G'day all, I have released a video with updated AF settings to reduce the pulsing on Canon Mirorless bodies. ruclips.net/video/l7TEu1Tgq5I/видео.html I hope you enjoy, Cheers, Duade
Man, Sigma should approach you with an award only for making this video. Managed to see it till the end (birding patience kicked in). Thanks for that refocus tips. Gotta come handy for me. 🙂
I love the fact that you tested the lens with an old 40D. Makes an intriguing proposition for someone interested in getting into wildlife photography for the first time. I've recently dipped my toe with a used 7D mkii (USD$500) and a used Canon L 400/5.6 (USD$700), and I am hooked. I think this is a good time for budget-minded novices.
Thanks Rick, yes, there are some great DSLR and Lenses on the used market with many switching to mirrorless. That was the kit I used for a long time 7D/400 5.6. Cheers, Duade
I really really love how you show the RAW/edited photos so it is so much easier for me as a young amateur to understand what aspects you touch upon to get those beautiful results! Thank you, subscribed just a couple of minutes into this video :D
I bought my 150-600mm about a year and a half ago. I used to have an older Sigma 150-500mm EX DG OS HSM that I bought back in 2012 to shoot my son's high school soccer games. Then I sold it to buy it's successor when I started birding in the summer of 2020. I also paired it with a 90D and got excellent results - eventually. The 90D was a little more advanced than my old Rebel T3i (600D) and I had a lot of soft shots early on due to my inexperience. I wish we could share photos here - I would show you some of my favorite shots with both Sigma lenses. Duade, I just wanted to add that I really enjoy your videos! I like learning from your experience and seeing your photos of the birds and other wildlife of Australia. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Craig, thanks for sharing your experience and the lovely feedback, I really appreciate it. Feel free to send me some shots at duade.paton@gmail.com Cheers, Duade
I appreciate this video a lot. I actually have purchased this lens after doing a bit of research and looking at what I wanted to get. I currently own a Nikon 75-300mm 5.6-6.3, and the Sigma 150-600mm fits what I was working up to. You actually going into detail about user error and fixing the ISO/Aperture/etc really helps me understand the limitations of the lens and how you shoot your photos. There are other RUclips videos where others are quick to blame the lens without providing the appropriate background information, while going straight to, "you wouldn't have this issue if you were using x lens or y lens." To me, this video fully encompasses an understanding of the limitations of the lens, while also showing just how capable of a lens it is, and I appreciate actual photos rather than just an explanation. Overall, very detailed information, and I'm going to have to come back to this video a few times to make sure I understand your explanations. I still consider myself more of a hobbyist when it comes to photography, but I'm getting there with understanding all the settings. Thank you again Duade!
Hi Duane, it’s videos like this that keep people coming back to this channel, really well done. I’ve had the sigma 150-600 for just over a year and I’ve been both very pleased, and extremely frustrated with it. Under ideal conditions, good light, optimal distance, little movement etc it works great and produces excellent images. In other situations, like a dull overcast early morning, I’ve come home with a bag of noisy, blurry images. I shoot on a 6D mark 2, (saving for an R6), and balancing high ISO and shutter speed sometimes feels like a game of attrition. The focus hunting has me grinding my teeth sometimes, (thanks for the tip on SS). If you live in a country like Australia, with bright sunny days and lots of light that’s great, but if you like somewhere like the UK or Ireland this lens can be difficult.
Yes, I am very fortunate to live in a country with plenty of sun that is for sure. Thanks for the great feedback and sharing your experience, Cheers, Duade
I'd really recommend getting hold of the dock and tuning the lens. You can adjust the acquisition speed and the accuracy and the OS. It can make a lot of difference.
*LOL* I was indeed wondering why Duade took soo many images with the sigma when his 100-500 should have been superior .. but it was busy doing the other part of the job ;-)
Werner, Jan was ribbing me due to how shaky my footage usually is. I used the Sigma extensively for this review, I would usually use my prime or 100-500. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade @Jan Wegener Yeah, I follow both of you long enough to pick up that internal joke ;-) Actually you both are down under, but also very down to earth with your feet. You both aim for perfect bird shots, but you are not too vain to show it takes effort, patience and failure to achieve it, rather than being just great and affording the best gear. My professor used to say: In life you need to relativate everything, starting with yourself. And you seem to apply this principle👍. Happy holidays to both of you, and looking forward to enjoy more of your YT's in the next year. And hopefully a few YTs with you combined, even when I fear the distance between has grown a bit.
My experience has also matched yours. I started using the Sigma 150-600 on an 80D, and it was such a step up from the kit 70-300 that I was thrilled with it. It can take amazingly sharp photos, but it is a bit slow and not always easy to focus. I just recently purchased an R6. I am able to get a fairly good keeper rate on birds in flight, if they are 20 meters and beyond, but little birds and birds close up... it just can't keep up. On birds that are stationary though it is really good, far from perfect (but then again, so am I) but for the price, I am satisfied and will keep it until I can find something that works better that I can afford. I appreciate your channel and your work. Watching one of your videos feel like hanging out with one of my buddies. Thanks for all you do!
Ed, I have a Canon 80D, I was thinking of buying this lens. It's at the limit of my budget so I'm wondering if you would recommend it for the 80D. I want to shoot wildlife photos. Thank for you reply in advance!
I watch a lot of camera gear videos on RUclips and yours are definitely the best. Your knack for good explanation and depth of real-life testing sets you apart. Even with its faults, I will probably buy this Sigma lens to mate with my older Canon 5D Mark II. I am a retired professional studio photographer but an amateur bird photographer, and it looks like this lens would be perfect for my new hobby. I'm glad I discovered your channel.
Incredible review on this lens! I just got this lens about two weeks ago for my 90d. I have only used it minimally, however the times that I have had time to use it, it has given me great results. I will agree that the auto focus seems to lack slightly in low light conditions, but overall it is a great lens that has given me some tack sharp shots! I would highly recommend this lens for anyone getting started into wildlife photography. At a very affordable price, it is well worth the money for this nice of a lens.
I've owned this lens for 2,5 years now, started out using it on my Nikon D7200 then on a Nikon D800 and a Nikon D810, now I'm using it on my Nikon D850 and it has delivered crisp and sharp images on all the cameras I've used it on. I'm keeping this lens for sure and as a complement to it I have the Sigma EX 120-300 f2.8 wich is also a great lens, I've had the same auto focus issues you mentioned in the video but still not so much it's a headache so to say... Thanks for a great video I really enjoyed watching it! - Best regards, Stefan from Sweden.
Great review! I own this lens, but haven't had all that many opportunities to shoot with it yet. One benefit that I don't recall you mentioning to these super-zooms vs a prime lens is that (at least in my experience) it's a lot easier to scan for a bird at 150mm and then zoom in to capture it once you've found it in the viewfinder, than to find the bird with a locked long focal length prime lens and have to essentially sweep the landscape with a magnifying glass to figure out where your bird is (especially if you're trying to find a flying bird). My eyesight is godawful, even with glasses, so maybe folks with sharper vision find this easier to manage with a prime than I do? Regardless, it's great to see the kinds of shots you were getting out of this lens, it's given me some incentive to get back out there in the spring and see if I can improve my skills :)
Hi Duade, your review is really not bad. For me this is the best budget zoom over 400mm. The RF100-500 is of course faster and in a different class, but not suitable for everyone in terms of price. So I find the Sigma to be the best solution for photography without going into excessive prices. I've had it on the 7D Mk II for 3 years and now on the R5 and find - you get more than you paid for. At least compared to native RF lenses and their prices. Cheers, Allan
I've had mine for about 18 months now and have used it on Canon 80D & R6 and really can't complain. The AF isn't perfect, but it does represent amazing value for money (although when I checked out the exchange rate, I nearly fell off my chair at how cheap it is in Australia compared to here in the UK). I have found that with the eye tracking on the R6, it holds focus much better when moving horizontally across the frame than when coming towards me, but I suspect that this would be the case for most lenses. I'd love to try the RF 100-500, but at 4 times the price it would have to be a huge improvement to justify the cost for a amateur such as myself. For the time being I'll make do with deleting the soft images, knowing that in most circumstances I will come away with some wonderful pin sharp images as well.
Great review! I have had this lens for 7 years now, and use it on Nikon D7000, D7100, D610, D500, and D850. Never noticed any focus pulsing on any of these bodies, but D500 is definitely best for AF speed. I used the Sigma dock to program their "Speed Priority" AF instead of using the default "Standard" AF to get faster AF with latest firmware. The lens definitely needed the focus fine-tune calibration (4 focal lengths, 4 distances per focal length) on DSLRs. Sharp images, but even sharper using Topaz Denoise AI 'Clear' algorithm on the RAW files. Thanks Duade!
What do you do to prevent fungus! I keep it with dehumidifier but it still shows little white dots! I keep it more at night because during the day I use it often, sometimes not! Does fungus proliferate in this range outside the box? Note: when it comes out of the box/dehumidifier, it always faces the light!
@@rui7773 Fungus is more like creeping moss with tendrils going out I think. It sounds like you are doing everything right. If it doesn't impact your photos then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Likely sending it to be professionally cleaned is the only solution which is likely expensive. Cheers, Duade
Hopefully all reviews were made with this level of analysis. Not only is it a lot of valuable information about optics, but also how to technically take good photos, compose, etc. I'm going to watch it several times to assimilate all the information. Many, many thanks, Duade.
I got a sport version and i wasn't very happy with it. But, it changed one day when i bumped the tripod with my backpack and the lens took the hit on the ground. It stuck and needed some care so i sent it in and the cost was €350. When it returned it really amazed me about its change. Now everything was obviously adjusted to the better by the service guys. This lens is now one of the sharpest lenses i got as long as i keep it on the tripod and with decent shutter speeds. It also tells how little the lenses are adjusted in production and how little the dock actually can do. Guys with screw drivers and knowledge can do much better. And....you have produced one of the best Reviews on a lens, i've ever seen. You really deserve more subscribers!
Thanks Bernt I appreciate the feedback, glad to hear your lens is performing well. I al sys struggled with the lens align tools and no doubt to professionals do an excellent job with calibration. Cheers, Duade 👍
Amazing review Duade! Detailed, real-world, an incredible testimony to your skills, and also an honest proof of the lens' limitations. Your review was like a breathe of fresh air... head and shoulders above the armchair pundits raving and ranting without any real experience in the art of photography. Thank you!
This the sharpest lens I have ever owned. It even out-performs my 50mm fixed focus lens. Amazingly, in decently bright light, the max'd-out OIS is enough to hand-hold at any FL. My only nit (true for every zoom lens) is how '600mm' is only true for the closest focus distance. When shooting at infinity, the max FL is only ~560mm.
I love the photo with the dark background. I own three Sigma lenses and the 150 - 600 C is one of them. I normally use it with the Canon 90D but have tried it with the R6 also. I like to shoot most of my bird photos at f/9. As long as there is enough light to keep my ISO at no more than 4000 that is. I truly love the 150 - 600! Great video by the way!
