135--400 question (1 Viewer)

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george millman

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2006

• #1

hi
i have just bought the above lens, went out today to see how it would peform, not bad, even with the very low light levels,
but one thing kept anoying me,
the barall keps sliping down, i cant see anything in the manual where it says how to lock it
george

 

Roy C

Occasional bird snapper

• Jan 5, 2006

• #2

I have not got the lens myself George but from what I have read this is one of the know problems with this lens and I do not think it can be locked.

 

G

george millman

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2006

• #3

sigma

Roy C said:

I have not got the lens myself George but from what I have read this is one of the know problems with this lens and I do not think it can be locked.

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hi roy
seams a bit daft, how long have you had your Sigma,

 

M

markho

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2006

• #4

I take it you are refering to the Sigma 135-400 . I brought this lens for my D50 a couple of months ago and it, did it from the word go. I tend to use my nikkor 300 with 1.4 converter now because of this lens does not slide around under its own weight . I was thinking of getting a Simga 500 but this annoying habit has put me off Sigma lenses.

 

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george millman

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2006

• #5

markho said:

I take it you are refering to the Sigma 135-400 . I brought this lens for my D50 a couple of months ago and it, did it from the word go. I tend to use my nikkor 300 with 1.4 converter now because of this lens does not slide around under its own weight . I was thinking of getting a Simga 500 but this annoying habit has put me off Sigma lenses.

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hi
i take it that it is only Sigma who have this problum, i wanted to buy the Canon 100--400 but the price put me off, if this things anoys me too much i will think of trading it in and look for onother lens, but not a Sigma
george

 

Keith Reeder

Watch the birdie...

• Jan 5, 2006

• #6

Lens creep is not unique to Sigma lenses, George.

I've had the 135-400 for a while now, and it's a cracking little lens - you can't lock it, but personally I got used to the "problem" very quickly and IMHO far too much is made of the issue.

To be honest, if lens creep is the worst thing we can say about the 135-400, it's not so bad.

It took me all of a few seconds to improvise a solution involving an elastic band attached to a strap mount and a small plastic "paperclip" hooked over the lens hood - but to be honest, I never used it.

I found it plenty easy enough to walk around with one hand on the lens, stopping it from extending that way.

Other Sigma lenses (my 80-400 certainly, and the 50-500 I think - others too) have a lock, incidentally.

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2006

simon

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2006

• #7

Keith Reeder said:

Lens creep is not unique to Sigma lenses, George.

Other Sigma lenses (my 80-400 certainly, and the 50-500 I think - others too) have a lock, incidentally.

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50-500 does lock but only at 50mm you cannot lock it at 400 etc, handy for when you are carrying it but annoyingly easy to forget it is locked when you want to use it in a hurry

 

Keith Reeder

Watch the birdie...

• Jan 5, 2006

• #8

Hi Simon,

thanks for the confirmation. The 80-400 only locks at the short end too, but I don't mind that myself.

 

postcardcv

Super Moderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Jan 6, 2006

• #9

I think the issue of lens creep is present on a lot of larger zoom lenses - I've used both the 135-400 and the 170-500 and neither had a zoom lock. Personally I never found this to be an issue, like Keith I got used to it quickly and carried the camera/lens accordingly. I also have the 28-300 which does have a lens lock, and as Simon pointed out this can be an irritation when you forget it's on and try to use the lens...