Sony a350 & Sigma 70-300mm problems

B

Buster_boyo

Suspended / Banned
Messages
12
Edit My Images
No
Hi all,

I've got the Sony a350 and have been using a Sigma 70-300mm DG lens for the lens 18 months for my sports photography (largest part of my photography!). The lens recently started making grinding noises on camera startup and being slow autofocussing. So I sent it for a repair quote and they said that the focussing mechanism in the lens needs replacing at a cost of £115 - the lens only cost £127!!

I have read reports that the torque of the autofocus on cheaper Sony alphas like mine is too powerful for lenses like the Sigma, and the lens gears get stripped.

I will be taking this up with Sigma and Sony, but not holding out much hope!! :bang:

So, what would you do... buy a new lens in the knowledge that this could very well happen again or trade in the Sony for a Nikon/Canon where this problem I don't believe exists?
 
yep,there have been issues with sigma lens' used on sony cameras..and have experienced this myself with the gears on my 105 macro lens getting stripped,but fortunately for me it was still under warranty,so got repaired FOC.I know this doesn't really help your case though,and i'm not sure that the fault would lie with sony or sigma...good luck in sorting it out though.
 
That's worrying. I've got a sony alpha 350 and use only sigma lenses with it :-/ It has to be sony's fault as I have used the same lenses with minolta slrs and I'm sure other people have used sigmas with other cameras without them being damaged in this way.
 
The problem is reported to be in the Sigma gears on some lenses. Normally occurs when connected to the A700 which has a more powerful motor.

Not all Sigma lenses do this and lenses from other manufacturers do not do this, I don't think Sony will be willing to do anything when the fault is the lens being under-engineered.

I would (and do) avoid the problem by not using Sigma lenses - there's plenty of excellent Minolta lenses available s/h if price is a concern.
 
i'm not sure this is available on the A350[can't remember at my age],but the A700 gives you a choice of 2 AF speeds...using the slow AF speed seems to stop this from occuring,and without any noticeable effect on AF speed.
 
stan the man said:
i've not heard of this affecting any tamron lens' at all...seems to be a sigma only problem.having said that,i've had no other problems with any of my other sigma lens',so perhaps they have addressed the problem :shrug:
Click to expand...

there's enough of a doubt in my mind now to make me think twice before paying out my hard earned cash. i'm sure they are aware of the problem though so hopefully they are tackling it. it'd be hard to know which lenses are affected though unless someone is unfortunate enough to have it happen to them and report it on here, like the op.
 
I read about this exact reason and got a tamron zoom lens instead. Won't be getting Sigma lenses just incase.
 
I had the sigma 70-300 on my Sony a300 and after a few months it stripped the cogs inside. Sent it away under warranty and it's come back working again and feels much tighter than it did. I still think it will fail again sometime though. When it does I'll invest in something like an 18-200 lens of good quality.
 
Buster_boyo said:
So, what would you do... buy a new lens in the knowledge that this could very well happen again or trade in the Sony for a Nikon/Canon where this problem I don't believe exists?
Click to expand...

id buy the sony 75-300,had mine for a year,no problems!
 
So how many gear stripping incidents have there been altogether? Most of the ones I found referred to the same one or two.

The incompatibility of sigma lenses with the new SLT cameras is another reason to change from sigma.

I think there are lenses from tamron, tokina and cosina that would do the job. Don't know what lens quality is like though. Saw a cosina 100-300 for £60! The tamron 28-300 that I was thinking of was £160. The sony 70-400 is supposed to be a corker.
 
srichards said:
So how many gear stripping incidents have there been altogether? Most of the ones I found referred to the same one or two.

The incompatibility of sigma lenses with the new SLT cameras is another reason to change from sigma.

I think there are lenses from tamron, tokina and cosina that would do the job. Don't know what lens quality is like though. Saw a cosina 100-300 for £60! The tamron 28-300 that I was thinking of was £160. The sony 70-400 is supposed to be a corker.
Click to expand...

the 70-400 is a corker of a lens,although i sold mine to andy[puddleduck]as the lack of use by me didn't warrant me keeping it,not cheap though...now around £1500.
 
Had a quick poke around and found this on the sigma users forum:

Hi,

It's extremely important to set the Lens to Manual Focus when attaching the Lens Hood, Changing Lenses, at the end of shootings etc, in order to avoid stripping the gears. The 70-300 mm Lens Instructions give clear warnings about this.

One needs to adopt a strict Lens Handling regime at all times,

Best to speak to Sigma Service and seek their advice.
Click to expand...

Is this advice BS to avoid admitting fault or is it user error that is causing the gear stripping problem?
 
That was my first thought. I always have the camera off when changing lenses, adding hoods etc.

I can only think it must be something to do with the initial focussing and whether the camera goes a bit bonkers when you first switch it on so if you have it in MF and then take off the lens cap, then switch to AF it's less hard on the lens? Don't know whether switching it off while in AF or on while in AF would be worse.
 
srichards said:
That was my first thought. I always have the camera off when changing lenses, adding hoods etc.

I can only think it must be something to do with the initial focussing and whether the camera goes a bit bonkers when you first switch it on so if you have it in MF and then take off the lens cap, then switch to AF it's less hard on the lens? Don't know whether switching it off while in AF or on while in AF would be worse.
Click to expand...

ah yes,i can see what your saying suz..but i've never read that anywhere...in the instructions,magazines,internet or anywhere else...just sounds bizzare.
 
I have emailed sigma to ask them with respect to my lenses how to avoid the gear stripping.

