Sigma 150-500mm f.5-6.3

[brontis5]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with this lens or opinions about it?

Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/549255-REG/Sigma_737101_150_500mm_f_5_6_3_DG_OS.html

[adam613]

I gave it serious consideration, but I decided against it almost as soon as I got my hands on one. I loved the build quality, but not much else. It's built like a tank, and as such is heavy (over 4 lbs). The image quality is ok if you stop down, but stopping down at the long end means f/11, and I wouldn't love shooting airplanes at that aperture even with an image stabilizer. The autofocus works well enough...not lighting-fast, but there's a lot of glass to move around.

Given that you can get a used 100-400 (http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon-100-400mm-f4.5-5.6-l-is/for-canon) for about the same price, this lens is a tough sell.

[Jetinder]

In 2002 i was going to get this lens but decided to get the Tokina 80-400mm + x1.5 converter as i wanted my zoom lenses to over lap each other
i.e.
28-105mm standard zoom
80-400mm telephoto zoom

If i had a 28-200mm standard zoom then i definately would have got the sigma 150-500mm as with a x1.5 converter it would have been perfect for the ultra long zoom shots i need of Concorde on full afterburners zooming in to clouds.