Old Canon D30 and Sigma "Bigma" 50-500

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

cmp wrote:
> Hello everybody.
>
> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma 50-500
> for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow on D30 ?
> If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body... Maybe someone
> remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6. I
> know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough for me and I would be
> pleased if the big sigma focused with similar speed. I've got also
> Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its focusing is a nightmare. It rotates
> few times before focus. It is strange for me because that lens is
> very bright so it should be faster.
> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
> CMP

Not sure how much comparison can be drawn, but I purchased a 'Bigma'
last December to go with my Minolta Maxxum 7D. The 50-500 uses rear
element focusing and is quite fast on the 7D, faster than my old Sigma
500 f/7.2 prime.

I've been very happy with the image quality, but did have a blue moment
earlier this month when an autofocus linkage gear in the lens broke.
Sigma's warranty repair service was free and quite fast; had it back
within two weeks of shipping it out to New York from Seattle.

Bob ^,,^

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
> Hello everybody.
>
> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma 50-500 for
> that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow on D30 ? If yes, I
> should rather consider buying a new body... Maybe someone remember how it
> worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6. I know it is not a top
> lens but it is fast enough for me and I would be pleased if the big sigma
> focused with similar speed. I've got also Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its
> focusing is a nightmare. It rotates few times before focus. It is strange
> for me because that lens is very bright so it should be faster.
>
> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
> CMP

My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to it's
death...see picture: http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350 Oops!)
with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have been
especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider it TERRIBLE).

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
news:VWZ7e.87$A31.67@fed1read03...
> On Thursday 14 April 2005 22:26, Mark wrote:
>
>>
>> "cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message
>> news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
>>> Hello everybody.
>>>
>>> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma 50-500
>>> for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow on D30 ?
>>> If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body... Maybe someone
>>> remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6. I
>>> know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough for me and I would be
>>> pleased if the big sigma focused with similar speed. I've got also
>>> Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its focusing is a nightmare. It rotates
>>> few times before focus. It is strange for me because that lens is
>>> very bright so it should be faster.
>>>
>>> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
>>> CMP
>>
>> My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to it's
>> death...see picture: http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350
>> Oops!)
>> with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have been
>> especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider it
>> TERRIBLE).
>
> Just focus manually. Jeez! Do you have to have everything done for
> you?
>
> I have a D30 myself and I focus manually all the time. I'm just faster
> than most autofocus cameras I've tried, particularly in low light.
> Comes from years and years of practice.

How many years have you practiced being an ass?
Methinks that would also be, "years and years..."

Note:
The post asked a specific question regarding speed of AF on the D30...
....NOT how fast some dolt named Stefan claims he can manually focus.

You offer nothing here but your fool mouth.

Take care...

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
news:VWZ7e.87$A31.67@fed1read03...
> On Thursday 14 April 2005 22:26, Mark wrote:
>
>>
>> "cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message
>> news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
>>> Hello everybody.
>>>
>>> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma 50-500
>>> for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow on D30 ?
>>> If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body... Maybe someone
>>> remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6. I
>>> know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough for me and I would be
>>> pleased if the big sigma focused with similar speed. I've got also
>>> Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its focusing is a nightmare. It rotates
>>> few times before focus. It is strange for me because that lens is
>>> very bright so it should be faster.
>>>
>>> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
>>> CMP
>>
>> My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to it's
>> death...see picture: http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350
>> Oops!)
>> with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have been
>> especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider it
>> TERRIBLE).
>
> Just focus manually. Jeez! Do you have to have everything done for
> you?
>
> I have a D30 myself and I focus manually all the time. I'm just faster
> than most autofocus cameras I've tried, particularly in low light.
> Comes from years and years of practice.
>
> --
> Stefan Patric
> NoLife Polymath Group
> tootek2@yahoo.com

