New Sigma 150/600 contemporary (4 Viewers)

Roy C · Apr 28, 2015

Nick Leech said:
Think I will probably sell my Tammy and get a Siggy. Just have to decide whether to get the Sports or the Contemporary!

I doubt if you will find that much of a difference Nick - put it this way, if you cannot get good shots with the Tammy then you are unlikely to do so with Siggy either. If you are already getting good shots with the Tammy then you may get slightly better shots with a Siggy.
With all these relatively cheap zoom lenses its all about getting close to the bird if you want really good detail, Obviously every birding lens ever produced will be better as you get closer but more so with these third party zoom lenses in my experience.
I will be getting my 'C' today so will post as to how I find it against the Tammy that I had.

micloi · Apr 28, 2015

hosesbroadbill said:
Have any samples you can show of the IQ? Did you do any comparisons such as 600mm cropped and 600 + 1.4x and see which had better IQ?

I will do that for sure at a local duck pond or something. Just some slow, lumbering birds to test things out.

I have a few photos with the 1.4x but from far away and no comparison shots so would probably not be of much help I am afraid.

Nick Leech · Apr 28, 2015

I'm sure you are right Roy! I have had some decent shots from the Tammy when the bird is relatively close. But it would be nice to wring a little more IQ out of my setup without breaking the bank with a "big white"!

Will be most interested in hearing your opinions on the Siggy-C and how it compares with your old Tammy!

Roy C · Apr 28, 2015

Out of interest I have just tried the 'C' with my Canon 1.4x MkII and it AF's OK, reports the correct f9 so obviously still 'fooling' the Cameras AF system into thinking it is f8. Not taken any shots outside to look at the IQ but I would certainly not try to use it handheld and I guess it would need to be stopped down one or f11 at least. I will give it a try on my tripod and Gimbal on the next reasonable bright day.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 28, 2015

Nick Leech said:
I'm sure you are right Roy! I have had some decent shots from the Tammy when the bird is relatively close. But it would be nice to wring a little more IQ out of my setup without breaking the bank with a "big white"!

Will be most interested in hearing your opinions on the Siggy-C and how it compares with your old Tammy!

I think this is the most important factor Nick. Optics are so damn expensive that you need to pay a fortune for not that big of an upgrade. So selling the Tamron at somewhat of a loss is still a very cheap upgrade to me and one that is well worth it.

Roy C · Apr 28, 2015

I have just tried the lens indoors on a tripod and head. I have a 6" arca swiss plate so balancing both with and without a 1.4x tc was fine (you do need a long lens plate though).
Attached teddy bear is a shot I just took indoors at 600mm f8 and 1/50 sec from around 25 ft. I put the AF point over the word Teddy in orange. I do not think I need any AFMA from this!

Roy C · Apr 28, 2015

I could not wait lol so I have also had a very quick and cheerful play with a 1.4x tc attached. I took a shot from upstairs through a double glazed window with a flower basket bracket on my garden fence as the target - distance around 30 feet I guess. The AF point was on the screw head. 1st shot at 600mm and second shot at 840mm, a very rough and ready test but it has encouraged me to try outdoors in decent light with a 1.4x tc. It is a good test to see the difference the extra 240mm makes as well.

BTW you most certainly need to switch off OS when using on a tripod - the AF tends to drift if you leave it on.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 28, 2015

Roy C said:
I have just tried the lens indoors on a tripod and head. I have a 6" arca swiss plate so balancing both with and without a 1.4x tc was fine (you do need a long lens plate though).
Attached teddy bear is a shot I just took indoors at 600mm f8 and 1/50 sec from around 25 ft. I put the AF point over the words Teddy Bear in orange. I do not think I need any AFMA from this!

I think we all need to know why you have a teddy bear Roy? 8-P

Roy C · Apr 28, 2015

hosesbroadbill said:
I think we all need to know why you have a teddy bear Roy? 8-P

lol it was a gift for subscribing to a local Hospice lottery - cost me a lot each year but a very worthwhile cause as its a Child's Hospice.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 28, 2015

Roy C said:
lol it was a gift for subscribing to a local Hospice lottery - cost me a lot each year but a very worthwhile cause as its a Child's Hospice.

I knew you had a soft side in there somewhere.

Will be very interested to see your results with the new lens. Now we have the same set up except I will be using the Sigma 1.4.

I am sitting here waiting for my 1.4x to come but it looks like I need to leave before it gets here.

Mike-P · Apr 29, 2015

I think your shots have made up my mind for me Isaac.

I had the sport and sent it back as I was not 100% happy with the IQ but I recently ordered another just to make sure I didn't have a duff copy. I have just now cancelled the second sport and will wait for Amazon to get the C version as it looks to be a decent lens and could be ideal for airshows.

