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Test with Sigma 80-400 EX OS DG

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brand new "DG" version at Canoga Camera on a 20D. Excellent optically, but I CANNOT believe how S-L-O-W the AF is. It is easily the slowest AF lens I have ever used. Such a shame that Sigma would match very good optics with terrible AF speed. I stared at the AF window as it crawled across from MFD to Infinity; it must have taken 3-4 seconds. Unbelievable.

--
http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/lenstests

“98% of all lenses are better than 100% of all photographers.” Michael Reichmann
 
That's why I got Bigma. I prefer fast focus to IS. At least with fast focus I can still do a burst and get at least one in sharp at 500mm handheld. If you can't focus on it, no sharpness, IS, or any other cool feature will do you a bit of good.
fStopJojo said:
brand new "DG" version at Canoga Camera on a 20D. Excellent
optically, but I CANNOT believe how S-L-O-W the AF is. It is
easily the slowest AF lens I have ever used. Such a shame that
Sigma would match very good optics with terrible AF speed. I
stared at the AF window as it crawled across from MFD to Infinity;
it must have taken 3-4 seconds. Unbelievable.

--
http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/lenstests

“98% of all lenses are better than 100% of all photographers.”
Michael Reichmann
Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
Reading various comments about the AF speed.

As Canon EOS users where the link/drive is purely electronic does the Sigma motor work quicker with any particular camera in the EOS range?

And what about the Nikon or Sigma users where the motor drive is mechanically linked instead of electronic.

Just curious because some report the AF as being acceptable but slow whereas others say badly slow it is.

? )
--
Living life a slice at a time

 
I don't know exactly how it works but I know from experience that Bigma focuses quicker than my 50mm prime, especially when using AI Servo and shooting at the low light track. Needless to say the exposure is better on the prime due to the aperture, however the focus itself is slower. Sometimes I get a slightly OOF shot because I snapped and the lens hadn't recomposed it's focus yet.
Box Brownie said:
Reading various comments about the AF speed.

As Canon EOS users where the link/drive is purely electronic does
the Sigma motor work quicker with any particular camera in the EOS
range?

And what about the Nikon or Sigma users where the motor drive is
mechanically linked instead of electronic.

Just curious because some report the AF as being acceptable but
slow whereas others say badly slow it is.

? )
--
Living life a slice at a time

Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
I need to learn to get all my posts combined into one. Ugh. Anywho...

If you compare Walt's photos at the track to my photos, same lighting and everything...you can see some of his are slightly OOF whereas mine are sharp when I have Bigma mounted.

He's a Nikonian.
Box Brownie said:
Reading various comments about the AF speed.

As Canon EOS users where the link/drive is purely electronic does
the Sigma motor work quicker with any particular camera in the EOS
range?

And what about the Nikon or Sigma users where the motor drive is
mechanically linked instead of electronic.

Just curious because some report the AF as being acceptable but
slow whereas others say badly slow it is.

? )
--
Living life a slice at a time

Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
Elan Remford said:
I have found it to be tremendously sharp throughout its range. In
fact, I find it to be subjectively slightly sharper than the
100-400 L, and the addition of the DG coatings somehow have made
the colors more vivid and comparable to the 100-400 L. They
somehow have less of the "autumn cast" inherent to many Sigmas as
seem to be more vivid throughout the entire color palette.
Click to expand...
That's good news indeed.

On the other the confirmed very slow speed somehow keeps me from buying it .... pity.

I'm afraid I have to think it all over. The Bigma really is not a handheld lens, you need a least a monopod I'd say (never got it into my hands yet).
Somehow I'm a bit disappointed now, only alternative is 100-400 L IS again.

Thanks very much + greets!

Wick
 
I handhold Bigma all the time. Got this one with it:



(Photobucket may have compressed it...if so I apologize. No editing or PP of any kind. Just snapped and uploaded.)

EXIF:

File Name
img 155.jpg
Camera Model
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Shooting Date/Time
8/16/2005 4:04:00 AM
Shooting Mode
Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/30
Av( Aperture Value )
5.6
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
1600
Lens
50.0 - 500.0mm
Focal Length
417.0mm
Image Size
3456x2304
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
Off
White Balance Mode
Auto
AF Mode
AI Focus AF
Parameters Settings
Contrast Standard
Sharpness Standard
Color saturation Mid. low
Color tone 0
Color Space
sRGB
Noise Reduction
Off
File Size
3249KB
Drive Mode
Continuous shooting
Wickblau said:
Elan Remford said:
I have found it to be tremendously sharp throughout its range. In
fact, I find it to be subjectively slightly sharper than the
100-400 L, and the addition of the DG coatings somehow have made
the colors more vivid and comparable to the 100-400 L. They
somehow have less of the "autumn cast" inherent to many Sigmas as
seem to be more vivid throughout the entire color palette.
Click to expand...
That's good news indeed.
On the other the confirmed very slow speed somehow keeps me from
buying it .... pity.
I'm afraid I have to think it all over. The Bigma really is not a
handheld lens, you need a least a monopod I'd say (never got it
into my hands yet).
Somehow I'm a bit disappointed now, only alternative is 100-400 L
IS again.

Thanks very much + greets!

Wick
Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
cdibuycom said:
I handhold Bigma all the time. Got this one with it:



(Photobucket may have compressed it...if so I apologize. No
editing or PP of any kind. Just snapped and uploaded.)

