Is Sigma’s 300-600mm f/4 Your Ideal Super-Telephoto Lens?

The Sigma 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports Lens is filling a noticeable hole between conventional telephoto zooms and ultra-expensive tremendous telephoto primes. If you’ve got been suffering to discover a top quality lens with out achieving into the $10,000-plus vary, Sigma’s newest providing could be exactly what you might be on the lookout for.

Coming to you from Dustin Abbott, this complete video supplies an in depth have a look at Sigma’s bold 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports lens. Abbott highlights the sexy pricing—round $6,000—which is considerably lower than purchasing a couple of top lenses with related focal lengths. What’s maximum intriguing this is the constant f/4 aperture thru all the 300-600mm zoom vary. Usually, lenses at those longer focal lengths sacrifice both pace or flexibility, however Sigma has controlled to stay efficiency remarkably balanced. Abbott additionally issues out the lens’ awesome optical stabilization, outperforming even a few of Sony’s personal lenses in sensible use. Whether you might be taking pictures flora and fauna, sports activities, or motion, that balance can be a important benefit.

Abbott’s hands-on exploration presentations that Sigma hasn’t reduce corners on construct high quality. Featuring an leading edge tripod collar with selectable click on stops and an Arca-compatible foot, this lens is thoughtfully designed for sensible use within the box. Because of the lens’ huge entrance component, conventional filters are not an possibility. Sigma addresses this with drop-in polarizers and impartial density filters. Additionally, Abbott covers the original capability of Sigma’s new power-focus ring, permitting fast and exact handbook changes—ultimate for complicated eventualities akin to focusing thru branches or different obstructions.

Key Specs

• Focal Length: 300-600mm

• Maximum Aperture: f/4

• Lens Mount: Sony E, Leica L

• Autofocus: Yes (High-speed Linear Actuator Motor)

• Image Stabilization: Optical stabilization (as much as 6 stops at 300mm, 5.5 stops at 600mm)

• Filter Size: 40.5mm (Drop-In)

• Minimum Focus Distance: 9.2 feet (300mm) to 14.8 feet (600mm)

• Maximum Magnification: 0.17x (at roughly 470mm)

• Optical Design: 28 components in 21 teams

• Aperture Blades: 13, rounded

• Dimensions: 6.6 x 18.5 inches

• Weight: 8.75 lbs (3.97 kg)

In sensible trying out, Abbott famous some minor autofocus inconsistencies in comparison at once to top-tier Sony lenses. While it supplies sturdy total efficiency, be expecting occasional slight misses in important moments for those who call for absolute perfection each body. Despite this, Abbott emphasizes that almost all customers would in finding the autofocus greater than enough, specifically for flora and fauna and motion pictures.

One vital attention Abbott raises pertains in particular to Sony shooters: compatibility barriers save you the usage of teleconverters, considerably proscribing the lens’ attainable achieve. Sigma’s L-mount model, alternatively, totally helps Sigma’s teleconverters, dramatically expanding versatility with focal lengths as much as 1200mm.

Ultimately, the lens is a compelling selection, turning in a mix of affordability, versatility, and high-end efficiency hardly ever observed in a single bundle. Check out the video above for the overall rundown from Abbott.