Sigma has long struck an exciting balance between offering high-quality alternatives to lenses the major camera makers offer and creating unique optics that offer something different from existing lenses. Sigma’s two newest lenses both mostly fall into the latter category. The Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports lens is not wholly unique but fills an empty void in the E-mount and L-mount systems.
Like the other new lens, the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Diagonal Fisheye Art, the 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports prime is built for full-frame mirrorless cameras, including those from Sony, Panasonic, Leica, and Sigma itself. Promising a “whole new ultra-telephoto experience,” the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports lens is compact, lightweight, and designed for enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The lens weighs 1,370 grams (48.3 ounces), including the tripod foot, which is impressively lightweight given its focal length. The lens includes optical image stabilization, per the “OS” in the model name, ensuring it is suitable for handheld shooting.
There are no existing 500mm f/5.6 lenses for mirrorless cameras against which to compare the new Sigma prime. Still, it can be measured against the Nikon 500mm f/5.6E PF ED AF-S Nikkor VR lens for F-mount DSLR cameras, which remains a popular lens for mirrorless shooters who use it alongside Nikon’s FTZ adapter. This $3,600 lens weighs 1,451 grams (51.2 ounces), making it a bit heavier than Sigma’s new lens.
Nikon’s lens is 23.6 centimeters (9.3 inches) long, almost identical to Sigma, which is 23.5 centimeters (9.2 inches) in length. If used on a Nikon Z camera, the FTZ adapter will add a little length to the setup.
As for optics, the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 sports 20 elements across 14 groups, including three FLD and two SLD elements. Sigma says that by utilizing exclusive low-dispersion (LD) convex elements at the front of the lens, the telephoto prime promises significantly reduced aberrations and a short overall length.
“The lens has excellent correction of all aberrations, especially axial chromatic aberration, which cannot be corrected by the camera body, ensuring a stable high resolution from the center to the periphery of the image,” Sigma says. Lofty promises, but ones that PetaPixel‘s hands-on testing corroborates.
Interestingly, Nikon used PF, or phase Fresnel, elements in its 500mm f/5.6 lens. This was done to keep the size and weight down but came at the cost of some increased susceptibility to specific lens flare issues, which is why Nikon has not yet implemented PF optics into its flagship super-telephoto lenses. For its part, Sigma says its new lens uses refractive lenses to prevent the flare and ghosting that are characteristic of diffractive optical elements, “allowing for clear images without concern for flare or ghosting even in backlit conditions or when a light source is included in the image.”
A 500mm f/5.6 lens is an excellent option for sports and wildlife, but only if the autofocus system can keep pace with fast-moving subjects. Sigma implements a high-response linear actuator (HLA) in its new system, which promises high focus accuracy and speed, plus quiet focusing.
“The HLA enables fast and accurate autofocus even in ultra-telephoto photography, such as sports and bird, where extremely precise focusing is required,” the company promises.
The lens can focus as 320 centimeters (126 inches), resulting in a maximum magnification ratio of 1:6. The L-mount version of the lens is compatible with Sigma’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, enabling a higher magnification ratio at the cost of a slower maximum aperture. Plus, a 1000mm focal length can be compelling, especially if the available light allows.
Optical image stabilization is critical for handholding any lens, but especially one as long as the Sigma 500mm f/5.6. Sigma says the lens incorporates the latest OS2 optical stabilization algorithm and can provide up to five stops of shake correction. It includes two modes, aptly named Mode 1 and Mode 2, which work well for general shooting and panning, respectively.
Part of getting the weight down comes down to not only the optical design, but the materials used for the lens body itself. The lens uses high-precision TSC (thermally stable composite) alongside magnesium components.
The mount connection, manual focus ring, switches, and exterior connection are all dust and splash-resistant. Further, the front element features a water and oil-repellent coating. The focus ring can be switched from liner to non-linear functionality on L-mount cameras. On E-mount cameras, while this feature is unavailable, the lens does support AF assist, a Sony-specific feature.
Concerning switches, the barrel includes an aperture ring and three AFL buttons, which can be assigned to perform different functions.
Like other Sigma lenses with a tripod foot, the 500mm f/5.6 sports a removable tripod foot that is Arca-Swiss compatible, meaning it can be attached directly to Arca-Swiss tripod heads without any special plate.
Sample Images
Pricing and Availability
The Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS Sports lens will be available in L-mount and E-mount versions on March 14 for $2,999. It ships with a case, lens hood, tripod socket, front cap (95mm), and rear cap.
Image credits: Sigma