In love with a lens - sigma 120-300

[Yv]

Well yesterday I headed west to meet Stewart from LensesForHire to collect the Nikon fit Sigma 120-300. Firstly many thanks to him, lovely bloke and great service!

So got home with some trepidation having read a few threads here and via links to other places from here about this lens and D200 problems, so wondering if I would have any and have to resort to putting it on the D70s. However, had it running all afternoon on the D200, battery still charged and all is well, having run off some 100 shots from the pretend hide that is my living room window.

...and Now I am in love My only experience of 'better quality' glass is the Nikon 70-200VR [again, only hired] and this is easily comparable so far, but with that extra reach. Its considerably bigger and heavier and thus I am borrowing a monopod for its trip to Brands Hatch on Sunday, but having said that, whilst watching the footie last night, I took a shot across the room, hand held at 1/60 and its sharp!!

Anyway, a quick pic from yesterday, only cropped and a little saturation added due to me over-exposing it slightly, otherwise, as it came off the camera. For anyone considering this lens, I shall add more info as I use it over the next week.

F3.5, 1/640, ISO160

 

[StewartR]

Ooh, nice. Glad you like it. I wish I had time to take photos with it! (Or with anything, come to that.)

 

[Yv]

OK, thoughts on the Sigma 120-300 - its gorgeous. Focuses quickly, is very sharp right across its aperture and focal length range and when used with a mono/tri pod is manageable. Handheld it's still very useable, I probably spent half of yesterday hand holding it, albeit with shoulder and wrist ache today.

Will I buy one? hmmm....not sure.... one part of me says no, its just too weighty to be practical for a short weak girly like me and perhaps a Nikon 70-200 plus x2 TC may be the better [and slightly cheaper] option - on the other hand, I have got it back on the tripod taking pictures of very wet bedraggled looking birds at F2.8, and knowing the combination option would lose that F2.8 after 200mm is putting me off. Plus with a TC on the sigma I can get hugely increased reach when needed, albeit again with some loss on speed.

In practical terms, packed in the kitbag it's not too heavy, but the 70-200 makes more sense for regular use and carrying. The 120-300 doesnt take up significantly more room, not being that much longer, only wider at the sharp end so with a big bag like I have, I can still accomodate a couple more lenses and a spare body.