bought a Sigma 100-400

Paul Pasco wrote:

Your shots look really nice, particularly the last.

thanks.

Maybe this would be a good option for me.

It is an option.

Most likely will not AF as fast as the Z lens, nor any weather sealing..but there are plenty of folks using this  (and the Tamron 100-400) with good results.

Plus the price. I only paid $475 for this, in mint condition.

ANAYV

i had the sigma 100-400 dg dn for e mount via tze-01. very very sharp, but unfortunately it stopped working after the last fw update and techart didn't fix it until today (sold it).

i also had the tamron 100-400 some years ago on my d750. af was very unreliable.

i am looking for a replacement for my nikon 200-500. you think twice if you take the this big and heavy lens with you.

since i am just a hobbyist i am not willing to pay 3K euro for the new z 100-400.

my thoughts are, either

- to get the older sigma 100-400 dg os (your version)

- get a used nikon 80-400

- keep my 200-500 until sigma or tamron are making z-mount lenses

thank you for your response. any issues with flare/glare?

how good is vr with ibis?

i may have the chance to test it tomorrow and will report

did a test against the nikon 200-500.

setup: tripod, 2 sec timer, vr off

distance to target apr. 100m

left sigma, right nikon

the sigma is too soft for me.

Check the focus shift of that copy (I'm yet to find a sigma lense without it).

I don't think there are specific issues with this lense that are unique to it and that other sigma lenses don't have.

For casual use (what I understand as casual at least) everything else won't matter. If you use it for action photography, I would also check the speed of the AF drive. The sigma lenses I've use are rather slow, and I always got issues with fast moving subjects coming towards me. I don't know this lense specifically, but even the 120-300 gave me slow af. Having an idea of the limit of the lense allows you to know when you have to stop using tracking and start prefocusing (not to mention that to subjects more or less parallel to you the lense will do just fine).

Regarding the dock, there are some interesting things that you can do, but I don't know if is worth the money first hand. I've found them second hand some times very cheap, if so then yes, at the very least for firmware updates. And if you are interested, it helps to profile and correct front/back focus (although I won't consider that a concern of casual users).

Finally, get the camera you will  be using it with and check af accuracy and speed in different light conditions. Also the difference between af modes of the camera, it is possible that at a given light situation (ie dim soft light) some mode stops working properly and then you need to switch to a different one or start doing manual overdrive.

All of these you make it in a couple of evenings at home or at the closest park. If you have someone to run in front of you even easier, otherwise doves and ducks.

Cheers

Not to be a Sigma apologist but, having both lenses myself, what body did you use?  Even if focus is spot on (which I can't tell from your images), 100 yds can introduce significant atmospheric disturbance that can vary significantly from one frame to another.  Also, is the Sigma a new lens or purchased used?  Finally, for now, (a) did you shoot through glass and (b) do you have the EXIF information?  (sorry, but I have done a range of comparing of my 200-500 with the 100-400 and, other than the difference in  magnification at their respective long ends, both lenses yield an impressive level of detail which, as a sign of mid-level consumer glass, can generally be enhanced with prudent use of sharpening techniques: Your Sigma image falls far short of what I would expect.)

Paul Pasco wrote:

ANAYV wrote:

Paul Pasco wrote:

Your shots look really nice, particularly the last.

thanks.

Maybe this would be a good option for me.

It is an option.

Most likely will not AF as fast as the Z lens, nor any weather sealing..but there are plenty of folks using this (and the Tamron 100-400) with good results.

Plus the price. I only paid $475 for this, in mint condition.

ANAYV

That’s a nice price,

Indeed.

I’m seeing some on mpb.com for $569.00 which is a lot less than new but I have to decide if the extra 100mm is worth it over my good 70-300 afp.

I was contemplating this for a few years now .

I was fine with the AF-P 70-300mm lens. Was also fine with the Z 50-250mm lens.

I have both, but still wanted a bit more reach...just didn't want the extra size/weight ..and the Z 100-400mm is about a pound heavier, which is too heavy for me to handhold. Even this Sigma is a bit too much for me. It fits in the camera bag, so it will come along, and I really like the I.Q. wide open.

Or, do I jump up to a used 200-500? I will use it with my V1s also.

I also considered that lens, some years ago, but that was before a rotator cuff tear on my right arm. Plus to go from 200mm to 500mm..takes a few turns of the zoom

Yikes!!

Not sure if one can Push/Pull zoom on that lens, as with the Sigma.

Then there's the Sigma 150-600mm lens

ANAYV

Davidsy wrote:

Check the focus shift of that copy (I'm yet to find a sigma lense without it).

I don't think there are specific issues with this lense that are unique to it and that other sigma lenses don't have.

For casual use (what I understand as casual at least) everything else won't matter. If you use it for action photography, I would also check the speed of the AF drive. The sigma lenses I've use are rather slow, and I always got issues with fast moving subjects coming towards me. I don't know this lense specifically, but even the 120-300 gave me slow af. Having an idea of the limit of the lense allows you to know when you have to stop using tracking and start prefocusing (not to mention that to subjects more or less parallel to you the lense will do just fine).

Regarding the dock, there are some interesting things that you can do, but I don't know if is worth the money first hand. I've found them second hand some times very cheap, if so then yes, at the very least for firmware updates. And if you are interested, it helps to profile and correct front/back focus (although I won't consider that a concern of casual users).

No need to do this for Mirrorless. AF is obtained from the sensor, not from a separate, calibrated AF sensor. No need to AF fine tune lenses , either.

This is why I haven't bought the dock yet. Really good results so far.

ANAYV

body is a z 7 II. focus was checked manually. sigma lens was new. no shooting through glas. time between shots maybe 1 minute. no visable atmospherics to the naked eye and  i did a test also at 200mm with the same result.

JNo wrote:

body is a z 7 II. focus was checked manually. sigma lens was new. no shooting through glas. time between shots maybe 1 minute. no visable atmospherics to the naked eye and i did a test also at 200mm with the same result.

That's good info.  Thank you.  Sorry for putting you on the spot: It's always chancy to post something and have it questioned (which I might do but only to a point).

Sorry to hear it's not an easy addition to your bag but I wouldn't discourage you from disabling OS, using single point small AF, etc./ keep trying as, if you can't get a better image, I will suggest that you might want to talk to your equipment dealer for support/ an exchange.  Cheers... and happy new year!

i did other tests before like disableing os and shooting faster than 1/400 or using mf only or pin point af.

btw camera was in manual.

happy new year to you, too!:-)

3 handheld SOOC snaps using iTTL flash (regrettably as it caused some differences in exposure... should've used manual!), 1/250, f/8 (chosen somewhat randomly as it's a common aperture to both vs f/5.6/6.3 wide open), ISO 400 at 400mm & 500mm (Nikon only).  Not a perfect comparison but, if edited and reasonably enlarged, I think the differences at 400mm would be pretty nominal:

Sigma 100-400mm OS @400mm

Nikon 200-500mm VR @400mm

Nikon 200-500mm VR @500mm

Every shooting situation is unique so I am not about to say that these results are representative of all situations but it's some indicator. (hopefully everything shows the same here as on my computer)

Is it the new 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary Lens ?

so maybe i just had a bad copy.