You should try a 20D or a 1 series with a 24-70 f2.8L, then. It'll rattle
your faith in your speed.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Mark²" <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net> wrote in message
news:1e18e.221$Zi.197@fed1read04...
>
> "Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
> news:VWZ7e.87$A31.67@fed1read03...
>> On Thursday 14 April 2005 22:26, Mark wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message
>>> news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
>>>> Hello everybody.
>>>>
>>>> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma 50-500
>>>> for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow on D30 ?
>>>> If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body... Maybe someone
>>>> remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma 24-70 3.5-5.6. I
>>>> know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough for me and I would be
>>>> pleased if the big sigma focused with similar speed. I've got also
>>>> Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its focusing is a nightmare. It rotates
>>>> few times before focus. It is strange for me because that lens is
>>>> very bright so it should be faster.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
>>>> CMP
>>>
>>> My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to it's
>>> death...see picture: http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350
>>> Oops!)
>>> with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have been
>>> especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider it
>>> TERRIBLE).
>>
>> Just focus manually. Jeez! Do you have to have everything done for
>> you?
>>
>> I have a D30 myself and I focus manually all the time. I'm just faster
>> than most autofocus cameras I've tried, particularly in low light.
>> Comes from years and years of practice.
>
> How many years have you practiced being an ass?
> Methinks that would also be, "years and years..."
>
> Note:
> The post asked a specific question regarding speed of AF on the D30...
> ...NOT how fast some dolt named Stefan claims he can manually focus.
>
> You offer nothing here but your fool mouth.
>
> Take care...

Sorry Stefan.
I was in a really bad mood last night.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Saturday 16 April 2005 05:46, Skip M wrote:

> "Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
> news:VWZ7e.87$A31.67@fed1read03...
>> On Thursday 14 April 2005 22:26, Mark wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message
>>> news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
>>>> Hello everybody.
>>>>
>>>> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma
>>>> 50-500 for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow
>>>> on D30 ? If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body...
>>>> Maybe someone remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma
>>>> 24-70 3.5-5.6. I know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough
>>>> for me and I would be pleased if the big sigma focused with similar
>>>> speed. I've got also Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its focusing is a
>>>> nightmare. It rotates few times before focus. It is strange for me
>>>> because that lens is very bright so it should be faster.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
>>>> CMP
>>>
>>> My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to it's
>>> death...see picture: http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350
>>> Oops!)
>>> with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have
>>> been especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider it
>>> TERRIBLE).
>>
>> Just focus manually. Jeez! Do you have to have everything done for
>> you?
>>
>> I have a D30 myself and I focus manually all the time. I'm just
>> faster than most autofocus cameras I've tried, particularly in low
>> light. Comes from years and years of practice.
>>
>> --
>> Stefan Patric
>> NoLife Polymath Group
>> tootek2@yahoo.com
>
> You should try a 20D or a 1 series with a 24-70 f2.8L, then. It'll
> rattle your faith in your speed.

I tried a 10D last year. And about the same time, a Nikon D70. I
played with a friend's Fuji S2 a few months ago. In bright light, they
all are reasonably quick to focus. Not real speed demons mind you. In
lower light or low contrast, autofocus response slows considerably. I
wouldn't trust the autofocus on anything that required really fast
focusing like sports, particular under artificial lights. Haven't
tried the 20D. So, I can't say. Another friend just bought a Canon
1Ds Mark II. He'll be coming into town in a couple of weeks and I hope
he brings it. Would like to try it out. But for now, I'll stick with
manual focusing with the D30 and my all manual, all mechanical Nikons.

--
Stefan Patric
NoLife Polymath Group
tootek2@yahoo.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sunday 17 April 2005 06:10, Skip M wrote:

