Sigma APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM - Bigmos

Preety amazing shooting through double panes and still looks as good as some high end lenses.

jj_glos wrote in post #14157445
It does work pretty well for airshows, it's great on a 7D.

Couple of bird shots taken through double glazing which gives an odd blur\halo on detail

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/jj_glos/7018781​523/
Goldfinch by jj_glos, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/jj_glos/6872674​266/
Goldfinch by jj_glos, on Flickr

these look great! I'd almost think these are taken with the Canon 500/600mm primes!

w7cma wrote in post #14157918
Preety amazing shooting through double panes and still looks as good as some high end lenses.

cancan7 wrote in post #14159855
these look great! I'd almost think these are taken with the Canon 500/600mm primes!

Sure wish I could get results like these with my copy of the 150-500.... sigh.... these were shot at 500mm. Mine is soft (out of focus)at 500

Eye of the gull @ 500mm, f8

Inspeqtor wrote in post #14160534
Sure wish I could get results like these with my copy of the 150-500.... sigh.... these were shot at 500mm. Mine is soft (out of focus)at 500

Have you been using it @ f8 and beyond?
At f6.3 I can as well just throw all my pictures out the window on this lens

Yes at 500mm you need to be at f8 or smaller for sharpness. Your shutter speed also will play a huge part.

hayath wrote in post #14163312
Have you been using it @ f8 and beyond?
At f6.3 I can as well just throw all my pictures out the window on this lens

GregoryF wrote in post #14163353
Yes at 500mm you need to be at f8 or smaller for sharpness. Your shutter speed also will play a huge part.

This I shot just last Sunday at f8 and 1/400 at 403mm - it is not bad really but not what I would call great.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/inspeqtor/68745​99660/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/inspeqtor/68745​99766/

I think what you're seeing is the problem with the lens over large distances. The 500mm works nicely just to "magnify" subjects which are closer. The IQ does suffer as the distance to the subject increases

hayath wrote in post #14166984
I think what you're seeing is the problem with the lens over large distances. The 500mm works nicely just to "magnify" subjects which are closer. The IQ does suffer as the distance to the subject increases

So you are saying it works better with subjects much closer? I tried getting closer to the heron, but it flew away.... obviously I know nothing about how to be a good 'birder'. Would the 400mm L or 100-400mm L have the same problem?

bump up your ISO for one...i don't see any reason to shoot at ISO 100 with todays cameras....especially when you're stopping a lens down to f8...

when it comes to wildlife...getting closer will always do more than a new lens...

Inspeqtor wrote in post #14167050
So you are saying it works better with subjects much closer? I tried getting closer to the heron, but it flew away.... obviously I know nothing about how to be a good 'birder'. Would the 400mm L or 100-400mm L have the same problem?

DreDaze wrote in post #14167086
bump up your ISO for one...i don't see any reason to shoot at ISO 100 with todays cameras....especially when you're stopping a lens down to f8...

when it comes to wildlife...getting closer will always do more than a new lens...

As I stated above.... Also how would bumping up my ISO give me a sharper image?

a few friendly suggestions to get out of the way and then you may be able to judge your lens' performance and optical quality from a better perspective.

And maybe you already do some of this but just covering bases:

Settings for your XSi:
- Set your shots/drive to Continuous Drive (not one shot)

- Set your AF point to center point (especially for tracking BIF [Birds in Flight) - not auto selection)
- Set your AF mode to AI Servo when tracking moving objects - not 'One Shot'
[Using center point AF & AI Servo takes practice when tracking your bird/animals. The eventual results are worth it.]

Always better to have a higher shutter speed to avoid blurred movement at the expense of (high) ISO noise - Versus - having a blurry shot with low noise.

With software like Adobe Lightroom 3 or 4 (very affordable now!) or Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 or 10 - noise reduction is amazing.

Set your shutter to "Minimum 1/800th/sec" if its overcast outside. This is for a few reasons - one reason is that at 500mm - you need to reduce effects of camera shake. 1/800th will not likely stop blur of a duck flapping wings fast, for example.
In sunny conditions - 1/1600th or 1/2000th will stop action splendidly - and your ISO can likely be under 400.

Look up the term "Expose to the Right" (ETTR), its very important.

Learn your lens' weaknesses by reading reputable reviews on the internet. Users on this thread are suggesting using f/8 or f/9 @ 500mm.

your 70-300mm IS will be so-so at f/5.6 at 300mm. I had this lens and I can tell you that f/8 is much better, and on my copy - f/9 (not f/10) the sweet sharp spot.

When your lens was made, the reality is - the one that was finished before yours, and the one after yours - All Have Differences - and so of the 3, one of them will be sharpest and one will be softer... that's the way it is. Learn your own lens and see what aperture is sharpest at 500mm for 'your' lens. F/8 can be a starting point.

your lenses are good and obviously you like the longer reach. Eventually consider getting a camera body that has upgraded focus tracking, and a newer sensor. The 18mp sensors of the 60D and 7D are very good and clean - and would serve you better when you need to crop your photos vs the XSi 12mp. The other advantage to the newer EOE bodies is the Auto ISO. For wildlife shooting - Auto ISO is a tremendous advantage because as you track an animal/bird - the background is always changing and this affects your exposure. If you keep your ISO on 400 for example and you are tracking a bird - one moment the shot could be overexposed and then moment it could be underexposed, continually. Auto ISO is quite an advantage.

The above are some starting points. I would add just two more:
Always aim for the bird/animal's eye for your focus - it should always be sharp and its what people look at first. On a similar note - if you cannot get the animals eye in a shot - it may not likely be a very interesting one. Unless of course there is something else unusually compelling in the shot like great action or something.

Hope this is helpful at least in some way.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #14166737
This I shot just last Sunday at f8 and 1/400 at 403mm - it is not bad really but not what I would call great.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/inspeqtor/68745​99660/
IMG_0179 crop 4x6-r by inspeqtor, on Flickr

This one is f/8 at 1/500 and 403mm

Inspeqtor wrote in post #14167050
So you are saying it works better with subjects much closer? I tried getting closer to the heron, but it flew away.... obviously I know nothing about how to be a good 'birder'. Would the 400mm L or 100-400mm L have the same problem?

Theoretically they would, but to a lesser degree. Plus the focus is a lot more "truer"
And the fact that you dont have to stop down to f8 on those lenses will help in better BG separation too!

I'd suggest you try out the lens on some static objects in the garden to see how it does.

Coming to approaching birds...a whole new different world

Inspeqtor wrote in post #14168620
As I stated above.... Also how would bumping up my ISO give me a sharper image?

Higher ISO means you can use a faster shutter speed. If your shot has good focus lock - it will be a sharper image because there will be less blur by the user (camera shake effects) and less blur of your potentially moving subject.

Immaculens wrote in post #14168628
a few friendly suggestions to get out of the way and then you may be able to judge your lens' performance and optical quality from a better perspective.

And maybe you already do some of this but just covering bases:

Settings for your XSi:
- Set your shots/drive to Continuous Drive (not one shot)

- Set your AF point to center point (especially for tracking BIF [Birds in Flight) - not auto selection)
- Set your AF mode to AI Servo when tracking moving objects - not 'One Shot'
[Using center point AF & AI Servo takes practice when tracking your bird/animals. The eventual results are worth it.]

Always better to have a higher shutter speed to avoid blurred movement at the expense of (high) ISO noise - Versus - having a blurry shot with low noise.

With software like Adobe Lightroom 3 or 4 (very affordable now!) or Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 or 10 - noise reduction is amazing.

Set your shutter to "Minimum 1/800th/sec" if its overcast outside. This is for a few reasons - one reason is that at 500mm - you need to reduce effects of camera shake. 1/800th will not likely stop blur of a duck flapping wings fast, for example.
In sunny conditions - 1/1600th or 1/2000th will stop action splendidly - and your ISO can likely be under 400.

Look up the term "Expose to the Right" (ETTR), its very important.

Learn your lens' weaknesses by reading reputable reviews on the internet. Users on this thread are suggesting using f/8 or f/9 @ 500mm.

your 70-300mm IS will be so-so at f/5.6 at 300mm. I had this lens and I can tell you that f/8 is much better, and on my copy - f/9 (not f/10) the sweet sharp spot.

When your lens was made, the reality is - the one that was finished before your, and the one after your - All Have Differences - and so of the 3, one of them will be sharpest and one will be softer... that's the way it is. Learn your own lens and see what aperture is sharpest at 500mm for 'your' lens. F/8 can be a starting point.

your lenses are good and obviously you like the longer reach. Eventually consider getting a camera body that has upgraded focus tracking, and a newer sensor. The 18mp sensors of the 60D and 7D are very good and clean - and would serve you better when you need to crop your photos vs the XSi 12mp. The other advantage to the newer EOE bodies is the Auto ISO. For wildlife shooting - Auto ISO is a tremendous advantage because as you track an animal/bird - the background is always changing and this affects your exposure. If you keep your ISO on 400 for example and you are tracking a bird - one moment the shot could be overexposed and then moment it could be underexposed, continually. Auto ISO is quite an advantage.

The above are some starting points. I would add just two more:
Always aim for the bird/animal's eye for your focus - it should always be sharp and its what people look at first. On a similar note - if you cannot get the animals eye in a shot - it may not likely be a very interesting one. Unless of course there is something else unusually compelling in the shot like great action or something.

Hope this is helpful at least in some way.

hayath wrote in post #14168634
Theoretically they would, but to a lesser degree. Plus the focus is a lot more "truer"
And the fact that you dont have to stop down to f8 on those lenses will help in better BG separation too!

I'd suggest you try out the lens on some static objects in the garden to see how it does.

Coming to approaching birds...a whole new different world

Immaculens wrote in post #14168644
Higher ISO means you can use a faster shutter speed. If your shot has good focus lock - it will be a sharper image because there will be less blur by the user (camera shake effects) and less blur of your potentially moving subject.

Thank you!! All 3 of you gave me some good points to think about.
I have to leave in a few minutes for work so I don't have time now to comment.....