[glanglois]

I've been looking at this for while. Adorama, B&H, and Amazon lowered their prices to $1,099 and it got interesting.

When B&H and Adorama were both backordered, I placed a "notify me" request on B&H and placed an order-to-be-fulfilled later order with Adorama. Meanwhile, Amazon raised the price $100 with one or two left - but more coming!

Now .... B&H changed the status from out of stock to discontinued.

Quote: # Important Notice!
# This item has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available.

Canon and Sony are in stock but Nikon is discontinued and Sigma is delayed ship.

Amazon still reports having stock and also refers to 47th Street. They also say they have only one in Canon mount but "more on the way".

Adorama has Nikon and Canon and Sony, and says my order is "pending". Perhaps pending cancellation?

Should I buy someplace, anyplace, and eat another $100? Should I buy ten of them as an investment? Should we wait and assume that Sigma has a new OS model that we'd all love and pay $300 more for?

Any other bright ideas ?????

[gnome]

And OrenMC just sold his...

[jct us101]

Why have I never heard of this lens before or it's new OS version?

Can you provide some links about it?

[axl]

Why have I never heard of this lens before or it's new OS version?

Can you provide some links about it?

I'd be willing to bet on it!
AFAIK this lens has been really popular on APSC cameras, I don't see reason other than upgrade to discontinue it (well, if it was Pentax than maybe just for the heck of it.... )

[glanglois]

Why have I never heard of this lens before or it's new OS version?

Can you provide some links about it?

Info on the existing model (non-HSM in the Pentax version) is available at the Sigma site. You'll also find it at B&H, Adorama, Amazon, and many other reputable on-line retailers.

I'm afraid that I can't speculate on why you haven't heard of it. It's been around in some version or another since at least 2006. Perhaps you've simply not looked into long zooms. There are certainly enough other kinds to look at.

[jct us101]

Info on the existing model (non-HSM in the Pentax version) is available at the Sigma site. You'll also find it at B&H, Adorama, Amazon, and many other reputable on-line retailers.

I'm afraid that I can't speculate on why you haven't heard of it. It's been around in some version or another since at least 2006. Perhaps you've simply not looked into long zooms. There are certainly enough other kinds to look at.

You don't mean the 100-300mm f/2.8 or whatever, that huge one? I thought you were talking about a kit lens style, which is why I got excited about it.

[glanglois]

You don't mean the 100-300mm f/2.8 or whatever, that huge one? I thought you were talking about a kit lens style, which is why I got excited about it.

This model is neither. It's a constant F/4, not 2.8. Don't know who makes a 100-300mm f/2.8 although you can get primes in that vicinity from various vendors.

Nor is a kit, not with those specs and a price tag of about USD $1,200.

Check the Sigma site for your country for more info.

[glanglois]

From an email that I received an hour ago from Sigma:

"Thank you for your interest in Sigma products.

The lens as of now is done for the Pentax and Nikon mounts but the other mounts not yet.

As of now there are no plans to re-introduce the lens.

We apologize for the inconvenience."

So ..... there you have it. Buy now or look at the other long zooms on the market.

Some writers have suggested that this is a fine lens in search of a market - too short for wildlife photogs, too long for portraits, and too heavy for most casual shooters.

I must be a glutton for punishment as I only fit the last category.

[OrenMc]

And OrenMC just sold his...

To be replaced by Sigma 300/2.8

[Digitalis]

I'm thankful that I got mine when I did...on my ME super it's a fantastic workhorse lens...a little front heavy though hehe

I call BS in those who say it's too short for wildlife work, on APS-C it's fine.

[OrenMc]

Digitalis,
I agree 300mm is great for a lot of work on ASP-C but I still found myself wanting longer much of the time.
I was never real happy with the combined 2x TC though so I am hoping the 300/2.8 is a big improvement.

I am going to miss the versitality of the zoom though. It would be nice to find myself in a position to sell some photos to help with the finances of my lens purchases. But my love for photography is enough to justify my hobby.
At least that what I tell myself

This is from the 100-300 but it is a crop. So longer FL would have been nice.

[Digitalis]

yeah, I agree with you on that one OrenMc. A decent prime provides higher image quality than the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 - because as i'm sure you know the closer your subject gets the more you have to stop down to get decent image quality. At it's minimum focus distance(1.8m) @300mm the lens is pretty much useless, at any aperture. Though that's what you get when you buy a zoom lens..... it's the versatility of a zoom that was so attractive for me. You don't get many quality zooms in that sort of focal length range.

*mind you I do make use of my Pentax 300mm f/2.8, with a 1.4 Teleconverter gives some substantial reach with excellent image quality.

[borno]

I thought it was great for wildlife too, though I sold mine when saving for a 300mm f2.8 also. I had to zoom out to 160mm for this one while lying in the seaweed, he was too busy catching minnows to care about me.

[OrenMc]

*mind you I do make use of my Pentax 300mm f/2.8, with a 1.4 Teleconverter gives some substantial reach with excellent image quality.

Great example and nice shot!
Which 1,4 Tc are you using with your 300/2.8?
I currently have the tamron 1.4 which was excellent with the Sigma 100-300 so I am hoping it will work well with the 300/2.8. I have the Sigma EX 2x also and I am dieing to give it a go also.

I got the lens yesterday late so no chance to try it out. I am hoping for a little sun today so I can get out and enjoy some shooting.

BTW, a Pentax FA came up on ebay for $2500.00 so thats what got me scrambling to put some cash together. I just missed it but the Sigma came up which was really lucky. First used Sigma I've seen and for a great price I think at todays market.
Man I wish I could have gotten the Pentax though. $2500 is a killer price.

I thought it was great for wildlife too, though I sold mine when saving for a 300mm f2.8 also. I had to zoom out to 160mm for this one while lying in the seaweed, he was too busy catching minnows to care about me.

Nice shot borno, I know I am going to love my 300/2.8 but I am surely going to miss the 100-300. An absolutely fisrt rate lens.

I am going to have to start to do some push-up and curls. The weight difference
is a bit more that I expected. Numbers don't really tell the whole story. The 100-300 balanced very well so it didn't seem so heavy. First initial thought on the 300/2.8 is " this suckers heavy " .
I know after a little use though I will adjust and it won't seem so much. My monopod is going to get a bit more use.

[Digitalis]

I use a pentax A 1.4-S on my FA*300mm f/2.8 but recently I have been using the sigma 1.4 teleconverter, for the AF functionality. As you can see the image quality isn't severely impacted... by the way the other 1.4 TC I have is the pentax 1.4-L which I have used on a FA* 600mm f/4 with impressive results. full image and 100% crop below: