I love to photograph birds, but since I`m just an amateur, I only got to take photos of seagulls on the Folkestone harbour arm, by the lighthouse. It was so satisfying and felt so lovely to catch a nice frame of a bird flying at me. I only used the 18-105 but even if the bird was in the distance, my a6400 knew I wanted the bird in focus and I could see the focus following the bird with such speed. It really is amazing. if I had the money, I`d get one these sigmas and I`d try to get some crazy shots each day.
I have the DSLR (non-DN), Contemporary version of this lens and apart from autofocus (which is much better on Sports) it's a beast of a lens. Absolutely sharp and great for doing stuff such as wildlife photography and plane spotting, or even literal moon shots. 100% recommend that lens.
I used the Sony 200-600 on my a6400 and instantly fell in love with it. Great optics, stabilization, weight, weight distribution and internal zoom. Would totally recommend Sony's version over Sigma.
I have this exact sigma lens here and I would recommend it over the sony lens, the push pull zoom feature is incredibly helpful when shooting sports. I'd only recommend the sony lens if you needed the absolute highest framerate out of the Alpha 1 because I think Sony gimps 3rd party lenses. shame but that's the reality unless you find out different. Before I'd get the sony lens I'd get the Tamron 150-500 because of it's incredibly lighter weight.
I am in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons right now with my brand new copy of this lens mounted to my A6400. The reach is amazing as is the image quality, given ample and good light and a steady grip or tripod/monopod. Thank goodness I'm not a big "hiker" though as packing this behemoth around isn't for the weak or elderly (I fit into at least one of those categories!) All said and done I've had this lens for about 10 days now and I'm tickled with it so far. Also, the color commentary re: "its size" from the many other roadside wildlife shooters here in the park is almost worth the price in and of itself! Some of them have been downright hysterical. Thanks for the review, it has helped re-reinforce my buying decision on this.
This is a great lens for plane spotting! I should start saving to get one. I usually shoot at 250mm on an APS-C, so at 600mm, I could probably read the pilot’s checklists lol.
I wish the Sigma was available natively a few years ago. I use the Sony 200-600mm lens for birding, and compared to what I used before (Sigma 150-600mm Canon EF with an adapter onto my Sony FF), it was night and day. Auto focus was sluggish when adapted, causing me to miss many shots and not be able to burst. Combine my current lens with my A7RIV, and I am able to nail so many more shots, especially with the ability to crop in. I exclusively use burst mode now because it gives me more to choose from, and the Sony lens is excellent for this purpose.
Very good and balanced review Arthur. I looked at the sigma Sport and contemporary and I purchased the latter ! The C is not a weather sealed, however this is slightly smaller, lighter and sharper ! I have the C EF Canon fit version on my eos 7Dii, however I have a MC-11 adapter and I mount on my A6600 and the IQ is very, very good ! I believe the C version over the S offers better value for money.
Omg. Perfect for planespotting on my old A6300! Built in OIS is the icing on the cake. All comes down to price now. If it's available and cheaper than Sony SEL 70-350mm in Austria, then I'm all in on it.
Just rented this lens to test out on my A6600. Keep in mind at 600mm (900 with crop sensor) you will need a tri pod! I tried using it for wild life photography where i walk around constantly not using a tri pod and my performance with the SEL 70-350mm was substantially better. It did work with a tri pod and if you ever plan on going full frame then I recommend it!
I also own the Sony 70-350 and love the images it creates and the formfactor/weight. I would love to get something with more reach but for my taste all the lenses are soooo heavy compared to the sony 70-350 because the 70-350 is made for apsc. It would be super awesome if sony could release an apsc superzoom with more reach for apsc. Though I dont think that will happen. Oh and btw the Sigma here in Germany is 3 times as expensive as what the price I bought my Sony 70-350 for was. 😅
@@p4ul.f708 Agreed, I doubt they will make a super zoom for APSC. Would I love for them to prove me wrong? Absolutely. I'm gonna have to consider myself lucky I can get sigma for as cheap as I can here in US then LOL
@@jaredmitchell9080 Are they that expensive in the Us ? Here in Germany 1.300€ is a good price for the Sigma 150-600🤔 Btw I thought Sony wouldn't continue Apsc lenses/bodies but they will proof us wrong. Sonyalpharumors just reported that thy will release 3 new apsc lenses in june: Sony 15mm 1.4 Sony 11mm 1.8 Sony 10-20mm f4 g lens (super lightweight) And that alone shows that there most probably will be a new sony apsc coming later if there are finally enoigh chips. 🙌 Just to fill you in the news 🤷♂️
@@jaredmitchell9080 Oh an btw an option to consider: Buying the Sigma 150-600 for Canon 2nd hand and adapting it with the Sigma mc 11. That way you should be able to pay only half as much... Here are 2 videos I found super useful regarding superzooms on sony e mount: Comparison of sigma 150-600 emount vs sigma 150-600 for canon+mc 11 adapter: ruclips.net/video/zUrZMEGQ2WI/видео.html Comparison Sigma 150-600 e mount vs sony 200-600 vs Tamron 150-500: ruclips.net/video/1APFXYwUGf4/видео.html
I've been on the fence about buying the Sony 200-600 for a long time. You released this vid at just the right time for me. Just ordered the sigma 150-600mm and I feel great about it.
