false. they are both the same price.

No it is not false, they are not the same price, as of now.
Scroll up.
At the moment, Amazon has reversed the price.
The Nikon mount is now $1,999, and the Canon is $1,799.
I'm assuming it's just an error. Eventually they'll get it right.

For me it appears that the Canon version is cheaper at $1799 and the Nikon version is at $1999 from the plug-in. Although, once i click on both they are at the same price, so it was probably some error that they rectified.

That's not what every review I've seen/read says.

Then you and I have read different reviews haven't we. Differences between reviews and samples is quite common.

I said "every review I have seen/read". Those I had not seen nor read. :) Thank you for enlightening me. Tamron actually seems sharper in the center vs Sigma is more consistent across the frame but softer there in the center. I will have to do more studying of sample images...

The dock is only $60. I don't own any Sigma lenses but if and when I do I'll get a dock at the same time. And it doesn't matter how much it costs to make - sale price and manufacturing cost have nothing to do with each other - they sell it for what it's worth. The dock is brilliant and allows lenses to be updated to remain compatible with newer cameras and potentially take advantage of new features. (Or fix bugs).

I agree that Sigma should include the dock with the lens or better yet build it into the lens. Anybody who disagrees with me is wrong so don't even bother.

@tbcass ofc already overweight lenses should weight even more then. And how would such lens look like? I understand that when you pay 1000$ you're out of money and cannot afford simple 30$ accessorie [/sarcasm]. Your logic is impressive!

Too many people are overweight and out of shape. Lenses and cameras should be made of lead to add weight. ;-) Actually building the electronics into the lens would only add a few grams of weight.

...and add a hole to the side of the lens, requiring a cover, which would inevitably get in your way and get knocked off, causing dust and etc into the lens.

What a line of BS that is. :-(

Inside every lens there are electrical contacts to sens every slightest move of the lens mechanism that is processed by a microchip that information read by camera processor or firmware, this Sigma firmware update changes the values to improve the processing time.

What you said is true of the normal adjusting done with the dock. The firmware update should be a global improvement irrespective of what camera you put it on.

Henrik
How tuning the lens using the dock via your computer is tuning to work with your specific camera body ? unless you mount the lens on your camera to have lens + camera communication. The dock may help fixing whichever issue the lens has with all say Nikons or Canons but to your specific camera body ?

mais51

When you tune a camera manufacturer's own lenses, it stores the adjustments in the camera. They don't store the adjustments needed for 3rd party manufacturers.

What Sigma's dock allows you to do is bypass this problem by storing the adjustments in the lens.

Simple.

But you tune the lens without the body - so how does this achieve anything - I've read the Dpreview article on the USB dock - all it does it fixing the lens manufacturer - in this case Sigma - issues - nothing to do with the camera let alone YOUR specific camera body - as you known no two bodies are the same - they may be of the same make and model but they are not identical in all respect. Any way let stop here - I am not in business of buying a Sigma lens so thanks for your education.

If you don't understand my last comment, I can't help you.

Encouraging! Which camera and adapter have you tired this with...What were your experiences?

I have seen BIF shots taken with the contemporary version of this lens on A7R II using metabones adapter months ago already. It was already possible. This will just make it a little easier.

Sigma does not even make this lens in Sony A mount (best and most reliable adapted lens for E mount) , how good can it be?

i tested the 50-500 on metabones and it was fine, even for BIF....

I'm taking a guess here but the new Sigma adapter for the E mount should enable use of this Canon lens on A7R II or A6300 with decent focusing. It would not be a good comparison to using the lens on 7D II but the new adapter makes things a lot better than before.

it only works with Sigma Lens with Canon Mounts, not canon lens with canon Mounts, although people have tested it, this is not its purpose, metabones is your adaptor for native canon to A7RII this sigma MC11 is purely for sigma...

Glenn Barber, its works very well with metabones, i'm expecting even better results with sigma adapter, have one on order.

An A77m2 with Tamron 150-600 will be faster!

@rsf3127:
What if I told you...that by putting a mirror in front of your mirrorless it turns into a SLT camera that relies on DSLR technology?

I've already got all the canon gear and now almost all the Sony E gear and really don't need yet another system - I will just wait until Sony , Canon or whoever realizes there is a market for quality but lightweight longer zooms or primes for APS-C. Right now I am in the market for two of these... As are many of the Bird and wildlife shooters. Located near a bird sanctuary I can tell you this would be a popular product - especially for the 6300 if it can indeed track birds with longer focal lengths. Judging by those I meet regularly, not a lot want to haul heavy glass and wemberly's along the trail for the occasional walk.

@Rooru: it is a mirrorless (and a humble one) that can properly track BIFs. It happens to use an adapter with a pellicle. And this is all.

I think in engineering side, there is no way you could make lenses faster because the motor AF and movement parts inside got limitations
So, you are right, this is nonsense, they fixed the problems not making it faster

In response to D500 001 i can say that if i spend $1500 maybe i can pretend that sigma can give me a $59 USB Dock gift

If i buy a $300 lens u are right...(mine was a little joke maybe next time i add more smileface :):):):)

I know 33% failure fix is 50% improvement. But when you want other people to laugh, we say jokes, not mathematically correct statements, that would take 2 seconds thinking time before lol.

