Testing Shots: Sigma 70-300 APO vs. Canon 75-300 IS USM

I will be spending the next few days with both lenses.

So far here are 4 shots, 2 with each lens. I am going to focus on hand held shooting at the long end.

http://www.funkconsult​ing.com/300d/

Any comments?

Is that really all camera shake or is it just oof and soft. I would have thought 1/640 should have stopped the shakes.

Hello,

I would say that's impossible... I was going to ask the same question, but you HAVE answered it in advance... are you sure you didn't put a tripod under the camera with the Canon Lens??

Regards,

Maybe it's too much high test coffee

I put a couple more up at 160 / f8.0.

Guess this didn't go over very well.

Must be doing something wrong, maybe cuz I am a noob.

I would expect the Sigma to be much worse than the Canon at the slower shutter speed. Did you use a tripod on the 1/160 pix?
I would also expect the Sigma to improve when using a smaller aperture. The Canon still seems to have more contrast.
Reduce the variables between comparisons.
Digital film is cheap , don't give up.

I have both and the canon is softer, has way more CA, and doesnt have nice color, or much contrast.

I will take some pics tomorrow.

I put a couple more up. Showing the softness of the Canon lens @ 300mm. The Mallard heads were taken on a tripod.

Did you turn off the IS for the shots with tripod? IS and tripods don't get along, especially on the 75-300. Some of the newer L glass "know" when there's a tripod being used and disable the IS.

Not the results i would expect having owned a non IS version of the Canon and Part X ing it for the Sigma

Take a look here http://www.pbase.com/a​rgylemonkey/lens_comp

The only tripod shots were of the Mallard and "yes" the IS was off.

What results would you have expected Simon?

I'm guessing Simon was expecting the Sigma to have perfomed better. So was I. Looking at the wide open shot of the Smilers Meatballs I think you might have a soft copy. Judging by some of the comments about the lens on this forum there seems to be quite a bit of fluctuation in performance at 300mm between different copies.

Clearly the Canon lens handheld does a better job with the IS but the Sigma does a much better job on a tripod from a clarity/sharpness standpoint. At least with regard to the shots I have taken?

Could you go back to the canned pasta (I might be hungry but I like the color contrasts) and do a hand held wide open at 1/200 sec or thereabouts. Then the same shot at f/8 or tighter. Then tripod no IS same speeds and f stops. Four shots for each lens. This should narrow it down to camera shake or softness. I know it is a lot of work but hey, it is the weekend.
I did something similar with my Tamron and the wife's 75-300 IS. The Tamron only held it's own when the light was good enough to allow shutter speeds fast enough to stop camera shake (or use a tripod) and an aperture of at least f/8, f/11 was better. When all those conditions were met the Tamron really shone. I expect to see similar results with the Sigma.
I could get the same quality with the Tamron that I did with the Canon, I just had to work harder at it.