Sigma 150-500mm F/5-63 Apo Dg Os Hsm Review
Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.three DG OS HSM Lens Review
This isn't the opening phrase you'd expect to hear a lens review start with, but here goes: Initially, I wasn't overly enthusiastic virtually trying out the Sigma 150-500. I had to force myself to go out and shoot with information technology, and no other lens. But in doing so, I came to realise that I was unfairly dismissing information technology without giving it a chance to bear witness me what information technology could do. And in plough, discovered it' really not a bad little lens at all!
The Sigma 150-500 lens barrel at minimum & maximum zoom
Permit me explain further about my initial lack of enthusiasm. My normal 'go to' lenses are the 600 and 200-400, so I picked upwardly them up if a photo op presented itself, considering naturally I wanted to capture images in the best quality possible. But here'due south the thing, after spending forever carting lenses that weigh 4kg and upwards effectually, what an absolute jiff of fresh air information technology was to just go out shooting with the Sigma! It's then much lighter, making information technology far more than portable, and when paired up to a crop sensor photographic camera it offers an incredible corporeality of reach. On the D7000 we are talking about the same field of view as a 245-750mm in a hand-holdable, prototype stabilised bundle. You lot really can't contend with that.
Build
The Sigma is a surprisingly solid feeling lens, made from a mixture of plastic and metallic. Information technology's heavy enough to give y'all confidence in it's build quality, merely not so heavy that it weighs yous downward during prolonged handheld shooting. It has a smooth, near rubbery texture to the coating on the barrel of the lens and added to that, the lens foot has contoured edges making information technology very comfy to hold when walking virtually. It'due south not labelled as an EX lens, and I'd say its build and overall finishing, whilst good, isn't quite up to the standard of my Sigma 150 f2.8 macro. The tripod collar and pes are actually removable as one piece, and then if you need to relieve more than weight, and know y'all won't be using a tripod, it might prove a nice feature for those that want to be as light weight every bit possible.
The tripod collar/foot has contoured edges plus an unlocking screw
My 2 concerns over the build of this lens are that A) it extends when zooming. My problem with this, is that I wouldn't desire to have it out in any agin weather conditions as I'd exist worried about sucking rain or dirt back inside the lens with all the zooming in and out. And, added to that, B) the lens suffers from pretty bad lens creep. What I hateful past that, if you hold the lens upside down the weight of the front section of the lens barrel will brand it zoom itself out to 500mm. Concur information technology pointing upwards and it'll zoom itself back down to 150mm. This was probably my biggest consequence with the lens. You tin lock the lens barrel in identify with a switch, but only at 150mm. And Anyway, I don't really want to have to proceed locking and unlocking the lens barrel via a switch, whilst I'm walking around taking photos. I asked effectually via Twitter if other owners had this aforementioned problem of if the copy I had was an exception, simply it seems it'due south a trait of the lens in full general.
Controls
The 150-500 features OS, which is Sigma's version of Nikons VR and Canons IS. Information technology offers two modes of stability, mode 1 is for regular paw holding and mode 2 is designed for panning movements. In use, I found the OS to piece of work perfectly well. Having the photographic camera fastened to the Nikon D7000, in that location was a clear reduction in vibration when looking through the viewfinder, and this helped no cease when there was a footling air current. Also, I found the OS to exist prissy and quiet in operation. There is a little noise equally it engages, but so it'due south very quiet. I'd read reports that the Bone was very noisy and deadening to operate, merely I didn't find that the case at all. Information technology kicked in within half a second of half pressing the shutter button and did information technology'southward thing admirably. All in all, very impressed!
OS controls, automobile & transmission focus switch plus the lens barrel lock
The two things I did detect awkward to get used to at first were the fact the zoom and focus ring are in contrary positions to my Nikon lenses, so I kept twisting the focus when I wanted to zoom, which was frustrating at first. Further to that, the zoom ring twists in the opposite management for zooming in and out compared to my 200-400, so again I kept zooming the wrong mode at beginning. But, if yous aren't used to zoom and reverse rings operating in different directions so this isn't annihilation to worry about. My third consequence with the zoom ring, was that it is quite strong, but that might loosen up over time.
