Have you seen it? Have you seen the lens?

Object of Desire: Sigma Apo 200-500mm F2.8 Ex DG lens

Along with the release of the lightning-fast Canon EOS 1D Mark III, the biggest buzz-generator at this year’s PMA photography convention in Las Vegas was what people were referring to simply as “the lens.” As in: “Have you seen it? Have you seen the lens?”

Always interested in checking out what the teaming masses are rumbling about, we wandered over to the Sigma booth at PMA to take a look at “the lens”—the APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG—and were suitably impressed.

First of all, it was big—very big—about 3 feet in length and weighing in at 28 pounds for the lens alone, with an additional 7 pounds for the hood, for a total of 35 pounds combined. To give some idea of the scale, the Sigma SD14 DSLR that was attached to it looked like a measly point-and-shoot in comparison.

Even more impressive than its size, though, were the specs. With a constant f/2.8 aperture available across the entire 200 to 500 focal range, this Sigma is the fastest super telephoto zoom lens we’ve seen. If, for whatever reason, the 200-500 range isn’t long enough for you, an APO Tele Converter 2X EX DG II comes as a standard accessory, transforming it into a truly astro-friendly 400-1000mm f/.5.6 lens. Though the PMA lens was just a prototype, working units compatible with Canon, Nikon and Sigma cameras could ship by as early as late summer, according to a Sigma spokesperson. No price has been set yet, but Sigma hopes to sell the lens for between $10,000 to $12,000. Now if you can only find a tripod big and strong enough to handle this puppy, you’ll be ready for some serious shooting.

Estimated cost: $10,000-$12,000Further information: www.sigmaphoto.com.

Thanks to Dan Havlik, http://www.pdn-pix.com/pdn/prodtech/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003577346

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