EXIF:

File Name
img 155.jpg
Camera Model
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Shooting Date/Time
8/16/2005 4:04:00 AM
Shooting Mode
Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/30
Av( Aperture Value )
5.6
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
1600
Lens
50.0 - 500.0mm
Focal Length
417.0mm
Image Size
3456x2304
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
Off
White Balance Mode
Auto
AF Mode
AI Focus AF
Parameters Settings
Contrast Standard
Sharpness Standard
Color saturation Mid. low
Color tone 0
Color Space
sRGB
Noise Reduction
Off
File Size
3249KB
Drive Mode
Continuous shooting
-
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

Click to expand...
Hi,

pls don't feel offended but I wonder which planet you're from,
417mm handheld at 1/30 ???

but as you seem to strongly recommend it - I know a fellow around my place who's got a bigma, I think I'll give him a call, must be interesting to have a look at it anyway
 
I have a fairly steady hand. The aperture in the EXIF data is a bit of a lie though since the lens tells the camera it's 5.6 so it can autofocus. It's really 6.3 (or so) at that focal length. Bigma is my walkaround for the most part as well so getting used to it is another factor.

This one is also handheld but I did a little PP on it (no sharpening or resize however):



I could have (and should have) used ISO100 but I forgot I even had it set at 1600 from the previous night's race.

EXIF:

File Name
img 038.jpg
Camera Model
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Shooting Date/Time
8/13/2005 7:52:16 PM
Shooting Mode
Shutter-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/200
Av( Aperture Value )
8.0
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
1600
Lens
50.0 - 500.0mm
Focal Length
417.0mm
Image Size
3456x2304
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
Off
White Balance Mode
Auto
AF Mode
AI Focus AF
Parameters Settings
Contrast Standard
Sharpness Standard
Color saturation Mid. low
Color tone 0
Color Space
sRGB
Noise Reduction
Off
File Size
3248KB
Drive Mode
Continuous shooting
Wickblau said:
Hi,

pls don't feel offended but I wonder which planet you're from,
417mm handheld at 1/30 ???

but as you seem to strongly recommend it - I know a fellow around
my place who's got a bigma, I think I'll give him a call, must be
interesting to have a look at it anyway
Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
100% Crop I suppose, very good I'd say!
How much do you charge for your hands? ;-)

honestly, if I have 400-500mm then I'm tempted to use them but can't imagine to handheld that under 1/500 at least - so for me it probably would be at least a iso400 or even iso800 lens, I wonder ....

greets
 
Yeah those are all 100% crops except the one photobucket decided to compress. (I tried uploading the actual full image but apparently there's a limit). The USPS Priority box is indoors, here in my room. The bike rider is at the race track on a mildly foggy evening. OS would be nice but I don't feel I really need it - not enough to pay hundreds more for the same model of lens (ie 70-200mm f/4L). 200mm is a cakewalk. lol.
Wickblau said:
100% Crop I suppose, very good I'd say!
How much do you charge for your hands? ;-)
honestly, if I have 400-500mm then I'm tempted to use them but
can't imagine to handheld that under 1/500 at least - so for me it
probably would be at least a iso400 or even iso800 lens, I wonder
....

greets
Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
cdibuycom said:
not enough to pay hundreds more for the same model of lens (ie
70-200mm f/4L). 200mm is a cakewalk. lol.
Click to expand...
ehh? sorry, I'm from the woods ;-) what do you exactly mean?
thx for explaining! you mean 70-200 is easy to hold, right?

I agree on that. but 400/500mm with that weight urgently screams for high iso and fast times and moreover for a VERY stable hand (like yours?) not to be annoyed when you have 500mm right on your eye
 
I just meant that when I go to buy L lenses (I don't have any yet), I'll get the non-IS version if there is a significant price difference, especially at under 500mm since I can hold Bigma effectively. The 70-200mm is far lighter so it should be even easier to hold steady, not to mention less than half the max zoom.
Wickblau said:
cdibuycom said:
not enough to pay hundreds more for the same model of lens (ie
70-200mm f/4L). 200mm is a cakewalk. lol.
Click to expand...
ehh? sorry, I'm from the woods ;-) what do you exactly mean?
thx for explaining! you mean 70-200 is easy to hold, right?
I agree on that. but 400/500mm with that weight urgently screams
for high iso and fast times and moreover for a VERY stable hand
(like yours?) not to be annoyed when you have 500mm right on your
eye
Click to expand...
--
My Gallery: http://www.cdi-ink.com/

 
for a last time, as you do lots of action shots, you also say "forget the 80-400, AF too slow!"?? I mean concerning AI-Servo once an object is focussed

or lets put it another way, if I can get a used 80-400 it all depends on the price (copy quality granted), I reckon about $ 1000.,- here in Europe would be deal (think I've seen US-prices for a new copy under 1000.-)

thx + bye,

Wick
 
Thena I don't know what lens you had because minenever takes longer than 2 seconds.
 
So the Sigma 80-400 EX OS DG to slow for AI servo focus on sport and equestrian shoots?

I tried the 100 to 400 canon but there appears to an issue with image quality, and also did not like the push / pull focusing, it seems that to zoom and keep correct framing with this lens is difficult.

I've already got a 70 to 200L, but need a similar lens for a second user, but don't what to duplicate my lens with a second 70/200

So what other options are there?.

Trevor
 
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