Aloha. Thanks for watching and for your comment. I think the lens is excellent and found the Image Stabilization to be outstanding. However, the Canons are slightly better. I think that has more to do with Canon’s in body stabilization being slightly better than Leica’s. I just returned from Katmai National Park and was very pleased with how the Sigma performed. I’d be interested to know your thoughts on this lens once you’ve had a chance to use it. Best of luck! Aloha, Lee
Happy to find this video and see you using an SL3 with this lens, great overview and makes me more interested in grabbing one. (Also laughing at the Sony VS the world comments). Mahalo!
Aloha Heath. Thanks for watching and for commenting on this video. As an update I am happy to say that I have indeed purchased my own copy of this lens and will take it to Alaska next month. That will be the true test as my primary use case will be wildlife and not necessarily birds. But so far I am very happy. I even found a digi camo lenscoat for it and have it wrapped and ready to go. Further strengthening its weather resistant status. Have a great weekend and happy shooting. Aloha, Lee
You working FT for a noted publication , Self employed or freelance ?? Just curious !? Does the lense weight the same , less or more than the 150-600 c / sport , 60-600 ??
Thanks for watching and for your comment. I’m self employed. I have owned my own gallery on Kauai for the last 12 years. It’s in Hanapepe. Stop by if you ever get the chance. No idea about the lens weight. I’m sure you can find the specs of all three lenses on Sigma’s website or a retailer’s like B&H. Have a great weekend. Lee
Haha. Yes, I agree. It is overpriced. I made the decision to purchase it primarily as a landscape lens that I could also do wildlife in combination with the Sigma 500 f/5.6. I just got tired of going in wildlife trips and coming back with thousands of photos. So I wanted something slower. And boy is it slower! 🤣 for BIF it’s basically useless. But for larger animals it’s fine. IQ is excellent. And for landscape I like the APO lenses. In hindsight I probably should’ve kept half my Canon gear and bought a Hasselblad X2D but I need telephoto for waves and compressed landscapes. And weather sealing so I went with Leica. I’ve told myself I have to use it for at least 4 years to get my money’s worth. Then may sell. Who knows? But yeah, totally overpriced. Agree with you there.
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai Despite it is a Sony sensor in the SL3, the Sony A7RV have slightly better dynamic range. I use Zeiss, Voigtländer and Sony GM Lenses, none of those are second to Leica, but all cheaper. so I have two Sony 61 megapixels Cameras and 11 high end Lenses ! Right now the Fuji GFX100S is much better buy than X2D. I thought of getting either X2D or Fuji, but I will rather go with a bit less image quality and still have a compact and light weight system with Sony. Last week I tried a software that enhanced some of my 15 years old digital photos, just amazing how good those images got in post !
@@cameraprepper7938 very cool. I used a Zeiss 21 Milvus with my Canon and while I do think it is very good, the Leica 21 APO is superior in my opinion. The Milvus had some distortion and bowing along the horizon. But the colors were excellent. I am happy that you are pleased with your kit. I’ll continue to get to know the SL3. It is amazing at just how many excellent choices we have available to us as photographers now. Best of luck. Lee
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai The Zeiss Milvus Lenses may be good, but they are just too big and heavy. I have the very compact Zeiss Loxia Distagon 21mm 2.8 T* which are excellent, I got it new in open box offer for half price. For me the Sony eco system are great, so many very good Cameras and hundreds of Lenses for the Sony E-mount system, with that you cannot go wrong AND you will be richer than going the Leica way !
Thanks Lee, this was quite informative! I do own the lens however still look forward to test it on safari. Sold my 400mm 2.8 ... agree that today denoising software has become so capable that you can easily accept higher ISOs. Greetings from Germany😀
Aloha Kay. Thanks for watching and for your kind comment. I’m glad you found the video informative. The first time you saw this lens was your reaction similar to mine? It really is a great performer, and I think I forgot to mention it in the video but because of its size it actually helps us get shots that we likely would miss with the super teles. Were you just a little sad to sell your 400? I was a little sad to sell my 600 but it just makes the most sense to me. Anyway have a great weekend and good luck to Germany in the Euros today. Aloha. Lee
Hey Frosty. The video is more my initial impressions on the Sigma and not a review. I don’t think it would be fair to review a lens that I had only used a few times on a rental basis. I’m currently in Alaska shooting wildlife with my own copy of the lens. I might make a review video after an extensive 6 week use in the field when I return. Thanks for commenting. Have a great day. Aloha, Lee
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai It felt like more of an 'the sl camera sucks', which I completely agree with however having the 500 5.6 on an A1, I've got some pretty decent images in the past 2 days, it's faster at focusing and sharper than my 200-600
Exactly. What I am having difficulty with is knowing how much good and bad is the lens or the camera. Ultimately it might be best to consider them as a combo- sigma lens plus Leica SL3. Because that’s how I’m using it. Good to hear that you are getting excellent results.
I’ve seen apps that work like that. I think Leica has one as well. I can see such an app can be useful. And cheaper than buying the ridiculously expensive remote shutter release!
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai You can buy good "no brand name" remote controls, but it is so much easier to use an app on the phone. I can stand more than 30 feet from the Camera and control the Camera with the phone and see the live image on the phone, great !
What do you think about this lens? I was quite impressed. I think Sigma made an excellent telephoto lens, especially considering the high ISO capabilities of modern sensors. And what do you think about the super telephoto primes? Let me know. It's always good to hear from you. Aloha, Lee
Hi Lee, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 looks like a real capable lens, How does it work in low light?. I've used Canon since the late 1970's, I guess my father got me interested in photography. He used to turn our bathroom into a darkroom for his black & white film. I'm still with the Canon EF mount on the Canon 6D M2. But I'm very interested in the new Canon R5 M2! Yes it's a nice looking lens. Anyway you have a great weekend. Aloha, Paul
@@pauldarville3843aloha Paul. With minimum aperture of f/5.6 the lens does suffer in low light scenarios. So if photographing wildlife the dawn and dusk encounters will be difficult, especially for the more active subjects. In low light the photographer must wait and choose their moment, perhaps when the animal pauses to check their surroundings. I also think that the minimum aperture of f/5.6 will have us shooting at ISO of 2000 and higher in low light, making some kind of DeNoise software a must. So yes, there are some definite compromises as with all equipment. Regarding the R5II- I agree with you. It looks like an exciting and excellent camera. I am also interested in it. But even more so in the rumored Canon 200-500 f/4 zoom. That’s something that I would love to try! Have a great weekend and enjoy your photography! My dad got me interested in photography too. We split the cost of buying my first camera, a 35mm Canon Rebel. Aloha! 🤙
When I got the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens in March 2024, I was very astonished about the small compact size and the low weight ! It is very easy to handle an operate and it fits nice in a small backpack, though I can go hiking for hours, just holding the Lens in my hands ! The optical image quality are excellent, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens !
When I got the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens in March 2024, I was very astonished about the small compact size and the low weight ! It is very easy to handle an operate and it fits nice in a small backpack, though I can go hiking for hours, just holding the Lens in my hands ! The optical image quality are excellent, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens !
Totally agree! Thanks for watching and for your informative comment. It’s always good to hear from other photographers who have had direct hands on experience. Have a great weekend. Aloha, Lee
Thanks for a great video!
I have mine on order for Sony just now.
Wondering how effective you found the stabilization? (In comparison to your Canons).
