Sigma 150-600mm contemporary

Phil-1 said:
I’m having problems with my Sigma. I’ve had it over a year but due to work, family and other things I haven’t used it very much in that time.
The problem is my images are soft. I went out at the weekend with a friend that shoots all Nikon and the same shots as mine we so much sharper than mine. I’m using a shutter speed from 1/640 to 1/1000 F6.1 to F8. I have read that most people micro adjust their lens.
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I'm usually at around double that shutter speed on my Sports. The difference between the two speeds is quite noticeable.
 
I'm using my 150-600 a lot more recently, and am still cropping a fair bit.
I've tried using my Kenko 1.4 pro300 T/C and find it is sooo slow to focus. Does anyone know if the Sigma one is better ?
This is a heavy crop of a grabbed shot taken just after I had parked the car - by the time I got out it had flown.

850_0199e by Steve Powell, on Flickr
 
stevewestern said:
I'm using my 150-600 a lot more recently, and am still cropping a fair bit.
I've tried using my Kenko 1.4 pro300 T/C and find it is sooo slow to focus. Does anyone know if the Sigma one is better ?
This is a heavy crop of a grabbed shot taken just after I had parked the car - by the time I got out it had flown.
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I do not have the Kenko TC but have a Sigma TC-1401 and Canon x1.4ii and the lens does slow down with both, I found it would also hunt quite a bit and you really need very good light so I have never bothered using either on this lens other than the tests I did. The trick is to get closer, though I am rarely off 600mm myself unless I have too like this at 562mm

Buzzard by Martin Billard, on Flickr
 
PINNACLE said:
I do not have the Kenko TC but have a Sigma TC-1401 and Canon x1.4ii and the lens does slow down with both, I found it would also hunt quite a bit and you really need very good light so I have never bothered using either on this lens other than the tests I did. The trick is to get closer, though I am rarely off 600mm myself unless I have too like this at 562mm

Buzzard by Martin Billard, on Flickr
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Many thanks for that. Sadly getting closer isn't an option as I don't swim in murky lakes... Guess I may need to learn how to ask birds to come closer to me rather than stay on the far side..
 
stevewestern said:
Many thanks for that. Sadly getting closer isn't an option as I don't swim in murky lakes... Guess I may need to learn how to ask birds to come closer to me rather than stay on the far side..
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They will be flying at some point that's when to get them closer, if you are after static shots of them perched you might need to stick with the converter you have, all will slow any lens down even a f2.8 lens, let alone a f5-f6.3.
 
Phil-1 said:
I’m having problems with my Sigma. I’ve had it over a year but due to work, family and other things I haven’t used it very much in that time.
The problem is my images are soft. I went out at the weekend with a friend that shoots all Nikon and the same shots as mine we so much sharper than mine. I’m using a shutter speed from 1/640 to 1/1000 F6.1 to F8. I have read that most people micro adjust their lens.
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There are some fantastic shots taken with this lens but unfortunately
I had the same issue. I found it was me rather than the lens as my friend put the lens on his camera and got plenty of sharp shots. I just couldn't hold it still enough due to my hands shaking. Luckily I only bought it on Sunday from the Photography Show and I was able to return it to the local LCE store and I exchanged it for the lighter Sigma 100-400 instead which is giving me better results.
 
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Well the courier arrived - just as we rushed back from school. Chucked the lens on and went arpund the corner to the river. This bold boy was sitting on a rock enjoying some sun. Lens just out of the box, not touched the calibration or custom functions as yet. IMG_5706.jpg
 
mussEd said:
Well the courier arrived - just as we rushed back from school. Chucked the lens on and went arpund the corner to the river. This bold boy was sitting on a rock enjoying some sun. Lens just out of the box, not touched the calibration or custom functions as yet. View attachment 122967
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Looks good. I haven’t done any micro adjustments to mine. Perfectly happy.
 
37929403755_9396a49d63_c.jpg
Kingfisher[/url] by Martin, on Flickr[/IMG]
Had my 150-600C for a few weeks now just getting to grips with it,Shot below F7.1 ,ISO 1250, 1/200, @600MM Canon 7D mkII .