I use this lens almost every day on my Nikon D7200 for bird photography. Budget combo that has given me a few images used in calendars etc, and outperforms a lot of newer and more expensive lenses. Even Sigma have used a couple online
Thanks for sharing this...I have an old D7000. It's just fun for me and not a prof by any means. I live in CO and have lots of wildlife opptys and can't wait to put it to good use. This review and your comment helped me make my decision. I have three baby big horn owls in a huge cottonwood tree in our neighborhood and the kit lens I have to 105 just doesn't cut it. Will get a chance to practice with them first!
This is an incredible lens! I've been using it on my old but trusty Canon Rebel SL1 for bird photography with incredible results. Once you learn to work with the lens and find the sweet spot, you will be blown away by the quality of the photos. I always work in RAW format and have had such wonderful results that I'm bypassing my editing software altogether. I had incredible results at both 1/400s and 1/1000s, F/8, ISO 200 @600mm. Thanks for an awesome video! Cheers!
I own this Sigma 150-600mm Lens now for over a year and agree on the focus pulsating is real on mine also and can be aggravating. That being said, I use it on a Canon 6 D primarily and also use it on an EOS Rebel SL2 at times. This was a great video and one that really showed the highs lows of this lens. I wanted to get into bird photography as the reason I bought this lens and its price point was very agreeable. I wanted to improve my picture taking and once I feel I have improved (I am my worst critic) I might move to the Mirrorless Camera R5/R6. I really do like the lens and it is light enough to not always need a tripod. Fits in my Camera Backpack good enough also. The picture quality I think is very good - I will say at full 600 length, the focus sometimes is an issue so I have dial down to say 590 or 580 - or could be user issue. Thank you so very much for providing this video and all the links.
Bruce, thanks for sharing your real world experience, it is very helpful to others. Great to hear it is allowing you to enjoy bird photography. Cheers, Duade
I have this lens and everything you said in your video was spot on. Ive had exactly the same experiences. I have been blown away with how sharp this lens can be. The reach of 600 is bar far the biggest selling point along with getting sharp images. The down side as you experienced is the auto focus it is very hit and miss but not a huge amount. I recently took some action shots of bears play fighting and when I got back to edit I was a bit disappointed due to it missing focus even though it seemed I was in focus taking the shot. You are right in the fact that you need to burst shot a lot to get anything action wise and sometimes its just luck, but when you do hit the sweet spot boy does this lens take some fantastic shots. Low light is an issue compared to my canon 70-200Liii even when using flash. For instance when I have a flash and use live mode in the dark on the canon it displays on screen and also focuses better, but with the sigma its just dark and I can't focus. Overall though for the price I use this lens more than any other I've used and I tried using a 2x converter on my canon L70-200iii lens and it just was so bad at focusing so bought the sigma and love it. Great detailed vid covering everything and have subscribed :) Ive just bought a gimble to use with it at an air show next month so that will be a good test, great tip on turning image stable off when on a mount as hadn't thought of that.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the lens, I am happy you found the video helpful and useful. Good luck with your photography. Cheers, Duade
Best review of wildlife lenses I have seen. I used to use the Sigma C 150-600 on my d500. It is for sale at the moment. I was finding the weight a problem after a day in the field. I am now in the market for a wildlife lens for my SONY A7 3 (shortly about to become an A7 4) for its size and weight the Tamron 150-500 looks the best option to me at the minute but the Sigma for the SONY looks also very attractive.
Jaycee, yes, the weight can get a bit heavy using all day. The Tamron 150-500 was a beautiful lens but is not that much lighter then the Sigma unfortunately. Good luck with the lens you choose, Cheers, Duade
Excellent walk through/review as always. For context I photograph wildlife and warbirds (prop airplanes) I owned this lens for 3 years upgrading from the Canon 100-400 Mark 1. I think I put about 600k photos thorough it on my old 7D2 - and still recommend this to others when they are looking for that win for their money. Hands down I think this is a great lens for those stepping into wildlife and are budget conscious. What I can say is if you are one that can stretch the budget, upgrading to the Sport version of this focal length, or even the 60-600 that I upgraded to, you are in a higher performance and capability bracket for the money. Same f/6.3 on the long end, but the 60-150 focal length range is a game changer for a single lens. You can even pull some landscape shots off with it if you are in a pinch. It is about 2x the cost, but for what it is still a very positive price point with what I feel more than twice the performance.
and thanks for sharing your experience, it sounds like it is a real winner for people starting out. Glad to hear you are enjoying the 60-600. Cheers, Duade
The best Sigma 150-600mm review I could find period. That Sigma can deliver wassent something that I was surprised at. I own the 85mm art, and its a beast, specially if you look what you get for the money. That's a trend that's relevant for most of the Sigma lenses. Great job mate!
Thanks a lot for making such a comprehensive review. I've used this excellent lens for over 3 years, both with a Canon rebel T7i and a Canon 5D IV. It is a very versatile lens and even thought I use it mostly for wildlife, it is a reasonable choice for easy astrophotography targets (e.g. Orion Nebula, Andromeda, Neowise, etc.), it is great for some landscape and even portrait. There are a few additional things that I find important enough to be worth mentioning. First, at close distance, it is definitely not 600mm and for small bird close-ups a short extension tube does go a long way in getting back to the expected magnification (not too much otherwise the autofocus is quickly limited to LiveView only). Then, the autofocus is really borderline for BIF. It can work with profile shots of larger, slower birds, but with faster birds, head-on shots will frequently fail because the AF is too slow closing in and eventually will find something more contrasty in the background. Finally, as this is supposed to be a camera for wildlife, chances are that it will get exposed to sand, dust, dirt and wet weather and this is something that might become a problem because this lens is really not dust & weather sealed. With the accumulation of dust, the autofocus on my lens has become really temperamental and I can't use it at all at altitude (over 3000m/10000ft).
I stumbled upon this video as one who has owned and used the this Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm lens since late 2019, yet I learned something new here....that lock on the lens isn't simply a lock for the lens in the fully retracted position for storage. When you mentioned it is a zoom lock, I had to explore and confirm that as something I hadn't noticed, and I also learned why. Yes, it is a zoom lock, but only at the marked focal lengths; between those marks the lock doesn't work. Still, a very convenient feature to prevent zoom creep when working at just one focal length as I often was doing with astrophotography. Great presentation!
Great video Duade, I have had my 150-600 for around 18 months and pair it with my 7D mk2, as you say autofocus can be a bit slow especially in low light but that is easily outweighed by the fact it is so light as I very rarely use any support as I prefer going out lightweight!
I just got this lens yesterday (4/30/2022) for use with my Nikon D7500. I have the Sigma 100-400C that I've been lugging around on wildlife hikes. While wonderfully light, the reach just isn't there for small birds beyond 30ft. My Nikon 200-500 lens is fantastic but heavy--it's not something I'd walk with in hand. I watched your video and talked to some bird club folks with the lens, and gave it a shot. I spent just two hours in the field this morning and can attest it's definitely capable of taking quality song bird photos at a distance. Like you said, the AF hunts a bit and I had to quickly spin the focus ring manually a few times to get my shot. I'm going to test the AF using some recently acquired calibration software but I have a feeling it will be dead on. While light enough to carry carefully, I bought an inexpensive Nicama chest harness and found it distributed the weight comfortably. Tomorrow morning I'm going on a long hike along a lake and need to try out the AF for BIF. Anyhow, I've subscribed so I'll go through your videos over time. Thanks Duade, this was a really nice overview of your experience with the lens!
John, congrats on the lens, it is very good for birding, if the light allows try to stop down to f8 when at 600mm as this will often help with sharpness. Cheers, Duade
Excellent video Duade. It's helped me make my mind up about this lens, so thank you! I often struggle getting close enough to skittish small birds - particularly Kingfisher and Bullfinch here in the UK - with my 70-300, so this should help me immensely. Looking forward to using it on my 90D.
I agree, here in the UK my 75-300 is just not close enough and have felt down about my photos, not being able to get close to the subject. Think I will splash out and get the Sigma 100-600. wish me luck.
I just bought this lens for $749 from B&H! I haven't started to use it (feeling very intimidated as it's my first heavy lens) but I'm excited to start! I have a Nikon D3300. Thanks so much for all of your informative videos!
Great job Duade! You did such an awesome job with this video! I do have this lens and still use it regularly, but I am saving up for the Sony 200-600mm. I use the Sigma with the Canon 80D and Sony a6100. I get better results with the Sony for whatever reason. I use them on a monopod, stabilization always on.
@@liting3944 I use Sigma MC-11, Canon mount. Make sure to get the one that fits your lens mount. For example, If your lens is the Canon mount, make sure to get that one.
Thanks for sharing, it appears that mirrorless bodies do deliver sharper shots than DSLR, I suspect this is to do with calibration issues on DSLR and the AF systems. Good luck saving for the 200-600, you will love that lens. Cheers, Duade
Im still a beginner in Wildlife photography and i bought this lens and adapted it to my lumix g9. I'm quite pleased with the pictures i get from that combo. Even the animalrecognition works. I had the Leica 100-400 before and the iq was not better than with the Sigma. For me this lens ist the perfect mix of price, reach and IQ.
@@liting3944 I'm using the viltrox ef-m1 and the ef-m2. My Lens has a Canon EF-mount. The ef-m2 ist a 0.71 speedbooster, it gives me a better f-stop at the expense of more glass in the way and a shorter reach.
Great review on this sigma lens. I own one of these and I agree with everything you mentioned in this video including the pulsing issue in continuous AF mode. For the price is a great choice to have that reach. I also owned the canon 100 to 400 version 2 and yes it is a wonderful lens. I still have the canon 400f5.6 prime which I reach for when I just want to go light and have some fun. I'm a huge fan of the channel and I would like to find out more about the fujifilm xh2s with the fx 150 to 600mm if you could make a video that would be great. Cheers from Canada
That is without a doubt the best review of a camera lense that I have seen posted on any channel. The fact that I own the lense is definitely a plus. The time and effort you put into this video is amazing. I own all three of the lenses that your friend owns and totally agree with him on the quality of the equipment and its results. Thank you for the video. I plan on purchasing the 90D at some point after the new year.
Thank you for your kind words, I was very fortunate to use the lens extensively which helped. Great to hear the Sigma lenses are doing well for you. Cheers, Duade
I have to say a massive thank you! I watched your video on this lens which has helped me out tremendously with my birds in flight shots. This weekend I have taken some of the best photos I’ve taken since buying the sigma 150-600mm lens. If I could hug you I would do !!!! Thank you so so much 😊
Oh Deborah, that is too kind, I am happy to hear the videos are helping and you had a good time. Virtual hugs from this part of the world. Cheers, Duade
Thank you for the in-depth review and the video production quality! As someone getting back into photography and still owning my good old Canon 60D, I greatly appreciate the fact that you took the time to show what this lens can do not just with the latest and greatest but with both the 40D and the 90D! I'm happy to see that it's totally feasible to stay with the now old school DSLR tech, get the lens and upgrade the body down the road. Maybe just swap the 60D for a used 80D with minimal investment. That 150-600mm lens will definitely blow me away, both in terms of reach and quality, as I'm currently used to my budget, ancient Sigma 70-300 APO DG. Cheers from Bulgaria! Needless to say, you gained a sub!
