Critique Red Admiral Butterfly With 150-500 Sigma

Ian-Highlander

Ian-Highlander

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Ian
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Finally got round to fine tuning my 150-500 Sigma today as I've never felt it was quite right, it was a couple of notches out going on my testing today.

First shots with it since the fine tune, one from each end, thoughts and crit welcomed.

1/250 F/8 ISO400 @500mm


Red Admiral Butterfly by Ian-Highlander, on Flickr


1/250 F/8 ISO800 @150mm


Red Admiral Butterfly by Ian-Highlander, on Flickr
 
Nice :) If you've got Lightroom, try going into the individual colour controls and lowering the luminance on the purple colours. Should be an easy way to get a bit more colour out of the flowers if you want :D
 
Sorry for the noob highjack, but what exactly do you mean by tweaking the lens, and it being a few notches out?

I'm new to all this and had been looking at the great value sigma 150-500, didn't know it was 'adjustable' any more than any other tele zoom (ie, zoom, focus, aperture) and id love to know what your on about.


Love the images personally. Great stuff.


Thanks.
 
Fussyfez said:
Sorry for the noob highjack, but what exactly do you mean by tweaking the lens, and it being a few notches out?

I'm new to all this and had been looking at the great value sigma 150-500, didn't know it was 'adjustable' any more than any other tele zoom (ie, zoom, focus, aperture) and id love to know what your on about.


Love the images personally. Great stuff.


Thanks.
Click to expand...
The adjustment's made in the camera using the AF Fine Tune function, which is a per lens setting remembered by the camera so you can "fine tune" your lenses. Not all cameras have this option, certainly the higher range Nikons and Canons do but not sure which. I've fine tuned all my lenses this way (except my cheapo Sigma 70-300 as that's not recognised by the fine tune system) and it makes a huge difference.

Personally I use the dot tune method for working out the tuning it needs.

 
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Thankyou very much, I don't think my 600D has this function, but I will definitely remember it when it comes to upgrading the body.
 
Ian-Highlander said:
The adjustment's made in the camera using the AF Fine Tune function, which is a per lens setting remembered by the camera so you can "fine tune" your lenses. Not all cameras have this option, certainly the higher range Nikons and Canons do but not sure which. I've fine tuned all my lenses this way (except my cheapo Sigma 70-300 as that's not recognised by the fine tune system) and it makes a huge difference.

Personally I use the dot tune method for working out the tuning it needs.

Click to expand...

I think that it is quite difficult to MA a zoom lens Ian …….. maybe you need a couple of setting MA values and change it for each different focal range, (if indeed they are very different) …… OR just take the MA settings at the range you use most, 500mm?? and don't average anything and then take some test shots …… also I think that it is important to performa ll the tests and adjustments in the same light that you normally take shots in, i.e. good daylight rather than any other, e.g. indoors or a cloudy day

Also I know DOT-tune recommend a camera to subject distance of x 50, but I think, others, e.g. Focal recommend less for their system, x20 at 500mm and x50 at 50mm

But I think that I would also try and see what the MA adjustments are at the distance you normally use the lens at as the way DOT-tune do it , it seems like it is just a "logical" exercise
 
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BillN_33 said:
I think that it is quite difficult to MA a zoom lens Ian …….. maybe you need a couple of setting MA values and change it for each different focal range, (if indeed they are very different) …… OR just take the MA settings at the range you use most, 500mm?? and don't average anything and then take some test shots …… also I think that it is important to performa ll the tests and adjustments in the same light that you normally take shots in, i.e. good daylight rather than any other, e.g. indoors or a cloudy day

Also I know DOT-tune recommend a camera to subject distance of x 50, but I think, others, e.g. Focal recommend less for their system, x20 at 500mm and x50 at 50mm

But I think that I would also try and see what the MA adjustments are at the distance you normally use the lens at as the way DOT-tune do it , it seems like it is just a "logical" exercise
Click to expand...

I always test at both ends of a zoom when I do mine and average it out but favour the end I use most. In the case of my 150-500 it was -2 at the 150 end and between -2 and -3 at the 500 end so pretty much spot on with -2 to -3 for the whole range. Not had a problem with any of my lenses using the dot tune method as it's described, although did have to do the 150-500 twice but I think that was my fault not the tests :)

Hardest part was finding a space long enough to test the 500mm end but my back garden was just long enough :LOL:
 
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