Used A6600 + Sony 200-600, now A1 + Sony 200-600 for bird photography. Tried Sigma 100-400, Sigma 150-600 as well. Sony 200-600 has superior auto-focus.
Overall quite pleased with my 150-600 for my Sony A6400. I shoot sports and love the size, weight, and build as well as the versatility of the zoom range. However I would recommend people consider the image sharpness, it might just be that I’m used to looking at sharp images from my Sony 70-200 f/4 but I’m terribly dissatisfied with the results, quite often I will slightly miss focus ( both my fault and the lenses capabilities) but that aside when I do make contact the image looks out of focus and blurry/unusably soft (and yes I shoot upwards of 1/1600 shutter speed). I also wouldn’t recommend shooting out at 900mm crop sensor equivalent, I only zoom to 400mm to get the equivalent of 600, anything past this just makes the results worse. I’m not sure if there is a fault in my lenses but anything zoomed in relatively close to 300,400,500,600 is just unusable in my testing. Hope this helps anyone as I would have preferred to spend my money on the Sony 200-600 for the best results possible.
I had a soft copy of the 150-500mm and sent it to Sigma, in a few days it was back and razor sharp..1/1600 isnt a fast shutter speed for this long lense, also try shooting with IS turned off..Hope this helps.
@@philipgowdy I’ll definitely have to look into getting the lens checked out. I now revert to using a Sony 70-200 2.8 GM and crop the living daylights out of it for similar compositions and manage to end up with results in more happy with sharing. Also most definitely agree that 1/1600 isn’t fast enough, I’ve never shot below it with that lens and always try snd stay 1/2000 upwards as I prefer grain over loss in sharpness/ blur. Interesting with the IS never thought to turn it off, hope it helps 🤞 Thanks for the feedback, always appreciated.
@@patricksager2nd189 Image stabilizer can induce a vibration at high shutter speed to cause a blur in the image. Always have it off just before shooting.
I use the Sigma 150/600mm Sports hooked the Sony A7iii and I just love this combination compared to the Sigma 400mm which is a great lens if that is all you have but the bigger one just is so much better all around.
I purchased the Tamron 150-500 based on all the raving reviews of it from you and others when it came out, especially since the 150-600 didn't have a Sony E version.. Getting a bit of FOMO right now haha
I would love the 900mm on my A6400, but I went for the Sony 70-350mm (525mm) because of all the reasons you said. Anything more than that is VERY heavy and also very obvious. You can use the 70-350mm for street photography, whereas with the Sigma you are definitely going to be confronted!
I absolutely love my 70-350, and agree that it fits my needs the great majority of the time while being a lot more practical to carry around and cheaper than the Sigma, but I'd still love to add a 600mm to my collection some day!
Looks like a great lens, but it's made for full frame and I own an a6400. I know it can be used on APS-C I'm not planning on going full frame, and I don't want to pay for and carry around unused glass. My question: any idea if Sigma, Tamron or Sony will make a super telephoto specifically for APS-C? I mean that would be killer for bird photographers as they don't really need full frame. I own the Sony 70-350mm G lens and while it's a fantastic lens, I sometimes feel like I need to get even closer when taking shots of wildlife. My dream would come true if Sigma makes this same lens focal length (150-600mm) for APS-C, and so making it smaller and cheaper.
Same here 🙋♂. I love size, weight and performance of my Sony 70-350 mounted on my A6600. Wouldn't mind a few mm of extra focal length from time to time. Fingers crossed that Sigma will take care of Sony APS-C users, while Sony has unfortunately abandoned us.
I'm blown away by this lens. The price is sooo high, but I think a lens like this would be absolutely perfect for me, so I think I'll start saving up now...
Let me slowly get away from this video, before I end up in B&H Buying one hahaha. Great review and I've been looking for a nice wildlife photography lens and this definitely looks like it! Update: Somehow the lens made it's way into my cart, ahhh going to blame Arthur for this one 😂😂.
The 150mm wide end makes the sigma a bit more practical than the 200-600 Sony but external zooming lenses scratch me the wrong way and the Sony's the only one with internal zoom for the moment, currently on sale for half the price of Canon's RF100-500. I'm shooting with Sigma's 150-600 Contemporary and my good old 7D Mark II but I'm really tempted to switch to Sony, so tempted that I've put all my Canon gear up for sale for the time being.
I hired this lens and it arrived today, managed a few frames and the ones that didn't have camera shake were extremely sharp. I am impressed, but because of the weight won't be my every day lens. I hired it with a specific shoot in mind. and I discover the tripod I had wasn't up to the task.
1- Tamron has 150-600. I wish you would compare this Bigmamma with that Tammy. Apple to apple. Why? Because as you said at the end, these two 3rd party lenses are EXCELLENT and perfect for any wild-life or sport photographer. Simply there is no absolute reason to go with a giant brand name and pay twice or more to get the same or less! 2- Both Sigma and Tamron have their own TeleConverters. Why do you present this as if only Sony has that option? 3- If this was your 1st-time use of real telephotography, you really did well. Way to go.
Great fun video!!! I love zooms: they are incredible for athletic competitions, more stealth street photography, and getting such dramatic shots. I love SIGMA's lenses and have several of them with my Sony A6600. However, this lens is simply enormous for international travel and I won't be able to carry it with me. Instead, I purchased the Sony 70-350mg which is relatively compact and gets really as close as I need even for sports.