@@Duade You are most welcome! It's incredibly hard to find quality, relevant wildlife content. Glad I found your channel as I only had Simon d'Entremont until now. Too bad wildlife here is not as diverse and colourful but I know there are a few eagles and vultures as well as wild horses up in my local mountains. Can't wait to get these stitches removed so I can go out and seek them. I hate motorcycle crashes. Looking at the current Canon mirrorless bodies I can't help but feel that most of them would be a step down from what I'm used to in terms of build quality, ergonomics, weather sealing and the second display on top. Unless I go for something several times more expensive than what I paid for my 60D when it came out years ago. And as great as their low-light and focusing capabilities are, many of them also seem slower than an 80/90D and with terrible battery life. Apart from the R5 which is mindbogglingly expensive for a hobbyist.
Your Review of this lens is Spot On. I rented this lens to see how it compares with the Canon 400 5.6 L and i had the same experience. The autofocus is a little slow and it hunts once in a while compared to the Canon which is quick. The other thing i didn't liked is the Focus Limiter, i kept switching it and kept forgetting to switch back. So, my Advice is for those trying to decide which lens to get, I'd defintely recommend the Canon 400. 5.6 over the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary.
In Addition, it's frustrating when you miss a lot of shots because the lens isn't focusing quick enough so i'd rather have smaller images but tack sharp than missed shots and i do agree with you that 100% of errors comes from the photographer & not the lens.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I agree the 400 5.6 is such a light fast lens it makes other lenses seem slow. Great to hear you are enjoying it. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for the review! I just bought a Sigma 150-600mm for my 90D and came here looking for answers for my AF issues straight out of the box. Thanks again! I hope updating the firmware solves my issues!
My pleasure Ariel, it is a great lens but the AF can be a bit hit and miss at times. Take lots of shots in bursts and constantly focus on the subject and you should increase your keepers. Make sure your SS is high enough, ideally over 1/400 if you have the light. Good luck with it, Cheers, Duade
Thank you Duade for this excellent review. I bought the 150-600 last year and absolutely love it. I mainly use it for wildlife and birds. I use it on a Canon 650d and a 200d. Greetings from Germany Mounty
Excellent assessment of this lens' strengths and weaknesss. I have been using it for 6 years, with a Canon 60D and an 80D. Sharp results are possible, but low light or rapidly moving subjects such as flight shots are challenging for consistently accurate autofocus. I also stop down to f7.1 when lighting is good, but I have periodically gotten sharp results at f6.3. My Canon 300mm f4, even with a 1.4 extender is better for flight shots.
That's a lot of work! One of the best review ever, Bravo! I'm very pleased with the lens on an EM1.2 after recent tests 1.200 mm handheld, pro capture, 18fps, good IQ, fast AF (better than 400/5.6L on Olympus), single AF only but as it is fast and reliable you can play around with it : BIF is doable. And a lot of fun. Not too Frankenstein on the semi-dwarf Olympus, the lens is (somewhat) light and compact (@150 mm). I'm considering a speed-booster (105-425 mm f3.5-4.5). It won't replace my main gear (Nikon), but is ready to go on a R5 (perhaps?) despite the unfortunate pulsing issue Merry Xmas !
My current setup for wildlife is the Canon R5 with the 70-200 f2.8 and a 1.4 teleconverter from Sigma. Works perfect with Canon lenses!! I get f4 aperture. The second d is the Canon 90D with the Sigma 150-600mm. The exact same as the video! The lens and camera together make a GREAT MARRIAGE 💑!! AND I get consistently great shots!!
Great review. I check out this lens and found the 150-600 mm worked great. My first time with it got me sharp pictures. Love the 500-600 range. I was hand holding it. I even got one for a friend of mine. I am going out next week to shoot birds and I am sure the reach will be helpful.
I was looking for best and clear review of this sigma lens in RUclips I have so much questions in my mind after seeing your review video now I'm satisfied and my all questions cleared thanks buddy for making a good review on this lens now I have only have to do is try to buy this lens Good day😊 love from India🇮🇳
I am a casual photographer/hobbyist. I bought this lens as a beginner with no clear purpose and just for the reach. once I learned more about photography, I can say this lens is worth every penny. it is sometime slow and misses focus but being a third party lens and one of the cheapest in the category, that is acceptable. overall its great for the price.
I have this lens and paired it with my R5 and R6 and i have been very impressed with the performance of this lens. I shot lots of bears , Moose and bison at Yellowstone last year and was very impressed .
I just photographed a snowy egret, which is blazingly white. I adjusted for that by lowering the exposure to prevent blowing it out, and the background was darker. I loved the effect. It framed the snowy egret beautifully and details were clear. I prefer the background to be darker, so the subject is the focus, and I process for that effect if it doesn't happen naturally. I've been using the Sigma C 600 for a couple years now.
Stunning Spinebill image and an excellent review. The Sigma contemporary or sports versions of this lens represent great value for a 600mm and take some great images.
From South Africa, where "wildlife" really has meaning, this lens is a must. Any other 600mm is far too unwieldy when one has to move fast, IQ is a bit of a compromise but not much. I permanently use Sigma on a 90D. I also own the Canon 100-400ii with the 5Div and have worked out ways to use the two bodies/lens combos in tandem as circumstances and scenes can change quickly in the African bush with our abundance of wild animals and birds in action. Both combos have pride of place on the car seat next to me. In hides, and the like, I set both combos up and use them as necessary. I agree IQ with the Sigma is a bit of a compromise compared to the 100-400ii but not much. Getting the shot is what matters.
André, thanks for sharing your experience, sounds like you get the best out of both kits. Good to have the reach of the 600mm when needed and the wider FF option. Cheers, Duade
Great review! I actually got the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary after watching your video and I am really happy with it so far after a faw weeks of using it 🙂
Hi Duade...I'm pretty much in agreement with everything you've mentioned about this lens. Cost wise, really tough to beat. The autofocus in low-light is definitely noticeable and has cost me some really nice shots because of this issue but all-in-all, for the cost, it's hard to beat!
This lens is a game changer for wildlife photography. I had a 200mm for 9 years before I got this sigma lens. I recommend this to anyone wanting to do wildlife photography.
As always, I am a fan of your no-nonsense, highly objective and professional presentations. I have the Canon EF 100-400 MkII and the RF 100-500 lenses, and they are both awesome lenses, but I must admit that the Sigma 150-600 is one of my favourite units and gets used a lot. I would be really interested in a review by you of the other super great Sigma lens: the Sigma 60-600s lens - more expensive and much heavier, but a great lens when you want to take only one lens and your may have to shoot across a wide focal range! If I was in Oz, I'd lend you mine but I'm in NZ! As to the 90D, I was disappointed that it did not inherit the much better focusing system of the 7DII, it would really have improved that body.
Used this lens for nearly a year over in England . First on 90D and over the last month on my new R6 . A lot of people say the ‘sweet spot ‘ is F8 or 9 . On the 90D I pretty much didn’t even bother clicking in our low light British days but once the lights good the lens does shine . Great for the money and definitely recommended 👍🏻
@@steveallen5738 Steve, the same workflow as my other shots to be honest. My editing will vary based on the light, colour and any distractions I need to deal with. Cheers, Duade
A top notch video Duade, and a real down to earth assessment of the lens. I don't have any experience with the lens and contemplated buying it at one stage, but opted to make do with my Canon 100-400 Mk. II on my 90D for the moment. I do own a Sigma 170-500mm which I have had for many years, which gives acceptable images, but is no comparison to this lens.
Amazing review. Last Sunday was the first day I tested my Sigma 150-600 mm. I loved the lens. I shot a Rufous-breasted Piculet in a very dark place with ISO 6400, and I think with DXO Pure Raw I'll get a great result. I also photographed a group of Dusk-headed Parakeets that was a considerable distance away, and the range that the 600 mm (960 mm in my camera) gives is impressive. Thanks for the excellent review Duade. Happy New Year from Brazilian Amazon.
I’ve used this lens for years on a Nikon D500. It is my goto walkabout birding lens even though I own the heavier and more expensive primes. It isn’t as quick to focus as the primes but because it is lighter weight I prefer it for handheld shots and long hikes. I use it often for birds in flight and I get lots of keepers that are sharp and contrasty.
Enjoyed this video. I've had mine for a bit over a year and I love it. With a wrist strap and grabbing onto the foot, I can hike with this lens all day long...
Thanks so much for this video. I bought this lens about a year ago, but have only recently started to use it. I really appreciate knowing that the majority of the problems I have had (particularly with focus) are more MY PROBLEM then the lenses problem. I obviously need to practice MORE. I have a Sony A6500 camera. Your explanations were very clear and I learned a lot! Thanks.
Anita, that is great to hear, yes it can be a real challenge, the lens does have some AF inconsistency so it can get it wrong at times. Good luck, Cheers, Duade
Hello from Idaho. Thank you so much for posting this very informational video!! I have this lens on my radar and have been searching about how compatible it is with the 90D. You have convinced me that it will be a great addition to my camera bag. Your photos are wonderful and enjoy viewing your videos
Marcy, thank you for such nice feedback, it makes me happy to hear the video is helpful for those looking at the lens. Good luck with it and I hope you capture many beautiful shots. Cheers, Duade
Awesome and most thorough review! Thank you for sharing. 1. Being a hobbyist venturing into both bird photography and the use of long lenses (as well as having shot my share of out of focus bird pictures while going through the learning pains), the subject of user error and focus pulsing got me curious about how much of this is due to user error versus my setup/equipment (which consists of older Sony crop and full frame mirrorless camera bodies, along with a Canon to Sony lens mount adapter). For both cameras referenced above, a quick and dirty experiment revealed that when the aperture is closed down (i.e. f16 to f22) - the focus pulsing was obvious through the view finder, and the AF mechanism on the lens would produce audible clicks at a consistent rate (maybe an estimated 1 to 2 clicks every second - and this "click rate" did not change for as long as the focus button was pressed). When the aperture was opened up (from a range of f5@150mm and f6.3@600mm - through f8), both cameras did not exhibit any focus pulsing, and the clicks from the AF mechanism on the lens were random, and there were significantly fewer clicks. F11 is an interesting stop for both cameras, and it seems like it is some sort of "tipping" point, where there is NO noticeable focus pulsing seen through the view finder, but the AF mechanism on the lens was actively engaged - i.e. a non-stop whirring sound was audible - hard at work. To verify if the focus pulsing issue had any impact on actual image results, the crop sensor camera was mounted on a tripod, with a shutter release cable attached, and a burst of photographs taken of a stationary subject (approx. 21 ft distance, 1/125s, f22, ISO 3200, 600mm, continuous AF turned on). The result is an indisputable yes, some photos were sharp, and some were soft. The firmware on the lens and all equipment were up to date. A noteworthy observation is the focus pulsing issue is isolated to changes in the aperture setting, as least with my equipment. Varying the shutter speed and ISO did not produce any focus pulsing issues, and there was no audible change to the AF mechanism in the lens. 2. On another note - absolutely love the low key photo of the sulphur crested cockatoo in flight - a technique I often use in macro and pet portrait photos, and have been able to incorporate it into my bird photos when possible. A definite conversations starter, when sharing photos with more experienced bird photographers I sometimes meet on the trail, who are happy to give pointers and share with a newbie.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed experience with the pulsing issue, very interesting. I don't know exactly why it happens, but I hope they address it in upcoming lenses. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade I also have a question. Does the R6 record in 1080p clog at 10 bit or you need to record in 4k for that 10bit juice? I have a small budget, but I would love to get the R6 somehow, because I would like to get at least 12fps and good video quality and double cardcslots, just for safety, so the eos R is a no-no, I guess ;(
I used the Nikon 200-500 f5.6 on the Nikon D500 crop body using single point with back button focusing. I shot three shots in a row that were sharp of a bird flying through trees about 200 feet away hand held. The images were sharp as I kept the bird in the center of the lens. I set the speed at 1200 of a second at f8.
