[reeftool]

Some awesome examples! Can't wait for some nicer weather to get out with mine more.

[mohb]

Only four weeks to the start of the cricket season, cricket being the reason I bought this lens As this was taken at 500mm and f6.3 I really have nothing but praise for this lens

[reeftool]

I had the big lens out this past weekend shooting motorcycle races again, this time in much warmer weather at the Albany Saratoga Speedway. All the shots were with a K5. The first 3 follow 3 side by side racers through turns 3 and 4 and catching up to a 4th.





[IMG][/IMG]

Motorcycle racing is never dull. The amazing thing is these guys usually get back up and keep going.





The lens performs well and has no issues tracking focus once I start shooting. It is slow to achieve focus for the first shot or when I make a huge change in distance but I had no problem tracking the bikes through the turns. None of these shots were coming straight at me. It's pretty easy following the bikes when they are more or less horizontal to your position. I did these events for years with a MF 300/4. Having the extra reach is a big help and so is the versatility of a zoom.

[lesmore49]

I had the big lens out this past weekend shooting motorcycle races again, this time in much warmer weather at the Albany Saratoga Speedway. All the shots were with a K5. The first 3 follow 3 side by side racers through turns 3 and 4 and catching up to a 4th.





[/IMG]

Motorcycle racing is never dull. The amazing thing is these guys usually get back up and keep going.





The lens performs well and has no issues tracking focus once I start shooting. It is slow to achieve focus for the first shot or when I make a huge change in distance but I had no problem tracking the bikes through the turns. None of these shots were coming straight at me. It's pretty easy following the bikes when they are more or less horizontal to your position. I did these events for years with a MF 300/4. Having the extra reach is a big help and so is the versatility of a zoom.

Some really great pix that make the viewer feel like he's in on the action. Those bikes really move....congrats on excellent work and obviously the K-5 and the 150-500 Sigma can handle fast moving action.

[reeftool]

Some really great pix that make the viewer feel like he's in on the action. Those bikes really move....congrats on excellent work and obviously the K-5 and the 150-500 Sigma can handle fast moving action.

It worked quite well following the action. My biggest gripe with the lens is the AF is incredibly slow in the cold. I couldn't use it last winter for the motorcycle and ATV races out on the frozen lakes for extended periods. It would start out fine but after a couple of hours, it would struggle to achieve focus. Whether it was the cold affecting the the mechanical parts in the lens and straining the motor or the cold affecting the battery in the camera, I don't really know. I mounted the MF K300/4 to finish the day (on the same camera battery) without problems. To be fair, the conditions were extreme, just a few degrees above 0F and winds that kept most sane people indoors except for motorcycle racers and one crazy photographer.

I'll be posting more as the summer goes on. I haven't got out birding with it yet and I'm hoping to get out on our local lake to try getting some shots of the loons which have proved to be difficult with shorter glass.

[gaweidert]

It worked quite well following the action. My biggest gripe with the lens is the AF is incredibly slow in the cold. I couldn't use it last winter for the motorcycle and ATV races out on the frozen lakes for extended periods. It would start out fine but after a couple of hours, it would struggle to achieve focus. Whether it was the cold affecting the the mechanical parts in the lens and straining the motor or the cold affecting the battery in the camera, I don't really know. I mounted the MF K300/4 to finish the day (on the same camera battery) without problems. To be fair, the conditions were extreme, just a few degrees above 0F and winds that kept most sane people indoors except for motorcycle racers and one crazy photographer.

I'll be posting more as the summer goes on. I haven't got out birding with it yet and I'm hoping to get out on our local lake to try getting some shots of the loons which have proved to be difficult with shorter glass.

My Sigma 17-70 auto focus pretty much dies around 25F. I was out with it last winter and finally switched to manual focus. It was really digging into the battery life too. It kind of surprised me as I am fairly new to auto focus lenses.

[reeftool]

I've noticed it a little on my 17-70 but the lens does keep working. I brought it along during the ice racing season and would use to to take shots of the racers and friends in the pit areas during breaks. It would spend most of the day in my bag but it was still out in the cold. I never had those issues with screw drive lenses. I have shot skiing events all day in near 0F with a Sigma 70-300 with both the K5 and K10D without AF issues or battery problems. For these type of events, I have to leave my gear out in the cold because the lenses will fog if I bring them inside. The one day I did use the 150-500 successfully for ice racing, the temperatures were in the 20's (F).

[Srhphoto]

Taken with my K3



Cheers,

Simon.

[boriscleto]

April & May 2015

[boriscleto]

June - November 2015. I didn't use the lens at all in August or October.

[boriscleto]

[wtlwdwgn]

This is at the short end.