Sigma 150-600mm Sports Series Shipping and Lens Review

[Khufu]

Don't forget that Sigma have the >600mm CONTEMPORARY edition of the lens on its way! It's shorter, it's narrower and no doubt lighter (the dimensions' specs are available online, though the weight is yet to be announced)

Sigma have apparently said it's not going to be a great difference in image quality - though it lacks the sturdier (heavier) build and advanced weather-sealing of the SPORTS version.

Personally, I'm very excited to see how the CONTEMPORARY version measures up and having never had problems with my 400mm f/5.6L and its apparent "poor weather sealing" (I aaalways have neoprene camoflage covers on the lens) I think the >600mm C and a nice set of neoprene covers (custom if necessary) might just be the lens for me

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/150-600mm-f5-63-dg-os-hsm-c - Official Contemporary Specs
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/150-600mm-f5-63-dg-os-hsm-s - Official Sports Specs

So that's 4.8" x 11.4" Vs 4.1" x 10.2"

...and .1" longer in "lugging mode" than the 400mm f/5.6L - I can deal with that

Lest we forget - our greatest lenses are the ones which DON'T stay at home

Who's joining me in Sigma 600mm C excitability?!!

EDIT: PS. I've seen ONE online retailer claim this lens was to be around £1099, so I reckon this may well be in direct competition-obliterating competition with the Tamron, in regards to price et al!

If the Contemporary is going to be on a par with the Sports, not many would buy the far more expensive and monster Sports because of its sturdier build. So the C will be in "direct competition-obliterating competition with the" S!

In the same way the 1100D and 100D/SL1 stole all the sales from the 7D? The SL1's got a much better sensor, too!
Also, the C cannot be in direct competition when it's not on sale and won't be for months. Also, also - I believe you're grossly underestimating the perceived value and appeal of the non-optical features of the S lens for professionals and enthusiasts with disposable income for gear acquisition and potentially soggy endeavours...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Don't forget that Sigma have the >600mm CONTEMPORARY edition of the lens on its way! It's shorter, it's narrower and no doubt lighter (the dimensions' specs are available online, though the weight is yet to be announced)

Sigma have apparently said it's not going to be a great difference in image quality - though it lacks the sturdier (heavier) build and advanced weather-sealing of the SPORTS version.

Personally, I'm very excited to see how the CONTEMPORARY version measures up and having never had problems with my 400mm f/5.6L and its apparent "poor weather sealing" (I aaalways have neoprene camoflage covers on the lens) I think the >600mm C and a nice set of neoprene covers (custom if necessary) might just be the lens for me

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/150-600mm-f5-63-dg-os-hsm-c - Official Contemporary Specs
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/150-600mm-f5-63-dg-os-hsm-s - Official Sports Specs

So that's 4.8" x 11.4" Vs 4.1" x 10.2"

...and .1" longer in "lugging mode" than the 400mm f/5.6L - I can deal with that

Lest we forget - our greatest lenses are the ones which DON'T stay at home

Who's joining me in Sigma 600mm C excitability?!!

EDIT: PS. I've seen ONE online retailer claim this lens was to be around £1099, so I reckon this may well be in direct competition-obliterating competition with the Tamron, in regards to price et al!

If the Contemporary is going to be on a par with the Sports, not many would buy the far more expensive and monster Sports because of its sturdier build. So the C will be in "direct competition-obliterating competition with the" S!

The C version will have fewer lens elements, which means lass corrections for distortion and CA's. So far, I haven't seen any test reviews of the "S" version that indicates a big advantage over the Tamron lens, that may change as more carefully done tests come in. There is always a variation in test results, so I tend to ignore the outlier results and accept the ones that are reported by the most testers. Astute lens testers also make sure that values do not exceed the MTF curves, if they do, it indicates a error in the testing.

I'm wondering if the "C" version is delayed due to manufacturing difficulties, or just to allow them to fill the huge volume of "S" orders first. I'd think its just the latter, cranking as many of the "S" lenses thru the line to meet initial demand, then starting to produce the "C" version which will sell in greater numbers for sure.

 

[AlanF]

The C version will have fewer lens elements, which means lass corrections for distortion and CA's. So far, I haven't seen any test reviews of the "S" version that indicates a big advantage over the Tamron lens, that may change as more carefully done tests come in. There is always a variation in test results, so I tend to ignore the outlier results and accept the ones that are reported by the most testers. Astute lens testers also make sure that values do not exceed the MTF curves, if they do, it indicates a error in the testing.

I'm wondering if the "C" version is delayed due to manufacturing difficulties, or just to allow them to fill the huge volume of "S" orders first. I'd think its just the latter, cranking as many of the "S" lenses thru the line to meet initial demand, then starting to produce the "C" version which will sell in greater numbers for sure.
[/quote]

I wonder if it really is manufacturing difficulties or even allowing themselves to fill a huge volume of S orders first. More prosaically, they were in the process of finishing the design and tooling up for the S when they were taken by surprise by the Tamron and decided to build a C competitor. Also, if they marketed the C first, then it would take away from the later S sales if there wasn't that much of an IQ increase. Whatever the case, the new 100-400 L II is going to dent the opposition.

 

[Maui5150]

Dear Teachers and Friends.
Form all the Details that Indicate = Sigma 150-600mm. is better than Tamron 150-600 mm.
My stupid question is = Do the better /sharper Lens of Sigma worth $ 1,000 US Dollars more than Tamron ( Which Better AF for all of my Canon Camerta bodies ???)
$ 1999 Sigma VS $ 1199 US Dollars of Tamron.
Thank you, Sir/ Madam.
Have a great Weekend.
Surapon.
PS. Yes, I already have Canon 600mm. / The Great Lens for Birds, But too big to carry on the small airplane= Yes, I will need smaller 600 mm. Lens soon. Yes, I use 100-400 mm L + 1.4X and 2X all of my trip, and worth it too.

It is $800 difference... Not $1000

May not seem like a lot, but it is around 65% more expensive, not double.

In these areas, I opt for better. It may be marginally different, but I don't mind spending $800 for get a faster, better build lens that has better performance and sharpness, over a manufacturer I generally don't trust as much.

I would also expect the Sigma to hold its value a little better, so if you go to sell this lens in 4 years, I think you will still get a decent return, where a lot of people with the Tamron may suffer from the "economical" version.

I have only used a few Sigma lenses. I like them in general. Still like the Canon's better, but I have been on the fence and came close to picking up the Tamron earlier but they were out of stock and since the Sigmas were announced, have not even thought twice about the Tamrons.

$800 is a lot of money. The Sigma is a serious lens, may be a little heavy for some, but I expect that for a 150-600 zoom.

While the 300 F/4 L of Canon with a 2X may be slightly better, I do know AF will be 2 times as long as well, so would be interested in really seeing performance of the Canon 300 with 2x III versus the Sigma S in terms of AF speed. I have shot the Canon with 2x before and while it gave good results, the AF bugged me

 

[cycleraw]

Finally got out to take a few shots (nothing special). All of these were taken with 1DMIV, Monopod, 1/1000, ISO 800.
None are cropped, RAW converted to JPG using LR 5.7 just applied the new Adobe lens profile, no additional sharpening applied.

 

[classic21]

Here is comparison of MTFs from Lenstip - a very useful site. Basically, the Sigma 150-600 beats the Tamron 150-600 at 300 mm and below. At 450 and 600mm, the Sigma at f/6.3 is very similar to the Tamron at f/8, and the Sigma is hardly better at f/8. So, in practice, for the long shots the Sigma gains you 0.7 stops (f/8 is my default aperture for the Tamron).

The Sigma looks remarkable at 300mm vs the incredible Canon 300/2.8 II. But, the Canon gives the same quality 3 stops faster in the centre and roars ahead going to the edges. Also, as my 300/2.8 + 2xTC beats my Tamron 150-600 at 600mm, I would now predict that it would easily do the same versus the Sigma.

Some pictures taken with Sigma 150-600 :

http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-867901-1-1.html

http://www.wolfgangsteiner.com/blog-do-show-blogid-173.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guccidpo/15601214150/in/photostream/


Comparison with 150-600 tamron:

http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-867901-4-1.html

Thanks for MTFs from Lenstip and clear compillation

 

[apacheebest]

Hi Friends,

Shetala Cameras, Chennai (Indian Distributor) for Sigma have Announced MRP : 1,60,000 and Selling Price to Customer as 1,52,000 /- Which is Almost $500 more than the US Prices.

Indian Buyers please watch out for your Prices before you buy this Lens.

Link Here : http://www.shetalacamera.com/productdetails.asp?prodid=1809

BTW The Lens is expected to arrive only by Dec 15th, 2014 as per latest reports with Dealers across India.

Anil George

 

[AlanF]

Here is comparison of MTFs from Lenstip - a very useful site. Basically, the Sigma 150-600 beats the Tamron 150-600 at 300 mm and below. At 450 and 600mm, the Sigma at f/6.3 is very similar to the Tamron at f/8, and the Sigma is hardly better at f/8. So, in practice, for the long shots the Sigma gains you 0.7 stops (f/8 is my default aperture for the Tamron).

The Sigma looks remarkable at 300mm vs the incredible Canon 300/2.8 II. But, the Canon gives the same quality 3 stops faster in the centre and roars ahead going to the edges. Also, as my 300/2.8 + 2xTC beats my Tamron 150-600 at 600mm, I would now predict that it would easily do the same versus the Sigma.

