[Clinton]

Sigma 300-800mm F/5.6 to be updated soon | Photo Rumors

If it's getting an update in August, does this mean splash proof and Pentax mount? If so, I better start saving a year ago. If these were available for us Pentax users, who else would be ready to buy one in the near future?

Sigma, sign me up!

[Mike.P®]

Not me.

I enjoy my photography but can think of much more interesting things to spend that sort of money on.

[littledrawe]

That is a huge focal range and I would love to have one!

[imtheguy]

Hmmmmmm....would have to know a lot more about performance, especially around 500mm and f/5.6. Hope you can find time to write an extensive review when you get one. You can finance it by renting out (no joke) your already extensive collection of bigs.

[garyk]

I don't know if this will be in the Pentax mount. Before I started switching to Canon I called my contact at Sigma corp. office in Japan and asked if there were any updates to the supertele lenes for Pentax in the near future. He may be just jerking me around. But after a week of checking he said no plans for Super tele's for Pentax planed in the near future. Hummmm

I hope he is just playing it safe with the info and not saying. It would be a huge deal for the 500mm f4.5 to be reworked. OS, HSM, splash froof, and better optics for Pentax would really put Pentax back in the hunt in my opinion. I have pretty much turned the corner now. Hope Pentax gets this it would be something to see.

I asked after the 100-300 was anounce because I thought it might be a turning point. But he killed it for me.

Here is a test against the Canon 500mm f4L and the 300mm-800mm F5.6 Sigma. http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/58879465/original
The Sigma is very impressive. I have shot with a guy that has one in Thailand and it is a monster. Just way overkill for the jungle, 5.6 to slow and too heavy and awkward for me. But he said on the ocean and out in the open it rocks. Not my cup of tea. But for some of the guys it would be great.

[Stratman]

My cousin has the 300-800 in Nikon mount, and he loves it. It's friggin huge, makes his D3X look like a toy, haha. I think he said it weighs 15 lbs.

[Frogfish]

You already have the 250-600 and that is a dream for me ! I can't think how an extra 200mm at that length is going to make much difference.

[Bob from Aus]

I will just be happy to get my Sigma 500 that has been on back order for months. I was wandering how I would travel with the 500mm with my other kit on aircraft. The idea of dragging a 300-800 on a flight is unreal. I am not sure if the reaction one would get would be fun or a disaster.

[garyk]

Hey Bob from Aus, I have that 500mm lens in Pentax mount. For it's size it produces some of the best bird shots i have ever taken. Very easy to travel with.
That is one fine supertele lens. Congratulations.

[Bob from Aus]

Thanks garyk - Nice to have you confirm the lens can do the job and it is easy to travel with. It has been difficult waiting and I have hardly got the sigma 50-500 out since I put in the order.

[HawaiianOnline]

There may not be a Pentax mount version of this lens until Ricoh makes a clear move showing their intentions with Pentax.

EDIT: That said, this lens would be ideal for surf photography and I would love to have one. Going to have to save up though...

[jogiba]

My cousin has the 300-800 in Nikon mount, and he loves it. It's friggin huge, makes his D3X look like a toy, haha. I think he said it weighs 15 lbs.

35.3 lbs for 1200-1700mm lens only

[Stratman]

35.3 lbs for 1200-1700mm lens only

You win !!

[Clinton]

You already have the 250-600 and that is a dream for me ! I can't think how an extra 200mm at that length is going to make much difference.

You don't know how awesome it is to discuss with your partner who is going to shoot with the lens next (read stop hoarding the precious.)

[24X36NOW]

Sigma is (unfortunately) replacing their lenses with new "Optical Stabilization" lenses, at prices that are typically at least double the price of their non-OS predecessors. The replacement for this awesome lens is therefore likely to be wearing a downright frightening price tag. You can rest assured there will be NO Pentax K-mount version, since they couldn't sell enough of them to what (little) is left of the Pentax enthusiast user base to make it worth their while.

Now if Ricoh were to swing for the fences with say, a FF K-Mount dSLR, then maybe some day Pentax will fight its way back into the market enough to be blessed with such optics in K-mount again (like in the glory days of manual focus, when EVERY conceivable lens from 3rd party makers came in K-mount).

I'm not holding my breath, though.