p.9 #1 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I have been looking around, unsuccessfully, for some feedback on this lens on the a6x00 bodies. Specifically the a6400. I am very interested in picking this up for my tele option.
p.9 #2 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
There are several threads discussing malfunctions of the lens, actually all relating to the stabilizer. I would suggest to concentrate the discussion here.
My issues after a hiking weekend out with the lens:
1) Stabilizer on tripod MUST be turned off (already reported by Calphate and me), otherwise images are totally blurred
2) If OS is on, the stabilizer seems to do something all the time. There is a noise inside the lens if I put my ear on the lens. If I turn OS off, the noise is still there but less loud. Strangely, the image in the viewfinder is only stablized if I half press the shutter, so it moves but doesn't really work at the same time. This behavior sucks the energy out of my batteries. I needed 3 batteries for a 10h hike.. Something I usually do with one battery.
3) When I walk with the lens mounted, it starts to lose connection to the camera after a while. When I just sit around with the camera on the desk, the problem doesn't appear. When it loses the connection, it only shows f-- instead of an f-value and isn't able to focus. Viewfinder image flickers once when I half press the shutter. Sometimes it establishes connection again after a few seconds but most of the time I have to restart the camera or unmount the lens. The loss of connection happened at least 100 times in the past 2 days, so I am totally annoyed by that. I lost at least a dozen opportunities to shoot shy animals due to this behavior.
4) Sometimes AF stops working. This happened especially after 1-2h of hiking. Only help was to reconnect the lens via unmounting.
I kindly ask you to test if you can reproduce that. I use an A7RIV and use back button AF (decoupled from shutter). I really wish the lens wouldn't show these flaws. Optically, it is a strong performer and a lens that I wouldn't return.
p.9 #3 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I have been using this lens on my a6400 and a7iii, though primarily the a6400. It has performed very well, and I really appreciate the size and weight. I can carry it around with a wrist strap. At 400mm it is quite good wide open. I will try to post some pictures later. I've gotten some birds, and a lot of bees and dragonflies. As others have noted OSS is a little wonky. Most of the time it works really well, and stabilizes the viewfinder and image. But occasionally it seems a bit less effective than I would expect. It hasn't been a significant issue yet, and this is the kind of thing that happens in firmware 1.0.
p.9 #4 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Peire wrote:
This lens exceeded my expectations.It is reasonably sharp and contrasty across the zoom range,even wide open at 300-400mm,f6.3 at tele end is not too slow,OS works fine and AF is fast.The lens isn't overly heavy and close up facility is just about right.No problems with centering observed.
A7R2+Sigma 100-400/5-6.3
________
Wow Peire, those are razor sharp images. Were they stopped down to get those depth of field and detail?
p.9 #5 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I've only had a brief time with mine which I received the other day. A few hours of it out of the box. I can confirm issues with the image stabilization when on a tripod. I need to do more testing, but hoping this is an issue they can fix quickly.
p.9 #6 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I can confirm the buzzing sound, maybe also the battery drain but that's only the impression I got - need to verify.
The sound is barely audible, you really need to put your ear on the lens in a quiet environment... That's on A7III.
p.9 #8 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Just did a quick test with a tripod, 100mm and 400mm, 2 sec release at around 1/250s and don't see much difference between IS off and 1.
Do I have to try slower shutter speed?
p.9 #10 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Thanks for sharing your findings Jannik.
What you say about it losing it's connection so often worries me. The question now is if it's specific to your copy or a general problem.
(It reminds me of when I sold my first 100-400 GM. I used it on 2 different bodies, without any issue.
The buyer complained about it losing connection on his camera, also only after a while.)
p.9 #11 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Jannik do you plan to replace this copy to rectify the problem of lens losing connection? If so, will you be so kind as to pls report back on the issue. Thanks.
p.9 #12 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I hear the noise quite prominent with OS on and much less with OS of. And Jannik, you are right. I feel the battery is draining fast. But if live view and the monitor is of, the lens is quiet even with OS on and there is no loss of battery charge.
I donīt think the the disconnection of camera and lens are specific to this lens. I have had it with other lenses but not yet with this one. But I woul not be surprised to experience it with the 100 - 400 too.
p.9 #13 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Jannik Peters wrote:
There are several threads discussing malfunctions of the lens, actually all relating to the stabilizer. I would suggest to concentrate the discussion here.
