Sigma 150-500 on a200.

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Lewis
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Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens

By Boss's dad has recently purchased the lens linked above and is using it on a Sony Alpha 200 and is saying that it will not full auto focus. It will partly but he has to manual focus it so that he can see what the picture is of. I was wondering whether this might be because the A200 hasn't got a strong enough battery and that he needs to get a better body? Maybe something like the A700?

Any ideas?:thinking:
 
Firstly check how the camera is set up, does it have a setting that says if itcan't find focus then give up/or keep trying. Then test it by trying with a well lit good contrast target.
 
I was wondering whether this might be because the A200 hasn't got a strong enough battery and that he needs to get a better body? Maybe something like the A700?
same battery in A200 as A700 - it's not that.
 
One think I can think of to check - has he got Stabilisation turned on on BOTH the camera AND the lens?

If so, could they be interfering and so preventing AF from locking on?

You (he) should be only using 1 of the two systems (or both off, if on a tripod).
There aren't a lot of OS lenses for Sony, but I think the advice is to use the lens OS rather than the in-body stabilisation if you have a choice - as that stabilises the viewfinder.
 
Well thats what my boss said to me.
I think he means that it will try and auto focus but to actually get it focused he has to manually focus it.

Oh I get you, it's not locking focus. Is he using it in daylight? In very low light it might refuse to lock on.
 
The sigma has it's own motor drive. Try the A200 with the body AF/MF switch on MF. Not used my A200 with a motorized lens so not sure if the cam needs to be MF or not.
 
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