p.3 #1 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
dbehrens wrote:
I check my Tamron pics and could not find any CA examples. But then again I don't see CA as an issue for my macro work. However, just out of curiosity I shot a test pattern in afternoon sunlight and it does have your typical Bokeh Fringing & LoCA. At f/8 its greatly diminished.
Okay... Hmm. Well, the Sigma has a reputation for being very sharp and having little-to-no CA, and the non-OS version appears to be going for about as much as the Tamron, so it sounds like unless you already have the Tamron (which I am sure is a good lens!), it would make more sense to look for the Sigma.
p.3 #3 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
And I believe the non-OS is also lighter. I think the OS version might AF faster, but I haven't compared them side by side so I'm going from memory of the non-OS lens, and if you're buying only for macro use it doesn't really matter. These do make pretty nice telephoto portrait lenses though, IMO.
p.3 #4 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
I'm not a big macro shooter personally, but I did get to spend some time with the Sigma 180mm for a review and I thought it was a highly impressive lens. It is definitely hefty, but no worse than most 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms in my opinion.
Image quality was fantastic in my opinion, though it doesn't quite have as much contrast as I expected (an easy and quick fix in Lightroom though, almost not worth mentioning).
p.3 #7 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
carstenw wrote:
A lot? Samples?
Not a lot of a difference, but I have found the new OS to be a bit sharper as well, only noticeable at 100%, pixel-peeping naturally, nothing that shows in web-sized photos or prints in my experience. I have had the original 150mm since 2006 and found the newer version to be a worthy 'upgrade'.
p.3 #8 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
I have to admit that I can't stand the old crinkle finish, and am even thinking that the extra 500 Euro for the new one over an older, used one, is worth it!
p.3 #9 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
carstenw wrote:
I have to admit that I can't stand the old crinkle finish, and am even thinking that the extra 500 Euro for the new one over an older, used one, is worth it!
The finish was one of the reasons for me to upgrade!
p.3 #10 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
carstenw wrote:
I have to admit that I can't stand the old crinkle finish, and am even thinking that the extra 500 Euro for the new one over an older, used one, is worth it!
I wouldn't blame you. I hated the finish on the old one. The new lens is a lot more attractive.
p.3 #11 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
Received my 150mm OS copy today. Nice coating on the outside, does anyone know if the tripod mount is removable? Focus is decent but i do prefer to MF my macro shots anyway. Will upload photos as soon as I take some.
p.3 #13 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
supermario343 wrote:
Received my 150mm OS copy today. Nice coating on the outside, does anyone know if the tripod mount is removable? Focus is decent but i do prefer to MF my macro shots anyway. Will upload photos as soon as I take some.
The tripod foot is easily removable. Just turn the knob so it's loose and pull it outwards.
Regarding 150 OS vs non-OS: The only thing that detracts from the OS version is the increased price, length and most importantly weight. The older version is about 300g lighter if I remember correctly.
p.3 #14 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
For me, OS is a big + for MOST lenses, whether a macro or short prime. OS helps with "other" shooting, like general street photog, or portraits, that MANY people use their ultra-sharp macros for.
Not everyone stops down to F16, uses a ring flash, and mounts their bodies on a tripod to photograph a fly's eyeball structure. Macros have multiple purposes
p.3 #15 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
AbramG wrote:
I'm not a big macro shooter personally, but I did get to spend some time with the Sigma 180mm for a review and I thought it was a highly impressive lens. It is definitely hefty, but no worse than most 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms in my opinion.
Image quality was fantastic in my opinion, though it doesn't quite have as much contrast as I expected (an easy and quick fix in Lightroom though, almost not worth mentioning).
BTW, excellent review!! Great work, and much thanks for supplying us with a reference point; this lens is slightly rare in the "real world"; perhaps it can be rented?
p.3 #16 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
OK, Sigma 180 OS just arrived. Nice. Big and heavy, of course. Nice long hood (not using the supplied ext. hood.) First and only test I have done so far is about the OS. My Sigma 150 OS gives me about 2 stops of help. I have seen that also mentioned in a couple of reviews. The 180 does better. First test was handheld at 3 different distances. Lowest shutter speed giving good results: 1/30, 1/40, 1/20. Impressive. This on a 1.6x crop body. About the 4 stops as advertised. Better than expected. 2 distances using a monopod: 1/8 and 1/8. I'm leaning toward keeping the 180 now. Even if the OS was only 2 stops I'd lean toward 180 vs 150 for the perspective involved. At least for what I do it is better. Now (maybe today or tomorrow) some tripod, non-OS sharpness tests.
p.3 #17 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
gasrocks wrote:
OK, Sigma 180 OS just arrived. Nice. Big and heavy, of course. Nice long hood (not using the supplied ext. hood.) First and only test I have done so far is about the OS. My Sigma 150 OS gives me about 2 stops of help. I have seen that also mentioned in a couple of reviews. The 180 does better. First test was handheld at 3 different distances. Lowest shutter speed giving good results: 1/30, 1/40, 1/20. Impressive. This on a 1.6x crop body. About the 4 stops as advertised. Better than expected. 2 distances using a monopod: 1/8 and 1/8. I'm leaning toward keeping the 180 now. Even if the OS was only 2 stops I'd lean toward 180 vs 150 for the perspective involved. At least for what I do it is better. Now (maybe today or tomorrow) some tripod, non-OS sharpness tests....Show more →
If you could please post some photo samples too thanks!
p.3 #18 · Newest Sigma 150mm OR 180mm/2.8 Macro. Any owners?
I teach many different photo courses including a couple on macro, lenses and portraits. I'd tell my students to buy a used Sigma 150 (non-OS.) Bang for the buck indeed. OK, given more $, the Sigma 150 OS. Given even more $ (and weight is not a huge factor) - Sigma 180 OS, no doubt. I do not think I will bother to test my Sigma 150 OS side by side with the 180 OS for sharpness. Sorry. I guess I have many, many "sharp" lenses and sharpness is not my main goal. Both are as sharp as you need, IMO. This morning I did just run a perhaps foolish tripod test series pitting the Sigma 180 OS against my other 180 - the Leica R 180/2 APO. It will take me another day to stare at the results, maybe longer. The Sigma is doing very well.
