Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 EX OS

Tesign wrote in post #14279712
Awesome images Peter! I almost bought this Lens but just that the two I tested in shops here doesn't do as good and kind of 'soft'. Was told to send it to the agent distributor here for calibration works but that's not what I want. It's pretty popular here too but guess I'm not lucky enough to get one that fits right on.

..thanks Tesign! As I found, sometimes it is not so easy to use this lens, the focus can be very tricky on special surfaces like Afghan hound's long smoot coat, but in general this is a very nice lens.

peter

p.s.: have seen your gear list, I don't think you need this glass, a 70-200 2.8 L II and 300 2.8 L II setup destroys everything , but if you want we can make a deal, give me the 300 2.8, and I'll give you my 120-300

Peter Sule wrote in post #14280500
..thanks Tesign! As I found, sometimes it is not so easy to use this lens, the focus can be very tricky on special surfaces like Afghan hound's long smoot coat, but in general this is a very nice lens.

peter

p.s.: have seen your gear list, I don't think you need this glass, a 70-200 2.8 L II and 300 2.8 L II setup destroys everything , but if you want we can make a deal, give me the 300 2.8, and I'll give you my 120-300

!...Peter..catch me with that when I'm near getting into dementia..u r funny, I like u

Tesign wrote in post #14280604
!...Peter..catch me with that when I'm near getting into dementia..u r funny, I like u

..OK, I'll keep my eyes on your posts, and will be there at the right moment

I asked about the OS earlier, and I've been doing some testing. It looks like it's performing beautifully inside the house and right after leaving the house (i.e. room temperature), but after a while outside the OS performance seems to somewhat degrade. Could the oil or some other part of the system freeze up in outside temperatures? It is still zero to five degrees centigrade in Finland (close to freezing to you fahrenheit guys)...

Would you recommend calling service and ask for arctic oils? Or do you think I'm just imagining it...

Anyway, I guess it would have to wait till autumn or next winter anyways, way too much bird activity at the moment to even consider sending the glass for service.

Alright, we've seen plenty of samples with the 1.4 & 2x TC's attached...who's up for some examples with TC's stacked on a 7D, for 840mm before the crop factor? Oh, and it's handheld... Nothing very exciting, just sitting on my front porch tonight trying it out before dark...sun was halfway down at the time. First shot is full, 2nd is 100% (approx.) crop. No PP done whatsoever besides the cropping. Shot stopped down only to f/6.3. Shutter around 400 I believe. The 7D AF'd on all shots, and while it does take decent light (I wish I would have tried when it was sunny), I was surprised how fast it was able to autofocus all things considered. Sorry for the small size, need to get my online hosting up to date...soon....

One more example at 840mm....

Peter Sule wrote in post #14279280

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/sulepetike/7084​806407/
5759680 by Sule Petike, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/sulepetike/6938​720952/
4909952 by Sule Petike, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/sulepetike/7084​790139/
4758080 by Sule Petike, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/sulepetike/7084​779869/
4119168 by Sule Petike, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/sulepetike/6938​683776/
322816 by Sule Petike, on Flickr

Great photos Péter!!! Looks like you have a winner on your hand. I can't wait for mine to come back from Sigma, it's been 2 weeks now. They had to order a part

Where did you take these photos? I presume from a blind somewhere. Do you ever go to Csaj-tó?

Thanks Gabe! These shots had been taken at Rétimajor (Sáregres), of course from a blind, which belons to one of my friends. ....have never heard about Csaj-tó, but I'll check it , when will you come to Hungary????

Telling you the truth, this is an amazing lens, with superb optics, so it seems it was a good idea to go for it. It's autofocus is not so accurare and fast like Canon's, but in general sigma did a great job with it. ....hopefully it will be a long lasting piece...

légy jó,

peti

w1ll1am3 wrote in post #14295082
Really like this photo props.

Yes!...AWESOME indeed!