I have the Sigma 150-600 attached to a Canon &D MKII and have had awesome results shooting birds. I rented a Canon 90D and tried the lens on that camera, and I don't know if it was me but I did not get as many shots in focus as I do with the 7D MKII. I Love the Sigma lens. It fits my price range and works great. Can't wait to try it on the new Canon R7 mirrorless camera. Thanks for you video on the Sigma lens.
My Tamron 200 -500 has been a love hate with the auto focus. A friend passed over to me this Sigma 150-600 your reviewing here . Surf shots are alot like birds. Cleaning up furry shots is a major preoccupation. It will be interesting to see how well the Sigma does after years running a Tamron on the 70D. You made the best vid to help me digest what I'm in for with the new toy. Thankyou. Well done 👏
I'm a new photographer, and I just bought this as my first wildlife lens. I'm no professional, but this has the perfect reach for me as a beginner. I'm really happy with it
I bought it 4 years ago to get into wildlife photography with 5d mkii that had terrible autofocus yet I managed to get some great pictures. I upgraded to R5 and I still enjoy it. I didn't noticed the pulsing, but I guess if you don't have a reference you may not realize its there. Your video got me thinking if I should replace it, perhaps with Tamron (but again not sure if af is flawless there). Of course Canons RF 100-500 could be an option but extra 100mm is hard to let go. This videos biggest value is that you showed what experienced photographer can do with it.
Rafal, thanks for sharing your experience. The RF100-500 is a beautiful lens but is very expensive. The IS and sharpness are excellent. I think it might be worth waiting to see if Sigma or Tamron release an RF lens. Cheers, Duade
Fantastic in-depth review. I have an 80d and an R I plan to put this on. I Cannot see myself spending 3x the amount on glass when I do not get paid for it, just a hobby that has brought a lot of joy. I guess that is cost of diminishing returns where I can see the value in this lens.
Great video Duade! I've had mine for about 2 yrs and use it mostly on my Canon SL2. Great results, when you hit focus. Mine too, will pulse to find focus. I did get better results when I used it on an eos R that I rented.
Thank you Duade, very timely for me, I'm sold. As well as wildlife, I'm planning on using it for motorsport events, speedweek on Lake Gairdner is in a couple of months, I really wanted that extra reach for that in particular on the salt lake. I have the 70-300mm Sigma which I love but always wanted to stretch it when taking bird shots, so very much looking forward to trying it out.
Hi, Thank you about this detailed review.Just yesterday i bought this lens, and wright out of the box in the few test shots i've made, the sharpnes is as good as my Canon 24-70 f2.8 L.I think that i made a very good purchase with this lens.
Another great review Duade. Thank you for sharing your experience with this lens. I have been using Sigma (for Canon) lenses for many years. I bought my trusty Sigma 50-500mm (non IS) F4.5-6.3 (aka the "Bigma") used in 2005 and it served me well until I broke it, when it dropped, in the Galápagos in 2019. I was able to create many of my best early images with that lens as long as I had good light.
Stephen, thanks for sharing you experience, I too have dropped gear and it is never a good feeling. Nice to hear you got lots of keepers from the lens. Cheers, Duade
Looking forward to seeing that 200-600 from Nikon, maybe it will knock some sense into Canon, or hopefully encourage Sigma and Tamron to release newer and better RF versions once they can.
I suspect it will be a ripper of the lens. The Sony 200-600 for the money is insane and I can only hope the third party RF zooms are not too far away. Cheers, Duade
Duade: I am quickly becoming a fan of your videos. The video production is good, storyline and content excellent. The summary and comparison of lens at the end of this video was brilliant! I shoot 90% of the time using telephoto lens, dealing with which Suze lenscto shoot with, prime vs zoom, extender vs crop post editing and your summary is the best l have seen. These videos are fantastic!
Thanks for this amazing, detailed review! I bought this lens a while ago to go with my Canon 90D. Haven’t had much time to play with it yet but this video encourages to just go out and make it work. Thanks again !
Excellent review on this lens! I came across this review after purchasing. In my mere 2 weeks of using I can confirm all you have stated. I am happy with the lens. I am using this lens with a canon eos 1300D. I have experienced the pulsing issue and the focus issue with background instead of the subject I was focus on. I was searching for tips on correcting this. Thank you again for a great review. Likewise looking to work on skill in photographing birds in fight would love to see more on that with this lens tracking is a challenge! I am an Amateur still learning.
That Eastern Spinebill is stunning. Great review. As I have mentioned before, I have this lens and use it mostly on my M6 MkII and on my D6 MkII as well. I didn't buy a $900 USD lens thinking it would be the sharpest or best lens I have ever owned but for my needs it performs extremely well. I haven't observed the focus pulsing with my combinations.
@@Etiennef147 I use the Canon EF - EOS M converter. It is a little expensive but I like that the Canon one has a mount on it. I attach my strap that point since I don't trust that the little M6 MII can support the adapter and lens. I have great confidence that the adapter will hold the lens and camera since it has been doing a great job of that for a year now.
It is my pleasure Satyajit, if you use it on a mirrorless body be sure to watch my recent settings video. ruclips.net/video/l7TEu1Tgq5I/видео.html Cheers, DUade
I was slowly saving for this lens (had a baby and was saving to purchase my first house at the same time) teds put it on special and it fell straight into my savings amount... It is such a fun lens and I have gotten some incredible results on my 80D and 5D mk III... It's making me consider selling my 70 - 200 f4is as I also have a 50mm 1.8 and 100mm 2.8 macro
this was the first lens i purchased for my Black Magic 6k pro. I have been able to get some great video. if i had to do it again i would probably go with the sport version of this lens, but i am very happy with what i got for the price.
I just picked up an immaculate used copy of this lens today for next to nothing, and am anxious to try it out. I usually shoot with a Sony RX10M4 which is also a 600mm, but f4, but the camera only has a 1" sensor. I will put this lens on my Nikon D610 FX camera and see what I can do with it. Your review built my confidence in what the lens is capable of, and I appreciate your making the time to make it!
G'day all, I have released a video with updated AF settings to reduce the pulsing on Canon Mirorless bodies. ruclips.net/video/l7TEu1Tgq5I/видео.html I hope you enjoy, Cheers, Duade
I have to watch this 🦉
Your honesty and humility are much appreciated. Very valuable for those with old cameras, looking to upgrade to the newer models (R5, etc.).
@@alohamark3025 My pleasure Mark, Cheers, Duade
Hiii
Hi
Man, Sigma should approach you with an award only for making this video. Managed to see it till the end (birding patience kicked in). Thanks for that refocus tips. Gotta come handy for me. 🙂
Thanks mate, you did well making it until the end without falling asleep :-) Cheers, Duade
@@Duade how are you so modest...?♥️
I love the fact that you tested the lens with an old 40D. Makes an intriguing proposition for someone interested in getting into wildlife photography for the first time. I've recently dipped my toe with a used 7D mkii (USD$500) and a used Canon L 400/5.6 (USD$700), and I am hooked. I think this is a good time for budget-minded novices.
Thanks Rick, yes, there are some great DSLR and Lenses on the used market with many switching to mirrorless. That was the kit I used for a long time 7D/400 5.6. Cheers, Duade
YEP ME TO... That was a great idea!
I really really love how you show the RAW/edited photos so it is so much easier for me as a young amateur to understand what aspects you touch upon to get those beautiful results! Thank you, subscribed just a couple of minutes into this video :D
That is great to hear, I will continue to show the Raw conversion, Cheers, Duade
I really like that too.
I bought my 150-600mm about a year and a half ago. I used to have an older Sigma 150-500mm EX DG OS HSM that I bought back in 2012 to shoot my son's high school soccer games. Then I sold it to buy it's successor when I started birding in the summer of 2020. I also paired it with a 90D and got excellent results - eventually. The 90D was a little more advanced than my old Rebel T3i (600D) and I had a lot of soft shots early on due to my inexperience. I wish we could share photos here - I would show you some of my favorite shots with both Sigma lenses. Duade, I just wanted to add that I really enjoy your videos! I like learning from your experience and seeing your photos of the birds and other wildlife of Australia. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Craig, thanks for sharing your experience and the lovely feedback, I really appreciate it. Feel free to send me some shots at duade.paton@gmail.com Cheers, Duade
I appreciate this video a lot. I actually have purchased this lens after doing a bit of research and looking at what I wanted to get. I currently own a Nikon 75-300mm 5.6-6.3, and the Sigma 150-600mm fits what I was working up to. You actually going into detail about user error and fixing the ISO/Aperture/etc really helps me understand the limitations of the lens and how you shoot your photos. There are other RUclips videos where others are quick to blame the lens without providing the appropriate background information, while going straight to, "you wouldn't have this issue if you were using x lens or y lens."
To me, this video fully encompasses an understanding of the limitations of the lens, while also showing just how capable of a lens it is, and I appreciate actual photos rather than just an explanation. Overall, very detailed information, and I'm going to have to come back to this video a few times to make sure I understand your explanations. I still consider myself more of a hobbyist when it comes to photography, but I'm getting there with understanding all the settings.
Thank you again Duade!
Hi Duane, it’s videos like this that keep people coming back to this channel, really well done. I’ve had the sigma 150-600 for just over a year and I’ve been both very pleased, and extremely frustrated with it. Under ideal conditions, good light, optimal distance, little movement etc it works great and produces excellent images. In other situations, like a dull overcast early morning, I’ve come home with a bag of noisy, blurry images. I shoot on a 6D mark 2, (saving for an R6), and balancing high ISO and shutter speed sometimes feels like a game of attrition. The focus hunting has me grinding my teeth sometimes, (thanks for the tip on SS). If you live in a country like Australia, with bright sunny days and lots of light that’s great, but if you like somewhere like the UK or Ireland this lens can be difficult.
Yes, I am very fortunate to live in a country with plenty of sun that is for sure. Thanks for the great feedback and sharing your experience, Cheers, Duade
I'd really recommend getting hold of the dock and tuning the lens. You can adjust the acquisition speed and the accuracy and the OS. It can make a lot of difference.
