quite remarkable, but more expensive than say nikon's 300mm f4 pf and a lot more than say a 300mm f4. I used to like sigma's own 100-300 f4 ex, but of course it wouldn't have the reach or optical quality ultimately. Much brighter than canon's 600mm f11 though, and a full stop brighter than canon's RF 100-500mm f7.1..

[@cameraprepper7938]

The old DSLR Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens is right now $3600 ! The Sigma DG DN OS Sports Lens is only $3000 !!! I will guess that a new Nikon Z 500mm will be around $4000.

[@panmaew]

Is it just me or anyone here has noticed the bokeh of this lens is more swirly than usual compared to that of the other lenses in this category?

[@networm64]

$3k Sigma? Why? It could be a hot cake seller for enthusiastic photographers... Why would one take this over Sony G 200-600 or even at third of the price the Sigma 100-400mm? The difference doesn't justify the enormous price gap!

[@networm64]

Also saying that hollow part at the mount tells it was probably a DSLR lens design!

[@xplaneaviation737]

sigma need to make a 400 2.8 and a 600 4 because you could just use the 200-600 like you said. we need fast glass at cheaper prices

[@Bayonet1809]

@@networm64 If it was designed for DSLRs then it wouldn't have been able to take TCs when used on them, which would not have been a smart decision. That leads me to think it was probably designed for mirrorless.

[@networm64]

@@Bayonet1809 But Canon just did the same trick with their 400mm and 600mm lenses and they also accept teleconvertors. So it's plausible to be done by Sigma too.

[@timothysteenwyk2978]

@@xplaneaviation737I think a 700mm f/8 lens would be the better play. The design could still be relatively small but it’d give additional reach that the zooms do not provide

[@Bayonet1809]

Sony cameras are artificially crippled with this lens, but neither are L-mount cameras appropriate for a "Sports" lens, leaving the envelop of potential users very small.

[@photovideomusic]

How are L mount cameras not appropriate for a sports lens? a) the S5 II AF is amazing, and any sports/wildlife photographer worth more than $5 an hour can deal with AF issues because we have done so since... before AF was a thing. b) sports are not the ONLY thing that is shot with a telephoto. I've used 500mm on full frame for outdoor wedding shots.

[@hendrickziegler8487]

The rumours about quite a few L-Mount releases in 2024 are plenty. So the current Panasonic Line-up doesn't need to fulfil every wish. 24mp of the S5ii should be enough for Sports though

[@joaovtaveira]

What an absurd, Sony has great Sport cameras.

[@Bayonet1809]

@@joaovtaveiraI wasn't saying that Sony cameras were bad for sports, I was saying that the third-party lens limitations make this lens sub-optimal on Sony.

[@joaovtaveira]

@@Bayonet1809 absurd in any case.

[@geonerd]

Whoo-hoo!

[@Marc-op3ov]

Nice lens, with good IQ, but for me the f 5.6 is to high for a PRO-line lens, With F4 it would be really a pro-lens.

[@KurtisPape]

Look how big and heavy the Canon 500mm F4 is! I don't think they could make it much smaller, so F5.6 is perfect to keep the lens small. But I agree, they could have made the lens F4.5 or F5 and possibly kept the lens under 2kg.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I do not like big and heavy Lenses. In March 2024 I got the excellent Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens and I love ! Very compact, very Light weight, very easy to handle and operate, it is a joy to carry in my hand, which I can do without any problems for several hours hiking in the nature. It focus fast, it is very sharp, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm DG DN OS Sports Lens !

[@lewcehjitl3282]

A lot of jellies in the comment section 😂. Sony Emount is the best mount ever. now is time to make the switch!

[@photovideomusic]

LOL, now, if EVER, is the time NOT to and this lens proves it. L mount is about to take its place on the iron throne.

[@victorlim5077]

Is it my eyes or the OS is jerking all over the place? 😅

[@mytube001]

Obviously optimized for stills photography. It likely does a better job at that, but it looks much worse on video.

[@rchrd_sn]

Its bokeh is not good. Plenty, but not smooth.

[@Bayonet1809]

For all Chris's exacting and repeatable sharpness testing he has yet to develop a similar approach to bokeh testing, so this review does not demonstrate whether the bokeh is smooth or not, as the scenes captured were not directly comparable to other lenses.

[@rchrd_sn]

@@Bayonet1809 It didn't look soft enough (not saying perfectly enough) based on my experience, but your point makes sense. Maybe the lack of a similar approach is fooling me.

[@Nageshj-f3w]

Hi Chris please do review on fuji 8-16 f2.8. i am keep on asking but no reply from you. please we are waiting for that review. Thanks.

[@Nageshj-f3w]

Thanks for the reply. but i want chris review@@djstuc

[@Nageshj-f3w]

hahaha really, what about you. i am not asking any money. why dont you mind your own business@@djstuc

[@PetCactusA_HarmlessLittlePrick]

Another P.O.S. electronic aperture lens, this time from Sigma.👎 🤢 🤮 😭 But, excellent review as always.

[@carimannola]

they copied tt artisans 💀💀💀💀💀💀 ~(sarcasm)~

[@marvinjohn470]

First! 😅