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New Sigma 150/600 (1 Viewer)

Stephen Mark said:
Just talked to a Sigma rep today at a demo day and the other version of the 150-600 (not the sport) is due to ship at least in limited quantities the first of February. He said they intend to ship both mounts not one and then the other.
Steve ( who isn't buying any more camera equipment till after Christmas anyway)
Click to expand...

Did you get any indication of the price or weight of the "Contemporary" lens?

Making comparisons between the Sigma "sport" and the tamron is a bit artificial given the disparity in weight/price, but this info is currently not published for the contemporary.

Interesting times in the realm of 3rd party zooms!
 
the black fox said:
had a play with one today at a large photo shop based show in north wales today ,and having used the tamron i can only say this lens leaves it standing in the dust ,i used it in really poor light in a narrow back alley type street .and even got a fair amount of lock on's of flying seagulls that appeared and disappeared as they flew overhead .done a mini review on flickr for now link here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31671466@N07/15959438662/

the proof is in the pudding 1/200th sec hand held with nearly 3 k.g of lens that around 6lbs in weight to the yanks
Click to expand...
looking good Jeff :t: especially if it is any good for BIF. Also an enormous plus for anyone who is reach limited will be if it is any good with a 1.4x tc.

BIF was the biggest con for me with the Tammy 150-600 - I was on the estuary in really good light and it would not lock on to distant flying Curlews, I repeated the test several times all with the same result it seemed as if the contrast was not enough for the lens to AF. The following day I took the 400/5.6 as well and tested that with a 1.4x tc attached and it locked on to flying Curlews no problem. I switched back to the Tammy and once again it refused to lock on. The Tammy is fine for reasonably close perched birds but even then it can labor a bit with poor contrasting targets. It will be interesting to see how the Sigma 150-600 non sport measures up to the Tammy in terms of price, weight and performance.
 
The weight was put up on B&H's website briefly (not there now) as about the same as the Tammy and the rep was able to confirm that said within a couple of oz. but as far as price a little more vague as "competitive with the Tamron. If the "non sport" is a winner and Nikon rolls out a new 7200/9300 in the first quarter I could be in the poor house by Memorial Day.
Steve
 
results

micloi said:
A few with the D7100:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/1.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/2.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/3.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/4.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/5.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16187250/Sigma 150-600mm/D7100/6.jpg
Click to expand...

Don't mean any offense, but these images all look very soft to me. Are these hand held and maybe the weight is too much? Not sure what it is. I think like all of us we are trying to decide if we are better off with the Sigma, the Tamron or maybe the new Canon 100-400 plus the 1.4x.
 
No offence taken. From the distance these were taken and the cloudy British weather these are not soft at all and sharper than I could ever get with the tamron, which I also own.
 
comparison

micloi said:
No offence taken. From the distance these were taken and the cloudy British weather these are not soft at all and sharper than I could ever get with the tamron, which I also own.
Click to expand...

I have read your opinions and the initial shots you posted as a comparison. Is there any chance that you can go to a local pond or something that holds geese or what ever ducks or swans you guys have and actually do a real comparison?

Meaning same camera with both lenses of the same bird? Something close is better cause it speaks to the actual performance of the lens.

I keep reading how the Sigma is better and have seen shots with a chart but very few of wild birds, animals that I find better. I would love if it were much better as it would be an upgrade I could easily afford. I am also sure I could sell my Tamron for top dollar now as it is still on back order.

I posted this and a few others on the Tamron forum. Got this the other day using the Tamron.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/15981186576/in/photostream/

Would love to know how the Sigma would have done.
 
There are not many good days in the uk at the moment, very grey and damp. So it's hard for micheal to get out. I don't think the shots are soft The moorhen is very good. I agree that some other subjects would good to see as a comparison and some more bif shots.
 
isaac if you have a look on my flickrstream there are a couple more shots there ,i particularly like the one of the car keys and c/f card as you can read the logo on the card this was taken hand held at around 100feet away ,in a back alley with terrible light.
personally i could not fault the lens at all even to the point of saying it enhanced the performance of the 70d i was using ,and having used the tamron this lens made it look like a toy .i'm not in the finical position to buy one after car troubles this year so my report is completely unbiased and based on fact not sales hype .

here ya go link to the shot
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31671466@N07/15384405593/
you can clearly read the edge logo on the c/f card in the shady underside .quite remarkable in my books .if you wish me to test one further for you i will accept paypal gift for the sum of £1600-00 with pleasure :-0)
 
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I took great photos with the Tamron, especially in Cyprus where the weather was much better.
Don't get me wrong, it is a great lens and I am keeping it too (at least until the Sigma Contemporary version comes out).

The Sigma is better in 3 areas:
1. Contrast open wide and at f7.1
2. Chromatic aberration (VERY well controlled by the Sigma)
3. AF speed and accuracy (the Tamron is good but the Sigma is great)

At f8 and f9 there is less difference but I need a lens that I can shoot in UK weather so the Sigma will be my main lens.
 
micloi said:
I took great photos with the Tamron, especially in Cyprus where the weather was much better.
Don't get me wrong, it is a great lens and I am keeping it too (at least until the Sigma Contemporary version comes out).

The Sigma is better in 3 areas:
1. Contrast open wide and at f7.1
2. Chromatic aberration (VERY well controlled by the Sigma)
3. AF speed and accuracy (the Tamron is good but the Sigma is great)

At f8 and f9 there is less difference but I need a lens that I can shoot in UK weather so the Sigma will be my main lens.
Click to expand...

If there ever is a day where the sun is out I would love to see some comparisons that show that it is better.
 
sigma

the black fox said:
isaac if you have a look on my flickrstream there are a couple more shots there ,i particularly like the one of the car keys and c/f card as you can read the logo on the card this was taken hand held at around 100feet away ,in a back alley with terrible light.
personally i could not fault the lens at all even to the point of saying it enhanced the performance of the 70d i was using ,and having used the tamron this lens made it look like a toy .i'm not in the finical position to buy one after car troubles this year so my report is completely unbiased and based on fact not sales hype .

here ya go link to the shot
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31671466@N07/15384405593/
you can clearly read the edge logo on the c/f card in the shady underside .quite remarkable in my books .if you wish me to test one further for you i will accept paypal gift for the sum of £1600-00 with pleasure :-0)
Click to expand...

Again very hard to tell for me. Maybe I am just still a total newb!! Considering the distance and light it may be great. But on its own it isn't. And nothing to compare it to.
 
flycatchers

tjsimonsen said:
Well, yes. But we can tell our flycatchers apart B :)

Thomas
Click to expand...

Nobody can confidently tell empidonax flycatchers without them calling. Even some birds that are in the hands of experienced banders are left undecided. Now if they are calling things are entirely different. Recently there was a very late empid in Massachusetts. People were trying to decide what it was. Lots of the "experts" weighed in on the bird and opinions were split almost evenly between 3 species. Maybe we should have gotten a few Brits over here to help.

Until then I am struggling to decide what bird to go and get great closeups on next such as this Clay-colored Sparrow (taken with Tamron):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16052038442/in/photostream/

Or this Song Sparrow

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/15435350504/in/photostream/

Or this long staying Cassin's Kingbird:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/16055987111/in/photostream/

Still waiting for this kind of detail with the Sigma...
 
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