I also get a high pitched whining noise from the lens sometimes quite loud ,quite worrying at times but everything seems to be working fine. Its under warranty so may end up sending it to Sigma to be checked.

I have the dock , all i have done is update the firmware ,i may have to try the dynamic setting from what i have read it improves the lens AF ..

All in all im very happy with the lens ,opted for the C over the S due to the Weight factor..

Regards


Kingfisher by Martin, on Flickr
 
Out birding the South Pennine Moors yesterday when this Hercules took me by complete surprise, how can sumot so big sneak up on ya!

Just had time to quickly change settings and get a little motion blur to the props



Hurc 1024.jpg
 
Hi all,

I'm contemplating going for the 150-600mm S as my new tele lens. Would love the Canon 100-400mm Mk2, but can't afford the £700 premium right now. Is it fair to say that this big lens lacks the contrast of Canons L stuff? Sharpness seems decent, but most photos seem quite flat to me. I'd mostly be using it for aviation and motorsport.

Cheers
Colin
 
ST Colin said:
Hi all,

I'm contemplating going for the 150-600mm S as my new tele lens. Would love the Canon 100-400mm Mk2, but can't afford the £700 premium right now. Is it fair to say that this big lens lacks the contrast of Canons L stuff? Sharpness seems decent, but most photos seem quite flat to me. I'd mostly be using it for aviation and motorsport.

Cheers
Colin
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Not sure you’ll get the S at less than £700

Contrast is an easy fix.
 
ST Colin said:
Hi all,

I'm contemplating going for the 150-600mm S as my new tele lens. Would love the Canon 100-400mm Mk2, but can't afford the £700 premium right now. Is it fair to say that this big lens lacks the contrast of Canons L stuff? Sharpness seems decent, but most photos seem quite flat to me. I'd mostly be using it for aviation and motorsport.

Cheers
Colin
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No it is not fair to say this lens lacks contrast! I also own a 500f4is and looking at similar images together I would never say the Sigma lacked anything in good conditions and especially not contrast. If you think 100-400mm is long enough look at the Sigma 100-400 by all accounts it is sharper than the Canon and a lot cheaper.

For what you want it for look at the weight and price of the S compared to the C,the Sport is not really hand holdable for long periods or really a carry about lens so you have to be prepared to use a tripod or monopod which will go off balance every time you zoom in or out. I have done weekends roaming Brands GP circuit with the Sigma 150-600C and days photographing flying Hobby's and have never needed support. The people I know who bought the S version hate the weight, as for weather sealing a lens cover sorts that out and most people will use one on any lens. I am sure S owners say it is sharper but I have never seen anything to prove it in the real world and my C gives my 500f4 a run for its money, but f4 is needed sometimes.
 
PINNACLE said:
the Sport is not really hand holdable for long periods or really a carry about lens
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I've carried one in Antarctica, Indonesia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritius, Madagascar, Tanzania, Canada, Svalbard and Greenland on two and three+ week long trips without any issues. Usually on a dual strap with a second body with a 24-105. Sometimes on my lap with a second body in a safari vehicle. You just need to be hold it steady for the shot...
 
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ST Colin said:
Hi all,

I'm contemplating going for the 150-600mm S as my new tele lens. Would love the Canon 100-400mm Mk2, but can't afford the £700 premium right now. Is it fair to say that this big lens lacks the contrast of Canons L stuff? Sharpness seems decent, but most photos seem quite flat to me. I'd mostly be using it for aviation and motorsport.

Cheers
Colin
Click to expand...

I tried the 100-400 mk2 along with the 150-600c. The canon lens was very very good but for me i preferred the longer reach and so far the quality of the images I get justifies my choice of the sigma. There is no substitute for reach.
 
Lemaildetom said:
Awesome quality really, plenty of detail and no noise from what i can see! Never heard of the dartford warbler before! Interresting capture.
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I drink in a pub in Bexleyheath, SE London called the Furze Wren. It’s got a couple of drawings of these on the wall with this written underneath and on the menus

In 1773, Doctor John Latham, then living nearby in Dartford, discovered a previously unknown bird on Bexley Heath. The species has since been named the Dartford Warbler or the Furze Wren, as it prefers to nest in furze bushes.

Never seen a pic of one myself, so it’s good to see. Charming little bird.
 
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