Thanks Arthur - very balanced review. After looking through many, many reviews of the 3 options (Sigma, Tamron and Sony) available I settled on the Sigma for the best range, much better close focus distance c.f. the Sony, the Arca-swiss mount, less in your face colour and good value. Use it on my A7R3 and it is super sharp. If I was more a BIF action shooter with a more sports oriented body I would have likely gone with the Sony. They're all great lenses really and I have no regrets with the Sigma!
Horses for courses. I went for the Sony because the zoom is entirely internal, and so much easier to balance on a gimbal. I also have some Sigma glass and they are truly excellent.
I know I have use a Sigma primes and 100-400 on Sony A7RIV and Sony A7RII, in Super 35 mode Riv has a resolution of 26.6 mp and Rii 18, depend on which country you are from, the difference can be quite substantial with Sony, Sigma and Tamron. In my country Sony is about $700 more than Sigma, that would be enough for me to get a Sigma 150-600 and Sigma 85mm F1.4, we seems to pay more Sony tax than on Sigma.
I have the Sony 600G, (as well as the sigma 150-600 C) Anyway i normally use these on my R7iii, but when i want to really reach out and touch someone, i'll bring my a6400
It's a common misperception but a 600mm full frame lens does not become a 900mm lens on a crop format camera...It's still a 600mm lens, but with the edges of frame cropped off as you are only seeing part of the image circle. That's why it looks sharp from corner to corner on crop format...To see the softer corners you have to mount it on a full frame camera.
Excuse for offtop, in my plans to buy 4K monitor for my editing laptop, but - how much 4K monitor will load GPU of video card by 4K resolution? In this case is it better to stay with 2K monitor?
On Amazon today, bundled with filters, etc. the lens is reasonably priced for what it does (of course it's a good price because that's part of Sigma :) ): $900 USA.
I have one 60-600mm sports lens with Nikon mount. Just need some focus micro adjustment. Docking station have as well. Need get some free time and do that adjustment.
Thanks a lot for this review. I don't know if it's the same in U.S.A., but here the removable tripod mount is sold separately (with Tamron is included instead).
Do you think this would be good for sports photography now that youve used it a few times? Birds pirched on a branch is different than snapping a pitcher mid throw or a runner going full speed. How do you think it would do in a setting like that?
Onething to add to the sigma lense is that it shooting with this lense will remove some modules on dxo, for me i cannot use the dxos lense correction tool to apply a little more structure. moreover zooming into a little bird it will be difficult to shoot birds as you will have to find a way to manage your ISO, a good tripod with a custom ballhead (i use Soonpho Q-08S Heavy Duty Video Camera Tripod ) also is definitely a must for stable shots.
Nice review. The only point that I am wondering about is in the past, it was always suggested that only one stabilization system be used - either the in body, or the in lens - not both. I have the Sigma 70 -200 2.8. Great lens, but, if you listen close to it, you can actually hear the stabilization systems fighting each other if they are both turned on. Don't know if that has changed with this lens.
Ive tested this in a video before. Both systems work together and they make the results even smoother together. Its not a drastic difference though, and you are right, there are moments where they can produce weird video results, but that is usually rare.
I have the Tamron 150-500 and use an a6600, do you think this is worth upgrading to for the 900mm equivalent? Based on current pricing I should be able to sell this Tamron for ~$1400cad making the upgrade about $300cad in cost.
I have the dslr version in Canon Mount, I believe its even heavier that version as it has a metal lens hood and the plastic lens cap you buy separately as only comes with the soft cover. No arca swiss on the tripod leg, but it's a bit bigger than that one.
I thought your photos were great, especially for the first time out with a new lens of this physical size and without a tripod. I think the SkillShare class probably helped.
I’ll never ever understand why we talked about lens equivalents instead of megapixel equivalents. 600mm=600mm. But using the APSC crop sensor is like having a 36megapixel camera and cropping it to 70%. Problem these days is, you can just buy a 36 mp camera
@@RTReview. yeah, I sort of agree (but maybe from a bit of a different perspective?). I think that reflecting on Fstop equivalents and things like that point out the difficulty you get in to when thinking about crop sensors as magnification tools. F4 for that lens is yeah, still F4 for that lens but if you want to think about the same 'framing' relative distance to your subject for an image then yes, you need to think about the aperture differently. Don't expect the f2.8 of a crop sensor lens to take the same picture if you step back far enough to get the same framing as your FF lens. But this is why I think sticking to 'crop + equivalent megapixel' is the best thing. It keeps all the BS away. This lens is like getting a 1.5x crop on a camera with as many more MP. You get the same DoF as you would but with more sharpness. I use my 42mp FF camera in Crop mode with a 300mm lens a lot when shooting small birds and sometimes switch to a M4/3 20mp camera with a 400mm lens so I speak from experience.
I bought this lens and have been having a real hard time with it. All photos seem to be coming out noisy even when am only shooting iso400 on a Sony A7R IV. Is a bit frustrating, I have been out with it for few weeks and don't see much improvement yet. I love how it looks though, but I need to figure out how to work it well.,
That's because it's a Sigma. You bought an A7R IV and you're using an inferior lens on it when you could be using the 200-600mm with superior build quality and an internal zoom.
@@mdc123-v2v Thanks for the input, though that's not the case. It was user error(Myself) as I had upgraded from a A7ii to a A7R4 and the issue was settings on camera. Lens working perfectly fine.
