Sigma 500mm f4 DG OS HSM Sports lens for Nikon

Sigma’s Sports-line lens is a full-frame, fast aperture, ultra-telephoto prime designed for sports, wildlife, aviation and motorsport photography.

The lens combines exceptional optical performance with outstanding functionality, portability, focusing capability and build quality.

With a highly advanced optical design that delivers staggering detail at all apertures in all areas of the frame, the 500mm F4 is built to meet the needs of professional photographers capturing fast-moving subjects in the most challenging of conditions.

• One SLD and Two FLD Elements
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Hyper Sonic AF Motor, Manual Override
• Optical Stabilizer; Drop-In Filter Slot
• Magensium-Alloy Barrel & Brass Mount
• Dust- and Splash-Proof Construction
• Rotatable Tripod Collar with Click Stops
• Compatible with Sigma Teleconverters (sold separately)

The lens features an enhanced dust- and splash-proof construction, an intelligent two-mode Optical Stabilizer system, a manual override function, focus recall, an AF function switch, HSM focusing technology and a drop-in filter holder. It’s also compatible with Sigma’s teleconverters and USB Dock.

The ultimate fast-action lens

The 500mm not only has a bright maximum aperture of F4, which ensures fast shutter speeds and plenty of background blur, but it has very fast AF that is compatible with all the latest autofocus systems. This makes it ideal for all types of wildlife, aviation, motorsport and other sporting events, even in lower light conditions where camera shake can be an issue.

Long telephoto options

The 500mm is the only long-telephoto lens in the Sigma line-up with an F4 aperture, and the only long-telephoto prime. This makes it the obvious choice for pro fast-action photographers needing a reliable, fast and sharp lens that can withstand heavy use. A less expensive option is the 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports, which is also weather-sealed and has an even longer reach. It doesn’t have as fast an aperture, or such a varied feature-set, but it still delivers images of the very highest quality.

Rear filter holder

The 500mm is able to take special 46mm filters at the rear of the lens, meaning photographers don’t need to carry heavy filters for the front. The lens comes as standard with a 46mm rear UV filter, and a circular polarising filter (RCP-11) is also available, which easily be rotated while the lens is in use. As these filters are the drop-in type and therefore sit inside the lens body, they are not as prone to dirt or damage as front-mounted screw-on filters.

Compatible with teleconverters

SIGMA has two teleconverters that are compatible with this lens. The TC-1401 1.4x converter (produces 700mm F5.6) and the TC-2001 2x converter (produces 1000mm F8). Both support full autofocus on cameras with F8 AF compatibility.

High-performance optics

The 500mm F4 DG OS HSM | S delivers outstanding optical quality, with excellent rendering of detail right into the corners at all focal lengths.

The lens has an advanced optical design made up of 16 elements in 11 groups, including 1 SLD element and 2 FLD elements. This ensures razor-sharp results and help to eliminate chromatic aberration, flare, distortion and vignetting.

The lens has advanced optical coatings which reduce flare and ghosting when working in bright direct sunlight, creating high contrast images with rich colours and strong blacks.

Professional feature-set

A range of controls on the lens include an AF/MF switch with manual focus override, allowing manual focus adjustment during AF, and a Custom Mode switch so that the lens set-up can be customised using the USB Dock (sold separately).

The lens also has a Focus Limiter so that the focusing range can be reduced for faster and more accurate operation. This is particularly useful when there are objects in the frame between the camera and the subject on which the lens might attempt to focus.

The 500mm is the only SIGMA lens with a Focus Recall function, which allows photographers to choose a pre-set focus distance, such as a perch, which the lens will return to on demand.

The 4-stop Optical Stabilizer has a mode for general shooting and one for panning – ideal for fast-moving birds and vehicles.

The lens has a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) to ensure focusing is fast, accurate and quiet – essential when photographing wildlife.

Outstanding build quality

The 500mm sits in the Sports line-up, which means it is designed to withstand heavy professional use. The exterior barrel is constructed of magnesium alloy, which is strong and light with a premium finish. The focus ring is rubberised for easier operation. The lens hood is made of carbon fibre, which is also extremely robust and light, and it has a rubber grip at the end for easy fitting and removal. The hood has a single screw attachment, which makes it secure but easy to remove, and the lens cap comes in the form of a soft cover that sits around the hood when attached in reverse.

The lens has a dust and splash resistant structure with special sealing at the mount connection, manual focus ring, zoom ring, and cover connection, allowing photographers to work in all types of weather.

At the rear of the lens is a tripod collar and foot for better balance when the lens is on a tripod, which can be rotated and locked so that the camera can easily be switched between portrait and landscape orientation. The foot is designed to keep the camera and lens balanced when sitting on a tripod.

The durable brass mount is surrounded by a rubber seal to help keep out dust and moisture.

Made in Japan

All Sigma cameras and lenses are designed, manufactured and assembled at their sole factory at Aizu in Japan. This domestic production model is unusual in today’s industry, with most imaging companies opting to outsource to other countries to reduce costs. But SIGMA believes that keeping virtually all manufacturing, processing and assembly in Aizu is essential for creating innovative, carefully thought-out and impeccably constructed products that meet the high standards demanded by professional photographers and film-makers around the world.