need help with Sigma 150-500 and 1d mkiv

So I just got a sigma 150-500 and am looking for some pointers. I took it out last week to get some photos of some otters in la jolla. All ss were between 1/500 and 1/800 and I was at F8, with IS on. Out of about 60 shots most were oof focus and the ones that were ok, were just that. What tips do you all have? I didn't have my tripod so they were all handheld at a range of about 350-500mm. I shot them in one shot, should I have used ai servo instead? I am still learning about the awesome and complex af as compared to the 5d mkii. I didn't post any photos as well they will just show you they are oof. Thanks for any info, and when I did a search I couldn't find much of anything useful.

Not to sound stupid, but have you tried some kind of controlled shot? If you don't have a tripod do you have a table indoors you can just rest it on?

was it hot outside?
heat waves REALLY affects 40mm and beyond.

Have you ever used a telephoto before? Just asking because I do not see one mentioned in your signature. I have to 120-400 and had the Canon 100-400L and found that I needed to slow down a little and give the lens time to focus and to get the OS (IS) up to speed. I am not talking much time. Just a little more than what I was used to when shooting with a wider lens.

For your focal length range I think the shutter speed was adequate. AI Servo might not be that great if you cannot keep pace with your moving target. Or if you have AI Servo on and briefly move your enabled focal point off the subject. How fast do otters move?

Put tripod or table top test is a good way to see if the lens is off.

m.c.chavez wrote in post #11740573
was it hot outside?
heat waves REALLY affects 40mm and beyond.

As does dust, haze, fog, spray, exhaust, etc.

I've had improved results with back-button, single-point, and AI Servo focus settings.

Using a long lens for the first time takes getting used to, as suggested a controlled shot will determine whether it's you or your settings/lens. 1/500 1/800 is just about fast enough when you consider you are working with an effective focal length of 750mm. A tripod or monopod will help you.

I have used a telephoto lens before just not at the 500 range. I had the 300 with a 1.4 on mt 5d. It wasn't that really warm, about 75 degrees, come on it's winter here. I will try a couple of controlled shots and post one or two of them tomorrow. As for the subjects moving, they were fairly still as they were on a reef. Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

You can have "heat haze" in the dead of winter in Fairbanks if the sun is out.

500mm is significantly more reach and more compression so atmospherics become more critical.

regardless of if the picture is out of focus or not...it usually helps to post one with exif intact...if they were moving though AI-servo would probably be better...you don't have any sort of filters on the lens, do you?

Is it possible that it has front focus or back focus issue?
60 OOF shots is a big number, at least for me.

Mine had to go back to Sigma. They returned it saying nothing was wrong but it magically worked better. Try a controlled test.

KY707 wrote in post #11741493
Is it possible that it has front focus or back focus issue?
60 OOF shots is a big number, at least for me.

I am going to test it today, I hope it doesn't have to go to sigma. I have heard it takes a long time to get your lens back. I will post a shot today.

Here are a bunch of controlled shots, tripod on the "sho" of the street sign. Oh for the previous posts, there wasn't a filter on at the time before and none now. (admittedly I may have not been using the "os" when taking the original photos.) When I took out my lens it was off. Either it was off the whole time or I hit it on accident and turned it off.

150 @ f6.3

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300 @ f10

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Don't see an issue with any of the above.

Little bump in Contrast and some Sharpening and you're good to go by my eye.