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03-04-2012, 03:02 PM   #1
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Sigma 300 apo macro vs. others

Hi everybody,

I have a DA 55-300 and I use it to shot birds, but for far birds something better is needed. I'd need also something for close-up or macro photo.

I'm can get a Sigma 300/4 Apo Macro, the small brother of the 400 apo macro, as cheaper alternative to the Pentax DA*300, with the idea to use a Sigma 1.4x AF teleconverter to shot birds. The prices I've seen are 450 € for the lens and 200 € for the teleconverter, total 650 € (870 $)

The alternative can be the Sigma 120-400, that is ligther and cheapre than the 50-500, but is more expensive that the previous alternative, 780 € (1050$)

The second alternative can be the Tokina 400 5.6 SD AF, but I read it has a bed chromatic aberration (less then 400$) .

Some of you have or had the Sigma 300 apo macro and can help me to compare it with the others? Particularly, the 120-400 is better then the 300 f/4 with 1.4x teleconverter?

And last question: all of them are better then my 55-300 at 300 mm???

Many thenks
Michele

03-04-2012, 05:50 PM   #2
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For birding you might also want to look at the Sigma 170-500mm as a cheaper alternative. They show up in the marketplace forum from time to time, for approximately $500. A couple people have suggested that the 170-500mm is slightly sharper than the slightly more expensive 150-500mm, but that could be purely subjective. Both are very nice, and quite a bit less expensive than the 50-500mm.

For macro, I'd strongly suggest a dedicated macro lens, or an alternative method like A type extension tubes and a fast 50mm if you want to go on the cheap. A macro lens in the 90-105mm range will have a better working distance for live subjects, and they are exceptionally sharp and distortion free.

Most telephoto lenses that boast a "macro" mode deserve to have the word in quotes, and used loosely. Most don't get past 1:2, and a lot are only 1:3. A true macro lens will attain 1:1 magnification out of the box, and other methods easily exceed that magnification, at the cost of convenience.
03-04-2012, 10:09 PM   #3
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If you aren't opposed to the used market, try and find a Sigma 100-300/4 and then add the 1.4x matching converter. It is prime quality and very competitive withe da*300.
03-04-2012, 10:49 PM   #4
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The sigma 400apo mac is a stella lens the sigma 300apo mac is better again, being shorter.I'd say the DA*300 would/could be a touch sharper but nicer built,wr and sdm.The 300+1.4x is close to the 400 but without proper sr info.The sig zooms wont match primes at equal apertures or for max resolution. As for the Tokina i'm sure the pf can be fixed in post, i have the sigma400 non apo also and can fix the pf in that and get good results, probably on a level with your 55-300. I hope some of that info helps.

03-05-2012, 12:20 AM   #5
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When you shoot birds almost always you more or less crop an image. What I learned about older Sigmas, they don't withstand aggressive cropping as good as my FA*300/4.5 does. I'm talking about 100-300/4 (to the less degree) and 400/5.6 TeleMacro (more prone to quick image degradation in my tests). I' may be wrong here. But there is my humble observation after some limited time playing with these lenses; especially, when 1.4X TC is used..

Last edited by Greyser; 03-05-2012 at 12:41 AM.
03-05-2012, 01:47 AM   #6
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Original Poster
Thanks to everybody for the answers.
I'm searching the highest sharpness possible (for accessible prices..), so I think that, as DreTax says, prime lenses sholud be better. In case, which kind of 1.4 teleconvcerter is the best for the sigma 300/4, with the objective to still use the autofocus? and what is the expected price?

for the CA correction in pp, is alwais working (I never tried...)? I've seen some shots of the Tokina with very high CA.
Thanks again
cheers
03-05-2012, 04:14 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Greyser Quote
When you shoot birds almost always you more or less crop an image. What I learned about older Sigmas, they don't withstand aggressive cropping as good as my FA*300/4.5 does. I'm talking about 100-300/4 (to the less degree) and 400/5.6 TeleMacro (more prone to quick image degradation in my tests). I' may be wrong here. But there is my humble observation after some limited time playing with these lenses; especially, when 1.4X TC is used..
With regards to the sigma 400 apo macro, that has not been my experience.Focus has to be perfect as DOF is thin, missed focus can look like degraded iq. Once you stick a TC on a lens you need to be shooting at all the optimum settings to achieve good results, whilst taking a light penalty & needing a higher shutter speed to counter extra magnification. Unless you can add light to the scene (flash) your forced to up the iso and increase noise, which can look like degraded iq. Hence a digital crop of a shorter length can look better.


Last edited by DreTAX; 03-05-2012 at 04:28 AM. Reason: addition
03-05-2012, 04:26 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by aiki76 Quote
Thanks to everybody for the answers.
I'm searching the highest sharpness possible (for accessible prices..), so I think that, as DreTax says, prime lenses sholud be better. In case, which kind of 1.4 teleconvcerter is the best for the sigma 300/4, with the objective to still use the autofocus? and what is the expected price?

for the CA correction in pp, is alwais working (I never tried...)? I've seen some shots of the Tokina with very high CA.
Thanks again
cheers
One would expect the sigma 1.4x to be the best match but i haven't tried one. I have the Tamron F 1.4x and a Kenko 1.5x. They seem very simillar in iq with slight variations to different lenses.
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