Early on spring morning, one of the greatest things is getting up early and going to one of your favorite photography locations.
This year I did simply that, feeling special not simply cause I knew it was one of these mornings where virtually things would fly, the weather was the nicest for the past iv months but also because I couldn't wait to give the Sigma 500mm f/4 DG Bone HSM Sports Lens a whirl for the coin.

Full disclosure; I didn't buy this lens. It's an off the shelf sample and I'chiliad not paid to write a review for the lens nor do I gain anything to write a positive review. These are all my personal opinions and your's may vary.

Interestingly the fizz about this newest Sigma Sports line lens died rapidly after lunch. As a truthful wild animals photographer lens you would think there was a lot more of these in the field but I rarely see whatever – Or let me rephrase that; I've never seen anyone use information technology. And that'south despite receiving praised reviews it'due south a bit of a puzzle.

So off I went lugging this beautiful fallos over my shoulder safely mounted on the stunning Zenelli CARBON ZX Carbon Cobweb Gimbal Head and with the Catechism EOS 7D Mark 2 strapped information technology's back. I heard a number of birds singing in the altitude but they weren't the discipline I was going for this morning. In fact the bird I aimed to photograph doesn't even sing – The nigh y'all'll hear is the males farty sounding mating call. The common Goldeneye and what better manner to capture the stunning beauty of this duck than with the cream of the crop Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens. And luckily I did succeed!

It's not the lightest 500mm F/4 lens you lot'll come by merely information technology'southward a huge step over the older 500 F/4.5 from years past

So what to think of this lens that has gone past everyone's nose into über ninja style where no-one and their mother know or knew anything nigh information technology?! It'll bet y'all see fewer of these in the field than nearly any other Sigma branded long lens perchance with the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG as an exception..

BUT information technology'south actually quite good. Strike that it's actually Really good, NO it'due south actually Awesome with a few exceptions. In fact it's so skillful you'll be hard-pressed to tell if this wasn't a OEM version (Canon or Nikon branded).

It might set the record for existence the lens with the most amount of buttons and toggles with total of 11 (13 if yous include the knob and the de-clicker for the tripod-pes)
Yous'll notice correct away Sigma went all in on this Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens  as a symbolises class, heft and brilliant ideas.  From focus recall buttons in the front (or switch focus manner depending on how y'all configure your camera body) to the diverse OS (Optical Stabilization) and the class leading CUSTOM settings toggles and button.

The Sigma 500mm f/4 DG Os HSM Sports Lens carries it's weight non-so-lightly as it is (non past far) the heaviest prime number 500 f/four on the marketplace but only by a few hundred gram, which tin seem like much merely when you're by kg's their well-nigh all the same. In a blind test I probably wouldn't exist able to tell the difference. Coming from a consumer form ultra-zoom it'll seem like the heaviest thing ever and vice versa if you're a used to shoot with 600 F/four or a 800 F/v.vi probably with the exception of the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM (equally of today)

The beginning fifteen minutes took the next they slowly simply surely thought that I have in fact transformed myself into a pile of grass and rubble

And then in that location I was dorsum at the lake setting upwardly my small bag-hide getting ready to photograph the mutual Goldeneye.  I knew from by experiences that if you lot give them time they'll come correct up next to you but at the aforementioned fourth dimension knew it'll take some time and it would be a wise to bring a lens extender for the first couple of hours photography.
So arriving at the site, swiftly threw on the bag-hibernate and then the waiting game started. The showtime 15 minutes were without any activeness what so ever.
Firstly the birds were startled over this strange human disappearing into a large slice of camouflage looking cloth, but equally the first 15 minutes took the next they slowly but surely thought that I accept in fact transformed myself into a pile of grass and rubble – A adept thing for me at least.
I saw the minor group of Tufted Ducks approaching and hoped they would ignore the large piece of drinking glass slightly protruding out of the pile of rubble (my hide).  I had them and everyone-else fooled, close by birdwatchers included – SUCCES!

Another 20 minutes past by and I thought that maybe just maybe, the Goldeneyes were scared off by my tactics until suddenly the male person, slowly but surely glided past my sight of vision and travelled across the camera viewfinder. NOW it's beginning to look like christmas every bit Bing Crosby back before travelling by aeroplane was a common thing.

FOCUS darn it FOCUS

Happy as a camper I imitate noticed the female too much closer to what I would call photo distance with the i.4x Sigma Teleconverter TC-1401 and I started pressing the backfocus button. Exercise note I've configured the photographic camera-body to have different focus modes depending on what button I press. The usual backfocus push button have I configured to what Catechism telephone call's "FOCUS CASE 2" with some tweaks meaning it'll ignore the near obstacles and endeavour to keeps focus on the discipline as long as possible and focus inside a large zone. If you don't accept opportunity of your photographic camera'due south diverse custom modes and push configurations mayhap it's about time you should.

Knowing that the zone was covering a smashing bargain more than the bird I ended unwisely the camera should be able to effigy it out. Armed with this piece of photographic equipment a focus job easy as this should be a cakewalk. Calm waters and a bird with contrasting plumage should be a walk in the park – And so I thought!

