Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Chris Calohan on December 18, 2014, 06:06:08 pm

Title: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: Chris Calohan on December 18, 2014, 06:06:08 pm

Somebody has to.

Testing the new Sigma 150-600mm Sport Telephoto.  I love it for being tack sharp almost all the way across the lens. Maybe just a tiny bit soft at the edges at 600mm @ 6.3. Autofocus is quite quick and it stays locked on target using the back button focus as good as my 80-400 nikkor. Best feature is the ability to lock the lens at any focal length.

The big drawback to the lens is the weight at 6.3lbs makes it almost a gimballed head tripod lens. it's a bugger to handhold but these shots are handheld so not impossible. Maybe I'll have to hit the barbells again.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: David Eckels on December 18, 2014, 06:10:46 pm

Terrific images, Chris!

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on December 18, 2014, 11:15:10 pm

With a lens that good, I say hit the barbells.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: shadowblade on December 18, 2014, 11:42:25 pm

What body are you using it on?

I'd be interested to know how well it holds up at 600mm with the pixel density of a D7100, or at the edges and corners of a D810 or A7r.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: Paulo Bizarro on December 19, 2014, 04:16:09 am

Very good shots, the lens looks to be a super one.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: francois on December 19, 2014, 04:38:04 am

Very nice and they look sharp… Did you take those handheld? Sigma should provide a 3-month membership to local gym along with the lens.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: Chris Calohan on December 19, 2014, 09:36:08 am

I'm using it on a D810 (which is heavy enough by itself). These were all shot handheld which wasn't terribly hard unless shooting upward. Nice feature on the lens is focal length lockup so you can lock that bugger down and avoid lens creep.  All but the Cormorant were at 600mm and sharp as a tack. I was also shooting at rather high ISO's 800-1600 to get the sutter speed up to compensate for 6.3 and in a few cases 7.1. I've seen some shots made at ISO3200 which showed nearly zero grain. Bokeh is okay but doesn't have that nice roundness as seen with the Nikkor 80-400 (which I also shoot).

It does seem to lose just a smidgeon at 6.3 @ 150mm on the outside edges but not enough to lose sleep over. I am headed to two lagre NWR's today so should be able to get a better handle on "winged" performance. I am also taking my monopod.

Title: Re: Oh No, Another Nature Shot
Post by: NancyP on December 19, 2014, 01:33:06 pm

Thanks for the reminder  :D  - I need to hit the barbells myself.