That 100-500 vid was definitely the most stable video you’ve ever taken handheld hahaha
Great video mate
*LOL* I was indeed wondering why Duade took soo many images with the sigma when his 100-500 should have been superior .. but it was busy doing the other part of the job ;-)
Lol, thanks mate, that means a lot. :-)
Werner, Jan was ribbing me due to how shaky my footage usually is. I used the Sigma extensively for this review, I would usually use my prime or 100-500. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade @Jan Wegener Yeah, I follow both of you long enough to pick up that internal joke ;-)
Actually you both are down under, but also very down to earth with your feet. You both aim for perfect bird shots, but you are not too vain to show it takes effort, patience and failure to achieve it, rather than being just great and affording the best gear.
My professor used to say: In life you need to relativate everything, starting with yourself. And you seem to apply this principle👍.
Happy holidays to both of you, and looking forward to enjoy more of your YT's in the next year. And hopefully a few YTs with you combined, even when I fear the distance between has grown a bit.
My experience has also matched yours. I started using the Sigma 150-600 on an 80D, and it was such a step up from the kit 70-300 that I was thrilled with it. It can take amazingly sharp photos, but it is a bit slow and not always easy to focus. I just recently purchased an R6. I am able to get a fairly good keeper rate on birds in flight, if they are 20 meters and beyond, but little birds and birds close up... it just can't keep up. On birds that are stationary though it is really good, far from perfect (but then again, so am I) but for the price, I am satisfied and will keep it until I can find something that works better that I can afford.
I appreciate your channel and your work. Watching one of your videos feel like hanging out with one of my buddies. Thanks for all you do!
Edward, congrats on the lens and the R6, a great combo for sure. Thanks for the feedback, that is the exact feel I am going for. Cheers, Duade
Ed, I have a Canon 80D, I was thinking of buying this lens. It's at the limit of my budget so I'm wondering if you would recommend it for the 80D. I want to shoot wildlife photos.
Thank for you reply in advance!
I watch a lot of camera gear videos on RUclips and yours are definitely the best. Your knack for good explanation and depth of real-life testing sets you apart. Even with its faults, I will probably buy this Sigma lens to mate with my older Canon 5D Mark II. I am a retired professional studio photographer but an amateur bird photographer, and it looks like this lens would be perfect for my new hobby. I'm glad I discovered your channel.
Ron, welcome to the channel, I am happy to hear the video helped in your decision. Good luck with the lens and your bird photography. Cheers, Duade
Incredible review on this lens! I just got this lens about two weeks ago for my 90d. I have only used it minimally, however the times that I have had time to use it, it has given me great results. I will agree that the auto focus seems to lack slightly in low light conditions, but overall it is a great lens that has given me some tack sharp shots! I would highly recommend this lens for anyone getting started into wildlife photography. At a very affordable price, it is well worth the money for this nice of a lens.
Braxton, congrats on the lens and thanks for sharing your experience. Cheers, Duade
I have it also, and like you, seldom use it. It's a great piece to have in your toolkit, though, for when it is needed
I've owned this lens for 2,5 years now, started out using it on my Nikon D7200 then on a Nikon D800 and a Nikon D810, now I'm using it on my Nikon D850 and it has delivered crisp and sharp images on all the cameras I've used it on. I'm keeping this lens for sure and as a complement to it I have the Sigma EX 120-300 f2.8 wich is also a great lens, I've had the same auto focus issues you mentioned in the video but still not so much it's a headache so to say... Thanks for a great video I really enjoyed watching it! - Best regards, Stefan from Sweden.
Stefan, thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it. Stay safe in your part of the world. Cheers, Duade
Great review! I own this lens, but haven't had all that many opportunities to shoot with it yet. One benefit that I don't recall you mentioning to these super-zooms vs a prime lens is that (at least in my experience) it's a lot easier to scan for a bird at 150mm and then zoom in to capture it once you've found it in the viewfinder, than to find the bird with a locked long focal length prime lens and have to essentially sweep the landscape with a magnifying glass to figure out where your bird is (especially if you're trying to find a flying bird). My eyesight is godawful, even with glasses, so maybe folks with sharper vision find this easier to manage with a prime than I do? Regardless, it's great to see the kinds of shots you were getting out of this lens, it's given me some incentive to get back out there in the spring and see if I can improve my skills :)
Thanks Kanin, very good point and very true, I do the same, I will be sure to mention that in future zoom lens reviews, Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade,
your review is really not bad. For me this is the best budget zoom over 400mm. The RF100-500 is of course faster and in a different class, but not suitable for everyone in terms of price. So I find the Sigma to be the best solution for photography without going into excessive prices. I've had it on the 7D Mk II for 3 years and now on the R5 and find - you get more than you paid for. At least compared to native RF lenses and their prices.
Cheers, Allan
Thanks Allan, I agree, for its price it can't be beaten. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers, Duade
I've had mine for about 18 months now and have used it on Canon 80D & R6 and really can't complain. The AF isn't perfect, but it does represent amazing value for money (although when I checked out the exchange rate, I nearly fell off my chair at how cheap it is in Australia compared to here in the UK). I have found that with the eye tracking on the R6, it holds focus much better when moving horizontally across the frame than when coming towards me, but I suspect that this would be the case for most lenses. I'd love to try the RF 100-500, but at 4 times the price it would have to be a huge improvement to justify the cost for a amateur such as myself. For the time being I'll make do with deleting the soft images, knowing that in most circumstances I will come away with some wonderful pin sharp images as well.
Paul what a great post and I totally agree with what you have said. Cheers, Duade
If you have a uv filter on the lens take it off. My auto focus got better immediately and so did my photos.
@@chadolson5537 so did mine. Good advice.
Great review! I have had this lens for 7 years now, and use it on Nikon D7000, D7100, D610, D500, and D850. Never noticed any focus pulsing on any of these bodies, but D500 is definitely best for AF speed. I used the Sigma dock to program their "Speed Priority" AF instead of using the default "Standard" AF to get faster AF with latest firmware. The lens definitely needed the focus fine-tune calibration (4 focal lengths, 4 distances per focal length) on DSLRs. Sharp images, but even sharper using Topaz Denoise AI 'Clear' algorithm on the RAW files. Thanks Duade!
Ed, that is great to hear it is working well on your Nikon gear, for its price it is great value. Cheers, Duade
What do you do to prevent fungus! I keep it with dehumidifier but it still shows little white dots! I keep it more at night because during the day I use it often, sometimes not! Does fungus proliferate in this range outside the box?
Note: when it comes out of the box/dehumidifier, it always faces the light!
@@rui7773 Fungus is more like creeping moss with tendrils going out I think. It sounds like you are doing everything right. If it doesn't impact your photos then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Likely sending it to be professionally cleaned is the only solution which is likely expensive. Cheers, Duade
I have this on a d500. How do you fine tune ?
Anna, you need to purchase the Sigma Dock which allows you to update firmware and make adjustments. Cheers, Duade
Duarde! One of the few that doesnt sugar coat his reviews.
Thanks Cedric, I try to give an honest review. Cheers, Duade
Hopefully all reviews were made with this level of analysis. Not only is it a lot of valuable information about optics, but also how to technically take good photos, compose, etc.
I'm going to watch it several times to assimilate all the information. Many, many thanks, Duade.
It is my pleasure and thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade
I got a sport version and i wasn't very happy with it. But, it changed one day when i bumped the tripod with my backpack and the lens took the hit on the ground. It stuck and needed some care so i sent it in and the cost was €350. When it returned it really amazed me about its change. Now everything was obviously adjusted to the better by the service guys. This lens is now one of the sharpest lenses i got as long as i keep it on the tripod and with decent shutter speeds.
It also tells how little the lenses are adjusted in production and how little the dock actually can do. Guys with screw drivers and knowledge can do much better.
And....you have produced one of the best Reviews on a lens, i've ever seen. You really deserve more subscribers!
Thanks Bernt I appreciate the feedback, glad to hear your lens is performing well. I al sys struggled with the lens align tools and no doubt to professionals do an excellent job with calibration. Cheers, Duade 👍
Amazing review Duade! Detailed, real-world, an incredible testimony to your skills, and also an honest proof of the lens' limitations. Your review was like a breathe of fresh air... head and shoulders above the armchair pundits raving and ranting without any real experience in the art of photography. Thank you!
Golam, you are too kind, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade
How poetic! I just got my lens last week and its a sharp lens even with APS-C body
This the sharpest lens I have ever owned. It even out-performs my 50mm fixed focus lens. Amazingly, in decently bright light, the max'd-out OIS is enough to hand-hold at any FL. My only nit (true for every zoom lens) is how '600mm' is only true for the closest focus distance. When shooting at infinity, the max FL is only ~560mm.
Thanks for sharing your experience Ken, great to hear you are enjoying it, Cheers, Duade
I love the photo with the dark background. I own three Sigma lenses and the 150 - 600 C is one of them. I normally use it with the Canon 90D but have tried it with the R6 also. I like to shoot most of my bird photos at f/9. As long as there is enough light to keep my ISO at no more than 4000 that is. I truly love the 150 - 600! Great video by the way!
Thanks for sharing your experience and glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Cheers, Duade
I use this lens almost every day on my Nikon D7200 for bird photography. Budget combo that has given me a few images used in calendars etc, and outperforms a lot of newer and more expensive lenses. Even Sigma have used a couple online
Thanks for sharing this...I have an old D7000. It's just fun for me and not a prof by any means. I live in CO and have lots of wildlife opptys and can't wait to put it to good use. This review and your comment helped me make my decision. I have three baby big horn owls in a huge cottonwood tree in our neighborhood and the kit lens I have to 105 just doesn't cut it. Will get a chance to practice with them first!
I have used that combo. I love my D7200 with this lens. I have a Z9. I need to really try that combo!
This is an incredible lens! I've been using it on my old but trusty Canon Rebel SL1 for bird photography with incredible results. Once you learn to work with the lens and find the sweet spot, you will be blown away by the quality of the photos. I always work in RAW format and have had such wonderful results that I'm bypassing my editing software altogether. I had incredible results at both 1/400s and 1/1000s, F/8, ISO 200 @600mm. Thanks for an awesome video! Cheers!
Thanks Claire, it is my pleasure and great to hear it is working so well for you. Cheers, Duade
I own this Sigma 150-600mm Lens now for over a year and agree on the focus pulsating is real on mine also and can be aggravating. That being said, I use it on a Canon 6 D primarily and also use it on an EOS Rebel SL2 at times. This was a great video and one that really showed the highs lows of this lens. I wanted to get into bird photography as the reason I bought this lens and its price point was very agreeable. I wanted to improve my picture taking and once I feel I have improved (I am my worst critic) I might move to the Mirrorless Camera R5/R6. I really do like the lens and it is light enough to not always need a tripod. Fits in my Camera Backpack good enough also. The picture quality I think is very good - I will say at full 600 length, the focus sometimes is an issue so I have dial down to say 590 or 580 - or could be user issue. Thank you so very much for providing this video and all the links.
