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New Sigma 150/600 (1 Viewer)

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Paul - Herts said:
I appreciate that. The Nikons do deliver nice images with both of the big zooms!

I just think that there is a dearth of images with the new Sigma. Admittedly the Tamron has a year head start here but I don't think that the Sigma is being used by enough people to really get a feel for it - except of course people like yourself who are lucky enough to have it in hand. The noises being made, including by Black Fox and Orville in this thread, are positive but given that after a year and having seen some terrific shots from the Tamron I remain unconvinced by it, I will need to see a lot more before I risk double the money.

And that's with no disrespect to Isaac who does get some terrific shots with the Tamron - and more so with the new 7D. I love my 400 5.6 but my shaky hands miss the IS of my 300 f4 which just isn't a long enough lens for general birding usage
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I know a guy who has a 300 f4 that he uses most of the time with his 7d. He also owns a 500 f4 but chooses the 300 for its light weight and great IQ. He gets fantastic results with it. The Tamron is much heavier and the Sigma will be that much more so. So even though they have IS, there is a trade off to lug around and shoot with the extra weight. This exact issue is what most interests me about the Sigma. Will the additional weight offset the alleged gains in IQ of the Tamron. Will a shot that I shot before at f8 with the Tamron but could handhold be better or worse from an f6.3 (faster shutter speed) but heavier Sigma. Does the extra weight cause too much shake and offset the better IQ?

Having had the Tamron since April and using it loads of times (unlike others who have been using a lens once or so) I know how hard it is to handhold it in a high wind. Just so much damn lens and hood for the wind to take hold of and push around. The Sigma will be even more so. This is the kind of info I need.
 
So

micloi said:
In the same way I would not buy a lens because it takes good shots in great light from 5 meters, let's just agree to disagree :)
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I care about results. How about posting some high quality pics in good light so that we can judge how well the Sigma performs. At least based on what I have posted we know that the Tamron can produce some sharp images, hand held at 600mm.
 
hosesbroadbill said:
I care about results. How about posting some high quality pics in good light so that we can judge how well the Sigma performs. At least based on what I have posted we know that the Tamron can produce some sharp images, hand held at 600mm.
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Sure, will do that in April. Or earlier if you buy me a ticket for California :)
 
I keep reading all your posts with great interest and Im with Paul Hert I just can't seem to find enough pics on the net to judge the lenses capabilities. The last link Isaac posted is great.

This is my situation in a nut shell as is maybe some others. Im looking for a lens that has flexibility and reach with some form of IS. A big part of my photography is walking and shooting usually handheld, I like the sigma but its weight maybe an issue, the new 100-400 looks very good £1999 is an issue, the 100-400 mk1 is old at 16 years. the tamron sounds promising for me but I want to see more photos from the others.

The next lens I buy needs to be right as I want it the be the ONE Its alot of money for me and dont to waist it on the wrong one.
 
Amen brother!

Paul Jarvis said:
I keep reading all your posts with great interest and Im with Paul Hert I just can't seem to find enough pics on the net to judge the lenses capabilities. The last link Isaac posted is great.

This is my situation in a nut shell as is maybe some others. Im looking for a lens that has flexibility and reach with some form of IS. A big part of my photography is walking and shooting usually handheld, I like the sigma but its weight maybe an issue, the new 100-400 looks very good £1999 is an issue, the 100-400 mk1 is old at 16 years. the tamron sounds promising for me but I want to see more photos from the others.

The next lens I buy needs to be right as I want it the be the ONE Its alot of money for me and dont to waist it on the wrong one.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I am looking for as well. Just want the best of what is available that is portable and as sharp as possible for the money. At this point the Sigma has the most promise for me but the jury is still out on how much of an improvement it actually is. The ability to get sharp shots at f 6.3 (clearly not possible on the Tamron as f8 is a big improvement) with all focus points and a beast of a lens with great weather proofing sounds amazing to me. I own the Sigma Art 50mm and think very highly of that lens. If this lens is close to as good as the art it will be a major big deal. As such I am eagerly awaiting more and better results. If I could find the damn lens somewhere I would buy it in a second and make the decision for myself.
 
the whole crux of the matter is that ANY lens will take good and reasonably sharp shots in GOOD LIGHT ,the one thing we lack over here (especially on the western side) of the u.k is good consistant light in the winter ,it just doesn't happen and its often a case of grabbing a hour here or there and hoping you can gel with a target species ,so although i see what your saying and posting from across the pond its not relevant to what we need on our crowded ,cloudy and windswept islands .
hence my poor sample shots of a couple of species to prove more than anything else that i wasn't spouting bullshit the pics were taken not in a time or place of my choosing either ,so its a case of like mic having to take my word for it and judge it not on what you see but on our judgement i don't think i have to bad a record with my wildlife shots so make your own mind up .
the only thing i will add is that based on my hours trial with this lens i will be pulling out all the stops to get one not a easy choice to make when you live on a pension .
but i see it as a way to progress my photography forward .
 
