Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro

[scyrene]

I did a search and I don't think there's an existing thread for this lens, so I thought I'd start one!

Mine's arriving tomorrow, but in the meantime, does anyone else here have experience with this lens, or images to share? For me it's rare example of a third party offering something that Canon itself does not - while the 180L is highly regarded, the lack of IS and the slightly narrower maximum aperture swayed me towards the Sigma. And it was essentially the same price!

 

[scyrene]

Okay so as this is in the gallery section, I'd better post some pics!

First I should say, I'm not entirely certain my copy is in full working order. There's a couple of quirks with the focus that I'm not sure about - but I haven't used a third party AF lens in years so maybe it's just that. First impressions other than that: it's a beast. Big and quite heavy, but solid and feels well built. The image quality when AF works is very good - sharp at f/2.8-f/8 (not tried it at narrower apertures yet). For my purposes - close shots of easily-flushed insects and the odd dreamy flower - it seems ideal, as you'd expect.

Here's a hoverfly. Handheld focus stack, 5 shots at f/2.8, not quite at maximum magnification, natural light. A dandelion seedhead and cherry blossom, f/2.8. All moderately cropped.

 

[scyrene]

Some more shots. I'm returning this copy of the lens as the focus ring/AF is definitely malfunctioning, but I'll order a new one as soon as I get the refund. As these shots show, I hope, it is optically excellent, and very good for these sorts of subjects.

 

[BeenThere]

Okay so as this is in the gallery section, I'd better post some pics!

First I should say, I'm not entirely certain my copy is in full working order. There's a couple of quirks with the focus that I'm not sure about - but I haven't used a third party AF lens in years so maybe it's just that. First impressions other than that: it's a beast. Big and quite heavy, but solid and feels well built. The image quality when AF works is very good - sharp at f/2.8-f/8 (not tried it at narrower apertures yet). For my purposes - close shots of easily-flushed insects and the odd dreamy flower - it seems ideal, as you'd expect.

Here's a hoverfly. Handheld focus stack, 5 shots at f/2.8, not quite at maximum magnification, natural light. A dandelion seedhead and cherry blossom, f/2.8. All moderately cropped.

I'm impressed you can do focus stacking from a hand held series of macro shots. Technique?

 

[scyrene]

Okay so as this is in the gallery section, I'd better post some pics!

First I should say, I'm not entirely certain my copy is in full working order. There's a couple of quirks with the focus that I'm not sure about - but I haven't used a third party AF lens in years so maybe it's just that. First impressions other than that: it's a beast. Big and quite heavy, but solid and feels well built. The image quality when AF works is very good - sharp at f/2.8-f/8 (not tried it at narrower apertures yet). For my purposes - close shots of easily-flushed insects and the odd dreamy flower - it seems ideal, as you'd expect.

Here's a hoverfly. Handheld focus stack, 5 shots at f/2.8, not quite at maximum magnification, natural light. A dandelion seedhead and cherry blossom, f/2.8. All moderately cropped.

I'm impressed you can do focus stacking from a hand held series of macro shots. Technique?

Thanks. I've been doing it for a while, practice helps! There's two main ways. Either I move the active AF point around so the lens focuses on different parts of the subject, or else you can put it in MF mode and rack the focus (in either direction) and shoot a burst as you do it. In both cases, you have to try to keep your position as fixed, and the camera as still, as possible. A third, but trickier possibility is to move yourself/the camera backwards or forwards and shoot a series of shots as you move.

 

[chrysoberyl]

I like this lens. It is heavy and large, but quite sharp. The hoods are loose from the beginning, though, and Sigma has yet to respond on this problem.

 

[scyrene]

I like this lens. It is heavy and large, but quite sharp. The hoods are loose from the beginning, though, and Sigma has yet to respond on this problem.

I agree, the hood seems a bit loose, but so many lenses are like that, the 100L included!

 

[chrysoberyl]

I like this lens. It is heavy and large, but quite sharp. The hoods are loose from the beginning, though, and Sigma has yet to respond on this problem.

I agree, the hood seems a bit loose, but so many lenses are like that, the 100L included!

My hoods are really loose; the main hood and the crop frame hood extender. And much more than all my other lenses.

One more shot. This one with the 180 + a Canon 2X III extender.

 

[chrysoberyl]

Blossom is one inch across.

 

[NancyP]

The samples that I have seen for the Sigma 180 f/2.8 indicate that in the last 20 years, some definite improvements have been made in tele-macro design and coatings. I love my 180L, a very old design, but it likely will be replaced at some point by the Sigma, assuming that I can lift the Sigma I shoot a lot at f/3.5 for the selective focus. I would LOVE to have decent IS for close-up purposes (not 1:1, that seems way too unreasonable to expect).

 

[AcutancePhotography]

I like this lens. It IS big and heavy but I like the image quality.

I do, however, use this always on a tripod and I disable auto focusing. I have not had much luck with any macro lens in auto focusing.

I did use it once handheld but not for macro and found the IS to be pretty good.

I think you will like this lens

 

[scyrene]

I like this lens. It IS big and heavy but I like the image quality.

I do, however, use this always on a tripod and I disable auto focusing. I have not had much luck with any macro lens in auto focusing.

I did use it once handheld but not for macro and found the IS to be pretty good.

I think you will like this lens

Would be great any images you might have to share made with this lens... given how different our shooting styles seem to be, it would be great to see what sort of things you do with it!

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Fortunately, there are lots of really good examples of photographs taken with this lens on the Internets Tubes.

Way better than my stuff.

 

[scyrene]

Fortunately, there are lots of really good examples of photographs taken with this lens on the Internets Tubes.

Way better than my stuff.

Fine, but that is kind of the point of these gallery threads...

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Fine, but that is kind of the point of these gallery threads...

Excellent point! I am just not one to publish my photographs on the Internets Tubes.

 

[chrysoberyl]

For stationary birds, I have no issues with the AF.

 

[NancyP]

Does anyone have comments on use with 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, either the Sigma Apo or the Canon II or III? I am thinking of taking this lens on a rainforest tour, and the versatility would be increased. Scenario would be 2 APS-C cameras, 1 with Sigma, 1 with the 15-85mm for general landscape use.

 

[danski0224]

Does anyone have comments on use with 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, either the Sigma Apo or the Canon II or III? I am thinking of taking this lens on a rainforest tour, and the versatility would be increased. Scenario would be 2 APS-C cameras, 1 with Sigma, 1 with the 15-85mm for general landscape use.

I don't have the 180, but the Sigma 150mm macro (latest version) seems to work just fine with a Canon 1.4x III.

 

[chrysoberyl]

Does anyone have comments on use with 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, either the Sigma Apo or the Canon II or III? I am thinking of taking this lens on a rainforest tour, and the versatility would be increased. Scenario would be 2 APS-C cameras, 1 with Sigma, 1 with the 15-85mm for general landscape use.

The Canon 1.4 III does not fit without an ET. The Canon 2.0 III fits (without an ET), but so tightly that I have only used it twice. I'll not do that again. I inquired at KEH repair about them modifying the 2.0 to fit and they said there is a hard to get part and they really do not recommend it anyway.

I can't comment on the Sigma TC's.

 

[chrysoberyl]

I like the combination of 5D IV + Canon 1.4X TC III + 12mm ET Sigma 180. MF only; AF jumps rapidly in and out of focus.