Bruce, thanks for sharing your real world experience, it is very helpful to others. Great to hear it is allowing you to enjoy bird photography. Cheers, Duade
I have this lens and everything you said in your video was spot on. Ive had exactly the same experiences. I have been blown away with how sharp this lens can be. The reach of 600 is bar far the biggest selling point along with getting sharp images. The down side as you experienced is the auto focus it is very hit and miss but not a huge amount. I recently took some action shots of bears play fighting and when I got back to edit I was a bit disappointed due to it missing focus even though it seemed I was in focus taking the shot. You are right in the fact that you need to burst shot a lot to get anything action wise and sometimes its just luck, but when you do hit the sweet spot boy does this lens take some fantastic shots. Low light is an issue compared to my canon 70-200Liii even when using flash. For instance when I have a flash and use live mode in the dark on the canon it displays on screen and also focuses better, but with the sigma its just dark and I can't focus. Overall though for the price I use this lens more than any other I've used and I tried using a 2x converter on my canon L70-200iii lens and it just was so bad at focusing so bought the sigma and love it. Great detailed vid covering everything and have subscribed :) Ive just bought a gimble to use with it at an air show next month so that will be a good test, great tip on turning image stable off when on a mount as hadn't thought of that.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the lens, I am happy you found the video helpful and useful. Good luck with your photography. Cheers, Duade
Best review of wildlife lenses I have seen. I used to use the Sigma C 150-600 on my d500. It is for sale at the moment. I was finding the weight a problem after a day in the field. I am now in the market for a wildlife lens for my SONY A7 3 (shortly about to become an A7 4) for its size and weight the Tamron 150-500 looks the best option to me at the minute but the Sigma for the SONY looks also very attractive.
Jaycee, yes, the weight can get a bit heavy using all day. The Tamron 150-500 was a beautiful lens but is not that much lighter then the Sigma unfortunately. Good luck with the lens you choose, Cheers, Duade
Excellent walk through/review as always. For context I photograph wildlife and warbirds (prop airplanes) I owned this lens for 3 years upgrading from the Canon 100-400 Mark 1. I think I put about 600k photos thorough it on my old 7D2 - and still recommend this to others when they are looking for that win for their money. Hands down I think this is a great lens for those stepping into wildlife and are budget conscious.
What I can say is if you are one that can stretch the budget, upgrading to the Sport version of this focal length, or even the 60-600 that I upgraded to, you are in a higher performance and capability bracket for the money. Same f/6.3 on the long end, but the 60-150 focal length range is a game changer for a single lens. You can even pull some landscape shots off with it if you are in a pinch. It is about 2x the cost, but for what it is still a very positive price point with what I feel more than twice the performance.
and thanks for sharing your experience, it sounds like it is a real winner for people starting out. Glad to hear you are enjoying the 60-600. Cheers, Duade
The best Sigma 150-600mm review I could find period. That Sigma can deliver wassent something that I was surprised at. I own the 85mm art, and its a beast, specially if you look what you get for the money. That's a trend that's relevant for most of the Sigma lenses. Great job mate!
Thanks for the feedback, I was surprised with the results I got with this lens. Cheers, Duade
Thanks a lot for making such a comprehensive review. I've used this excellent lens for over 3 years, both with a Canon rebel T7i and a Canon 5D IV. It is a very versatile lens and even thought I use it mostly for wildlife, it is a reasonable choice for easy astrophotography targets (e.g. Orion Nebula, Andromeda, Neowise, etc.), it is great for some landscape and even portrait. There are a few additional things that I find important enough to be worth mentioning. First, at close distance, it is definitely not 600mm and for small bird close-ups a short extension tube does go a long way in getting back to the expected magnification (not too much otherwise the autofocus is quickly limited to LiveView only). Then, the autofocus is really borderline for BIF. It can work with profile shots of larger, slower birds, but with faster birds, head-on shots will frequently fail because the AF is too slow closing in and eventually will find something more contrasty in the background. Finally, as this is supposed to be a camera for wildlife, chances are that it will get exposed to sand, dust, dirt and wet weather and this is something that might become a problem because this lens is really not dust & weather sealed. With the accumulation of dust, the autofocus on my lens has become really temperamental and I can't use it at all at altitude (over 3000m/10000ft).
Thanks for sharing your experience, it is very helpful, yes, I should have mentioned the weather sealing etc. Cheers, Duade
I stumbled upon this video as one who has owned and used the this Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm lens since late 2019, yet I learned something new here....that lock on the lens isn't simply a lock for the lens in the fully retracted position for storage. When you mentioned it is a zoom lock, I had to explore and confirm that as something I hadn't noticed, and I also learned why. Yes, it is a zoom lock, but only at the marked focal lengths; between those marks the lock doesn't work. Still, a very convenient feature to prevent zoom creep when working at just one focal length as I often was doing with astrophotography. Great presentation!
Daryl, that is great to hear, I'm glad the lens is working well for you. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade, I have had my 150-600 for around 18 months and pair it with my 7D mk2, as you say autofocus can be a bit slow especially in low light but that is easily outweighed by the fact it is so light as I very rarely use any support as I prefer going out lightweight!
Andy, that is great to hear, that does make for a great kit. Cheers, Duade
I just got this lens yesterday (4/30/2022) for use with my Nikon D7500. I have the Sigma 100-400C that I've been lugging around on wildlife hikes. While wonderfully light, the reach just isn't there for small birds beyond 30ft. My Nikon 200-500 lens is fantastic but heavy--it's not something I'd walk with in hand. I watched your video and talked to some bird club folks with the lens, and gave it a shot. I spent just two hours in the field this morning and can attest it's definitely capable of taking quality song bird photos at a distance. Like you said, the AF hunts a bit and I had to quickly spin the focus ring manually a few times to get my shot. I'm going to test the AF using some recently acquired calibration software but I have a feeling it will be dead on. While light enough to carry carefully, I bought an inexpensive Nicama chest harness and found it distributed the weight comfortably. Tomorrow morning I'm going on a long hike along a lake and need to try out the AF for BIF. Anyhow, I've subscribed so I'll go through your videos over time. Thanks Duade, this was a really nice overview of your experience with the lens!
John, congrats on the lens, it is very good for birding, if the light allows try to stop down to f8 when at 600mm as this will often help with sharpness. Cheers, Duade
Excellent video Duade. It's helped me make my mind up about this lens, so thank you! I often struggle getting close enough to skittish small birds - particularly Kingfisher and Bullfinch here in the UK - with my 70-300, so this should help me immensely. Looking forward to using it on my 90D.
James, it will be amazing going from your 300 to the 600, good luck with it. Cheers, Duade
I agree, here in the UK my 75-300 is just not close enough and have felt down about my photos, not being able to get close to the subject. Think I will splash out and get the Sigma 100-600. wish me luck.
I just bought this lens for $749 from B&H! I haven't started to use it (feeling very intimidated as it's my first heavy lens) but I'm excited to start! I have a Nikon D3300. Thanks so much for all of your informative videos!
Most thorough and seemingly honest review of this lense. Thanks for your time.
Great shots.
Thanks Alan, it is my pleasure, Cheers, Duade
Great job Duade! You did such an awesome job with this video!
I do have this lens and still use it regularly, but I am saving up for the Sony 200-600mm. I use the Sigma with the Canon 80D and Sony a6100. I get better results with the Sony for whatever reason. I use them on a monopod, stabilization always on.
Hi, May l learn your EF to FE adopter for Sony? Thanks!
@@liting3944 I use Sigma MC-11, Canon mount. Make sure to get the one that fits your lens mount. For example, If your lens is the Canon mount, make sure to get that one.
Thanks for sharing, it appears that mirrorless bodies do deliver sharper shots than DSLR, I suspect this is to do with calibration issues on DSLR and the AF systems. Good luck saving for the 200-600, you will love that lens. Cheers, Duade
Im still a beginner in Wildlife photography and i bought this lens and adapted it to my lumix g9. I'm quite pleased with the pictures i get from that combo. Even the animalrecognition works.
I had the Leica 100-400 before and the iq was not better than with the Sigma. For me this lens ist the perfect mix of price, reach and IQ.
Hi, May I learn your lens mount of FF and adopter to M43? Thanks!
@@liting3944 I'm using the viltrox ef-m1 and the ef-m2. My Lens has a Canon EF-mount.
The ef-m2 ist a 0.71 speedbooster, it gives me a better f-stop at the expense of more glass in the way and a shorter reach.
and thanks for sharing how you use the lens. Cheers, Duade
Great review on this sigma lens. I own one of these and I agree with everything you mentioned in this video including the pulsing issue in continuous AF mode. For the price is a great choice to have that reach. I also owned the canon 100 to 400 version 2 and yes it is a wonderful lens. I still have the canon 400f5.6 prime which I reach for when I just want to go light and have some fun. I'm a huge fan of the channel and I would like to find out more about the fujifilm xh2s with the fx 150 to 600mm if you could make a video that would be great. Cheers from Canada
Thanks Laszlo, sounds like we have used very similar lenses. I will try to get the Fuji, Cheers, Duade
That is without a doubt the best review of a camera lense that I have seen posted on any channel. The fact that I own the lense is definitely a plus. The time and effort you put into this video is amazing. I own all three of the lenses that your friend owns and totally agree with him on the quality of the equipment and its results. Thank you for the video. I plan on purchasing the 90D at some point after the new year.
Thank you for your kind words, I was very fortunate to use the lens extensively which helped. Great to hear the Sigma lenses are doing well for you. Cheers, Duade
I have to say a massive thank you! I watched your video on this lens which has helped me out tremendously with my birds in flight shots. This weekend I have taken some of the best photos I’ve taken since buying the sigma 150-600mm lens. If I could hug you I would do !!!! Thank you so so much 😊
Oh Deborah, that is too kind, I am happy to hear the videos are helping and you had a good time. Virtual hugs from this part of the world. Cheers, Duade
When I was a kid we didn't get 10,000 pictures, we got something like 36 shots on a roll and you made every shot count (hopefully).
Yes, we have come a long way, I remember sending off a roll of 24 photos and waiting a week for them to come back. Cheers, Duade
Thank you for the in-depth review and the video production quality!
As someone getting back into photography and still owning my good old Canon 60D, I greatly appreciate the fact that you took the time to show what this lens can do not just with the latest and greatest but with both the 40D and the 90D! I'm happy to see that it's totally feasible to stay with the now old school DSLR tech, get the lens and upgrade the body down the road. Maybe just swap the 60D for a used 80D with minimal investment. That 150-600mm lens will definitely blow me away, both in terms of reach and quality, as I'm currently used to my budget, ancient Sigma 70-300 APO DG.
Cheers from Bulgaria!
Needless to say, you gained a sub!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, yes, it is one of the best valued lenses on the market. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade You are most welcome! It's incredibly hard to find quality, relevant wildlife content. Glad I found your channel as I only had Simon d'Entremont until now.
Too bad wildlife here is not as diverse and colourful but I know there are a few eagles and vultures as well as wild horses up in my local mountains. Can't wait to get these stitches removed so I can go out and seek them. I hate motorcycle crashes.
Looking at the current Canon mirrorless bodies I can't help but feel that most of them would be a step down from what I'm used to in terms of build quality, ergonomics, weather sealing and the second display on top. Unless I go for something several times more expensive than what I paid for my 60D when it came out years ago. And as great as their low-light and focusing capabilities are, many of them also seem slower than an 80/90D and with terrible battery life. Apart from the R5 which is mindbogglingly expensive for a hobbyist.