I genuinely think it's about time that implying that the crop factor increases the genuine focal length should be viewed as illegal or misleading. If you have a 600mm full frame on an APSC it will NOT give you 900mm. IT WILL NOT. It gives you a smaller image but it will not be like a 900mm lens. If it was that easy every wildlife photographer would have APSC....they don't....so...go figure that.
Technically you are correct, but it's an equivalent field of view. The APSC camera sensor at 600mm has 24 megapixels worth of data that is 1.5X cropped. To replicate that with a full frame camera and get the same megapixels you would need a 900mm lens. If you took a full frame image at 600mm and cropped it, it wouldn't be the same because you'd have significantly less pixels. There are a LOT of wildlife photographers that shoot with APSC.
@@ArthurR Sony A7R4 has 26MP in APSC mode, A6600 only 24MP. A7R4 10 framse/second, A6600 11 frames/second. Nevertheless I prefer to use my Sony 200-600 with my A9-II although only 24MP full frame but less ISO noise and much faster AF and no blackouts in the viewfinder.
You must compare this with sony 200-600! But, use it in real world - go to some sport conpetitions or try to take animals in move. Then adavntages from sony 200-600 will be visible I think. Nobody buy this gigant lens for take portraits. I still use APSC, cost, size and weight is important to me. This is why I use 70-350 from sony and maybe waiting for some super telephoto about -600mm dedicated for apsc.
Not a patch on the sony 200-600mm. I didnt like the weight shift when changing the zoom. Sony is all internal so better sealed and not an airpump. Sony is faster and I found sharper. Sony all the way.
But this has nothing to with a 900mm lens 😉 It will always be a maximum of 600mm, the crop factor only changes the field of view, not the focal length. Two different things with different effects on the image.
Funniest off hand comment “this is not an F2.8 aperture… yup.. you are darn right… an F2.8 600mm would need at least a 215mm filter thread (probably more like 220mm) and would be huge and expensive (those massive 600mm prime lenses you see that are $14K are only F4)…
I tested this lens and it convinced me to get the Fujinon 150-600mm. Sure, it may sound shallow but for me the image quality was just not there at the 600mm end. Also, I think the lens looks outdated and ugly.
I should note that my sigma lens meant for Canon really struggles with autofocus, and i think it has to do with being adapted, i have several other sigma lenses that work amazingly on my 6400/a7iii
I love to photograph birds, but since I`m just an amateur, I only got to take photos of seagulls on the Folkestone harbour arm, by the lighthouse. It was so satisfying and felt so lovely to catch a nice frame of a bird flying at me. I only used the 18-105 but even if the bird was in the distance, my a6400 knew I wanted the bird in focus and I could see the focus following the bird with such speed. It really is amazing. if I had the money, I`d get one these sigmas and I`d try to get some crazy shots each day.
This is comically large lol I love it. I wish it wasn't so expensive or I would buy one
I have the DSLR (non-DN), Contemporary version of this lens and apart from autofocus (which is much better on Sports) it's a beast of a lens. Absolutely sharp and great for doing stuff such as wildlife photography and plane spotting, or even literal moon shots. 100% recommend that lens.
I have been waiting for this review for so long. Thanks a million
I used the Sony 200-600 on my a6400 and instantly fell in love with it. Great optics, stabilization, weight, weight distribution and internal zoom. Would totally recommend Sony's version over Sigma.
Especially since the Sony is not that much more expensive, compared to some other lenses
The zoom is entirely internal and balances nicely with my A7Siii on the DJI RS2. I also have a Tamron 35-150 and that is a nuisance to balance.
Thoughts compared to the Sony 70-300 telephoto lens?
@@waddoo1234 I have not used that lens since I need more range for bird photography. If you're on APS-C, you'd be better off with the 70-350.
I have this exact sigma lens here and I would recommend it over the sony lens, the push pull zoom feature is incredibly helpful when shooting sports. I'd only recommend the sony lens if you needed the absolute highest framerate out of the Alpha 1 because I think Sony gimps 3rd party lenses. shame but that's the reality unless you find out different.
Before I'd get the sony lens I'd get the Tamron 150-500 because of it's incredibly lighter weight.
You are right about this lens , I bought it about 3 months ago and I could never be happier with the results. Well done 👍
I am in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons right now with my brand new copy of this lens mounted to my A6400. The reach is amazing as is the image quality, given ample and good light and a steady grip or tripod/monopod. Thank goodness I'm not a big "hiker" though as packing this behemoth around isn't for the weak or elderly (I fit into at least one of those categories!) All said and done I've had this lens for about 10 days now and I'm tickled with it so far. Also, the color commentary re: "its size" from the many other roadside wildlife shooters here in the park is almost worth the price in and of itself! Some of them have been downright hysterical. Thanks for the review, it has helped re-reinforce my buying decision on this.
This is a great lens for plane spotting! I should start saving to get one. I usually shoot at 250mm on an APS-C, so at 600mm, I could probably read the pilot’s checklists lol.
I wish the Sigma was available natively a few years ago. I use the Sony 200-600mm lens for birding, and compared to what I used before (Sigma 150-600mm Canon EF with an adapter onto my Sony FF), it was night and day. Auto focus was sluggish when adapted, causing me to miss many shots and not be able to burst. Combine my current lens with my A7RIV, and I am able to nail so many more shots, especially with the ability to crop in. I exclusively use burst mode now because it gives me more to choose from, and the Sony lens is excellent for this purpose.
