Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM Lens Review

[Gian Luca]

Bryan, could you test or try also the Sigma 200-500 f2.8 +2x


I saw a test on this lens. I looks amazing and in a way more "affortable". Here ia a link to the test http://www.juzaphoto.com/eng/articles/sigma_200-500_2_8_ex_dg_review_test_samples_raw.htm

[devsalvi]

how do you carry it around ? say in a park or on a beach(the two most imp places that sprung in my mind, as useful locations for this lens) !? :P

[ShutterbugJohan]

Wow! Did you have to test it for just one day? Sounds like an awful lot of fun! I hope they make a new, smaller, more affordable 1200/8L IS sometime. :-)

how do you carry it around ?

Like this! (Looks dangerous to me.) [:^)]

[Alan]

Bryan looks pretty tough there, but let Canon make a 1.4 version, and then let's see if he can lift it! []

[Jon Ruyle]

No wonder the view in the viewfinder was shaky. A lens of this proportions (over 8" aperture) deserves a more substantial mounting. Eg:


http://astro-physics.net/index.htm?products/mounts/3600gto/3600-Wallys16

[Iguide]

Hi Brian:





Any chance you could review the Sigma<span class="text18"]APO 300-800 F5.6 EX DG HSM, or the <span class="text18"]APO 800mm f5.6 EX DG HSM? I would suspect that they are not as sharp as their Canon counterparts, but would like your view before I spend $10,000 + or so.





Thank you.

[George Slusher]

While you're waiting for Bryan's review, check others. I did a Google searchon "Sigma 300-800mm review" and found at least 5 good reviews and discussions. It seems to deserve the nickname, "Sigmonster," because of its weight (almost 13 lbs).

[Iguide]

Thank you George!!

[Iguide]

After reading the different reviews of the "Sigmonster" I found for myself that this review was the most helpful, by Bill Majoros.


http://www.billmajoros.com/photoalbum/categories/new/Canon600/windows/index.html





A second review I found also very helpful was from Romy Ocon from my wife's native land of the Philippines, where we travel &amp; I photograph every couple of winters.


http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/58879465/original





You can see that both test have similarity but there does seem to be some differnce's in equipment used so that has to be taken into account. Ofcorse I could be wrong on that assement and I just got things confused after going through all of the reviews. After reading these two my inpression is that the Canon Prime lens's are a bit sharper with IS and focusing limitor while the Sigmonster does not have either. If you want the flexibility of a zoom of this size the Sigmonster seems to be favored, but I would personaly tend to lean towards the Canon lens.


I would still like to see a review by Brian, as I like his assement methods compared to many others that are not so deliberate in metodology, which he ofcourse is!!