Nikon Sigma 150-500mm (pre-owned)

Introduced at the beginning of 2008, the Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM (Nikon – Canon) is one of the older models in the maker’s range but it’s a promising model for wildlife and sports where portability and price are a concern. It undercuts the slightly less ambitious 80/100-400mm models from Canon and Nikon (or Sony) without scrimping on features. As well as the extra versatility afforded by the longer focal lengths, the Sigma has four-stop image stabilization and a sonic-type AF motor.

At the time of its launch the faster auto-focus was a significant benefit over the current Nikon offering at the time, the AF VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D.

The optical construction consists of 21 elements arranged in 15 groups and includes three low-dispersion glass elements for reducing the effects of chromatic aberration. As a lens intended principally for wildlife photographers it has a very useful minimum focus distance of 86.6” (2.2m) at all focal lengths and a maximum magnification of 1:5.2. With an 86mm filter thread and measuring 9.9 x 3.6” (252 x 94.7mm) it’s still relatively compact but at 62.8 oz (1,780g) it’s quite a weight.

As the Sigma is a relatively affordable entry-level model we’ve chosen to assess the lens on the Nikon D610, rather than the D800.

Besides, the difference in peak sharpness between the two is slight (around 1P-Mpix), and the lens is already somewhat limited in sharpness. We’re also aware that this lens would more likely be paired with the APS-C format D7100 or maybe even the Nikon D300s, but neither of those models match the larger imaging circle of the lens or the potential of the Nikon D610 when assessing sharpness.