Very good and balanced review Arthur.
I looked at the sigma Sport and contemporary and I purchased the latter !
The C is not a weather sealed, however this is slightly smaller, lighter and sharper !
I have the C EF Canon fit version on my eos 7Dii, however I have a MC-11 adapter and I mount on my A6600 and the IQ is very, very good !
I believe the C version over the S offers better value for money.
Omg. Perfect for planespotting on my old A6300! Built in OIS is the icing on the cake. All comes down to price now. If it's available and cheaper than Sony SEL 70-350mm in Austria, then I'm all in on it.
Just rented this lens to test out on my A6600. Keep in mind at 600mm (900 with crop sensor) you will need a tri pod!
I tried using it for wild life photography where i walk around constantly not using a tri pod and my performance with the SEL 70-350mm was substantially better.
It did work with a tri pod and if you ever plan on going full frame then I recommend it!
I also own the Sony 70-350 and love the images it creates and the formfactor/weight. I would love to get something with more reach but for my taste all the lenses are soooo heavy compared to the sony 70-350 because the 70-350 is made for apsc. It would be super awesome if sony could release an apsc superzoom with more reach for apsc. Though I dont think that will happen.
Oh and btw the Sigma here in Germany is 3 times as expensive as what the price I bought my Sony 70-350 for was. 😅
@@p4ul.f708 Agreed, I doubt they will make a super zoom for APSC. Would I love for them to prove me wrong? Absolutely. I'm gonna have to consider myself lucky I can get sigma for as cheap as I can here in US then LOL
@@jaredmitchell9080 Are they that expensive in the Us ?
Here in Germany 1.300€ is a good price for the Sigma 150-600🤔
Btw I thought Sony wouldn't continue Apsc lenses/bodies but they will proof us wrong. Sonyalpharumors just reported that thy will release 3 new apsc lenses in june:
Sony 15mm 1.4
Sony 11mm 1.8
Sony 10-20mm f4 g lens (super lightweight)
And that alone shows that there most probably will be a new sony apsc coming later if there are finally enoigh chips. 🙌 Just to fill you in the news 🤷♂️
@@jaredmitchell9080 Oh an btw an option to consider:
Buying the Sigma 150-600 for Canon 2nd hand and adapting it with the Sigma mc 11. That way you should be able to pay only half as much...
Here are 2 videos I found super useful regarding superzooms on sony e mount:
Comparison of sigma 150-600 emount vs sigma 150-600 for canon+mc 11 adapter:
ruclips.net/video/zUrZMEGQ2WI/видео.html
Comparison Sigma 150-600 e mount vs sony 200-600 vs Tamron 150-500:
ruclips.net/video/1APFXYwUGf4/видео.html
I've been on the fence about buying the Sony 200-600 for a long time. You released this vid at just the right time for me. Just ordered the sigma 150-600mm and I feel great about it.
Used A6600 + Sony 200-600, now A1 + Sony 200-600 for bird photography. Tried Sigma 100-400, Sigma 150-600 as well. Sony 200-600 has superior auto-focus.
I am using it with 6400. Very good choice for this price. I am pleased.
Quite the monster and range.
I don't think I would use this without a monopod or tripod
Great review, you stunned me when you said your shots were all handheld. That's amazing
Overall quite pleased with my 150-600 for my Sony A6400. I shoot sports and love the size, weight, and build as well as the versatility of the zoom range. However I would recommend people consider the image sharpness, it might just be that I’m used to looking at sharp images from my Sony 70-200 f/4 but I’m terribly dissatisfied with the results, quite often I will slightly miss focus ( both my fault and the lenses capabilities) but that aside when I do make contact the image looks out of focus and blurry/unusably soft (and yes I shoot upwards of 1/1600 shutter speed). I also wouldn’t recommend shooting out at 900mm crop sensor equivalent, I only zoom to 400mm to get the equivalent of 600, anything past this just makes the results worse. I’m not sure if there is a fault in my lenses but anything zoomed in relatively close to 300,400,500,600 is just unusable in my testing. Hope this helps anyone as I would have preferred to spend my money on the Sony 200-600 for the best results possible.
I had a soft copy of the 150-500mm and sent it to Sigma, in a few days it was back and razor sharp..1/1600 isnt a fast shutter speed for this long lense, also try shooting with IS turned off..Hope this helps.
@@philipgowdy I’ll definitely have to look into getting the lens checked out. I now revert to using a Sony 70-200 2.8 GM and crop the living daylights out of it for similar compositions and manage to end up with results in more happy with sharing. Also most definitely agree that 1/1600 isn’t fast enough, I’ve never shot below it with that lens and always try snd stay 1/2000 upwards as I prefer grain over loss in sharpness/ blur. Interesting with the IS never thought to turn it off, hope it helps 🤞
Thanks for the feedback, always appreciated.
@@patricksager2nd189 Also as your using Sony turn off the "e front curtain" at speeds over 1/1000th
@@patricksager2nd189 Image stabilizer can induce a vibration at high shutter speed to cause a blur in the image. Always have it off just before shooting.
I use the Sigma 150/600mm Sports hooked the Sony A7iii and I just love this combination compared to the Sigma 400mm which is a great lens if that is all you have but the bigger one just is so much better all around.
I'm curious how this lens perform in sport events like football or any fast moving subject
He addressees this in the video in regards to fast moving birds.
