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The new Sigma 150-500mm lens (1 Viewer)

I have read as many reviews as possible about the Sigma 150-500 and like you I have to choose eventually between the Sigma and the Nikon 80-400, I also have the Nikon D300.

Recently I tested the Sigma 150-500 and was most impressed with the speed of autofocus and the image quality, I was also impressed with the OS, this is an essential requirement for me because I have camera shake difficulties. For the money I don't think there is another lens with OS/VR to compare at the 500mm range. I cannot understand the negative remarks that some users/reviewers have reported on this lens, and as regards the Digital Photographer magazine review...where do these journals get their testers from...junior school!!!

I'm going to sell my Sigma 135-400 APO and put the money towards the purchase of a Sigma 150-500 OS HSM.

Regards,

Bill |=)|

Thanks whimbrel, the fact that you have actually used this lens helps a lot! Especially since you've tested it on the very camera I will be using. The D300 does seem to be a very adaptable and very forgiving camera but one can never be too sure when it comes to lenses like this. I know the previous Sigmas were questionable which is why I purchased the Nikon 70-300 over the Bigma 50-500. The faster autofocus you mentioned is also encouraging.

Is it as light needy as mentioned by others as well?
 
The Nikkor would seem to be the

I probably will be able to afford the Nikkor when I get the money to buy a new lens. Thing is, that lens too seems to have mixed reviews, mainly concerning autofocus issues although I bet this likely varies with the camera body. VR/OS/IS is important to me as I tent to be mobile and often in areas where a tripod would not work for me. I don't even own a tripod lol. So if I had to choose between the Nikkor 80-400 and the Sigma, you're saying I should stick with the Nikkor?

All I can say from personal experience is that the Sigma 120-400 simply does not give sharp images at 400 mm even at f/8.

My understanding from other comments and more than one independent test (not the Digital Photographer review) is that the Sigma 150-500 goes very soft above 300 mm. For example:

http://www.michaelfurtman.com/sigma150_500.htm

The 120-400 gets no better than a fair rating here:

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1184/cat/31

As a Canon user (350D) I cannot comment on Nikon lenses or cameras. What I am saying is that if the Sigma 150-500 OS is anything like my Sigma 120-400 OS, you would be far better going for the optically superior Sigma 80-400, even though the autofocus is slow and the optical stabilisation is primitive. I can only suggest you be guided by the reviews of the Nikkor 80-400 VR and Sigma 80-400 OS here on Bird Forum and other sites:

Nikkor 80-400 VR:

http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/140/cat/14

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/125/cat/13

Sigma 80-400 OS:

http://www.birdforum.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/142/cat/14

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/754/cat/31

But note the warning in the second review concerning the Sigma 80-400 - not all Nikon camera bodies can use the OS, or even the autofocus!!!:

"For Nikon cameras, it is only possible to use OS system with models equipped with image blurring compensation mechanism. It can be used with following Nikon cameras: F6, F100, F80/N80 series, F65/U, F75/U2, D2 series, D1 series, D100, D70, D70s, D50 and Fuji Film FinePix S2 Pro. OS mechanism cannot be used with other Nikon models. In addition, OS mechanism and Auto Focus operation of this lens do not work with F5 cameras. (Check Sigma's website for the latest list of compatible bodies.)"

Here endeth the sermon.
 
Sigma 150 - 500 + Kenko 1.4 Tele + Canon 40d

Hi all
Can anyone give me as to the best way to make the above rig work in AF servo mode?
I read somewhere about taping sensors but don't have a clue what this means.
Any help appreciated.
Cheers
Mick
 
jfmgb777, thanks for that info. Seems like Canon users may have more issues than Nikon users. Perhaps this could be why there are such wildly varying opinions. Well nothing to do but keep researching.
 
Gentoo,

You can keep going around in circles for ever when choosing a suitable lens, I know from personal experience!!! Lots of the Sigma 150-500 OS reviewers have only tested the lens using Canon DSLR's and there were early compatibility problems that I believe have now been rectified. Other reviews have only been carried out using the lens for one day/one session. Us Nikon D300 users need a review using the D300 done in a real birding situation with the 150-500 OS over a longer time period and in different light conditions for a fairer appraisal of this combination.