About returning docker after using, I thought we South Asians only do that. I understand it is borderless phenomena.

Was yours slow previously?

@pshummer
Newer Canon bodies (since about 2012) lets you update lens firmware.

@Fredrik Glckner
I also thought that USB port on the lens would be more convenient, but sooner or later it would be a drawback because of ever(?)-changing USB standards: For example some older lenses might have the mini version of USB-B, while some more recent would have the newer micro-USB and sooner or later lenses would be equipped with the new USB-C port. That makes three different cables (or adapters) already.

quiquae, are you sure about that? i mean it could be done by repair centers with special service software etc, but on by user, i presume.

sigma make it public, canon is charging service, that's all.

@mr.izo

http://www.canon.co.uk/support/consumer_products/products/cameras/ef_lenses/fixed_focal_length/ef40mm_f28_stm.aspx?type=faq&search=1&searchurl=/support/consumer_products/content/faq/?itemid=tcm:14-962484

Only two lenses have had firmware updates so far (40STM and 55-250STM), but then again, lens firmware is something you'd hope first party manufacturers would do correctly in the first place.

Also, user firmware update is obviously only possible on lenses that have firmware in rewritable flash memory. I've never seen data on how many EF lenses fall under that category, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's only the newer ones. (Before you get into the Canon bashing mode, it's the same story with Sigma lenses, too--the older non-Global Vision lenses don't work with the dock.)

Except OEMs are already doing that.

As quiquae pointed out, newer Canon lenses are field-updatable.

Similarly, Sony's own E-mount lenses are field-updatable. Unfortunately, thanks to the fact that Sigma's lenses are based on reverse engineering and Sony had not yet deployed a field update to any lens when the Sigma 19/30/60 were released, Sigma's E-mount lenses don't support that.

Since lens field firmware updates are rare and you can really only "sniff" an update once, it's pretty hard to RE a firmware update process, so third-party lenses are unlikely to ever support an OEM firmware update scheme. (Although Commlite seems to have pulled it off for their Nikon adapter - but I suspect we'll see adapters getting bricked in not too long...)

quiquae, how do you install that firmware on canon lense, can be done with camera body or something? then i guess i miss that news about this..
and it's a long time ag, when i jerk around ewith canon service sofware (it was floating around the net), by which in manage to "repair" my 300d focus, hehe. nos usable much after that, you need special eupimnet for sensor calibration, af modul aligment etc etc..

@Entropy512: It seems that the degree to which OEM's allow their lenses to be updated and tweaked varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.

That was the purpose of my reply to the OP: They all theoretically have the capability already on the hardware side, it's just a matter of implementing the corresponding firmware/software.

And I"m not aware of any camera that allows focus calibration to the same degree as the Sigma dock, with the ability to fine-tune focus at multiple focus distances.

What is the maximum length of the lens (at max extension)?

Make it suitable for mirrorless cameras would force them to remake the hole lens because the distance from image sensor to lens mount is bigger on cameras with mirrorbox(DSLR).
The point of all adapters is to get the same distance on mirroless cameras as on DSLR

@Higgins2002: So what about Pentax SLRS? And note Entropy512 post just below. Rokinon (Samyang) does the same with there lenses for mirrorless....just adds a spacer barrel.

"Make it suitable for mirrorless cameras would force them to remake the hole lens because the distance from image sensor to lens mount is bigger on cameras with mirrorbox(DSLR).
The point of all adapters is to get the same distance on mirroless cameras as on DSLR"

Here's the thing... I don't care. They can make a native lens, or they can lose out on the sale. That calculus is up to them, but I'm done with adapters for workhorse lenses that have to perform in demanding situations.

"No need to remake the whole lens, just add a 26.5mm barrel onto the end.

Which is pretty much what Sigma is effectively doing with the MC-11."

They have to redo a lot on the rear end with electronic and barrel for just one lens. I think they opted for a adapter for the use of several lenses from them.
Pentax DSLR they could do easily by changing the mount and reprogramming the AF.

Tamron used to have that very system......if you bought their lenses you could just change the mount and use it on different cameras. Electronic contacts add a difficulty but one that is easily overcome.

Do other lens manufacturers offer firmware update?

Yes Olympus cameras can update lens firmware when connected to PC and running their software. Some newer Canon lenses allow you to update firmware.

Olympus certainly do, on the M.Zuiko lenses at least.

> Others not allow.

43/m43 has a common lens firmware update policy, and IIRC Sigma on 43/m43 does support it too.

You just drop the new lens firmware on the SD card, and turn on the camera. You would be prompted whether to update the lens or not.

Fuji updates their X lenses -- all you need to do is connect the lens to a Fuji X camera.

Hi alcaher, in what way would you see the Sport version differing from the current version?

I'd be very happy if Tamron made their new dock - I mean "TAP-in Console" - compatible with the 150-600. Then we could optimize it for which ever end we like. Tamron has been doing firmware updates and focus tune adjustments at service centres, so they must have some version of the dock already developed.