Photomateur wrote in post #14284885
I asked about the OS earlier, and I've been doing some testing. It looks like it's performing beautifully inside the house and right after leaving the house (i.e. room temperature), but after a while outside the OS performance seems to somewhat degrade. Could the oil or some other part of the system freeze up in outside temperatures? It is still zero to five degrees centigrade in Finland (close to freezing to you fahrenheit guys)...

Would you recommend calling service and ask for arctic oils? Or do you think I'm just imagining it...

No input on this? Anyone?

Also another question, I read in many reviews that the lens is weather sealed, yet my lens doesn't have a rubber ring on the bayonet to seal the cap between the lens and camera body. Shouldn't there be one for the lens to be considered weather sealed?

Photomateur wrote in post #14296673
No input on this? Anyone?

Also another question, I read in many reviews that the lens is weather sealed, yet my lens doesn't have a rubber ring on the bayonet to seal the cap between the lens and camera body. Shouldn't there be one for the lens to be considered weather sealed?

Sigma OS in general (in my experience) isn't as stable as Canon's IS. Here I'm not talking about the actual stabilization effect, how many stops etc, but the consistency of its operation. My 70-200 OS is somewhat similar, sometimes I feel that is is rock steady, then other times it moves around more, when I know I am using the same technique.
My 120-300 OS was great, but the OS went out one day, it's supposed to be back soon, I hope it will be fixed and will perform the same way as before.

As for weather sealing, I think technically the lens is "splash proof" at least that's what Sigma calls it. Nevertheless, the absence of an o-ring makes me want to avoid any kind of moisture, light splashes included.

Question for Gabe

Hi Gabe,
I believe in an “earlier” post you mentioned having upgraded from a 100-400L.

Aside from the weight, minor OS differences & your current problem, I wondered what your comparative evaluation is as to image quality. My primary interest is obtaining additional reach, so My main concern is how the Sigma at 2X/600mm “stacks-up” against the 100-400L at 400mm.

I have two 100-400L's and plan to sell one & keep the other for a back-up/alternate ( I'll miss the CPS 3-day turnaround with the Sigma).

Hope you get your lens back soon, and it performs as it had. Yours & Brummel's 2X shots are generally excellent, and certainly appear to challenge, if not surpass the 100-400L.

Regards,
Leigh
www.leighwax.com

Leigh wrote in post #14303348
Hi Gabe,
I believe in an “earlier” post you mentioned having upgraded from a 100-400L.

Aside from the weight, minor OS differences & your current problem, I wondered what your comparative evaluation is as to image quality. My primary interest is obtaining additional reach, so My main concern is how the Sigma at 2X/600mm “stacks-up” against the 100-400L at 400mm.

I have two 100-400L's and plan to sell one & keep the other for a back-up/alternate ( I'll miss the CPS 3-day turnaround with the Sigma).

Hope you get your lens back soon, and it performs as it had. Yours & Brummel's 2X shots are generally excellent, and certainly appear to challenge, if not surpass the 100-400L.

Regards,
Leigh
www.leighwax.com

Leigh,
My 100-400L copy was great, very sharp for a 100-400L. I loved using it. I wasn't a fan of the old generation IS though.
The Sigma is awesome in teh 120-300 range, which is no surprise, it should be awesome. In the 170-420 range (with the 1.4x Kenko I'm using) it is about as sharp at f/4 as my 100-400L was at 400mm 5.6. At f/4.5 it is sharper by a hair (my subjective opinion, did not own both at the same time). At f/5.6 it is clearly sharper than the 100-400L at 400 5.6. But what matters to me at least as much is the shallow DoF at f/4.
With the 2x TC, I think I need to stop down to f/6.3 to match the sharpness of my old 100-400 at 400mm f/5.6. But it also comes down to the tc you're using. I'm using a Sigma, used to own a Canon 2x III I sold it, I explained it a few pages earlier.

I wish I had a 100-400L so I could directly compare the 2 with test images.

Thanks Gabe-- I appreciate your insight.
Regards,
Leigh

Sigma APO 2.0 EX DG or Canon 2.0 mark II teleconverter for this lens? What are your opinions? I can get a mint Canon converter for the price of a new Sigma and I am doubting between both