Sigma 150-600mm contemporary

Roy C said:
Here are some shots that show how well (or otherwise) you can crop images from the 150-600 C taken at the full 600mm. Not as good as a much more expensive 500/4 or 600/4 prime of course but not bad for the relativity cheap price

#1 Full frame
dunny%20full%20frame_zpsvwwrifmw.jpg


#1 100% crop
dunny%20100%20percent%20crop_zps6ju6s7ja.jpg


#2 Full frame
young%20dun3%20full%20frame_zpsbm7nltqe.jpg


#2 75% crop (ie 25% of full frame)
young%20dun3%20huge%20crop_zpsdzseidpx.jpg
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Great side-by-side comparison crops Roy. I think this lens is a stellar performer for the price and range.
 
Bought the Sport version yesterday, it's not half bad. Had rented the canon 100-400 II for RIAT the other weekend and used it for some cricket stuff and a few bird images whilst I had it (back garden stuff)... enjoyed having that extra reach (Longest lens was the canon 70-200 IS) on my 5Dmk3...

I had been using the 100-400 with my 1.4x so I was interested to see the difference between the two.

Main difference is the weight, the Sigma sport is a lot heavier (I'm going out to buy a monopod later on today), focus'ing seems about the same... the other big difference was the IS, on the canon you can really hear the IS kicking in, on the Sigma it's almost silent..
Off to the BSB with it on Sunday so will give it a good test then.... it's not bad for macro shots either :)


Oh and it looks like a beast :)
 
Got my 150-600 C the week before RIAT well impressed still have to get the dock but heres some example shots taken with D810, the second two images are quite large crops

1 550mm f8.0 1/400 iso64
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 by Paul Martin, on Flickr

2 600mm f7.1 1/1250 iso250
Mirage 2000 by Paul Martin, on Flickr

and one from a gloomy river bank last weekend

3 600mm f6.3 1/160 iso800
Kingfisher by Paul Martin, on Flickr

Rgds Paul
 
Martipa said:
Some great info in this thread, and very impressed with the IQ of the images posted. I was uming and aring over getting the Tamron or the Sigma and have settled on the Sigma what swung it is the ability to fine tune the lens and update the firmware when applicable. Hopefully going to purchase one from the local camera shop friday in Nikon fit to strap onto my D810.
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Just getting into this thread and would love to see some results from this lens and the D810 as I have a D800.

Cheers

Simon
 
Cheers for the prompt reply Paul and thanks for the additional photo, this is lovely.

Would it be possible to ask for a 100% crop so I could pixel peep, I know what the D800/810 are capable of and I'd hate to be disappointed if I bought one.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Simon
 
Thanks for this Paul. For 600mm with a small bump in the ISO to 250 I would say this is pretty good, but it does benefit from the sharpening.

Simon
 
Roy C said:
Although you can only have one set of focus limiters it is still useful to be able to define your own ranges if you do not like the standard ones.
As for the other dock options:-
The AFMA gives you the option of 4 ranges x 4 shooting distances if you want - I have not bothered with this as I do my AFMA via the camera and only really use the lens at the long end anyway.
For me the single most important one is the AF speed setting which I have set to Focus priority (without the dock option it is set between focus and speed), I need the very best/most accurate focus and only Focus priority will give you that.
For handholding I also find dynamic OS to be very useful.
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Thanks for reply.. I guess I am being a bit picky :O)
It would be nice to be able to set C1 as dynamic OS and Focus priority and have a choice of ranges as well, but for the moment (like you) I'm setting C1 and C2 for near or distant subjects with those OS and focus settings.

I also have a label on the lens hood to remind me which setting is where which I highly recommend.
 
In case anyone finds it useful this is a screenshot (snipping tool) of a 1:1 zoom of one of my first test pictures as it initially displayed in lightroom. (no editing, purely lightroom defaults)
Even at ISO 800 on a 550d I'm very pleased with this lens (although I admit I have no "L" experience to compare it with :)


View attachment 43487
 
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After being a Tamron 150-600 owner who got fed up before buying the Sigma can i ask,any one finding any problems that have not made it into this thread.
 
mikew said:
After being a Tamron 150-600 owner who got fed up before buying the Sigma can i ask,any one finding any problems that have not made it into this thread.
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Not really a big problem but the tripod foot is too small. I like to hold the lens by the foot. I've read that some find the manual focus ring too narrow but I have piano fingers and it's perfect for me.

I've now handled and used both versions. The Sport is beautiful, beautifully engineered and heavy. The weather sealing is also a big bonus for the nervy photographer living in rainy Britain. The C has a much cheaper build quality with more plastic but for me is like handling a 70-200 so could be used handheld all day. The C is also much, much cheaper.

Not sure they are really problems as such. If you assess it purely on the price and not comparing it to prime lenses in terms of quality I think it's phenomenal value. The biggest problem I had was whether to choose the Sport or the Contemporary.

One tip is to keep checking www.camerapricebuster.co.uk. It was retailing everywhere at £899 and I got mine for £849 and it was as low as £799. Digital Depot seems to do deals for weekends only. That was less than a month ago. Prices have probably moved a little since.
 
Traubrey said:
Not really a big problem but the tripod foot is too small. I like to hold the lens by the foot. I've read that some find the manual focus ring too narrow but I have piano fingers and it's perfect for me.