Your Review of this lens is Spot On. I rented this lens to see how it compares with the Canon 400 5.6 L and i had the same experience. The autofocus is a little slow and it hunts once in a while compared to the Canon which is quick. The other thing i didn't liked is the Focus Limiter, i kept switching it and kept forgetting to switch back. So, my Advice is for those trying to decide which lens to get, I'd defintely recommend the Canon 400. 5.6 over the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary.
In Addition, it's frustrating when you miss a lot of shots because the lens isn't focusing quick enough so i'd rather have smaller images but tack sharp than missed shots and i do agree with you that 100% of errors comes from the photographer & not the lens.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I agree the 400 5.6 is such a light fast lens it makes other lenses seem slow. Great to hear you are enjoying it. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for the review! I just bought a Sigma 150-600mm for my 90D and came here looking for answers for my AF issues straight out of the box. Thanks again! I hope updating the firmware solves my issues!
My pleasure Ariel, it is a great lens but the AF can be a bit hit and miss at times. Take lots of shots in bursts and constantly focus on the subject and you should increase your keepers. Make sure your SS is high enough, ideally over 1/400 if you have the light. Good luck with it, Cheers, Duade
@@Duade update: spoke with Sigma, and somehow they believe a sensor was damaged in shipping. So fingers crossed a replacement will be much better!
Thank you Duade for this excellent review.
I bought the 150-600 last year and absolutely love it.
I mainly use it for wildlife and birds.
I use it on a Canon 650d and a 200d.
Greetings from Germany
Mounty
Mounty, great to hear the lens is working well for you, Cheers, Duade
Excellent assessment of this lens' strengths and weaknesss. I have been using it for 6 years, with a Canon 60D and an 80D. Sharp results are possible, but low light or rapidly moving subjects such as flight shots are challenging for consistently accurate autofocus. I also stop down to f7.1 when lighting is good, but I have periodically gotten sharp results at f6.3. My Canon 300mm f4, even with a 1.4 extender is better for flight shots.
Thanks Ronald, I appreciate you sharing your experience, I agree with what you have said. Cheers, Duade
Great video. This video cover everything. Really good review. This took you a while to create, and the end result is really pro!
Thanks for the feedback, yes it too awhile but a good resource for those looking at the lens. Cheers, Duade
That's a lot of work! One of the best review ever, Bravo!
I'm very pleased with the lens on an EM1.2 after recent tests
1.200 mm handheld, pro capture, 18fps, good IQ, fast AF (better than 400/5.6L on Olympus), single AF only but as it is fast and reliable you can play around with it : BIF is doable. And a lot of fun.
Not too Frankenstein on the semi-dwarf Olympus, the lens is (somewhat) light and compact (@150 mm).
I'm considering a speed-booster (105-425 mm f3.5-4.5).
It won't replace my main gear (Nikon), but is ready to go on a R5 (perhaps?) despite the unfortunate pulsing issue
Merry Xmas !
Thanks for sharing how you use the lens, great to hear you enjoyed it. Cheers, Duade
My current setup for wildlife is the Canon R5 with the 70-200 f2.8 and a 1.4 teleconverter from Sigma. Works perfect with Canon lenses!! I get f4 aperture. The second d is the Canon 90D with the Sigma 150-600mm. The exact same as the video! The lens and camera together make a GREAT MARRIAGE 💑!! AND I get consistently great shots!!
that is great to hear, sounds like you have it all covered. Cheers, Duade
Just taken delivery of the Sigma 150 600, your video was the decider, looking forward to getting out with it.
Ron, great to hear, good luck with it in the field. Cheers, Duade
Great review. I check out this lens and found the 150-600 mm worked great. My first time with it got me sharp pictures. Love the 500-600 range. I was hand holding it. I even got one for a friend of mine. I am going out next week to shoot birds and I am sure the reach will be helpful.
Great to hear Donald, happy birding, Cheers, Duade
I was looking for best and clear review of this sigma lens in RUclips I have so much questions in my mind after seeing your review video now I'm satisfied and my all questions cleared thanks buddy for making a good review on this lens now I have only have to do is try to buy this lens
Good day😊 love from India🇮🇳
It is my pleasure, good luck getting the lens. Cheers, Duade
I am a casual photographer/hobbyist. I bought this lens as a beginner with no clear purpose and just for the reach. once I learned more about photography, I can say this lens is worth every penny. it is sometime slow and misses focus but being a third party lens and one of the cheapest in the category, that is acceptable. overall its great for the price.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I totally agree, Cheers, Duade
Duade,
Nicely done. Thanks for all the work that went into this. The Cockatoo with the dark background is wonderful.
Merry Christmas
Bill
Bill, thanks for the feedback, yes, the Cockatoo is a highlight for sure. Cheers, Duade
I have this lens and paired it with my R5 and R6 and i have been very impressed with the performance of this lens. I shot lots of bears , Moose and bison at Yellowstone last year and was very impressed .
Jose, that is great to hear, thanks for sharing, Cheers, Duade
I just photographed a snowy egret, which is blazingly white. I adjusted for that by lowering the exposure to prevent blowing it out, and the background was darker. I loved the effect. It framed the snowy egret beautifully and details were clear. I prefer the background to be darker, so the subject is the focus, and I process for that effect if it doesn't happen naturally. I've been using the Sigma C 600 for a couple years now.
Theo, sounds like a great shot, thanks for sharing, Cheers, Duade
Stunning Spinebill image and an excellent review. The Sigma contemporary or sports versions of this lens represent great value for a 600mm and take some great images.
Nathan, thanks for the feedback, the Spinebill was a highlight, Cheers, Duade
From South Africa, where "wildlife" really has meaning, this lens is a must. Any other 600mm is far too unwieldy when one has to move fast, IQ is a bit of a compromise but not much. I permanently use Sigma on a 90D. I also own the Canon 100-400ii with the 5Div and have worked out ways to use the two bodies/lens combos in tandem as circumstances and scenes can change quickly in the African bush with our abundance of wild animals and birds in action. Both combos have pride of place on the car seat next to me. In hides, and the like, I set both combos up and use them as necessary. I agree IQ with the Sigma is a bit of a compromise compared to the 100-400ii but not much. Getting the shot is what matters.
André, thanks for sharing your experience, sounds like you get the best out of both kits. Good to have the reach of the 600mm when needed and the wider FF option. Cheers, Duade
Great review! I actually got the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary after watching your video and I am really happy with it so far after a faw weeks of using it 🙂
That is great to hear, thanks for giving me the feedback, Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade...I'm pretty much in agreement with everything you've mentioned about this lens. Cost wise, really tough to beat. The autofocus in low-light is definitely noticeable and has cost me some really nice shots because of this issue but all-in-all, for the cost, it's hard to beat!
Great to hear Blake, it is a wonderful lens for its price. Cheers, Duade
This lens is a game changer for wildlife photography. I had a 200mm for 9 years before I got this sigma lens. I recommend this to anyone wanting to do wildlife photography.
Thanks for sharing your experience, sounds like you enjoy it. Cheers, Duade
Fantastic in-depth review Duade. Merry Christmas.
Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Duade
I have this lens now, your review is one of the view which really helped me make a choice on camera vs lens upgrade. So happy I chose the lens
That is great to hear Daniel, I am happy to hear it is working well for you. Cheers, Duade
As always, I am a fan of your no-nonsense, highly objective and professional presentations. I have the Canon EF 100-400 MkII and the RF 100-500 lenses, and they are both awesome lenses, but I must admit that the Sigma 150-600 is one of my favourite units and gets used a lot.
I would be really interested in a review by you of the other super great Sigma lens: the Sigma 60-600s lens - more expensive and much heavier, but a great lens when you want to take only one lens and your may have to shoot across a wide focal range! If I was in Oz, I'd lend you mine but I'm in NZ!
As to the 90D, I was disappointed that it did not inherit the much better focusing system of the 7DII, it would really have improved that body.
Thanks Trevor, it is my pleasure, I might try and get hold of that lens to test at some stage. Yes, the 90D should have got the 7D2 AF. Cheers, Duade
Used this lens for nearly a year over in England . First on 90D and over the last month on my new R6 . A lot of people say the ‘sweet spot ‘ is F8 or 9 . On the 90D I pretty much didn’t even bother clicking in our low light British days but once the lights good the lens does shine . Great for the money and definitely recommended 👍🏻
Steve, thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade
One question though do you find you have to spend more time in editing with the images from this lens ? Or is workflow similar?
@@steveallen5738 Steve, the same workflow as my other shots to be honest. My editing will vary based on the light, colour and any distractions I need to deal with. Cheers, Duade
A top notch video Duade, and a real down to earth assessment of the lens. I don't have any experience with the lens and contemplated buying it at one stage, but opted to make do with my Canon 100-400 Mk. II on my 90D for the moment. I do own a Sigma 170-500mm which I have had for many years, which gives acceptable images, but is no comparison to this lens.
Chris, thanks for the feedback, the 100-400 really is a fantastic lens and the IS and AF are very good. Cheers, Duade
Amazing review. Last Sunday was the first day I tested my Sigma 150-600 mm. I loved the lens. I shot a Rufous-breasted Piculet in a very dark place with ISO 6400, and I think with DXO Pure Raw I'll get a great result. I also photographed a group of Dusk-headed Parakeets that was a considerable distance away, and the range that the 600 mm (960 mm in my camera) gives is impressive. Thanks for the excellent review Duade. Happy New Year from Brazilian Amazon.
Tomaz, congrats on the lens and shots, sounds like a great place to go birding. Cheers, Duade
I’ve used this lens for years on a Nikon D500. It is my goto walkabout birding lens even though I own the heavier and more expensive primes. It isn’t as quick to focus as the primes but because it is lighter weight I prefer it for handheld shots and long hikes. I use it often for birds in flight and I get lots of keepers that are sharp and contrasty.
Thanks for sharing your experience, it is a wonderful combo. Cheers, Duade 👍
Epic piece of work! Great video, this lens is on my short list if my present Sigma 150-500 dies. Have a great Xmas.
Lachlan, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it, Cheers, Duade
Enjoyed this video. I've had mine for a bit over a year and I love it. With a wrist strap and grabbing onto the foot, I can hike with this lens all day long...
that is great to hear, it is a great lens, Cheers, Duade
Thanks so much for this video. I bought this lens about a year ago, but have only recently started to use it. I really appreciate knowing that the majority of the problems I have had (particularly with focus) are more MY PROBLEM then the lenses problem. I obviously need to practice MORE. I have a Sony A6500 camera. Your explanations were very clear and I learned a lot! Thanks.
Anita, that is great to hear, yes it can be a real challenge, the lens does have some AF inconsistency so it can get it wrong at times. Good luck, Cheers, Duade
Hello from Idaho. Thank you so much for posting this very informational video!! I have this lens on my radar and have been searching about how compatible it is with the 90D. You have convinced me that it will be a great addition to my camera bag. Your photos are wonderful and enjoy viewing your videos
Marcy, thank you for such nice feedback, it makes me happy to hear the video is helpful for those looking at the lens. Good luck with it and I hope you capture many beautiful shots. Cheers, Duade
Awesome and most thorough review! Thank you for sharing.