@@mavfan1 thanks
Nice, I was originally looking at the 150-500mm Tamron but I think i will end up with this one as well
Have purchased today, agree with trying to find your subject when out fully, but have to continue and be patient.
Nice review there as always Arthur. Did you get a chance to try this lens with a smallrig or UUrig cage on your A61/6600 at all for hand grip issues ?
thinking to pick this up as my next vlogging lens!
I purchased the Tamron 150-500 based on all the raving reviews of it from you and others when it came out, especially since the 150-600 didn't have a Sony E version.. Getting a bit of FOMO right now haha
I would love the 900mm on my A6400, but I went for the Sony 70-350mm (525mm) because of all the reasons you said. Anything more than that is VERY heavy and also very obvious. You can use the 70-350mm for street photography, whereas with the Sigma you are definitely going to be confronted!
I absolutely love my 70-350, and agree that it fits my needs the great majority of the time while being a lot more practical to carry around and cheaper than the Sigma, but I'd still love to add a 600mm to my collection some day!
That's why the sigma 150-600 lens is consider to be a sport/wildlife lens. It's not meant for street photography.
I believe the Sony 70-350mm is an APS-C Lens and not a Full Frame. You are truly getting 350mm with focal length with that lens.
Thanks for this great video Arthur 🙌
Can I use this lens with Sony Alpha 6000 mirror less camera?
Looks like a great lens, but it's made for full frame and I own an a6400. I know it can be used on APS-C I'm not planning on going full frame, and I don't want to pay for and carry around unused glass. My question: any idea if Sigma, Tamron or Sony will make a super telephoto specifically for APS-C? I mean that would be killer for bird photographers as they don't really need full frame. I own the Sony 70-350mm G lens and while it's a fantastic lens, I sometimes feel like I need to get even closer when taking shots of wildlife. My dream would come true if Sigma makes this same lens focal length (150-600mm) for APS-C, and so making it smaller and cheaper.
Same here 🙋♂. I love size, weight and performance of my Sony 70-350 mounted on my A6600. Wouldn't mind a few mm of extra focal length from time to time. Fingers crossed that Sigma will take care of Sony APS-C users, while Sony has unfortunately abandoned us.
I'm blown away by this lens. The price is sooo high, but I think a lens like this would be absolutely perfect for me, so I think I'll start saving up now...
Buy the Sony instead. It is literally better. Everywhere.
@@mdc123-v2v But is it $800 "Better"?
Let me slowly get away from this video, before I end up in B&H Buying one hahaha. Great review and I've been looking for a nice wildlife photography lens and this definitely looks like it!
Update: Somehow the lens made it's way into my cart, ahhh going to blame Arthur for this one 😂😂.
The 150mm wide end makes the sigma a bit more practical than the 200-600 Sony but external zooming lenses scratch me the wrong way and the Sony's the only one with internal zoom for the moment, currently on sale for half the price of Canon's RF100-500. I'm shooting with Sigma's 150-600 Contemporary and my good old 7D Mark II but I'm really tempted to switch to Sony, so tempted that I've put all my Canon gear up for sale for the time being.
I hired this lens and it arrived today, managed a few frames and the ones that didn't have camera shake were extremely sharp. I am impressed, but because of the weight won't be my every day lens. I hired it with a specific shoot in mind. and I discover the tripod I had wasn't up to the task.
Nice review!!
1- Tamron has 150-600. I wish you would compare this Bigmamma with that Tammy. Apple to apple. Why? Because as you said at the end, these two 3rd party lenses are EXCELLENT and perfect for any wild-life or sport photographer. Simply there is no absolute reason to go with a giant brand name and pay twice or more to get the same or less!
2- Both Sigma and Tamron have their own TeleConverters. Why do you present this as if only Sony has that option?
3- If this was your 1st-time use of real telephotography, you really did well. Way to go.
Sigma 150-600mm f5-6,3 DG DN OS additional accessory required for sony a6100?
"I'm no expert in bird photography" shows photo of an empty branch. bro that was funny as... hahahahaa love your vids man
Great fun video!!! I love zooms: they are incredible for athletic competitions, more stealth street photography, and getting such dramatic shots. I love SIGMA's lenses and have several of them with my Sony A6600. However, this lens is simply enormous for international travel and I won't be able to carry it with me. Instead, I purchased the Sony 70-350mg which is relatively compact and gets really as close as I need even for sports.
Thanks Arthur - very balanced review. After looking through many, many reviews of the 3 options (Sigma, Tamron and Sony) available I settled on the Sigma for the best range, much better close focus distance c.f. the Sony, the Arca-swiss mount, less in your face colour and good value. Use it on my A7R3 and it is super sharp. If I was more a BIF action shooter with a more sports oriented body I would have likely gone with the Sony. They're all great lenses really and I have no regrets with the Sigma!
Horses for courses. I went for the Sony because the zoom is entirely internal, and so much easier to balance on a gimbal. I also have some Sigma glass and they are truly excellent.
The Sony is in a different league for sports, nature and macro.
Bird is the Word
ayy, I have the all black gshock as well.
Me too i have a 70-350mm it's really hard bird photography
I enjoyed your photos!
I wish i could buy this full setup....
I know I have use a Sigma primes and 100-400 on Sony A7RIV and Sony A7RII, in Super 35 mode Riv has a resolution of 26.6 mp and Rii 18, depend on which country you are from, the difference can be quite substantial with Sony, Sigma and Tamron. In my country Sony is about $700 more than Sigma, that would be enough for me to get a Sigma 150-600 and Sigma 85mm F1.4, we seems to pay more Sony tax than on Sigma.