> "Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
> news:mao8e.17215$A31.9079@fed1read03...
>> On Saturday 16 April 2005 05:46, Skip M wrote:
>>
>>> "Stefan Patric" <writeme@addressbelow.com> wrote in message
>>> news:VWZ7e.87$A31.67@fed1read03...
>>>> On Thursday 14 April 2005 22:26, Mark wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "cmp" <antyspam@wp.pl> wrote in message
>>>>> news2g4ib$nkm$1@news.onet.pl...
>>>>>> Hello everybody.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I still have old Canon D30 and I' considering buying the Sigma
>>>>>> 50-500 for that camera. How do you think: will it focus very slow
>>>>>> on D30 ? If yes, I should rather consider buying a new body...
>>>>>> Maybe someone remember how it worked with D30 ? I've got Sigma
>>>>>> 24-70 3.5-5.6. I know it is not a top lens but it is fast enough
>>>>>> for me and I would be pleased if the big sigma focused with
>>>>>> similar speed. I've got also Canon 50mm 1.8 and speed of its
>>>>>> focusing is a nightmare. It rotates few times before focus. It is
>>>>>> strange for me because that lens is very bright so it should be
>>>>>> faster.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you in advance for all your advices.
>>>>>> CMP
>>>>>
>>>>> My old D30 would have struggled (before it fell ninety feet to
>>>>> it's death...see picture:
>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/markuson/image/37396350 Oops!)
>>>>> with that lens. Focus was always slow, but that lens would have
>>>>> been especially bad (if you consider 2-3 seconds bad...I consider
>>>>> it TERRIBLE).
>>>>
>>>> Just focus manually. Jeez! Do you have to have everything done
>>>> for you?
>>>>
>>>> I have a D30 myself and I focus manually all the time. I'm just
>>>> faster than most autofocus cameras I've tried, particularly in low
>>>> light. Comes from years and years of practice.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Stefan Patric
>>>> NoLife Polymath Group
>>>> tootek2@yahoo.com
>>>
>>> You should try a 20D or a 1 series with a 24-70 f2.8L, then. It'll
>>> rattle your faith in your speed.
>>
>> I tried a 10D last year. And about the same time, a Nikon D70. I
>> played with a friend's Fuji S2 a few months ago. In bright light,
>> they
>> all are reasonably quick to focus. Not real speed demons mind you.
>> In
>> lower light or low contrast, autofocus response slows considerably.
>> I wouldn't trust the autofocus on anything that required really fast
>> focusing like sports, particular under artificial lights. Haven't
>> tried the 20D. So, I can't say. Another friend just bought a Canon
>> 1Ds Mark II. He'll be coming into town in a couple of weeks and I
>> hope
>> he brings it. Would like to try it out. But for now, I'll stick
>> with manual focusing with the D30 and my all manual, all mechanical
>> Nikons.
>>
>> --
>> Stefan Patric
>> NoLife Polymath Group
>> tootek2@yahoo.com
>
> I have a D30, but I'm not sure what lens(es) you're using. The
> comparison in focus times in low light between that camera and, say, a
> 28-135 IS vs. a
> 20D and a 24-70 f2.8L is marked. I was surprised at how much faster
> the "L"
> lens was than my 28-135 IS, both on the 20D. There is no way, even
> when I was young, and had young eyes, that I could have manually
> focused a lens
> nearly as fast, given a camera that was set up for manual focus. I
> certainly couldn't focus a D30, with it's lack of split screen or any
> other focus aid, that fast.

I'm sure that with a faster, better quality Canon USM lens on my D30,
instead of the Sigma 18-50 f3.5/5.6 DC on it now, the autofocusing
would be much improved, but for now the Sigma/D30 combo satisfies my
very modest, digital photographic requirements. Plus, I consider it
foolish and a waste of money to put a $1200 lens like the 24-70 f2.8L
on a 3.3 MP camera that only cost me $400. Now, if I had Canon AF film
cameras, too, maybe, I could justify such a purchase, but all my 35mm
film stuff is manual Nikons/Nikkors, most of which I purchased new in
1978. Had to replace the original FM bodies with FM2n's a few years
ago. Wore out the shutters.

Guess my eyes are better than most my age. Had 20/10 vision when I
entered military pilot training after graduating from college. (That
means I could resolve letters on the chart at 20 feet distance that the
average person with 20/20 vision needed to be at 10 feet to read
clearly.) I passed the eye test without glasses for renewal of my
driver's license a couple years ago. Surprised the hell out the
examiner. Made me do it again, but with a different set of letters in
the machine just to make sure I hadn't cheated. Only need "drug store"
glasses for reading. So far, anyway. But I'm sure there's an
optometrist lurking in my future.

Well, I'm fast manually focusing, because I've had lots of practice
shooting professionally long before there was auto-anything. It was
manual only or not at all. However, I doubt that I could beat the
newer pro-digital cameras in the focusing department, but hopefully
I'll have a chance to try when a friend visits in a couple of weeks
with his new Canon 1Ds Mark II.


--
Stefan Patric
NoLife Polymath Group
tootek2@yahoo.com