Some pictures taken with Sigma 150-600 :

http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-867901-1-1.html

http://www.wolfgangsteiner.com/blog-do-show-blogid-173.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/guccidpo/15601214150/in/photostream/


Comparison with 150-600 tamron:

http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-867901-4-1.html

Thanks for MTFs from Lenstip and clear compillation

The comparison between the Sigma and Tamron in http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-867901-4-1.html appears to be at f/6.3 where the MTFs show that the Sigma is significantly better, and so the results are indeed consistent. It will be interesting to see the comparisons at f/8, where the MTFS suggest they should be similar. My customs settings are f/8 for the Tamron at 600mm, and I don't use f/6.3. The lens diameter of the Tamron is too small for a decent f/6.3 - 95mm filter size vs 95.2 mm calculated, and I consider it an f/8 lens with the f/6.3 nominal for focussing. The Sigma S is the better lens - a very good lens indeed - but at the cost of size and weight. I would be surprised if the Sigma C does not have the same weakness as the Tamron.

 

[AlanF]

Side-by-side comparison of the Tamron vs Sigma

http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/tamron-vs-sigma-150-600.html

Claimed to be a fair comparison on Safari in Madikwe, but were the odds stacked against the Sigma as it was on a 12 mp D3S and the Tamron on the 36 mp D800? Probably not as the photos all appear to have the big game filling most of the frame and at reduced size where you wouldn't be able to tell any differences! However, both lenses stood up well to the conditions. The Sigma was described as being good on the jeep but the Tamron was good for walking around. I can handle the Canon 300/2.8 2xTCIII combo which is as heavy as the Sigma. However, the Tamron is that much easier at a kilo less. I am hoping that the new 100-400II on the 7DII will be a much lighter combination with a similar reach as it is good at f/5.6, with a 1.4xTC in reserve.

ps
Another review, complaining about the weight

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/lenses/sigma-150-600mm-f5-6-3-dg-os-hsm-s-field-test

What I hadn't realised is that it has a big metal lenshood, which will add to the weight. Given the extra length of this lens with the extra weight in front, it will be difficult to hand hold, especially with that leverage against you.

The Canon 300/2.8 II is
128x248mm
2350 g
But plus
+ hood + camo + 2xTC = 2900 g (weighed on my kitchen scales)

Sigma 150-600
121 x 290.2 mm (unextended)
2860 g.
But I guess the hood weighs another 300 g.

It's worth noting that the IS on the Canon is just so much better, e good 4 stops. The Tamron is 3 stops in my hands, and the difference is noticeable at 600mm when you are handholding and focussing in. Lenstip have the Sigma at only 2-2.5 stops, about the same as the old 100-400.

 

[ubidubi]

Update from B&H on a pre-order from 09/17/2014... "In stock, order sent to warehouse Expedited Delivery"!

 

[AlanF]

ePhotozine has just posted a review.
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/sigma-150-600mm-f-5-6-3-dg-os-hsm-sports-lens-review-26786

The MTFs are consistent with those reported by lenstip.It beats out the Tamron wide open at 150 and 300mm, but is very similar at the crucial 600mm - see also the review of the Tamron

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/tamron-sp-150-600mm-f-5-6-3-di-vc-usd-lens-review-23866

at f/8, there is nothing between them at any f. Again, the reviewer complains about the weight.

Here are the MTFs from the ePhotozine site, which is doing brilliantly for rapid reviewing (sigma = upper, tamron lower).

 

[docsmith]

Thanks for the link. Looks like the 150-600S is handily beating the Tamron at 150 mm and 300 mm. Too bad I think most people, especially considering the size and weight, will want this lens for 600 mm. Thus, if this result holds true with other reviews, I would favor the 100-400 II or 70-300 for 150-300 mm range as they have distinct size and weight advantages. And the advantage over the Tamron @ 600 mm is limited with the Tamron being half as expensive and lighter.

I'm interested to see what other reviews, such as TDP, show, but the 150-600S continues to be "Highly Recommended" (Camera Labs, Ephotozine, a bunch of others), but in the last year some very tough competition has entered this range.

 

[Plainsman]

The MTFs are consistent with those reported by lenstip.It beats out the Tamron wide open at 150 and 300mm, but is very similar at the crucial 600mm - see also the review of the Tamron

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/tamron-sp-150-600mm-f-5-6-3-di-vc-usd-lens-review-23866

at f/8, there is nothing between them at any f. Again, the reviewer complains about the weight.

Here are the MTFs from the ePhotozine site, which is doing brilliantly for rapid reviewing (sigma = upper, tamron lower).
[/quote]




Why don't they give numbers to the y=axis instead of vague subjective "excellent" etc. and at least say at what distance the "tests" were done.

Distance is important because the excellent nikon rumours test on this lens indicated it was becoming very sharp beyond the usual 40ft test range.

I hate subjective reviews!

 

[docsmith]

More charts that make the lens appear more favorable:

http://www.lemondedelaphoto.com/TEST-Sigma-150-600-mm-f-5-6-3-DG,10403.html

Compared to the Tamron:
http://www.lemondedelaphoto.com/Tamron-SP-150-600-mm-f-5-6-3-VC,9304.html

Still waiting for TDP ISO 12233 test results. I get a kick out of the numbers and they sometimes illustrate something I can not distinguish on the ISO 12233 results....but, at the end of the day, TDP chart results correlate best with my real world experiences.

 

[slclick]

The Contemporary version was just released $1089