Aloha. Thanks for watching and for your comment. I think the lens is excellent and found the Image Stabilization to be outstanding. However, the Canons are slightly better. I think that has more to do with Canon’s in body stabilization being slightly better than Leica’s. I just returned from Katmai National Park and was very pleased with how the Sigma performed. I’d be interested to know your thoughts on this lens once you’ve had a chance to use it. Best of luck! Aloha, Lee
Happy to find this video and see you using an SL3 with this lens, great overview and makes me more interested in grabbing one. (Also laughing at the Sony VS the world comments). Mahalo!
Aloha Heath. Thanks for watching and for commenting on this video. As an update I am happy to say that I have indeed purchased my own copy of this lens and will take it to Alaska next month. That will be the true test as my primary use case will be wildlife and not necessarily birds. But so far I am very happy. I even found a digi camo lenscoat for it and have it wrapped and ready to go. Further strengthening its weather resistant status. Have a great weekend and happy shooting. Aloha, Lee
You working FT for a noted publication , Self employed or freelance ??
Just curious !?
Does the lense weight the same , less or more than the 150-600 c / sport , 60-600 ??
Thanks for watching and for your comment. I’m self employed. I have owned my own gallery on Kauai for the last 12 years. It’s in Hanapepe. Stop by if you ever get the chance.
No idea about the lens weight. I’m sure you can find the specs of all three lenses on Sigma’s website or a retailer’s like B&H. Have a great weekend. Lee
The Leica SL3 with the Sony 61 megapixels sensor is too expensive for what you NOT get ! Get a Sony A7RV !
Haha. Yes, I agree. It is overpriced. I made the decision to purchase it primarily as a landscape lens that I could also do wildlife in combination with the Sigma 500 f/5.6. I just got tired of going in wildlife trips and coming back with thousands of photos. So I wanted something slower. And boy is it slower! 🤣 for BIF it’s basically useless. But for larger animals it’s fine. IQ is excellent. And for landscape I like the APO lenses. In hindsight I probably should’ve kept half my Canon gear and bought a Hasselblad X2D but I need telephoto for waves and compressed landscapes. And weather sealing so I went with Leica. I’ve told myself I have to use it for at least 4 years to get my money’s worth. Then may sell. Who knows? But yeah, totally overpriced. Agree with you there.
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai Despite it is a Sony sensor in the SL3, the Sony A7RV have slightly better dynamic range. I use Zeiss, Voigtländer and Sony GM Lenses, none of those are second to Leica, but all cheaper. so I have two Sony 61 megapixels Cameras and 11 high end Lenses ! Right now the Fuji GFX100S is much better buy than X2D. I thought of getting either X2D or Fuji, but I will rather go with a bit less image quality and still have a compact and light weight system with Sony. Last week I tried a software that enhanced some of my 15 years old digital photos, just amazing how good those images got in post !
@@cameraprepper7938 very cool. I used a Zeiss 21 Milvus with my Canon and while I do think it is very good, the Leica 21 APO is superior in my opinion. The Milvus had some distortion and bowing along the horizon. But the colors were excellent. I am happy that you are pleased with your kit. I’ll continue to get to know the SL3. It is amazing at just how many excellent choices we have available to us as photographers now. Best of luck. Lee
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai The Zeiss Milvus Lenses may be good, but they are just too big and heavy. I have the very compact Zeiss Loxia Distagon 21mm 2.8 T* which are excellent, I got it new in open box offer for half price. For me the Sony eco system are great, so many very good Cameras and hundreds of Lenses for the Sony E-mount system, with that you cannot go wrong AND you will be richer than going the Leica way !