the black fox said:
the whole crux of the matter is that ANY lens will take good and reasonably sharp shots in GOOD LIGHT ,the one thing we lack over here (especially on the western side) of the u.k is good consistant light in the winter ,it just doesn't happen and its often a case of grabbing a hour here or there and hoping you can gel with a target species ,so although i see what your saying and posting from across the pond its not relevant to what we need on our crowded ,cloudy and windswept islands .
hence my poor sample shots of a couple of species to prove more than anything else that i wasn't spouting bullshit the pics were taken not in a time or place of my choosing either ,so its a case of like mic having to take my word for it and judge it not on what you see but on our judgement i don't think i have to bad a record with my wildlife shots so make your own mind up .
the only thing i will add is that based on my hours trial with this lens i will be pulling out all the stops to get one not a easy choice to make when you live on a pension .
but i see it as a way to progress my photography forward .
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Couldn't have said it better.

At the end of the day someone can either:
1. Spend months waiting for the perfect comparison with other lenses
2. Try one yourself
3. Trust the opinion of someone else that already tried most other lenses

Either way I am happy with whatever people choose .
 
Couldn't put it better myself Jeff. I may have to wait till spring to decide when the weather improves and prices come down more and hope there are more shots to make a judgement on.
 
the black fox said:
the whole crux of the matter is that ANY lens will take good and reasonably sharp shots in GOOD LIGHT ,the one thing we lack over here (especially on the western side) of the u.k is good consistant light in the winter ,it just doesn't happen and its often a case of grabbing a hour here or there and hoping you can gel with a target species ,so although i see what your saying and posting from across the pond its not relevant to what we need on our crowded ,cloudy and windswept islands .
hence my poor sample shots of a couple of species to prove more than anything else that i wasn't spouting bullshit the pics were taken not in a time or place of my choosing either ,so its a case of like mic having to take my word for it and judge it not on what you see but on our judgement i don't think i have to bad a record with my wildlife shots so make your own mind up .
the only thing i will add is that based on my hours trial with this lens i will be pulling out all the stops to get one not a easy choice to make when you live on a pension .
but i see it as a way to progress my photography forward .
Click to expand...

Maybe it is a geographical thing, maybe an age difference, but that is just not how I operate. I don't just take peoples word. Lets remember that people said that the Tamron was soft at 600mm and that you could not take sharp shots with it. I sure am glad I did not take their word:t:

Keep in mind that I fully expect the Sigma to be better. It should be at twice the price. Knowing what amazing lenses they are producing I really think this lens could be special (Again I own the 50mm Art. Read the reviews if you don't know what it is). Which is why I am so looking forward to seeing (not taking someones word) some of these images that I am expecting.

So far what I have read is that it is better than the Tamron at f6.3 but with no real hard proof. I have also read that it is similar to the Tamron at f8. Also there have not been specific examples such as it is sharper at f6.3 than the Tamron is at f8. That in itself would make me go on the waiting list in a second.

Ultimately I guess it boils down to a difference in style. I don't accuse others of things such as get the shot no matter what or calling people idiots like some on have done on this and the Tamron forum. I don't form a full opinion on a lens based on a days use in lousy conditions with no good results to show from it. I also don't buy a lens and then give up on it because I can't get any good images with it and then go and badmouth the lens to others. And I don't post uninteresting, soft and blurry pics to support my claims. Think I will leave all of that to the rest of you.
 
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it would need to be the sigma 1.4 tc nick ,i am led to believe the canon ones won't work .not sure if micloi has one or not .i'm sure he will let us know .
i had the chance when i tried the lens out but took the 70d instead of the 1d3 so the a/f would not work with the t.c .still trying to get my finances sorted to get one though
 
Nick Leech said:
Wonder if a Kenko 1.4x TC would work with the Siggy 150-600 and a 7D2?
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Even if it does (does not work for my Nikon), the USB dock would not recognize it so you would be able to have separate adjustments with the TC.
Also the image quality would most likely be inferior so I do not see why not buy the Sigma TC when someone spends so much on the lens.

Having said that I will ask a friend to see if he can check if the Sigma 1.4x MK1 and Canon 1.4x III work with the lens and 7D2/5D3
 
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