Does this lens fit in reguler size backpack? I often hidding my camera when attending a concert due to their rules
I have the Sony 600G, (as well as the sigma 150-600 C)
Anyway i normally use these on my R7iii, but when i want to really reach out and touch someone, i'll bring my a6400
It's a common misperception but a 600mm full frame lens does not become a 900mm lens on a crop format camera...It's still a 600mm lens, but with the edges of frame cropped off as you are only seeing part of the image circle. That's why it looks sharp from corner to corner on crop format...To see the softer corners you have to mount it on a full frame camera.
One tip. Don't hold it from the camera, do it from the lens or you could damage the mount with that much weight
Good idea - one of the few lenses with which this is a good reminder.
@@ArthurR тут всем отвечает твой фейк. Забань его пожалуйста
Excuse for offtop, in my plans to buy 4K monitor for my editing laptop, but - how much 4K monitor will load GPU of video card by 4K resolution? In this case is it better to stay with 2K monitor?
On Amazon today, bundled with filters, etc. the lens is reasonably priced for what it does (of course it's a good price because that's part of Sigma :) ): $900 USA.
Where in Texas are you at? I've always appreciated your reviews (A6000 user) and recently moved to DFW area.
Outside of Austin! Welcome to Texas!
what is the best apperature for any lens?
I have one 60-600mm sports lens with Nikon mount. Just need some focus micro adjustment. Docking station have as well. Need get some free time and do that adjustment.
You’re the best, man. Tks!
Thanks a lot for this review.
I don't know if it's the same in U.S.A., but here the removable tripod mount is sold separately (with Tamron is included instead).
you don´t need any adapter to conect the lens with the a61000?
Is the contemporary version not available for Sony E mount?
Do you think this would be good for sports photography now that youve used it a few times? Birds pirched on a branch is different than snapping a pitcher mid throw or a runner going full speed. How do you think it would do in a setting like that?
how cand the custom buttions be used with a sony a73...
Onething to add to the sigma lense is that it shooting with this lense will remove some modules on dxo, for me i cannot use the dxos lense correction tool to apply a little more structure. moreover zooming into a little bird it will be difficult to shoot birds as you will have to find a way to manage your ISO, a good tripod with a custom ballhead (i use Soonpho Q-08S Heavy Duty Video Camera Tripod ) also is definitely a must for stable shots.
Nice review. The only point that I am wondering about is in the past, it was always suggested that only one stabilization system be used - either the in body, or the in lens - not both. I have the Sigma 70 -200 2.8. Great lens, but, if you listen close to it, you can actually hear the stabilization systems fighting each other if they are both turned on. Don't know if that has changed with this lens.
Ive tested this in a video before. Both systems work together and they make the results even smoother together. Its not a drastic difference though, and you are right, there are moments where they can produce weird video results, but that is usually rare.
I have the Tamron 150-500 and use an a6600, do you think this is worth upgrading to for the 900mm equivalent? Based on current pricing I should be able to sell this Tamron for ~$1400cad making the upgrade about $300cad in cost.
If you are happy with the Tamron, no. If you absolutely need the extra 100mm of reach, you could look into it.
Imagine macro photography with this
I have the dslr version in Canon Mount, I believe its even heavier that version as it has a metal lens hood and the plastic lens cap you buy separately as only comes with the soft cover. No arca swiss on the tripod leg, but it's a bit bigger than that one.
i have the fujinon 16-80 with a crop factor of 1.5 and heck thats all i need
Please share some color settings and some color correction.
Love mine with my A7iv!
Works well with a Benro GH2F gimbal head.
Would you do better with an A7Riv and crop to the same size?
Not if you care about retaining megapixels.
@@ArthurR The APSC crop in the A7R4 is 26 megapixels, so the opposite of what you’re suggesting.
Hello, can you use Sony A Mount lens on canon eos r ?
Hi, can you flip the tripod foot upwards? or does it stop at potrait (90 degree) orientation?
cool the same combo as mine
Your kid is all grown up !
Too fast!
@@ArthurR Тут тоже фейк ответил. Артурчик, блокни его. Скорей всего он вымогательством занимается.
what about some presets on ur photos? no?
I think I would buy the Tamron over this one. less volume and weight, better for hand held photo..
I tend to agree with you, it is lighter and smaller, but the OS on the Sigma is noticeably better.
Its OS is much better than Sony 200 600, my ones only problem is at 600 f6.3 softer images and missingAFC focus
are you kidding ????
Does anyone know if the FF camera in aps-c mode will also give a 900 mm effect similar to the a6000 series?
I thought your photos were great, especially for the first time out with a new lens of this physical size and without a tripod. I think the SkillShare class probably helped.
Good work
I got this lens on B&H for Canon EF with the MC-11 adapter for $1000 and I love it on my a7R II.
Not this lens then.
@@le_reborn it’s the same optics just updated for the E Mount. They only added the different zoom locking buttons.
@@NandR No it is not. The optics are different...
@@le_reborn You're right. This one has 25 in 15 groups. Mine has 20 in 14
That's like a lens cannon ....I kind of want one 😂
I’ll never ever understand why we talked about lens equivalents instead of megapixel equivalents.
