Remember that 200-500mm F/2.8?

[DonSchap]

SIGMA really got it in gear at PMA 07, when they propped up a 200-500mm f/2.8 telephoto in their area, weighing 34 lbs and requiring a lifting team to use. It weighs nearly as much as six red clay bricks ... so, if you are curious ... get some and lug them babies around the block.

Anyway, at PMA 08, they colored it green and painted "SIGMA" in big white letters on the side of it.

34897

Well, the price is out ... they want a $1000/lb for it. Yeah $34,000 ... just in time for China and the Olympics! When you purchase seat tickets for your flight over and your arena seat, better get some for "junior", here.

I looked for it, shopping on the web, and found it for around $25,000, street price.

And to think, people were speculating, maybe $16,000 at the worst and around $12,000 at the least. LOL :rolleyes: ... someone is going to get tapped. :eek:

I wonder how much it will sell for AFTER the Olympics are over?

[cdifoto]

Hmm. It's almost as expensive as beef jerky.

[JTL]

Might need a camera dolly to support it. What tripod can support it?

Even Ah-nold would have a hard time trying to hand hold that!!! Would make a pretty funny picture...:D

[Rhys]

I can see we won't be getting junkmails about viagra any more. We'll be getting them for steroids :p

[Paradox]

I saw one of those at Focus-On Imaging a couple of months ago - Absolute monster of a lens! It'll definitely turn heads...probably irreparably damage yours as well if you tried to support it on a neck strap. :eek:

[DonSchap]

I hear the French are using it as a photographic guillotine and the Spanish as a high-speed garotte. :D

Instead of "dead weight" ... it's more like drop-dead-weight.

Imagine carrying around two 16-lb. bowling balls ... then, you have a clue.

[downtrodden]

what i wonder, with the elemants having to weigh so much... how difficult is it to turn the zoom ring and zoom in!? You'd have to have mega arms just to zoom it!!

[DonSchap]

We'll have to have Jeff up and get one. You know, just for trial purposes with various cameras. LOL :) He can tote it to Alaska, for trials.

Why not use the proceeds from the noobies who ask, on the forum: "What camera should I buy?" ROTFL :D

$25,000 ... that's a lot of S&H Green Stamps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%26H_Green_Stamps) <- a blast from the past ...

[bass7858]

hey don,
too funny man. i remember my mom redeeming those books filled with s&h greenstamps!!! remember going to the s&h store....the whole nine yards!!
also remember how snippy she'd get with the cashier at winn dixie if she forgot to give her the stamps!!;):eek:

[Screenclutter]

I saw this link at dpreview, it has the above 200-500mm F/2.8 Sigma listed.

http://www.crestock.com/blog/technology/the-worlds-most-extreme-photography-equipment-117.aspx

[Razr]

There's always the OLYMPUS ZUIKO 90-250mm (180-500mm) f/2.8 @ about 3.5 pounds.
And their 300mm (600mm) f/2.8.

[Rhys]

Oh my goodness. Green Shield stamps... I remember my mother collecting those and being disappointed the last time that she had several books full that the Green Shield shop didn't stock much of anything worth having. That I think was about the end of Green Shield stamps in Britain. Now we get these "loyalty points". I used to make sure I did all my spending on one particular credit card then when I'd got enough points to get something worthwhile, they changed the system and only had rubbish left. They asked me if I wanted any of it or to change my points over to the new system and I just said "sorry - not interested". At the end of the day, points are designed as a worthless gimmick.

[cwphoto]

I can't see this spending much time as a production model - I even have my doubts it will ever make it.

Who exactly will use this thing again?

[cwphoto]

There's always the OLYMPUS ZUIKO 90-250mm (180-500mm) f/2.8 @ about 3.5 pounds.
And their 300mm (600mm) f/2.8.

FFS Ed, not this crap again. The numbers in the brackets don't count clown. :mad:

[Rhys]

I can't honestly see the market for this myself.

Looking at alternatives, there're plenty lighter and cheaper such as these:
Sigma 170-500
Sigma 50-500
Sigma 300-800
Tamron 200-500

All except the 300-800 under a grand and only 2 stops darker!

[EddieRock]

Just looking at it makes my hernia throb! Yes... my hernia.

Maybe if they took the handle off it, I could just roll it around on location. At least the attached camera woud not touch the ground :)

I'd be interested if Sigma cound offer a matching green two wheeler to go with it. It's big enough that if you dropped it on the grass, you wouldn't loose it. I may have to purchase additional life insurance to make sure it does not land on me and take me out.

[cdifoto]

I can't see this spending much time as a production model - I even have my doubts it will ever make it.

Who exactly will use this thing again?

I'd use it if it included a golf cart with a turret.

[EddieRock]

Would it be any good for macro photography of the moon?

So if I use an extension tube or 5, maybe it would work just fine. As long as I could prop it up on my shoulder like a bazooka and have my son take the shot.

Oh, I forgot... My hernia is throbing again.

Has anyone used one of these?