Skilled telephoto lenses made particularly for wildlife and sports activities are usually the most costly cash should buy. They push the envelope of lens expertise, to not point out dimension and weight. What if I instructed you that Sigma made a lens that delivers the identical f/4 aperture mixed with a extra versatile zoom vary however can be solely $6,000, considerably much less cash than the competitors? It sounds too good to be true.
But that is precisely what Sigma has finished with its new 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports activities. Absolutely, this lens should have some critical compromises, proper?
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports activities: The way it Feels
The Sigma 300-600mm f/4 actually seems to be and looks like a critical skilled telephoto lens. It sports activities (no pun meant) an all-white paint job to scale back pointless heating of the inner components and the chassis is totally weather-sealed, has a customizable management rocker, loads of customizable buttons, and picture stabilization.
There’s a focus limiter and a tripod collar that may be set for click-stop 90-degree detents or clean rotation if desired. The carbon fiber hood does an ideal job of defending the entrance of the lens, and there’s a 40.5mm drop-in filter choice for those who want it. I’d simply put the construct high quality of this new Sigma up towards any 600mm f/4 telephoto from the likes of Sony, Nikon, or Canon.
A wildlife and sports activities lens additionally has to focus shortly, and the 300-600mm has no points because of its highly effective HLA linear motors. The topic detection modes on the Sony a7R V that I used had zero points, however Sony will restrict you to a most of 15 frames per second in burst mode. There may be one main compromise, nonetheless, and that’s the general weight of the Sigma 300-600mm lens. At over 140 ounces (3985 grams), the Sigma is considerably heavier than any of the 600mm f/4 lenses from the opposite main producers. Holding the lens by hand is extremely taxing, and a monopod is extra needed for this lens than for any of the opposite manufacturers.
Nonetheless, let’s not neglect that the Sigma 300-600mm is a zoom and subsequently acts as a number of lenses in a single. Having a zoom lens for photographing animals is extraordinarily helpful when a fast composition change is required or if you end up barely out of place to {photograph} your goal. I believe the general weight is an affordable compromise given the additional versatility.
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports activities: The way it Shoots
Can the Sigma 300-600mm f/4 compete in the case of general picture high quality? The very first thing I examined was the lens’s resistance to flare. Distinction appears effectively maintained when capturing towards the solar with out the hood on, however I did discover some minor ghosting within the reverse nook. Shut the aperture down tighter to f/11, for instance, and the ghosting will get pretty critical with a big inexperienced washed-out space prevalent throughout the body. I’d make sure that to at all times use the lens hood anytime I’ve this lens out and about.
Bokeh was fairly nice, which is essential given how usually the background shall be decreased to a comfortable blur on this lens. Specular highlights have a contact of soap-bubble impact however are in any other case fairly clear. There’s a little harshness to the out-of-focus areas, though that is actually solely noticeable in comparison with the mounted 600mm lenses that the Sigma competes towards. Make no mistake, the prime 600mm lenses have completely sublime-looking bokeh, however that is largely because of the exorbitant pricing they arrive with.
What actually impressed me was the extent of element and sharpness that the Sigma might ship. No matter whether or not you shoot at f/4 or stopped down, and at any given focal size, the 300-600mm has the resolving energy it wants. This makes your complete lens helpful as a result of there isn’t a level in its vary that you’d wish to keep away from utilizing for any purpose. I believe {most professional} wildlife and sports activities shooters can be impressed with the wide-open efficiency of the Sigma 300-600mm versus any of the out there prime options.
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sport: A Restricted Collection of Cameras
The one factor that may give potential patrons pause is said to which lens mount you purchase the lens for. Sony E-mount customers will discover the lens restricted to fifteen FPS (frames per second) burst charges, as Sony does with any third-party glass. You may nonetheless have full steady monitoring autofocus, regardless, and 15 FPS is sufficient for many photographers. Nonetheless, there may be additionally no choice out there to make use of the Sigma 300-600mm with E-mount teleconverters, and this is likely to be the most important draw back to proudly owning this lens.
In terms of L-mount, you should utilize teleconverters and there’s no fps limitation, however I’d argue that the Leica and Panasonic cameras that you’d use with the Sigma aren’t the most ideal tool for sports and wildlife photography. Cameras such because the Lumix S1R II can actually be used for some work, however I discover that the E-Mount choices are much more dependable in the case of the exact autofocus required for this type of images. Suffice it to say, I want you can get the Sigma 300-600mm for Nikon and Canon mounts, however as of now, this isn’t an choice as neither firm permits Sigma to make lenses for its full-frame cameras.
Are There Options?
For related efficiency with out the identical versatility, the Sony 600mm f/4 G Grasp is a superb however vastly costlier various. This unimaginable worth is the true great thing about the Sigma 300-600mm lens. You might additionally take a look at the slower however extra reasonably priced Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3, however you sacrifice the fixed and brighter aperture Sigma brings to the desk.
There aren’t any actual options in L-mount making it just about a no brainer there.
Ought to You Purchase it?
Sure. All of the efficiency with little or no compromise for means much less cash. Any critical wildlife or motion photographer ought to take a tough take a look at the Sigma 300-600mm earlier than deciding on their subsequent telephoto buy.
