Sigma 50-500mm distortion?

It's a zoom, what do you expect? The 50-500 is one of a kind in it's range- it's not much of a great performer wide open, and even at f/8 it's contrast is still lacking. But then again, if you need the 50-500 range, you can't really compare it to anything else.

Here's hoping somebody with experience will actually post something useful rather than dogmatic.

I would have to say it's an odd zoom range however. If you really need the specialised long end, do you really need the 50mm as well? Though I am fond of the idea of a 28-200 for general walkabouts, I am surprised to find someone wanting a 50-500. I think the 100-300 f4 EX IF with 2x teleconverter for the same price sounds better. Can you say what you expect to take pictures of?

I actually owned one of these, back when I was not so smart. Build quality is great (it is made of metal). Carying handle is great. Focusing is not as good as afs stuff, but it is very good.

I sold it when I realised that it was not actually very good for anything! Normally, I have some idea of what I want to photograph in advance - portrait, macro, car, bird etc. It is not like I walk down the street and have to take a shot of anything with 3 sec warning - snail! - zoom - focus - cerching (10 points)... burglar! - zoom - focus - cerching (50 points)... humingbird! - zoom - focus - etc. etc.

Essentially, you would probably be better off tailoring your lens choices better to your subjects. Personally, I got a cheap 50mm lens, an 80-200 f2.8 & a TC. and make appropriate lens selection depending on subject. For me, this method gives much better performance - I don't have to have a ton of stuff in front of my camera if I'm only going to use a 50mm lens. And I get much faster lenses.

I didn't have a problem with distortion, but I wasn't really shooting subjects where I'd notice. I would say that it is not a reason not to get this lens.

Hi I am responding to some of the comments given about where you would want to use a lens from 50-500mm. I bought my lens with a Nikon f90x for the purpose of photographing Kenyan wildlife on safari. When you have a small antelope 20 feet away, then an elephant 20 feet away, this is where you need a focal range of 50-500. As for hand held photos at 500mm, crouching down with the camera rested on your knee is sufficient to produce excellent picture quality

Think of this as a 500mm lens that's a less expensive, smaller and lighter option to a Nikon/Canon prime telephoto that can cost as much as a good used car. It just happens to be able to zoom down to 50mm, which can come in handy at times. Not that anybody is going walk out of the house to shoot wedding photos with this thing, unless they happen to be a tripod loving weight lifter.

This lens has actually allowed me to do some serious wildlife work, where a 400mm doesn't quite cut it. Above 400mm, the lens availability landscape seems to evaporate for those not willing to take out a second mortgage or haul equipment around with a hand truck.

To be sure, as soon as I'm done with this lens, the regular Nikon 28-80mm goes back on in it's stead. To my amazement though, the Sigma shots are coming out just as sharp as any Nikon lens I own. Otherwise, the lens is just too big and awkward for anything but the occasional 'lucky' shot below 300mm.