Bado Loc: Louisiana

Hello everyone , im in a pickle, so to speak.

My sigma 50-500 lens was damaged during the hurricane, flooding in Houston, well orange, tx.
Due to flooding , in Orange, tx. My son had only minutes to evacuate his house , he loaded family and a few items, by the time he got to 1-10 water was up to the floorboards of his truck, they made it out to my house in louisiana with virtually the clothes on their backs and one truck.

We had been shooting birds a week before, and thus I had two lenses that got left behind on a shelf and above the 5 feet of water in his home. Three weeks later we got back in to the mess, and a mess it was. He was not alone alone.
My lenses suffered fungus growth that I had never seen before, inside the lenses on all elements.
Also a tameron 150-600 , and a canon 100-200 2.8,

Sigma was by far the worst, tameron on next, and canon maybe one spot , it is sealed better.

Sigma advertised that they would help anyone that had damaged lenses due to the flooding.
So I sent it in
Verdict, Not able to repair , I'm not suprised due to the damage.
A new 50-500 at BH is around 1600$, They offered me a new or refurbished for 820$

I don't love the lens but it was fun to use .

WHAT would do , eat it or get the new one. Just saying , a fair response from sigma but not sure how good with other lenses out there.

Have not heard from Tameron yet.

Any 2 cents out there, No insurance flood or otherwise

My gut reaction is to take the loss,

Thanks bado

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Sorry to hear of your loss and the flooding in general. Had you had a Photography or Camera rider on your Home Insurance that might have helped. Not sure about insurance flood exclusions since I'm in too dry California. You might take the offer of a discount on another lens. Yours is probably hopeless.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

So sorry about the lenses being damaged in the flood. Perhaps refurbished lenses may provide a softer financial hit.
Good luck. You have my sympathy.
Mark

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Clean it up and sell it to eBay for parts. You won't get a lot of money for it. Fungus lenses are toast. It continues to grow. I saw a video where a prime lens was painstakingly taken apart, and fungus removed and glass cleaned. But most of us aren't capable of doing that. You need a special screwdriver set to do it, and know-how. People who live in hurricane areas, that are subject to flooding, should have strong plastic type 30-40 gallon trash bags, for such flooding emergencies. Throw you camera gear inside it, remove the air, tie down tightly, and haul ass to safety. That would have saved your expensive lens. Or cameras. Good luck on a replacement.

toxdoc42

Are the lenses scheduled on your insurance? My property insurance would cover that, yours might as well!

Bado Loc: Louisiana

I think I'm just gunna let it go I have other lenses, it just hard losing it..
Ill check on homeowners but years ago I did that and it was a hassle for pennies on the dollar .
If anyone wants that lens i could buy the new one for 820$ Its would be half price and I won't expect to make money just pay shipping. Just saying , I know I won't rip you off. I could even have them ship it to you , just a thought , at least someone would get a deal . Email and we can talk.
Bado


Thanks bado

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Ask yourself three questions.
1. can I use this lens again?
2. will I ever use this lens again?
3. do I still want this lens?
If you answered NO to all then you have a great paper weight that can be sold on ebay for parts.

Joe Blow

That would most likely be your best option. You would have the cash for another length of lens or something else on your wish list and someone else would have a nice lens in their GAS.

I'm sorry about your losses but relieved you all survived.

toxdoc42

When you check with your homeowners insurance, ask about a scheduled personal property floater, if you don't have one already. That covers jewelry, athletic equipment and cameras for very little cost. My floater would even cover repair or replacement of a dropped camera. I pay a few pennies more and it covers full replacement costs.

Flash Falasca Loc: Beverly Hills, Florida

Mine sits in the closet most of the time ,I like it and find it very sharp all over but it is so large I seldom use it !! Use the 150-600 and get a good shorter lens for the 50 to 150 area.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I'm sorry to hear that some of your gear and especially your son and his family's home got caught in the flooding!

The Sigma 50-500mm is a pretty old design now, though it's still in production (but only the later version with OS). It might be that they'd apply the discount to a newer design such as one of their 150-600mm. Sigma offers two versions of 150-600mm: A less expensive "C" or "consumer" version and a more expensive, better built and optical "S" or "sports). They also have their even newer, smaller 100-400mm "C". All of the currently available 50-500, 100-400 and 150-600 have fast "HSM" focus drive and "OS" stabilization. They also made a 50-150mm f/2.8 at one time, but I don't think they still do. It was a "crop only" lens, while all the others are usable on both full frame and crop cameras. (Note: I'm not a fan of Sigma's 100-400mm, because it doesn't come with or even have option to fit a tripod mounting ring, which I consider necessary on a lens of this type. Tamron has also recently introduced a 100-400mm, too, and theirs doesn't come with but they offer an optional t'pod ring. My Canon 100-400mm II came with a t'pod ring and I often use it!)

Compare cost (new), weight and size:
- Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 DG APO OS HSM is selling for $1659, weighs 4.33 lb. & uses 95mm filters
- Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM "C" is selling for $989, weighs 4.3 lb. & uses 95mm filters (similar size & weight).
- Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM "S" is selling for $1799, weighs 6.3 lb. & uses 105mm filters (more expensive, bigger & heavier)
- Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM "C" is selling for $799, weighs 2.55 lb. & uses 67mm filters

Compare to Canon 100-400mm II f/4.5-5.6L IS USM "II" that costs $2049, weighs 3.5 lb. & uses 77mm filters.
Or to Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM "II" that costs $1949, weighs 3.28 lb. & uses 77mm filters.

If you emailed "Tameron", I'm not surprised you haven't heard back from them. The company's name is "Tamron"... no "e". If someone named Tameron got your email, he (or she?) is probably wondering what a 150-600 is.

Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di (full frame or crop) VC USD "G2" is the current and improved version, on sale right now after rebate for $1299, 4.42 lb, 95mm filters. The older (not "G2") version is still available new and deeply discounted right now to $799, weighs 4.3 lb. & uses 95mm filters.

I'm also not familiar with a "Canon 100-200 2.8". They made a 100-200mm f/4.5 quite a few years ago... as well as a long discontinued 80-200mm f/2.8L and three different 70-200mm f/2.8L (a non-IS and an IS "II" versions are currently in production, while another, earlier IS version was discontinued several years ago). If it's one of the L-series, I'm not surprised to hear it fared a bit better, since those are typically better sealed than many other lenses. They're not "water proof" by any means, but more "weather resistant". An L-series is probably worth fixing and should be cleaned ASAP. Fungus can etch glass or coatings on elements, ruining them. I don't know, but Canon also might offer some relief for flood victims, too.

Several previous response suggested checking with your homeowners insurance, and that's probably a good idea. Your gear might be covered in part, even when it's not in your home.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

My sympathies for your loss. What I would do is different from what you would do, I am not you. However, I would send the Canon in as well.

It seems from your list under your name that you may have lost all your tele zooms. I would feel badly limited without at least one.

Bado Loc: Louisiana

Well, this is what I like about this group of people, almost all are very helpful, and I thank y'all for that.

My son and I love photography, and grandson 9, as well. It's not our living though but what a great hobby, something to be outside in nature, plenty of info. to tax our brains, and I must say going to workshops, like the smokey mountain summit and meeting people from all walks of life loving photography is a blessing.

But hey Mother Nature can whip our ass, lose or break things here and there from hurricanes etc. , breaking a lens and flooding your house , we all walked away alive , and life goes on for the wild ride, right.
Thanks to all

Cheese

If you don't think you need to replace it, why not buy the new lens for $820, and sell it on eBay. You should get at least $1,200 for it and will be able to recoup some of your loss.