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Photography Question 

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sigma lens is it real "scrap"


4 mo. ago I purchased Sigma 50-500 1:4 6.3D lens.Iwas very happy with this lens until I tock to Nikon sales-rep.He told me that this lens "is a piece of scrap"...is it true??? Andre


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August 23, 2002

 

Dougla W. Cook
  I am not really going to be able to answer your question about this lens because I don't own it but I can offer
a few observations.

1. Sales people in stores can be prejudiced and even elitist about equipment choices. They are not without
an interest in selling cetain items in favor of others. They should not want to sell items to people that obviously exceed their budgets and need. But the stores need to make money and we customers need our toys. Limiting entry into a field like photography to only those who will spend for the most top end equipment is counter to their interests.

2. I am not an expert in lens design but there were probably some compomises that Sigma had to make in buiding a "super telephoto lens" at an attractive prosumer price point.
The small aberrations in image quality over much more expensive lenses you likely will not be able to notice.

3. Professionals can justify spending
$6,000 for a lens because it is a business expense and they sometimes really do need the absolute best they can get in image quality (However most of the time they can get by with good enough just like you and me).

4. If you are happy with the lens and it does what you want then that is what matters. Make sure you take care of the lens so that its probably less robust construction will not be a factor until you youself decide to justify a move up to hyper professional level of equipment.


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August 27, 2002

 
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