The Sigma 50-500mm EX DG HSM APO ultra telephoto lens is not only a mouthful to say its also a bit of a handful in your hands.

With all your camera kit at the ready on loaded you could be carrying around 4KG of photography kit in your hands and with this long ultra telephoto lens measuring in at just under 15 inches (lens with hood) you know how much of a handful these are going to be and how essential a tripod is.

The lens is handy for outdoor shoots, but not for indoor as it becomes far too slow for indoor use and produces slightly soft images. however I purchased this lens to replace a 55-200mm Nikkor DX lens that  was far too light on the camera and above 135mm the camera would always jump even on a tripod. This lens isn’t too bad and as soft as you may think as many people are slightly blind so it will come across as normal and I have had many clients say that they cant see where the images are  soft, so Maybe all the reports of the lens being soft of from us over critical photographers that want pin Sharpe images?

Another plus point with this lens is that its tight and not sloppy so you really do cause a vacuum when your are using it and there is a lock on it at certain points, though I never need to use it to stop lens creep.  and another handy point I should make is that the end lens is easy to remove with a few screws that are easy to access so cleaning this lens on this inside isn’t hard at all, though I find that little dirt is pulling into the lens..

If you’re a summer out door photographer then this is a good lens, it not for ramblers due to its weight and after carrying this around all day or for a good part of it you do know what you have been doing.

It isnt front heavy either so its not too bad in that respect, but with the handle (tripod mount)  it can make trying to hold it a little akward as it guides you hand too far back and therefore weakens your hold on the camera and lens. With that said, after a few hours, you will want a tripod and a sturdy one at that.

If you look at the money costs of the lens in comparison, the F2.8 lens are going to be around 5 times the price of this lens and  if you work out the value of this lens and its costs it does make it very good value.