1. Being a hobbyist venturing into both bird photography and the use of long lenses (as well as having shot my share of out of focus bird pictures while going through the learning pains), the subject of user error and focus pulsing got me curious about how much of this is due to user error versus my setup/equipment (which consists of older Sony crop and full frame mirrorless camera bodies, along with a Canon to Sony lens mount adapter).
For both cameras referenced above, a quick and dirty experiment revealed that when the aperture is closed down (i.e. f16 to f22) - the focus pulsing was obvious through the view finder, and the AF mechanism on the lens would produce audible clicks at a consistent rate (maybe an estimated 1 to 2 clicks every second - and this "click rate" did not change for as long as the focus button was pressed).
When the aperture was opened up (from a range of f5@150mm and f6.3@600mm - through f8), both cameras did not exhibit any focus pulsing, and the clicks from the AF mechanism on the lens were random, and there were significantly fewer clicks. F11 is an interesting stop for both cameras, and it seems like it is some sort of "tipping" point, where there is NO noticeable focus pulsing seen through the view finder, but the AF mechanism on the lens was actively engaged - i.e. a non-stop whirring sound was audible - hard at work.
To verify if the focus pulsing issue had any impact on actual image results, the crop sensor camera was mounted on a tripod, with a shutter release cable attached, and a burst of photographs taken of a stationary subject (approx. 21 ft distance, 1/125s, f22, ISO 3200, 600mm, continuous AF turned on). The result is an indisputable yes, some photos were sharp, and some were soft. The firmware on the lens and all equipment were up to date.
A noteworthy observation is the focus pulsing issue is isolated to changes in the aperture setting, as least with my equipment. Varying the shutter speed and ISO did not produce any focus pulsing issues, and there was no audible change to the AF mechanism in the lens.
2. On another note - absolutely love the low key photo of the sulphur crested cockatoo in flight - a technique I often use in macro and pet portrait photos, and have been able to incorporate it into my bird photos when possible. A definite conversations starter, when sharing photos with more experienced bird photographers I sometimes meet on the trail, who are happy to give pointers and share with a newbie.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed experience with the pulsing issue, very interesting. I don't know exactly why it happens, but I hope they address it in upcoming lenses. Cheers, Duade
Great review Duade. You are the best wildlife photographer on youtube!
Cheers from Portugal!
Hugo, thank you for the kind feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade I also have a question. Does the R6 record in 1080p clog at 10 bit or you need to record in 4k for that 10bit juice?
I have a small budget, but I would love to get the R6 somehow, because I would like to get at least 12fps and good video quality and double cardcslots, just for safety, so the eos R is a no-no, I guess ;(
I used the Nikon 200-500 f5.6 on the Nikon D500 crop body using single point with back button focusing. I shot three shots in a row that were sharp of a bird flying through trees about 200 feet away hand held. The images were sharp as I kept the bird in the center of the lens. I set the speed at 1200 of a second at f8.
Isaac, thanks for sharing your experience, Cheers, Duade
I have the Sigma 150-600 attached to a Canon &D MKII and have had awesome results shooting birds. I rented a Canon 90D and tried the lens on that camera, and I don't know if it was me but I did not get as many shots in focus as I do with the 7D MKII. I Love the Sigma lens. It fits my price range and works great. Can't wait to try it on the new Canon R7 mirrorless camera. Thanks for you video on the Sigma lens.
Merlin, the 7D2 has a better AF system then the 90D which may explain your results. Good luck with the R7 when it arrives, Cheers, Duade
My Tamron 200 -500 has been a love hate with the auto focus. A friend passed over to me this Sigma 150-600 your reviewing here . Surf shots are alot like birds. Cleaning up furry shots is a major preoccupation. It will be interesting to see how well the Sigma does after years running a Tamron on the 70D. You made the best vid to help me digest what I'm in for with the new toy. Thankyou. Well done 👏
I'm a new photographer, and I just bought this as my first wildlife lens. I'm no professional, but this has the perfect reach for me as a beginner. I'm really happy with it
Great to hear!
brilliant video Duade! Merry Christmas :)
Ben, thanks, and Merry Christmas to you. Cheers, Duade
I bought it 4 years ago to get into wildlife photography with 5d mkii that had terrible autofocus yet I managed to get some great pictures. I upgraded to R5 and I still enjoy it. I didn't noticed the pulsing, but I guess if you don't have a reference you may not realize its there. Your video got me thinking if I should replace it, perhaps with Tamron (but again not sure if af is flawless there). Of course Canons RF 100-500 could be an option but extra 100mm is hard to let go.
This videos biggest value is that you showed what experienced photographer can do with it.
Rafal, thanks for sharing your experience. The RF100-500 is a beautiful lens but is very expensive. The IS and sharpness are excellent. I think it might be worth waiting to see if Sigma or Tamron release an RF lens. Cheers, Duade
Merry Christmas Duade - another great video.
Thanks mate, hope you had a great day yesterday and got some camera related presents. Cheers, Duade
Fantastic in-depth review. I have an 80d and an R I plan to put this on. I Cannot see myself spending 3x the amount on glass when I do not get paid for it, just a hobby that has brought a lot of joy. I guess that is cost of diminishing returns where I can see the value in this lens.
Congrats on the new lens, it does perform well for its price that is for sure. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade! I've had mine for about 2 yrs and use it mostly on my Canon SL2. Great results, when you hit focus. Mine too, will pulse to find focus. I did get better results when I used it on an eos R that I rented.
John, thanks for sharing your experience, great to hear you are enjoying the lens. Cheers, Duade
Thanks Brian for lending the lens :)
Yes, that was very kind of him, Cheers, Duade
Thank you Duade, very timely for me, I'm sold. As well as wildlife, I'm planning on using it for motorsport events, speedweek on Lake Gairdner is in a couple of months, I really wanted that extra reach for that in particular on the salt lake. I have the 70-300mm Sigma which I love but always wanted to stretch it when taking bird shots, so very much looking forward to trying it out.
Lisa, great to hear, good luck with it I am sure you will love that extra reach. Cheers, Duade
Hi,
Thank you about this detailed review.Just yesterday i bought this lens, and wright out of the box in the few test shots i've made, the sharpnes is as good as my Canon 24-70 f2.8 L.I think that i made a very good purchase with this lens.
That is great to hear Milen, for its price it offers very good value, Cheers, Duade
Another great review Duade. Thank you for sharing your experience with this lens.
I have been using Sigma (for Canon) lenses for many years. I bought my trusty Sigma 50-500mm (non IS) F4.5-6.3 (aka the "Bigma") used in 2005 and it served me well until I broke it, when it dropped, in the Galápagos in 2019. I was able to create many of my best early images with that lens as long as I had good light.
Stephen, thanks for sharing you experience, I too have dropped gear and it is never a good feeling. Nice to hear you got lots of keepers from the lens. Cheers, Duade
Looking forward to seeing that 200-600 from Nikon, maybe it will knock some sense into Canon, or hopefully encourage Sigma and Tamron to release newer and better RF versions once they can.
I suspect it will be a ripper of the lens. The Sony 200-600 for the money is insane and I can only hope the third party RF zooms are not too far away. Cheers, Duade
I used one of it's forerunners Sigma's 120-400mm on a Nikon D300 for years. Really Sigma do make superb lenses that are great value.
Yes, Sigma do make great valued lenses. I really hope we see a zoom on RF mount soon. Cheers, Duade
Duade:
I am quickly becoming a fan of your videos. The video production is good, storyline and content excellent.
The summary and comparison of lens at the end of this video was brilliant! I shoot 90% of the time using telephoto lens, dealing with which Suze lenscto shoot with, prime vs zoom, extender vs crop post editing and your summary is the best l have seen. These videos are fantastic!
Thanks Jeff, looks like you are getting through the content, thanks for the support. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for this amazing, detailed review! I bought this lens a while ago to go with my Canon 90D. Haven’t had much time to play with it yet but this video encourages to just go out and make it work. Thanks again !
Rajinder, that is great to hear, good luck with it next time you are out. Cheers, Duade
Excellent review on this lens! I came across this review after purchasing. In my mere 2 weeks of using I can confirm all you have stated. I am happy with the lens. I am using this lens with a canon eos 1300D. I have experienced the pulsing issue and the focus issue with background instead of the subject I was focus on. I was searching for tips on correcting this. Thank you again for a great review. Likewise looking to work on skill in photographing birds in fight would love to see more on that with this lens tracking is a challenge! I am an Amateur still learning.
and congrats on the lens, it is a great value lens and will no doubt capture many wonderful images for you. Thanks for the feedback, Cheers, Duade
Rented this Lens to use on my previous Nikon D500 and loved it. Nice shots and nice review!
Thanks, it is a great lens for its price. Cheers, Duade
That Eastern Spinebill is stunning.
Great review. As I have mentioned before, I have this lens and use it mostly on my M6 MkII and on my D6 MkII as well. I didn't buy a $900 USD lens thinking it would be the sharpest or best lens I have ever owned but for my needs it performs extremely well. I haven't observed the focus pulsing with my combinations.
jeff, thanks for the feedback, I too love that Spinebill shot. Great to hear the lens is performing well for you. Cheers, Duade
Hi Jeff
I have M6 M11 as well and interested in buying this lens, what converter do you have to mount this lens on your body?
@@Etiennef147 I use the Canon EF - EOS M converter. It is a little expensive but I like that the Canon one has a mount on it. I attach my strap that point since I don't trust that the little M6 MII can support the adapter and lens. I have great confidence that the adapter will hold the lens and camera since it has been doing a great job of that for a year now.
Thank you so much for your advice
You settled it for me Dude. Sigma it is. Felt like you were talking to me. Thanks for the video.
It is my pleasure Satyajit, if you use it on a mirrorless body be sure to watch my recent settings video. ruclips.net/video/l7TEu1Tgq5I/видео.html Cheers, DUade
Just bought the Sigma 60-600. First Sigma, for my Canon. Love it.
Mick, that is great to hear, thanks for sharing, Cheers, Duade
I was slowly saving for this lens (had a baby and was saving to purchase my first house at the same time) teds put it on special and it fell straight into my savings amount... It is such a fun lens and I have gotten some incredible results on my 80D and 5D mk III... It's making me consider selling my 70 - 200 f4is as I also have a 50mm 1.8 and 100mm 2.8 macro
That is great to hear you are enjoying the lens and it is working well. It is the best value lens on the market. Cheers, Duade
this was the first lens i purchased for my Black Magic 6k pro. I have been able to get some great video. if i had to do it again i would probably go with the sport version of this lens, but i am very happy with what i got for the price.
Jade, thanks for sharing your experience, Cheers, Duade
I just picked up an immaculate used copy of this lens today for next to nothing, and am anxious to try it out. I usually shoot with a Sony RX10M4 which is also a 600mm, but f4, but the camera only has a 1" sensor. I will put this lens on my Nikon D610 FX camera and see what I can do with it. Your review built my confidence in what the lens is capable of, and I appreciate your making the time to make it!