Macbadger Loc: Illinois

Has anyone heard anything about when this might come out?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

There have been rumors about it being in the works with the SWM and OS, but nothing solid yet. I had a chance to shoot one last summer and it could definitly use the upgrades. Nice glass but Darwinian AF speed.

Macbadger Loc: Illinois

That's what I have heard, and have been waiting for a while to see if the new version would appear. I keep checking Nikon rumors, but haven't seen anything definitive.

shutterfly Loc: Indiana

Hmmmmmmmmm...this may be a dumb question but will ask anyway...........is there a new version of this lens in the rumor mill? I ask because I am getting ready to purchase the Nikon AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED Lens from B&H, they have it in stock.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I should have said VR II instead of OS, sorry. Been dealing with Sigmas too much lately! LOL

Macbadger Loc: Illinois

There has been rumors of a new version for quite some time(years) but nothing definite that I have heard. Everyone agrees that one is overdue.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I would be interested if it was f 2.8 throughout.

mwoods222 Loc: Newburg N.Y,

For me its 2 nikon 18 55 sigma 70 300 what else could i possibly need ?

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

I have used the Nikon 80-400 and it is most likely the worst lens Nikon ever made. The sharpness was good but the thing just wouldn't focus unless there was plenty of light and then the speed wasn't good. Three years ago I tried the Tokina 80-400 at the trade show that is held at the Javits Center in NYC. It blew the Nikon away. It too was sharp and the auto focus was fast. I asked if there were any plans to go OS/VR with the lens. The factory rep told me there was and it should be out in the following year.
Each of the last two years I checked with Tokina, but no lens yet. The rep. this past year told me they had made one and given it to the factory reps. to test. He said the thing was awful. Huge, must have weighed several pounds, had a front lens of something like 82mm., was clumsy and hard to use. After the engineers got the report back they scrapped it. The rep. felt there might not be a replacement. Too bad, their non-Os/vr lens is very good.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Nikon, Tokina and Tamron have all missed the boat in this range. The Sigmas (150-500mm & 50-500mm) are both extremely sharp, have very fast HSM autofocus, and very effective OS. Everybody else seems to have forsaken upgrading their long zooms and now anything they do is just going to be playing catch-up with Sigma. Nikon did make the AMAZING 200-400mm F4 VR II N, and it has no rivals at this point, but its also almost $7000. Only thing out there that outshine it is the worlds ONLY 500mm F2.8 and thats Sigmas Green Monster 200-500mm F2.8 at a dainty little price of about $26,000!

idelsoni

I just sold my 80-400. It was very sharp and the VR worked well but it was very slow to focus. I bought it thinking I would do a lot of bird photography but once the whim passed, the lens hardly ever got used.

Macbadger Loc: Illinois

Which one of the first two lenses do you like better. Please explain why.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Which lenses? The two Sigmas?

Macbadger Loc: Illinois

Sigma 150-500 and 50-500

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I think they are both pretty equal quality wise. Personally I bought the 150-500mm version because the 50-500mm presented a lot of focal length overlap with other lenses I already had, specifically the Nikon 28-300mm and the Nikon 80-200mm F2.8. It is also noticeably lighter and cost $600 less than the 50-500mm did. Since I sold my old non-OS 50-500mm Sigma to get the OS version I was already familiar with the lenses abilities. After ordering the new 150-500mm OS version I also sold my old Sigma 400mm F5.6 prime that I had owned for over 20 years and was a real workhorse for me. The sale of these 2 lenses got me the cash for the new Sigma along with a couple hundred left over. Seemed like a no brainer.
I will also add that since buying the 150-500mm OS Sigma, the quality and build impressed me so much that I sold my aging Nikon 80-200mm F2.8 D lens and got the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX APO DG Macro HSM lens to replace that one. Put a couple hundred more in my wallet after that exchange too. And right now I am awaiting delivery of a factory refurb Sigma 800mm F5.6 APO HSM on its way here from Japan.
Sigma lenses have come a LONG way from the first ones I saw back in the 70's.