I'm sure I saw something in a manual which specifically referenced the sigma 70-300 and it wanting careful treatment. I think ffordes secondhand page has some sigmas listed as unsuitable for both dynax bodies and sony alphas. Makes me wonder whether the dynax af is also too strong for the 70-300 (did they make the gears out of butter?!)
 
The reason some sigmas are unsuitable for the Sonys and the Minolta DSLRs is the camera cannot detect them due to not having a compatible chip. Sigma used to offer a re-chipping service for some lenses, but no idea if they still do.
 
onomatopoeia said:
The reason some sigmas are unsuitable for the Sonys and the Minolta DSLRs is the camera cannot detect them due to not having a compatible chip. Sigma used to offer a re-chipping service for some lenses, but no idea if they still do.
Click to expand...

Ah. Yes. I remember that now.
 
srichards said:
I have emailed sigma to ask them with respect to my lenses how to avoid the gear stripping.

I'm sure I saw something in a manual which specifically referenced the sigma 70-300 and it wanting careful treatment. I think ffordes secondhand page has some sigmas listed as unsuitable for both dynax bodies and sony alphas. Makes me wonder whether the dynax af is also too strong for the 70-300 (did they make the gears out of butter?!)
Click to expand...

Thanks Suz, please do let me know what Sigma say, as I will email them the same. I'll try to get a report from the repairers (in Stoke co-incidentally!) as evidence for Sigma, and maybe go along ghr Sale of Goods act based on them manufacturing something which may not be fit for purpose (allegedly!!).
 
They said it was best to talk over the phone with them so I'd guess it is quite involved. I shall have to make notes!

Ffordes have a 100-300 cosina in sony minolta fit for £60.... No idea whether it is in any good though.
 
srichards said:
They said it was best to talk over the phone with them so I'd guess it is quite involved. I shall have to make notes!

Ffordes have a 100-300 cosina in sony minolta fit for £60.... No idea whether it is in any good though.
Click to expand...

Suz, fancy going lens shopping?!
 
Might have to if sigma say mine are at risk of imminent death. Probably would go for a 28-300 tamron instead as I'm lazy and like to keep one lens on most of the time..... not that I tend to use the wide end much but it's handy to have it.

No idea what I'd replace the 105mm macro with though. I'm hoping sigma say it is a usage issue and doing certain things certain ways will guarantee it won't happen.
 
Had an interesting chat with sigma. They say that the gear stripping issue has also happened to a few of sony's own lenses (according to their customers) but sony can turn down the torque setting but will only do so if you don't mention you have a sigma lens! If you have the higher end sonys with the 2 settings then you want it set to slow.

Advised to keep camera off when changing lenses (seems obvious you would)

If you want the new series of SLT cameras then if you have the original lens receipt and the camera receipt then any lens that can be modified to work with the new system will be done free :) Otherwise it's about £35 each including return postage which I don't think is too expensive.

The advice seems to be that mine should be ok providing reasonable care is taken.
 
Hmmm, I reckon Sigma might say that anyway. Hopefully will get lens back tomorrow / Sunday and repair quote report too.

Can only Sony turn down the Torque setting, could a repairer do it too?

SLT??? I'm confused!!! What does that mean??

Thanks again Suz! :thumbs:
 
I don't know whether a repairer can turn down the torque setting. You'd have to check with sony. SLT stands for Single Lens Translucent.

I have a vague recollection that the photomags mentioned this problem in 2008 and said sony lenses were also affected. It's only a hazy memory though....
 
Hmmm, went to a secondhand shop today and they would by my Sony A350 with the 18-70mm kit lens for £180-200. They had a second hand Nikon D90 there with the 18-105VR lens for £549.

Very tempted as I'm looking at paying at least £100 to repair or replace my poorly Sigma.

What would you guys do?
 
The problem is sigma, not sony. Sigma refuses to pay for licencing and just reverse engineers all their mounts and use cheap plastic gears in lower/mid range lens (seems very prevalent in the 70-300 apo and a few other lens... oddly been some reports of fixed lens having metal gears replacing the cheap plastic from those brave enough to tear down the lens). More rare than sony, there have been reports of gear stripping on Canon's also. Just a case of caveat emperor or your milage may vary.
 
If sigma is the problem then get that cosina 100-300 that ffordes have for £60. Think they also have a tamron 70-300 available. It'll be much cheaper than selling your 350 at a loss and buying into yet another brand. You intend spending £300 ish to save spending £120 ish to replace the lens completely (extra warranty???). Makes no sense to me....
 
News I found out today, Sigma are now offering a 3 year UK warranty on all new lenses...
 
Wooohoo, have just had a very helpful chat with Sigma and they will either knock quite a few quid off the repair with a 6 month warranty (their repairs are considerably cheaper than a repair shop, something I will bear in mind in future!), or give me a good wedge off a new lens direct from them with a 3 year warranty. The new lens isn't by any means prohibitively more than the repair, so I think I will go down the new lens route! Took very little negotiation too, so I am a very happy man! :-D

Just need to get my lens packed up and sent to them. Any suggestions on who to use and prices for safe postage?
 
New lens arrived a couple of days after me sending my bust one in - so far very happy, will get it's first run out tomorrow snapping a rugby match! Watch this space...
 
Good result, I'm surprised that some people are actually pointing out that it's Sony's fault for gear stripping. From what I have gathered, all cases points to the Sigma 70-300's weak gearing mechanism. You certainly wouldn't want to torque down the drive motor as it will have implications on focus speeds on other lens that can take the greater turn strength.
 
out of interest where did you buy the lens from????

i only ask because the lens should go back to the seller not the manufacturer.

ive just had the same problem with mine so got a refund........bought the tamron now.......seems to be working quite well :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top