Anyone experience/use Sigma 120-300 f2.8

explora56

explora56

Suspended / Banned
Messages
661
Name
Bill
Edit My Images
No
Hi anyone here any experience or view of the Sigma 120-300 f2.8 on a Canon camera.

Sharpness, contrast, speed of autofocus and most of all as the reason I would buy it to shoot fast jets in indifferent light how would it be wide open on a full frame camera at 300mm.

I have looked at the MTF charts and tried to compare them to the Canon 100-400 but that isn't comparing apples with apples and although I have an inkling of what they say I really don't understand sufficiently to be certain what they are telling me.

Any advice on this lens anyone can offer would be much appreciated.


Rgds
Bill
 
Had mine for a while now.. also use with 1.4 TC in summer for cricket. Not taken anything like your doing but have bene in all light conditions... only quite dark makes it hunt. you should have no problem with planes... I have shot towards the sun with it OK

It's a bit heavy for hand held though

DG version has a bigger collar that doubles as a carry handle.. otherwise not much diff between dg and non dg for me.


PS just about everything on my website in the last year or 2 and everyhting at http://gallery.accringtonstanley.co.uk is done wiht the 120-300 on a 1dmkII
 
I'm afraid not....but if you'd like to buy one and send it to me I'm more than happy to give it an extended test for you and report back (two or three years should be long enough};)
 
Cheers Kipax very helpful the thing about the jets is we may only get ten or maybe a dozen passes in a full day and because they don't necessarily fly in a bloody straight line we have to hand hold we all have muscles like Popeye picking them up and putting them down but we cope and Eric I will add your name to the list of volunteers mate.....you have to carry it half way up the mountain mind before you can use it.

Cheers and thanks again
Bill
 
explora56 said:
you have to carry it half way up the mountain mind before you can use it.
Click to expand...

If I get to keep it for a while I'll carry it and you all the way up the bloody mountain Bill:lol:
 
explora.. have you tried one.. had hold of one? I have used mine hand held but not for long periods thats for sure :)
 
Kipax I have a 400mm f2.8 which is a heavy beast so I am used to carrying and chucking these things around one plane pass lasts around 8 seconds so ten/twelve a day thankfully isn't onerous if I were at motorsport of course I would be using my monopod.

The thing is Canon as you know don't make a long f2.8 zoom they stop at the 70-200 after that it is the 300 f2.8 and that is £1200 more expensive and additionally I am looking for a bit of flexibility in the lens as there are quite a few decent locations where 400mm is far too long so it's a bit of a compromise I am going to sell my 70-200 and 100-400 and get me the Sigma 120-300 yup I reckon that's what I will do it will fit in nicely.

Cheers
Bill
 
Glad you posted this.

I'm looking at swapping my Canon 100-400L for either a Sigma 300mm F2.8 or 120-300 F2.8.
Reading various reviews around the web and comparing the MTF charts the zoom is actually sharper than the Prime, which surprised me.

The 120-300 definaltey seems like a good buy.
 
Hi, I have the 120-300 f2.8, as well as the sigma 100-300 f4.0 and a canon 70-200 L is. (and have used a canon 100-400 L is).
The 100-300 and 70-200 are both sharper, lighter, and easier to handhold than the 120-300. BUT, and a big BUT, neither of those lens give you 300mm@f2.8 - which is THE reason for having this lens. It may be heavy, and hard to hand-hold, but it will give you great images wide open, provided you have some sort of support and/or good long lens technique. (If you are used to a 400 f2.8, I don't think you will struggle.)
Sorry, forgot to say - I don't have full frame, I use mine on a 20D or 40D body.
 
Thanks for the great insight everyone mind is made up going to give it a try.

Cheers
Bill
 
Cheers Gordon you may just see one down in Wales in the Spring. I was going to go up to Tebay this week but the weather is firmly stuck in the rinse cycle but some guys had some good shooting at CAD East Thursday lots of traffic and great light but very windy difficult shooting.

Cheers
Bill
 
One question.

Is it worth paying more for a new DG lens over a 2nd hand one without DG ?
 
SDK^ said:
One question.

Is it worth paying more for a new DG lens over a 2nd hand one without DG ?
Click to expand...

I would say not.. from what other users ahve told me .. the pictures are no better and the only changes are the coated lens and the bigger collar... the bigger collar is a plus though...but can be bought seperate.. last I heard around 90 quid
 
Joe my first post got lost in the transfer......my new lens arrived this morning wow I owe you a pint my friend you saved me a lot of money thanks vm indeed for your help and advice.

Bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top