I've now handled and used both versions. The Sport is beautiful, beautifully engineered and heavy. The weather sealing is also a big bonus for the nervy photographer living in rainy Britain. The C has a much cheaper build quality with more plastic but for me is like handling a 70-200 so could be used handheld all day. The C is also much, much cheaper.

Not sure they are really problems as such. If you assess it purely on the price and not comparing it to prime lenses in terms of quality I think it's phenomenal value. The biggest problem I had was whether to choose the Sport or the Contemporary.

One tip is to keep checking www.camerapricebuster.co.uk. It was retailing everywhere at £899 and I got mine for £849 and it was as low as £799. Digital Depot seems to do deals for weekends only. That was less than a month ago. Prices have probably moved a little since.
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Thanks for answering,dont see any problems there except possibly the foot as i hand hold and like the foot to rest in my hand,leave it on because i use a BR sport strap,never manual focus,and the C is about at my weight limit although i am looking at the new Nikon.
 
mikew said:
Thanks for answering,dont see any problems there except possibly the foot as i hand hold and like the foot to rest in my hand,leave it on because i use a BR sport strap,never manual focus,and the C is about at my weight limit although i am looking at the new Nikon.
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What I did Mike was put an Arca Swiss lens foot plate on it (I would have had to put one on anyway if using on my tripod) that makes it big enough to hold comfortably. You can pick up the lens plate for £10-£20 from Fleabay
 
Traubrey said:
What I did Mike was put an Arca Swiss lens foot plate on it (I would have had to put one on anyway if using on my tripod) that makes it big enough to hold comfortably. You can pick up the lens plate for £10-£20 from Fleabay
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Will this take the BR strap,ie does it have a threaded hole.
 
Has anyone compared the 150-600 with a Sigma 50-500? I'm tempted for the extra reach, though losing the short end would be disappointing.
 
digital said:
Has anyone compared the 150-600 with a Sigma 50-500? I'm tempted for the extra reach, though losing the short end would be disappointing.
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Its much better than the 150-500 I had, haven't used the 50-500 though. Was quite disappointed with the 150-500 on a 7dmkii so bought one of these, I had the 500 looked at by sigma and apparently it needed a firmware update, cost £38. I never used it again and sold it to a mate who is delighted with it! maybe it was me and my lack of technique or maybe it really did need a new firmware.
 
Thanks. I had the 150-500 and the 50-500 is better. A direct 50-500 150-600 comparison would be good.
 
digital said:
Why wouldn't testing them against each other at 150-500 be a true comparison for at least that part of the range?

Generally when the lens is at its largest it is a little soft also at its longest focal length it can be soft. At 150mm the 50-500mm should be at its best and at 500mm the 150-600 should be at its best. Its only what I've learnt and read and experience has proven it correct. I am not saying the lenses can't be bench marked and determined which is the better lens over the whole focal length. How can you test a 1 foot ruler with a 6 inch ruler, it can do nly be a partial test.
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Tried the the 150-600 C with a 1.4x tc attached yesterday evening - all these shots were taken at 840mm (1344mm fov on the 7D2). AF was no problem whatsoever although a bit slower than the bare lens of course. Certainly not up to Canon's big white primes but not too shabby for a cheap(ish) lens IMO.
All shots taken from a long way off and cropped.

#1 Curlew
curlew%20840mm%201_zpsaq3fj8dr.jpg


#2 Little Egret
egret%20840mm%201_zpsbowaabjq.jpg


#3 Oytercatcher
oystercatcher%20840mm%201_zpsfmcsj8nv.jpg
 
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Roy C said:
Tried the the 150-600 C with a 1.4x tc attached yesterday evening - all these shots were taken at 840mm (1344mm fov on the 7D2). AF was no problem whatsoever although a bit slower than the bare lens of course. Certainly not up to Canon's big white primes but not too shabby for a cheap(ish) lens IMO.
All shots taken from a long way off and cropped.

Lovely photo's, was it a Canon 1.4 mkiii TC?
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I've recently joined the 150-600 C club and I'm very impressed so far! I can actually use f6.3 at the long end, unlike on my 150-500 where f8 is a MUST! Here are a few images coupled with my new D7200. I really enjoy the 1.3x crop mode for even more reach when needed!!

Pixel by Paul Webster, on Flickr

Tiger-5 by Paul Webster, on Flickr

Tiger-2 by Paul Webster, on Flickr

Tiger-8 by Paul Webster, on Flickr
 
Does anybody elses 150-600 C make a high pitch whining noise when OS/IS is active?

Not sure if mine is faulty or not. IS seems to work fine, but I can hear a definite whine which occasionally gets quite loud.
 
Will be interesting to see how this compares to the newly announced Nikon 200-500 - albeit a shorter range but I have high hopes for the ultimate IQ from the Nikon. I haven't heard generally overwhelming praise for the Sigma at the long end, especially with a bit of crop too.
 
Has anybody had to test out their 150-600 C in the rain yet? I chose the C over the S mainly down to cost and also weight, but the waterproofing of the S would be very handy for me. Do I need to worry about getting caught in the rain with my C? I suppose I can just carry a rucksack on my back and shove it in the when the sky's open..
 
The C is not weather sealed so I wouldn't chance any heavy rain, nor would I zoom in and out in rain or dusty conditions.

I'd just pick up a rain cover from WEX and keep that handy in your bag. They are cheap enough
 
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