Regarding your concerns about the 150-500 OS being 'light needy' you have the huge advantage over us Brits of living in sunny California!!!

Regards,

Bill
 
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Gentoo,

You can keep going around in circles for ever when choosing a suitable lens, I know from personal experience!!! Lots of the Sigma 150-500 OS reviewers have only tested the lens using Canon lenses and there were early compatibility problems that I believe have now been rectified. Other reviews have only been carried out using the lens for one day/one session. Us Nikon D300 users need a review using the D300 done in a real birding situation with the 150-500 OS over a longer time period and in different light conditions for a fairer appraisal of this combination.

Regarding your concerns about the 150-500 OS being 'light needy' you have the huge advantage over us Brits of living in sunny California!!!

Regards,

Bill
Good points Whimbrel. Well it will most likely be January or so before I can get this lens so hopefully by then more Nikon users wil have reviewed this lens which is a real possibility considering the wariness everyone has of the 80-400, a lens with year 2000 technology.

I guess if it worked well in Britain then the light issue may not be a concern lol. Although the best birding season here is from November to March and at times it's gloomy here as well and that's some of the best birding lol.
 
wow what a lens....

tried the lens, yesterday ,(from jacobs in cardiff) i was well impressed, the os worked very well took a lot of photos outside the shop for comparison, against nikon 80-400 vr ,did'nt like the nikon ,it made a noise like a grinder. looking at the photos side by side, not that much difference, the nikon seems to have a bit more contrast. i use the nikkor 80-200 lens (old type) takes good photos ,and nikon 600 f4 lens brill lens,but very heavy ,my birding lens is a nikon 300mm 2.8 manual lens & 1.4 convertor, a1 photos but you miss a lot focusing, i will go for the sigma 150-500 lens myself, i use the sigma 180 macro for insects & butterflies a good lens, the auto focusing on the sigma is very quick & silent, i used the 80-200 lens in my hide, but its too noisy... i use a nikon d300.
 
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tried the lens, yesterday ,(from jacobs in cardiff) i was well impressed, the os worked very well took a lot of photos outside the shop for comparison, against nikon 80-400 vr ,did'nt like the nikon ,it made a noise like a grinder. looking at the photos side by side, not that much difference, the nikon seems to have a bit more contrast. i use the nikkor 80-200 lens (old type) takes good photos ,and nikon 600 f4 lens brill lens,but very heavy ,my birding lens is a nikon 300mm 2.8 manual lens & 1.4 convertor, a1 photos but you miss a lot focusing, i will go for the sigma 150-500 lens myself, i use the sigma 180 macro for insects & butterflies a good lens, the auto focusing on the sigma is very quick & silent, i used the 80-200 lens in my hide, but its too noisy... i use a nikon d300.
Thank you Mark. From what I'm reading here and a review on Amazon and one somewhere else, it seems like this lens is great on the D300. Then again, almost any lens is good on that camera! The contrast issue can be resolved by changing the picture controls in the menu. For my 70-300VR I set it to standard and plus 2 saturation. I've heard for the 70-200 2.8 VR you only need to peg the saturation over once. With the advice I'm hearing from Nikon users, I am leaning more and more toward the Sigma.
 
Amazed to see that my test is of so little interest. Guess it was a waste of time and space to put it up on the net.
For the few who have been interested I want to inform them that I'll be removing it.
Why am I posting this here?
Because this thread seems to attract enormous amount of views and mine does not.
 
Amazed to see that my test is of so little interest. Guess it was a waste of time and space to put it up on the net.
For the few who have been interested I want to inform them that I'll be removing it.
Why am I posting this here?
Because this thread seems to attract enormous amount of views and mine does not.
Where is yours? I'll read it. I'll go look for it now.
 
sigma 150-500

Amazed to see that my test is of so little interest. Guess it was a waste of time and space to put it up on the net.
For the few who have been interested I want to inform them that I'll be removing it.
Why am I posting this here?
Because this thread seems to attract enormous amount of views and mine does not.
wayuU, did'nt see your post ! i just followed the link on main page , i would have liked to have seen your tests ....
 