600mm=600mm. But using the APSC crop sensor is like having a 36megapixel camera and cropping it to 70%.
Problem these days is, you can just buy a 36 mp camera
The Thing i really dont get is why people multiply f-stop on crop sensors. F4 is f4. Doesnt matter what Sensor youre putting it in front
@@RTReview. yeah, I sort of agree (but maybe from a bit of a different perspective?). I think that reflecting on Fstop equivalents and things like that point out the difficulty you get in to when thinking about crop sensors as magnification tools. F4 for that lens is yeah, still F4 for that lens but if you want to think about the same 'framing' relative distance to your subject for an image then yes, you need to think about the aperture differently. Don't expect the f2.8 of a crop sensor lens to take the same picture if you step back far enough to get the same framing as your FF lens. But this is why I think sticking to 'crop + equivalent megapixel' is the best thing. It keeps all the BS away. This lens is like getting a 1.5x crop on a camera with as many more MP. You get the same DoF as you would but with more sharpness. I use my 42mp FF camera in Crop mode with a 300mm lens a lot when shooting small birds and sometimes switch to a M4/3 20mp camera with a 400mm lens so I speak from experience.
@@cmck1777 this! Thx, finally someone that clears out the bs on youtube. F2.8 is f2.8 only Thing that Changes is dof. :)
I bought this lens and have been having a real hard time with it. All photos seem to be coming out noisy even when am only shooting iso400 on a Sony A7R IV. Is a bit frustrating, I have been out with it for few weeks and don't see much improvement yet. I love how it looks though, but I need to figure out how to work it well.,
That's because it's a Sigma. You bought an A7R IV and you're using an inferior lens on it when you could be using the 200-600mm with superior build quality and an internal zoom.
@@mdc123-v2v Thanks for the input, though that's not the case. It was user error(Myself) as I had upgraded from a A7ii to a A7R4 and the issue was settings on camera. Lens working perfectly fine.
I use a 300mm prime f/2.8 f mount it’s 5.7lbs just the lens on my a6300
Not sure where the 900 mm comes into play. A7C is a full frame camera.
The title says + Sony a6100, which has an APSC sensor. 600mm becomes 900mm equivalent (600 * 1.5).
@@nphotodotorg2690 I know, but the whole video you are holding a silver A7C, which doesn't have an APS-C sensor
@@MoLetalis True. Good point!
I genuinely think it's about time that implying that the crop factor increases the genuine focal length should be viewed as illegal or misleading. If you have a 600mm full frame on an APSC it will NOT give you 900mm. IT WILL NOT. It gives you a smaller image but it will not be like a 900mm lens. If it was that easy every wildlife photographer would have APSC....they don't....so...go figure that.
Technically you are correct, but it's an equivalent field of view. The APSC camera sensor at 600mm has 24 megapixels worth of data that is 1.5X cropped. To replicate that with a full frame camera and get the same megapixels you would need a 900mm lens. If you took a full frame image at 600mm and cropped it, it wouldn't be the same because you'd have significantly less pixels. There are a LOT of wildlife photographers that shoot with APSC.
@@ArthurR Sony A7R4 has 26MP in APSC mode, A6600 only 24MP. A7R4 10 framse/second, A6600 11 frames/second. Nevertheless I prefer to use my Sony 200-600 with my A9-II although only 24MP full frame but less ISO noise and much faster AF and no blackouts in the viewfinder.
You must compare this with sony 200-600! But, use it in real world - go to some sport conpetitions or try to take animals in move. Then adavntages from sony 200-600 will be visible I think. Nobody buy this gigant lens for take portraits.
I still use APSC, cost, size and weight is important to me. This is why I use 70-350 from sony and maybe waiting for some super telephoto about -600mm dedicated for apsc.
My mistake - A vs E mount….
Not a patch on the sony 200-600mm. I didnt like the weight shift when changing the zoom. Sony is all internal so better sealed and not an airpump. Sony is faster and I found sharper. Sony all the way.
But this has nothing to with a 900mm lens 😉
It will always be a maximum of 600mm, the crop factor only changes the field of view, not the focal length. Two different things with different effects on the image.
You are correct. A smaller sensor does not give you more magnification. I don’t know why this rumor has proliferated.
Noobish Q, is that Lens better then Nikon P1000 ?
Funniest off hand comment “this is not an F2.8 aperture… yup.. you are darn right… an F2.8 600mm would need at least a 215mm filter thread (probably more like 220mm) and would be huge and expensive (those massive 600mm prime lenses you see that are $14K are only F4)…
I wish the sample photos where better
I got a 70-350 mm on a 6100 which gives me approx. 550 mm I'm told. Wicked lens but now you show this one. I've got G.A.S.
I tested this lens and it convinced me to get the Fujinon 150-600mm. Sure, it may sound shallow but for me the image quality was just not there at the 600mm end. Also, I think the lens looks outdated and ugly.
I should note that my sigma lens meant for Canon really struggles with autofocus, and i think it has to do with being adapted, i have several other sigma lenses that work amazingly on my 6400/a7iii
i have the 120-300 f2.8 and the 2x teleconverter. i think it makes for a better setup for super telephoto shots...
With this lens I can shoot wedding photos from my house
Haha thats an idea!
Cool video
Hey auther what would you recommend for the best equivilent is for an 85mm lens for an APSC body? 🤔
В мире закончились все сони объективы и китайские мануальные. Поэтому Артур перешёл на телефото))