Focus
On the D7000 the focus speed from min to max focus was non bad. It'due south non ultra fast, simply it'southward certainly not ultra wearisome either (unless, that is, y'all are in very wearisome contrast-less light). If the focus is already in the ballpark of the subject so it is very fast to micro-adjust and keep up with the subject. It'southward as well very serenity thanks to the HSM motor, however there is no focus limit switch, which is a shame as that would finish the lens from hunting the entire range it information technology gets lost in low light. Only, given the cost of the lens vs the reach it offers, there has to be some compromise I approximate. I did briefly put the 150-500 on my D3s, and speed was improved, only as a top end Pro camera isn't realistic to the average buyer of this lens I didn't do much testing with the combo.
Jackdaw - 500mm, 1/320, f7.ane, ISO 1400
Epitome Quality
I have to admit, I used this lens exclusively handheld. Taking a tripod out with me that was way heavier than the lens information technology was supporting seemed silly, and even though I have a monopod I always opted to just shoot handheld. I judge the temptation was too great, given that I usually HAVE to accept lens support with me it seemed similar a pure luxury to walk around without anything else weighing me down.
For best results you lot want to shy away from shooting wide open up at max zoom (even knocking back to around 460mm improved sharpness), but that said, I nigh did that exclusively, equally permit's be honest, the main attraction of this lens is that it goes out to 500mm. So not taking reward of that would be silly! Images, whilst non beingness razor abrupt wide open, are somewhere between acceptable and unacceptable. If you view the photos on your figurer at 50% of full res they expect perfectly fine, but if you like to pixel peep yous'll certainly notice a slight brume to the image that reduces the sharpness. Distant subjects show this up even more, so if you lot do demand to shoot wide open, better results volition be obtained the closer the subject is to y'all.
Reed Bunting - 500mm, 1/400, f8, ISO 720
Terminate the lens down to f8 and there is a proficient comeback in image quality, both in dissimilarity and sharpness. Simply a few years agone, having to terminate downward a slow lens would be a problem, specially if you alive in the U.k. where the light isn't always great. But with the introduction of cheaper and better noise handling DSLRs this problem is slowly going away. Typically, I shot this lens in cloudy conditions every time I used it, and as such would like to think that represents worst case scenarios for a tiresome super zoom. But it nevertheless managed to produce a couple of images I was really pleased with.
Squirrel - 500mm, i/640, f8, ISO 1800
The biggest downside for me was the back-focus on close subjects at 500mm. Looking over quite a few images that I thought were soft when viewing them out in the field, it turned out the focus was just in the wrong identify. Then I now wonder how many images I accounted soft due to the optics (and therefore deleted whilst out), were in fact down to back-focus.
Overall
I had to give some idea on how to sum this lens up at get-go. It would take been all too easy for me to compare it's performance confronting my 200-400, because that is the lens I own which comes close enough to existence on par with it in terms of reach. Simply it'southward completely unfair to do that. And so, what I did, was treat this lens as I felt it worked all-time, as a fantastic light weight walk around lens which is potentially going to be a first stride in to the globe of telephoto lenses for some people. And in doing that, I thoroughly enjoyed using it and realised it's actually a very inexpensive style to become a 500mm lens that isn't half bad! Some may wish it was a constant aperture all the way through the focal range, and whilst that would certainly exist nice, it would also add size, weight and cost. Instead, y'all'll have to rely on improving your long lens technique and the OS to get your shutter speed downwardly and in turn, your ISO. Just fifty-fifty if the situation dictates yous can't practice that, todays DSLRs are getting better and meliorate all the fourth dimension with ISO performance meaning variable aperture lenses aren't 'every bit' crippling equally they one time were.
Reddish Deer - 500mm, ane/400, f7.ane, ISO 500
Information technology'south not the best built, sharpest and fastest lens on the market today, lets be honest. But, what information technology does exercise is offering a pretty adept 'performance vs cost' balance, and in looking at it that way, I thoroughly enjoyed my fourth dimension with the Sigma 150-500, and I recollect yous will also.
Ratings
| Build | 6.5/10 | Quite solid but lens pitter-patter and extending butt are a worry |
| Handling | 7/x | Feels nice to operate once you get used to controls existence reversed |
| Performance | 7.5/10 | Focus speed is quick in good lite and Bone works well |
| Epitome Quality | 7/10 | In the correct conditions its capable of surprisingly nice images |
Overall score:
About the author
Richard Peters is a professional photographer based in London, whose primary interest is wild fauna and nature photography. Richard has been on the judging panel for both the BBC Countryfile photographic competition and the I AM NIKON photography competition. He blogs at http://www.richardpeters.co.great britain/blog/
Source: https://www.wexphotovideo.com/blog/reviews/sigma-150-500mm-f5-63-dg-os-hsm-lens-review/
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