Rough tests of Sigma 120-400 mm OS, Tamron 500 mm Mirror & Digiscoping set-up

Using Norman Koren's lens testing procedure:

http://www.normankoren.com/Tutorials/MTF5.html

I tested three set-ups:

  1. Canon 350D + Tamron 500mm f/8 mirror lens;
  2. Canon 350D + Sigma 120-400 f/4-5.6 OS;
  3. My younger son's Nikon 80 mm spotting scope + Canon A95.

All were mounted on a Velbon D-700 tripod. To reduce vibration I used remote release for all shots, and mirror lock-up on the Canon 350D.

I tried each of the DSLR lenses at 1600, 800, 400, 200 and 100 ASA, and the Sigma at f/5.6, f/8 and f/11 at focal lengths of 400, 300 and 200 mm.

For example only, I attach thumbnails of crops of each set-up, with the Canon 350D at 400 ASA, and the Sigma at 400 mm and f/8 (to match the fixed aperture of the Tamron 500 mm mirror).

I also attached the best result I achieved with the Sigma at 400 mm (1600 ASA, 1/4000 s).

I leave the viewer to judge the order of merit.
 

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  • Tamron500F8Mirror+Canon350D@400ASA.JPG
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  • Sigma120-400OS@400mm&F8+Canon350D@400ASA_0762.JPG
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Scope it is :) but in a more practical situation with a fast moving target I'd be looking for a second hand 400mm prime lens or even a used 500mm f4.5. The quality of all the zooms at their far end is unacceptable. Interesting test. Thanks for posting.
 
Im seriously thinking about purchasing this lense on Saturday. Basicly, i need more reach at a reasonable price, and the results dont look to bad to my untrained eye!

Before i do take the plunge, there were a few questions in the above posts that dont seem to have been answered, or if they have, ive simply missed them ( Apologies if i have ).

Whats its performance like with a 1.4 TC attached?

Likewise, what are its merits on quick overhead snap shots, i.e Raptors suddenly appearing or a distant Black stork ( i can wish lol )?

Now for the question for which im dreading the responce!. Is it compatible with the Nikon D40?, will i lose AF?

If its not compatible, then what would the more experienced on here recommend i purchase, which will give me " award winning reults" lol!

Den
 
Im seriously thinking about purchasing this lense on Saturday. Basicly, i need more reach at a reasonable price, and the results dont look to bad to my untrained eye!

Before i do take the plunge, there were a few questions in the above posts that dont seem to have been answered, or if they have, ive simply missed them ( Apologies if i have ).

Whats its performance like with a 1.4 TC attached?

Likewise, what are its merits on quick overhead snap shots, i.e Raptors suddenly appearing or a distant Black stork ( i can wish lol )?

Now for the question for which im dreading the responce!. Is it compatible with the Nikon D40?, will i lose AF?

If its not compatible, then what would the more experienced on here recommend i purchase, which will give me " award winning reults" lol!

Den
I can answer this question for you. The Answer is yes! You can use it on a D40 because it has an internal focusing AF.

Ultra telephoto zoom lens suitable for both 35mm slr and digital slr cameras with APS-C sized or full frame sensors. Built in optical stabiliser (4 stops). Perfect for wildlife, aviation or sports photography. HSM motors for ultra quick and quiet AF operation. 86mm filter thread. Compatible with Sigma EX tele converters (manual focus only). Compatible with Nikon digital SLR cameras including those without a focus motor such as the D40, D40X and D60.
http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-sigma-150-500mm-f5-6-3-dg-os-hsm-lens.htm
 
I have the Sigma 50-500 and Canon 350d, would getting the 120-500 OS Sigma help give me better results as I tend to suffer from muscle spasms due to the late effects of polio.
 
Yes,Henry,I think it would be a better lens ,purely because it has image stability,which I guess could be beneficial in your case.
 
I have the Sigma 50-500 and Canon 350d, would getting the 120-500 OS Sigma help give me better results as I tend to suffer from muscle spasms due to the late effects of polio.

Henry,

The 150-500 is not such an unwieldy lump as the 50-500 and with the OS system might make your problem a little easier.

Have a look at the other, more recent, 150-500 thread started by Buzzard12 and see what you think.

Regards

John
 
Looks like I made a typo ,should be 150-500. I reckon I,ll be checking the secondhand prices for the bigma now ,see who is on the market for one . Thanks Christine and John H......hb
 
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