My issues after a hiking weekend out with the lens:
1) Stabilizer on tripod MUST be turned off (already reported by Calphate and me), otherwise images are totally blurred
2) If OS is on, the stabilizer seems to do something all the time. There is a noise inside the lens if I put my ear on the lens. If I turn OS off, the noise is still there but less loud. Strangely, the image in the viewfinder is only stablized if I half press the shutter, so it moves but doesn't really work at the same time. This behavior sucks the energy out of my batteries. I needed 3 batteries for a 10h hike.. Something I usually do with one battery.
3) When I walk with the lens mounted, it starts to lose connection to the camera after a while. When I just sit around with the camera on the desk, the problem doesn't appear. When it loses the connection, it only shows f-- instead of an f-value and isn't able to focus. Viewfinder image flickers once when I half press the shutter. Sometimes it establishes connection again after a few seconds but most of the time I have to restart the camera or unmount the lens. The loss of connection happened at least 100 times in the past 2 days, so I am totally annoyed by that. I lost at least a dozen opportunities to shoot shy animals due to this behavior.
4) Sometimes AF stops working. This happened especially after 1-2h of hiking. Only help was to reconnect the lens via unmounting.
I kindly ask you to test if you can reproduce that. I use an A7RIV and use back button AF (decoupled from shutter). I really wish the lens wouldn't show these flaws. Optically, it is a strong performer and a lens that I wouldn't return. ...Show more →
1. Confirmed - need to manually turn stabilization off on tripod
2. Confirmed but I think the residual noise might be the focus motor. The stabilizer has a distinct noise when it moves. Have not hiked 10 hours with it yet to see battery drain as an issue.
3. Have not experienced this
4. Have not experienced this
p.9 #14 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
I retested on tripod 400mm @ 1/10s and indeed there is a difference between IS 1 and OFF. Maybe not that big as I expected after reading this thread, but that might be because of my A7III compared to A7RIV resolution .
p.9 #17 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
1) I cannot comment (that's not a scenario I would try for my photography pratice/habits).
2) I haven't heard any significant noise so far (only 2 testing sessions with very windy conditions for the one outside). However, I've noticed a significant battery drain (26% battery left after 300 shots or so with a genuine Sony battery which was about 85% full at the begining).
3) Haven't faced this issue but I've an habit not to keep the camera on for along period and to shut off my camera as soon as I am done with a specific photo shoot/scene.
4) I rarely use AF on my A7III camera (so what follows could be well an operator issue) but I've found something weird while being in AF-C mode and Large Flexible spot : it seemed that the focus acquisition green squares weren't not always matching the focus area I was selecting (at least in the EVF).
Despite that, it seems that - in the resulting pictures, the areas of focus were usually in focus but this is not what i was always seeing in the EVF (weird... I know).
It was super windy , I was shooting moving foliages and I was always between 250mm and 400mm, so probably not the best conditions for an AF test anyway.I would need to try again inside my house (it seemed that in my home test session before I didn't face this issue).
p.9 #18 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Jochenb wrote:
Thanks for sharing your findings Jannik.
What you say about it losing it's connection so often worries me. The question now is if it's specific to your copy or a general problem.
That's the mother of all questions to me right now, especially because I want to write a review about this lens right now.
Today with home use and no walking with camera on my hip, everything worked flawlessly. It seems to appear only if
1) I use the camera for a longer period without turning it off
2) I walk around with it
Furthermore I have to add that today it's around 7 degrees cooler outside and the lens wasn't exposed to the sun.
I can think of three possible reasons:
1) Overheating: The constantly moving OS means that it could produce heat during that so that risen temperatures could cause the issues. I don't feel any heat increase from the outside of the lens.
2) Loss of contact due to mechanical decoupling. Can't imagine that, lens sits tightly. Furthermore, why doesn't it reconnect when I pick the camera up? I have to manually disconnect the lens from the mount.
3) Firmware bug that appears with my settings (Back button AF, AF decoupled from shutter, eye start AF off, pre AF off) or the A7RIV (No one else used the A7RIV here so far?)
By the way: I think it is the stabilizer that makes the noise because AF is decoupled from the shutter button and the motor sounds much different than the OS. In addition to that, the noise changes when I change the OS mode to OFF.
p.9 #19 · Pre-order: Sigma 100-400/5-6.3 DG DN OS FE ($949!)
Thanks Jannick for your deep testing and feedbacks and the quality of your contributions.
Regarding
1 : when I was out, it was really hot (35°C) that day where I live (could explain battery drain indeed if it keeps moving). In my tests inside it was probably only 25°C.
3: My normal AF setup is AF decoupled from shutter as well but I couldn'thear a significant noise. i will retest inside where ambiant noise is limited/controlled.
. 