@@cameraprepper7938 sounds good! 👍
Thanks Lee, this was quite informative! I do own the lens however still look forward to test it on safari. Sold my 400mm 2.8 ... agree that today denoising software has become so capable that you can easily accept higher ISOs. Greetings from Germany😀
Aloha Kay. Thanks for watching and for your kind comment. I’m glad you found the video informative. The first time you saw this lens was your reaction similar to mine? It really is a great performer, and I think I forgot to mention it in the video but because of its size it actually helps us get shots that we likely would miss with the super teles. Were you just a little sad to sell your 400? I was a little sad to sell my 600 but it just makes the most sense to me. Anyway have a great weekend and good luck to Germany in the Euros today. Aloha. Lee
Pretty useless review
Hey Frosty. The video is more my initial impressions on the Sigma and not a review. I don’t think it would be fair to review a lens that I had only used a few times on a rental basis. I’m currently in Alaska shooting wildlife with my own copy of the lens. I might make a review video after an extensive 6 week use in the field when I return. Thanks for commenting. Have a great day. Aloha, Lee
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai It felt like more of an 'the sl camera sucks', which I completely agree with however having the 500 5.6 on an A1, I've got some pretty decent images in the past 2 days, it's faster at focusing and sharper than my 200-600
Exactly. What I am having difficulty with is knowing how much good and bad is the lens or the camera. Ultimately it might be best to consider them as a combo- sigma lens plus Leica SL3. Because that’s how I’m using it. Good to hear that you are getting excellent results.
I use a phone app to release the shutter and to operate shutter time, ISO and more, I can also see the live image on the phone.
I’ve seen apps that work like that. I think Leica has one as well. I can see such an app can be useful. And cheaper than buying the ridiculously expensive remote shutter release!
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai You can buy good "no brand name" remote controls, but it is so much easier to use an app on the phone. I can stand more than 30 feet from the Camera and control the Camera with the phone and see the live image on the phone, great !
@@cameraprepper7938 I will have to investigate the app. It sounds convenient!
What do you think about this lens? I was quite impressed. I think Sigma made an excellent telephoto lens, especially considering the high ISO capabilities of modern sensors. And what do you think about the super telephoto primes? Let me know. It's always good to hear from you. Aloha, Lee
You have great weekend with your photography!
@@pauldarville3843mahalo! 🙏
Hi Lee, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 looks like a real capable lens, How does it work in low light?. I've used Canon since the late 1970's, I guess my father got me interested in photography. He used to turn our bathroom into a darkroom for his black & white film. I'm still with the Canon EF mount on the Canon 6D M2. But I'm very interested in the new Canon R5 M2! Yes it's a nice looking lens.
Anyway you have a great weekend. Aloha, Paul
@@pauldarville3843aloha Paul. With minimum aperture of f/5.6 the lens does suffer in low light scenarios. So if photographing wildlife the dawn and dusk encounters will be difficult, especially for the more active subjects. In low light the photographer must wait and choose their moment, perhaps when the animal pauses to check their surroundings. I also think that the minimum aperture of f/5.6 will have us shooting at ISO of 2000 and higher in low light, making some kind of DeNoise software a must. So yes, there are some definite compromises as with all equipment. Regarding the R5II- I agree with you. It looks like an exciting and excellent camera. I am also interested in it. But even more so in the rumored Canon 200-500 f/4 zoom. That’s something that I would love to try! Have a great weekend and enjoy your photography! My dad got me interested in photography too. We split the cost of buying my first camera, a 35mm Canon Rebel. Aloha! 🤙
When I got the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens in March 2024, I was very astonished about the small compact size and the low weight ! It is very easy to handle an operate and it fits nice in a small backpack, though I can go hiking for hours, just holding the Lens in my hands ! The optical image quality are excellent, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens !
Aloha!
Aloha Paul! Thanks for watching! Have a great weekend. 🤙
When I got the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens in March 2024, I was very astonished about the small compact size and the low weight ! It is very easy to handle an operate and it fits nice in a small backpack, though I can go hiking for hours, just holding the Lens in my hands ! The optical image quality are excellent, I can highly recommend the Sigma 500mm 5.6 DG DN OS Sports Lens !
Totally agree! Thanks for watching and for your informative comment. It’s always good to hear from other photographers who have had direct hands on experience. Have a great weekend. Aloha, Lee
@@LeeScott-LightSourceKauai Thank you, have a nice weekend