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 p.17 #19 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!) | |
lora_to wrote:
Technique is super important - and I hope I don't insult anyone but most of us posting on this thread are not birders. I tried my hand at photographing hummingbirds and it's hard to say how much is the lens and how much is just my lack of experience. AF modes, ISO, shutter speed, holding-technique, OIS mode, ... can all impact the perceived sharpness as does post-processing. I have a feeling most of the buyers of the Sigma skew landscape or travel, whereas the subset of GM buyers that post birding images are probably quite experienced (and many are used to high ISOs and experts at noise reduction and sharpening).
That said, given my experience with the Sigma and photographing hummingbirds on the A7RIV, I wouldn't be surprised if the GM is substantially better at AF + tracking for birding. It could the RIV but tracking is often lost after 3-4 continuous shots, acquisition is also sometimes hard when you're close to MFD with a fast little bird quickly pacing around the bushes.
Another data point that the GM is probably a lot better at birding, Stefano Ianiro (bird/wildlife YouTube) posted a preview video of using the Sigma 100-400 for backyard birding a month or so ago but and said he would follow up in the field but never did. I assume he gave up and returned the lens.
If your priority is birding and you need the highest percentage of keepers, definitely get the 100-400 GM. If you want to occasionally dabble with birds and don't mind having fewer keepers, the Sigma can produce sharp images.
Here's one picture that's reasonably sharp of a perched hummingbird. I used clarity +20, texture +20, sharpen 56/radius 1.0, zero noise reduction - hopefully nothing too controversial, though more aggressive than I'd usually go. But again, this was on my 2nd attempt shooting hummingbirds (a total novice) and my shutter speed was way too low, I just got lucky it sat still long enough. I'd say I get around 20% sharp/tack-sharp images of fast-moving hummingbirds near the Sigma's MFD at 400mm, on the A7RIV not A7III or A9 with possibly better AF....Show more →
Nice shot of the hummingbird! I just got back from Mendocino County and took a bunch landscape and bird photos with the Sigma, but lighting conditions were challenging when the birds were out, and I was mostly using the 200-600 (to which I also faced the same challenges). I'm still culling/editing the photos. If any of the bird ones are acceptable, I'll post them here.
Also, I'm not insulted at all and I think you're spot on that there are many variables involved to determine if this lens produces softer images for birds vs. the GM. It could be that the GM is just sharper, by a slight margin, over the Sigma, which if I'm a GM owner, would expect it to be.
I'm also awaiting the video(s) from Stefano Ianiro. He probably got busy with real life and making videos is a lot of work, so I would hold tight. It will be interesting to see what he concludes since I think he's pretty competent with bird photography.
EDIT: Stefano says he still plans on putting out some videos and that so far he's loving the lens, so there's that
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