Roy C · Apr 29, 2015

Typically with a new lens, its raining after a couple of weeks of blue skies lol.
I am just trying to get my head around these dock settings. I have 'dynamic view' set for custom C1 but from what I can understand it is just to do with the time the image in the viewfinder settles down (or does it actually effect how much OS is applied???) . I have been trying out the AF this morning by focusing from near to far and visa and I am sure the AF is quicker to go by switching off the customize setting and using the default 'Standard' OS setting - anyone else seen this ?
EDIT: playing around with these settings again and the OS is a lot more stable in the viewfinder with 'dynamic view' rather than 'Standard' is this reflected at the time the shutter is released! (could be similar to Canon IS mode 3). its looking like a trade off again. better OS or faster AF.

Roy C · Apr 29, 2015

I always use a BR strap for carrying my Camera/lens combos, I found this a big problem with the Tamron when I had one because the AF/MF switch on the lens would keep knocking against my hip and switching the AF off (many a time I would raise the Camera to the shooting position try to take the shot only to find the AF was switched off, by the time I switched it back on again the bird was long gone :C)
Just tried the Siggy on my BR strap and it could be that I will have a similar problem but at least not with the AF switch as it is in a different position . As far as balancing goes with the BR strap the Siggy lies fairly horizontal when at 150mm zoom (although still slightly front heavy) BUT using the strap with the zoom at 600mm ready to go the front of the lens is pointing down at a fair angle, having said that it seem usable. Just need to try it in the field to see how it goes.

Nick Leech · Apr 29, 2015

Roy - I presume you are referring to a Black Rapid strap? Is it the RS-7 that you use or another one?

Roy C · Apr 29, 2015

Nick Leech said:
Roy - I presume you are referring to a Black Rapid strap? Is it the RS-7 that you use or another one?

Yes, it is the Black Rapid RS-7 Nick, had for 5 years or so.
UPDATE: I went out for a long walk today and it was fine for carrying with the Siggy 150-600 C at full zoom - the hood end was pointing down at a 20 or 30 degree angle but it worked fine and never caught in any of the switches.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 29, 2015

Roy C said:
Yes, it is the Black Rapid RS-7 Nick, had for 5 years or so.
UPDATE: I went out for a long walk today and it was fine for carrying with the Siggy 150-600 C at full zoom - the hood end was pointing down at a 20 or 30 degree angle but it worked fine and never caught in any of the switches.

Roy I tried my Sigma 1.4 today and performance was terrible. Beyond terrible. Either I got a duff copy or it just sucks. Did you shoot your shots hand held at all? I am wondering if that is the cause. 840mm just too much shake involved in hand holding. It would not really even lock into focus. Seems very out of character for Sigma. Mostly it just searched back and forth. Tried it with dynamic os and focus priority engaged and off as well. Sun was out and light was great.

micloi · Apr 29, 2015

What camera did you use? The 1dx was sharp with the 1.4x but AF needed very good light and contrast or it hunted some times.

Roy C · Apr 29, 2015

hosesbroadbill said:
Roy I tried my Sigma 1.4 today and performance was terrible. Beyond terrible. Either I got a duff copy or it just sucks. Did you shoot your shots hand held at all? I am wondering if that is the cause. 840mm just too much shake involved in hand holding. It would not really even lock into focus. Seems very out of character for Sigma. Mostly it just searched back and forth. Tried it with dynamic os and focus priority engaged and off as well. Sun was out and light was great.

I used it on a tripod Isaac, to be honest I would not dream of trying to hand hold 840mm, especially on a 1.6 crop cameras (1344mm 'reach'). I only tried it for 10 minutes yesterday evening with the 7D2 and was shooting from indoors through a double glazed window. I will try it again outdoors tomorrow (weather permitting) and report back.
Your results are strange really as I would have thought that a Sigma converter would have worked better than the Canon.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 29, 2015

micloi said:
What camera did you use? The 1dx was sharp with the 1.4x but AF needed very good light and contrast or it hunted some times.

7d2.

hosesbroadbill · Apr 29, 2015

Roy C said:
I used it on a tripod Isaac, to be honest I would not dream of trying to hand hold 840mm, especially on a 1.6 crop cameras (1344mm 'reach'). I only tried it for 10 minutes yesterday evening with the 7D2 and was shooting from indoors through a double glazed window. I will try it again outdoors tomorrow (weather permitting) and report back.
Your results are strange really as I would have thought that a Sigma converter would have worked better than the Canon.

maybe it is a bad copy. Or... Does the minimum focus distance increase with the extender. Maybe I was focusing on birds that were too close? Just went to the local pond that have tame domestic geese and some starlings walking around. Could that be it?

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