On Wednesday, I got a call from my dealer that the long awaited Sigma 150-500 had arrived. I picked it up Thursday afternoon and shot some tests yesterday morning and....it was returned Friday evening. I had high hopes for the lens but it was not to be. It was just plain soft all around regardless of focal length, aperture. The AF "hunted" quite a bit (it took almost 2 seconds to lock in a contrasty subject}. And yes, the lens was in the batch that Sigma apologized for but in my experience (and I shot about 200 images with it) with my 40D, there were problems with AF servo without the OS being enabled (it wouldn't fire). I guess it served me right. I've long been a proponent of waiting to buy a newly released product to get the "bugs" out, and I ignored my own advice.
Perhaps this is why Sigma doesn't publish MTF curves for this lens when it does for virtually every other lens in their lineup. I'm disappointed by your findings as well as I was hoping that this would make a good, versatile add on to my lenses. Did you try another sample before giving up on it?
Yes, I tried another copy in the store, both with a 30D and a 40D, and there were other issues with that one...mainly that the AF would never "lock on" a subject, even ones that were very well-lit! Oh well....
I was worried about this and have seen some samples on another forum I was disappointeed to say the least. I guess it's still the 100-400 is still the lens to have
Had Sigma created this lens in the same vein as their 120-300 with more attention paid to the optics and the build, and of course, waited to put it on the market until they solved all the compatibility issues, I would have higher hopes. In fact, I'd have gladly paid up to $2.5K for a 150-500mm lens with or without IS (OS) which was sharp! In this day and age, a well-built and sharp lens of that focal length would fly out the door IMHO.
I think the AF issues may be explained by the fact that its an 4/6.3 lens pretending to be an f/5.6 lens and the 30D/40D AF system would have some difficulty with that. I am wondering if AF performance would be better on a 1 series since they AF up to f/8 on the center sensor. And if this translates to better AF accuracy, perhaps some of the sharpness issues would be solved. Sure would like to see some impressions from a 1 series shooter with this lens.
Well, i bought one yesterday... after about 30 images the AF (one shot) stop working. No AF at all after that in any mode (40D). But, out of the 30 images, 25 where impressive. the OS worked perfectly and i was amazed of the sharpness at 500mm, handheld! So, i went back this morning and exchange it and i will give it a second try. I will post some pictures later, i also have shots of the lens itsefl beside my 80-400 and my 120-300. I'm giving Sigma a second chance.
What i like so far is the weight, it feel less heavy than the 80-400 (that i just love!)
It doesn't feel cheap at all, nothing like a 170-500. More like the old Bigma. It as the EX finish and feel
Just got my 120-400 replacement. The AF was so bad on the first you wouldn't believe. The replacement is just as bad or worse.
Both lenses tested on two different 1D bodies.
This lens serial is in the recall range.
I was waiting on this lens, after deciding to switch back to shooting photos primarily (shot video for about a year, with photos sort of "supplemental"). After seeing some reviews from photographers in Europe and Japan, the general idea seems to be that resolution-wise, it matches up better with the 5D than with a crop body. I hadn't heard about AF issues, and it really shouldn't be any different than the Bigma, which has the same f/6.3 at the long end - as with most things Sigma, copy-to-copy variations are to be expected.
Fortuitously, I happened upon a factory-refurbished 300 F4L IS at B&H on Wednesday (for under $1k, with a 90-day warranty), so I've recreated a slightly-altered version of my original lens setup from late 2003, when I first got into photography - 70-200 F4L (now with IS) and the 300 F4L IS, along with the canon 1.4x (now a v2, not that it makes a difference). So, I now have 70-200 at f/4, 100-280 f/5.6, 300 f/4, and 420 f/5.6. Since I already had the 70-200, I couldn't convince myself to get the 100-400 as well - I'd have had to convince myself to sell the 70-200, and I like it too much to sell it. This gives me a reasonably flexible setup without all the compromises of a one-lens solution. I haven't shot with the 300 F4L since the summer of 2005, so it should be interesting to get reacquainted with it. Added bonus - the 300 F4L IS + Canon 1.4x (fitted to my new 40D) fit my Think Tank Digital Holster 20 exactly, so I don't even have to go looking for another bag.
Still, I'll be interested to see what the overall reviews of the 150-500 Sigma look like, and I'm hoping that some purchasers get copies that are sharp at the long end and focus well. Wildlife shooters with crop bodies don't have many options for greater than ~400mm with AF at a reasonably-affordable price, and even fewer with IS/OS - the 150-500 is basically all there is.
Again we must repeat, never buy the first batch of products. Looking at the 120-400 the initial samples were abysmal, but we are now seeing some excellent results.
I'd be waiting 3 months at least and seeing what the reviews then say about the 150-500. I really want this lens to succeed; on a crop body especially like the 450D/40D and with OS and HSM it potentially makes a killer affordable, portable wildlife lens and it has an excellent mfd so with tubes would make a killer close-up lens too.
Pixel Perfect wrote:
Again we must repeat, never buy the first batch of products. Looking at the 120-400 the initial samples were abysmal, but we are now seeing some excellent results.
I'd be waiting 3 months at least and seeing what the reviews then say about the 150-500. I really want this lens to succeed; on a crop body especially like the 450D/40D and with OS and HSM it potentially makes a killer affordable, portable wildlife lens and it has an excellent mfd so with tubes would make a killer close-up lens too.
Sigma delayed the initial release of this lens and it sounds like they might have taken a little longer to iron out the bugs. I've got the 50-500mm, which I'm pleased with, and can afford to wait a while longer.
I'll echo the sentiments that I too hope this lens succeeds and that Sigma can iron out the bugs that are appearing.
Ok, i made a small page on my site. I took over 200 shot today with it around my shop.
The AF problem is simply not there anymore.
The Camera shop call me back to tell me that the problem was the AF switch on the first lens...
Anyway, i will test this one hard in the next few days.
For now... if this lens keep working that way... it may be a killer lens.
Don't forget that it's a 1K$ lens. This morning at the Camera shop i had in one hand hand a Bigma and the 150-500 in the other and they feel the same, the 150-500 is just a bit longer.
I bought this lens for one reason, weight! Yea, many may think it's heavy but when you own a 120-300mm and a Canon 300mm f/2.8... the 150-500mm is light! The 80-100mm is for my girlfriend. Well, that we will see. She went out with Bigma2 tonigh...
If you have any questions on the lens please ask them here or p-mail me.
Alek Komarnits wrote:
Thanks for sharing your thought and pictures ftp2leta - yea, this IS an interesting lens and I'm also debating taking the plunge.
I would be curious if yours has a higher serial number to be out of the range of affected lens with the 40D and/or has the firmware fix.
ejpeiker wrote:
I think the AF issues may be explained by the fact that its an 4/6.3 lens pretending to be an f/5.6 lens and the 30D/40D AF system would have some difficulty with that. I am wondering if AF performance would be better on a 1 series since they AF up to f/8 on the center sensor. And if this translates to better AF accuracy, perhaps some of the sharpness issues would be solved. Sure would like to see some impressions from a 1 series shooter with this lens.
ut have many people reported problems with the 50-500, 170-500 & Tamron 200-500 as these are all 6.3 also.?
Hi!
Yesterday i recieved a copy. Maybe its my fault, but until now i'm not too impressed.
Before I made a tripod test. see http://www.all4photo.com. Maybe the fault there is , that i have a wooden floor. Handheld i got some better shots, but not very consistent.
