Sigma 150-600mm Update

mississippi mac

I got the black beast back this morning at 1000 local. good thing as I was fighting a bilge pump hassle on the bay boat and ready to go nutz......

so I put it on the 7d and did a quick road test....
the IS works now (they must have replaced it) and the focusing is much faster and tracks better...
I need to wander down to the heron nest and shoot a few frames for comparison, but on the surface, the lens behaves entirely different then when I sent it off...

we shall see....

tim

Chuckc

Good news. Sounds like they took good care of you and expedited the return. Did you make sure it's the same S/N?

mississippi mac

No i didn't....

However, trial run this morning while walking the "big dog"...

I have never had any luck at capturing a redwing...to easily spooked...

so here's some shots cropped at 100% no editing other than to convert from raw to jpg.















what say y'all...send it back and get the Tamron version???

tim

Chuckc

It looks maybe a little soft still but black is sometimes misleading. Maybe you can find some shots you took with other gear and shoot them with this Sigma at matching zoom and then at 600mm and look at them carefully. If you are questioning it I think it's still not quite up to your high standards.

If you have any question about it I would return to B&H and then try the Tamron. I wouldn't risk being stuck with a lens I'm not happy with for that kind of money.

WaterEngineer

Tim, I am not trying to be mean but those photos look just, OK. I don't know the conditions for the shoot or FL but I am assuming handheld. Just OK. Granted it is a little hard to tell because you are on the "wrong side of the light (shadows.) Are these jpegs or RAWs?

I know two Canon shooters with the Tamron. They are both pleased however they have not shared files with me. One person is a "near pro" with the ability to purchase what she wants.

In all seriousness, have you considered finding a good used copy of the well reputed "L" glass 100-400mm? Yes you will be giving up some distance but I understand it works with a 1.4 TC. I know many who use this and like it. Hell, I have used it and liked it. I wish Nikkor made this lens.

Also, the repair places don't always get it right. Did you send your body along so they could calibrate the lens to it?

Also this. >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TawKGClbECU

And this. >>>> http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tamron-150-600mm-f-5-6.3-Di-VC-USD-Lens.aspx

I hope this helps.

mississippi mac

Craig,
I have an ef-L 100-400 IS USM and have had it for years...
it is a superlative piece of glass and I have been able to capture astonishing shots at great distances and crop to 200%.
I just figured that with a 50% increase in focal length I ought to be able to shoot fairly reasonable images at a greater distance...
my shooting distance this morning was approaching 300'...
and yes, the sun was against me so I was shooting on the shade side of the bird....

Chuckc

Not to derail here but have you ever used a 1.4TC with the 100-400? Seems like you would end up with about the same stats as the 150-600 for less money.

EDIT: Thought the 100-400 was faster glass, you would be losing some light.

mississippi mac

Chuck,
the ef-L 100-400 doesn't really like tele-convertors very much...
a 2x convertor will not work at all and is marginal with a 1.4x convertor...
I also forgot to mention I was also shooting hand held at 1/800 with what feels like a cinder block on the front of the camera...
I'm going to wander down the drive and shoot some blooming marsh flowers and see what happens...
I will also shoot hand held but at a higher shutter speed....
let you know what happens....

tim

Flash

All over it looks a bit soft and that may be due to the hand held, not so much the lens. Give it a go on another subject.

mississippi mac

All righty now...
same subject and probably same bird taken on the same beach in the same general location.
shot them on my Canon 6D which is FX...
Shooting distance 150'-175'...









images shot at 1/1000, iso 640, f11-f16...
also cropped at 100%

so what's y'alls take on this round...

tim

Flash

Much better

mississippi mac

I'm still leery of the IS system...
the Canon IS is so noticeable and holds so securely as son as you depress the shutter to focus...
I don't see anything like that happening with the Sigma...
I don't know anybody with a canon mount for the tamron to try it out. I do know a Nikon shooter who just got the tamron and I'm trying to run him to ground...

tim

mississippi mac

I found this comment on a photo blog about the sigma IS\OS\VR...whatever....

Speaking of Image Stabilization, the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary's OS system is absolutely stunning. Be sure to click over to the IS Test tab for the full results, but suffice it to say, we were able to get an impressive keeper rate at 600mm all the way down the 1/15th of a second! However, we did notice some odd, rather distracting jitteriness and twitching of the OS system, that's particularly visible at the longer focal length. It can be difficult to keep the focus point on a small subject; you really notice the focus point jumping and fidgeting around while the stabilization system is active.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/lenses/sigma/150-600mm-f5-6.3-dg-hsm-os-c/review/?product=1736

tim