Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM APO Autofocus Lens

borno · 01-17-2009, 02:00 PM

Those crops look pretty decent ivoire, I miss some good shots when a bird is coming close without a zoom and that looks like a good one.

The bokeh looks good to me, when you have a bird with branches behind it and it doesn't have the double line thing going on it is probably really nice. imho

Fl_Gulfer · 01-17-2009, 02:28 PM

Also the Free Blues Festival at Jacksonville Beach is the first weekend in April. Friday, Sat. Sun. The wife and I go every year.

ivoire · 01-17-2009, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by borno

Those crops look pretty decent ivoire, I miss some good shots when a bird is coming close without a zoom and that looks like a good one.

The bokeh looks good to me, when you have a bird with branches behind it and it doesn't have the double line thing going on it is probably really nice. imho

Thanks Borno. With 9 blades and 400mm length the dof is somewhat thin and should produce decent bokeh. Since most of the background here is snow (currently) i'll have to wait til florida trip to see. I'm hoping the zoom will give me more options and increase my chances of getting those close ups when they happen

Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer

Also the Free Blues Festival at Jacksonville Beach is the first weekend in April. Friday, Sat. Sun. The wife and I go every year.

FlGulfer, I might make it to that blues fest. will let u know if it looks like it is going to happen. I will be tired of camping after a couple of months and be looking for civilization again. Looking forward to some pics after wednesday from the new lens.

ivoire · 01-20-2009, 02:56 PM

I had a chance to test this lens for 3 days and with over 500 shots, it's being returned. I kept getting inconsistent results from the lens and the number of 'keepers' were few, about 10%. The majority were soft or out of focus. When framed, the image in the katzeye i have installed appeared fully focused, but the results were either too soft or out of focus (very frustrating). I really wanted to like this lens, but this particular unit failed too many times. No matter what I did, SR on, SR off, 2 sec delay, manual focus, heavy tripod, in camera focus adjust, etc, there was no consistency. It could be a bad lens, but I just don't want to risk another. I got consistently better images with my f*300 and kenko 1.5 tc (see pic). Out of 500+ images, only about a dozen exceeded the f*300/tc combo IQ. So, its back to B&H for an exchange for a Tamron70-200mm 2.8. This will give me the coverage I want, by sacrificing the convenience of one lens.

Sigma 120-400mm

Pro's: Convenience, whisper quiet and very fast focus, excellent focus lock on to subject, M/F focus and focus lock switch, excellent build quality.

Cons: 90% soft or out-of-focus image rate

Last edited by ivoire; 04-18-2009 at 09:24 AM.

David07 · 01-20-2009, 08:19 PM

So far I am not impressed by the pictures I saw from this 120-400mm lens when if I compare them with pictures taken with the Pentax DA*300/4. The DA*300 looks MUCH sharper than the 120-400. Even when I used it with Kenko 1.5X TC, I think there was much more details with the pentax than with the sigma at 400mm.

I would really like to have a good zoom in this FL range for its versatility, but after using the DA*300 (an excellent prime lens), I think I would not be happy with the results of the 120-400.

ivoire · 01-20-2009, 10:53 PM

Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer

I found a place that has the 150-500 today for 880.oo so I ordered it. It should be here Wed. so If you travel through the Florida Panhandle in the Panama City Beach area stop by and we can compare the 2 lenses first hand.

Let us know how the 150-500 works out. The 120-400 is gone. If the IQ had been consistent with the pics i posted, it would have satisfied my 'longer' lens craving and gone to fl with me. I decided to continue using the f*300 with occasional 1.5tc shots for the long end and buy a tamron 70-200mm f2.8 for the short end. Just have to wait and hope for a da*400mm or 500mm.

Harry · 03-13-2009, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by ivoire

A crop with a touch of PP, shot at 400mm and the beast on the tripod. I tried my Kenko 1.5 TC on this lens and the K20D goes berserk. the Numbers on all the lcds flash or change randomly and the menus immediately turn off after the button is pushed. No auto focus etc registers. This TC/lens combo does not work at all.

Strange. I have just bought a SIGMA 120-400mm and it works with my Kenko 1.5 TC. Also a friend of mine tested his new 150-500 and this lens also works with the Kenko 1.5... Both lenses / TC combinations work with SDM...!!

The Kenko 2.0x does not work with the 120-400mm.

asdf · 03-13-2009, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by Harry

Strange. I have just bought a SIGMA 120-400mm and it works with my Kenko 1.5 TC. Also a friend of mine tested his new 150-500 and this lens also works with the Kenko 1.5... Both lenses / TC combinations work with SDM...!!

The Kenko 2.0x does not work with the 120-400mm.

There are different Kenko x1.5 TCs. There are, for example, SHQ and MC versions.

Harry · 03-14-2009, 05:03 AM

Originally posted by asdf

There are different Kenko x1.5 TCs. There are, for example, SHQ and MC versions.