The Goldeneye couple continued their small-scale swim towards me. SLAP – SLAP – SLAP, in focus, backfocus, frontfocus

It didn't accept more a couple of seconds to detect that was not the example. With the advanced continuous autofocus engaged, the Sigma 500mm f/4 DG Bone HSM Sports Lens plus Sigma  1.4x Teleconverter TC-1401 focus rapidly and constantly. Unfortunately to my surprise also imprecisely. I noticed one frame in focus, the adjacent frame completely backfocused, the next frontfocused and then in repeat  in an obvious blueprint. Must be an mistake was my first thought every bit powercycled the camera to no avail.
The Goldeneye couple continued their small swim towards me. SLAP – SLAP – SLAP, in focus, backfocus, frontfocus.. I reached for the button on the lens barrel which protruded the bag-hide all while hoping the subjects wouldn't take notice. They didn't.
You see I've configured the button on lens barrel (if such exists) to only shoot IF and simply IF the subject in 100% in focus. Every bit the camera is, when a lens barrel button is pushed, configured for one focus indicate simply besides and complete ignore all obstacles. Y'all tin't get any more strict focus mode on a Canon camera. It's truly a brilliant fashion to swiftly switch from birds in flight with the back focus button engaged to a very irksome moving and stationary subjects only. I take to stress if you have yet to customize your camera please consider doing so as you'll be saving a lot of time in the heat of action as well at to the lowest degree give yourself a lot more opportunities.
Back on subject literally and this I too discovered this focus tweak didn't do any favors. With my go to lens the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS Ii in that location's clearly a BIG divergence and even sometimes the photographic camera refuses to shoot even when I think it's in focus.
Not the case with theSigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens plus Sigma  ane.4x Teleconverter TC-1401 as it kept clicking away similar crazy. SLAP – SLAP – SLAP, in focus, backfocus, frontfocus – What the h***?! Unexpected behavior…

Now the birds where so shut they were filling more than of the frame so in a rapid move that didn't disturb the birds by yours truly and I swiftly with elegance of an elephant removed the Sigma  1.4x Teleconverter TC-1401 and BAM. The "issue" was gone and things were making sense once again.  The culprit was the teleconverter and one which I should have suspected before.

I must admit I thought and hoped for a ameliorate focus precision with the teleconverter mounted, then have that in listen if yous're pondering to buy this otherwise splendid lens.

FOCUS SPEEEEEED

An essential buy with the Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens is the Sigma USB dock. Besides it gives you the ability to microadjust focus way beyond what a normal person would find just too much, y'all can temper with both Os (Optical stabilization) modes and fifty-fifty more so focus speed.
It's really going from good focusing speed to world grade – the difference is VAST!
Beforehand I would rank it pretty good merely non 500mm f/4 prime skillful more than similar 70-200mm good. With speed priority information technology's 300mm F/2.8 fast (orEF 400mm f/four Practise IS 2 <- don't tell Canon cause they'll just ramp up prices on this otherwise a steal of a lens)
Focus speed takes a price with the Sigma 1.4x Teleconverter TC-1401 but as written in the last paragraphs focus speed would be the least of your worries. Too it'south not that big of a speed decrease only it's noticeable.
All in all a fast focusing lens. Supply with the USB dock and you lot'll get a very fast focusing lens in return.
Forget the performance with the Sigma 2x Teleconverter TC-2001 😉

Pixelpeeping for days

It's a mutual fact that a lens is but useable if yous're happy with your pixel peeping results. Who gives a flying bird if information technology's superb in everything else.. – Sharpness is king.  Well sort of but for all you pixel peepers out in that location I'm more than happy to report it's OEM quality and I'll swear on the eyes of my child (Borat reference) you will never ever exist able to tell on from the others. The Sigma 500mm f/four DG OS HSM Sports Lens is a optically superb lens! Expressionless sharp wide open and I'm not as well sure y'all'll proceeds anything past stopping downward. With the addedSigma 1.4x Teleconverter TC-1401 sharpness a minimally reduces (as it would be a on lens in the class) and you could easily (focusing issues bated) shot this wide open everyday with or without the TC-1401 with little divergence in terms sharpness.
I find the contrast slightly lower than the Canon analogue (Canon lenses are often quite contrasty) which gives a worse JPEG epitome only with almost no deviation if y'all're shooting RAW. Ofttimes does lower contrast lenses expect amend into the shadows or highlights merely tend to give a flatter image.

Download the samples here:
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG Os HSM Sports Lens samples on Onedrive

Prior high-cease lenses from Sigma similar the Sigma 300-800mm f/v.vi EX DG APO IF had a very warm color tone (suitable for nature photography) but theSigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens shows a very neutral color-tone. (I tend to like warmer colortones more most)
In terms of colors I couldn't see a difference when using either teleconverter.

Forgot the 2x extender or to be specific the Sigma 2x Teleconverter TC-2001, the lens isn't up to the task a delivering acceptable results unless you lot cease down across what most would employ and the focusing leaves much desired. I'm sure information technology's the aforementioned with the Canon branded ane. – Leave it dwelling or in your backpack and merely apply it for those rare occasions.

I did find theSigma 500mm f/4 DG Os HSM Sports Lens less precipitous at larger distances than the Canon counterpart (in where Canon unremarkably excels) and then it was as I suspected and better than theSigma 300-800mm f/five.half-dozen EX DG APO IF.
All in all a potent optical performer MUCH better than previous renditions and all the other tele-lenses Sigma has ever made.

Decision

In short if you lot recall an equal OEM (Catechism or Nikon or perhaps even Sony) is out of your reach then the Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens is an piece of cake buy. It's really that sharp and if y'all're in a region where you'll never or seldom utilize a teleextender it's a gem of a lens equally it offer ultra fast focus speed, super sharp images and a plethora of options for your shooting style.
I'grand a bit disappointed about  teleextender (or teleconverter, which name is information technology anyway..) operation and I find it hindered the lens more than than I would like to.

All in all great lens Most as skillful equally the OEMs in some areas and Improve in some.
Sigma if you can please firmware update the lens for better extender performance so we tin utilize this otherwise smashing lens to its full potential.