In detail: the SHQ version does work

THK Photo Products, Inc.

01-17-2009, 02:51 PM	#18
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381 Original Poster	Originally posted by borno Those crops look pretty decent ivoire, I miss some good shots when a bird is coming close without a zoom and that looks like a good one. The bokeh looks good to me, when you have a bird with branches behind it and it doesn't have the double line thing going on it is probably really nice. imho Thanks Borno. With 9 blades and 400mm length the dof is somewhat thin and should produce decent bokeh. Since most of the background here is snow (currently) i'll have to wait til florida trip to see. I'm hoping the zoom will give me more options and increase my chances of getting those close ups when they happen Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer Also the Free Blues Festival at Jacksonville Beach is the first weekend in April. Friday, Sat. Sun. The wife and I go every year. FlGulfer, I might make it to that blues fest. will let u know if it looks like it is going to happen. I will be tired of camping after a couple of months and be looking for civilization again. Looking forward to some pics after wednesday from the new lens. Last edited by ivoire; 01-18-2009 at 12:23 AM.

01-20-2009, 02:56 PM	#19
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381 Original Poster	RETURNED the Sigma 120-600mm f/5.6-8 Zoom Lens I had a chance to test this lens for 3 days and with over 500 shots, it's being returned. I kept getting inconsistent results from the lens and the number of 'keepers' were few, about 10%. The majority were soft or out of focus. When framed, the image in the katzeye i have installed appeared fully focused, but the results were either too soft or out of focus (very frustrating). I really wanted to like this lens, but this particular unit failed too many times. No matter what I did, SR on, SR off, 2 sec delay, manual focus, heavy tripod, in camera focus adjust, etc, there was no consistency. It could be a bad lens, but I just don't want to risk another. I got consistently better images with my f300 and kenko 1.5 tc (see pic). Out of 500+ images, only about a dozen exceeded the f300/tc combo IQ. So, its back to B&H for an exchange for a Tamron70-200mm 2.8. This will give me the coverage I want, by sacrificing the convenience of one lens. Sigma 120-400mm Pro's: Convenience, whisper quiet and very fast focus, excellent focus lock on to subject, M/F focus and focus lock switch, excellent build quality. Cons: 90% soft or out-of-focus image rate Last edited by ivoire; 04-18-2009 at 09:24 AM.

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01-17-2009, 02:00 PM	#16
borno Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: md-usa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,580	Those crops look pretty decent ivoire, I miss some good shots when a bird is coming close without a zoom and that looks like a good one. The bokeh looks good to me, when you have a bird with branches behind it and it doesn't have the double line thing going on it is probably really nice. imho

01-17-2009, 02:28 PM	#17
Fl_Gulfer Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Gulfer Photos: Albums Posts: 3,054	Also the Free Blues Festival at Jacksonville Beach is the first weekend in April. Friday, Sat. Sun. The wife and I go every year.

01-20-2009, 08:19 PM	#20
David07 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trois-Rivières, Québec, CA Posts: 74	So far I am not impressed by the pictures I saw from this 120-400mm lens when if I compare them with pictures taken with the Pentax DA300/4. The DA300 looks MUCH sharper than the 120-400. Even when I used it with Kenko 1.5X TC, I think there was much more details with the pentax than with the sigma at 400mm. I would really like to have a good zoom in this FL range for its versatility, but after using the DA*300 (an excellent prime lens), I think I would not be happy with the results of the 120-400.

01-20-2009, 10:53 PM	#21
ivoire Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,381 Original Poster	Originally posted by Fl_Gulfer I found a place that has the 150-500 today for 880.oo so I ordered it. It should be here Wed. so If you travel through the Florida Panhandle in the Panama City Beach area stop by and we can compare the 2 lenses first hand. Let us know how the 150-500 works out. The 120-400 is gone. If the IQ had been consistent with the pics i posted, it would have satisfied my 'longer' lens craving and gone to fl with me. I decided to continue using the f300 with occasional 1.5tc shots for the long end and buy a tamron 70-200mm f2.8 for the short end. Just have to wait and hope for a da400mm or 500mm.

03-13-2009, 08:21 AM	#22
Harry Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Naarden Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26	Originally posted by ivoire A crop with a touch of PP, shot at 400mm and the beast on the tripod. I tried my Kenko 1.5 TC on this lens and the K20D goes berserk. the Numbers on all the lcds flash or change randomly and the menus immediately turn off after the button is pushed. No auto focus etc registers. This TC/lens combo does not work at all. Strange. I have just bought a SIGMA 120-400mm and it works with my Kenko 1.5 TC. Also a friend of mine tested his new 150-500 and this lens also works with the Kenko 1.5... Both lenses / TC combinations work with SDM...!! The Kenko 2.0x does not work with the 120-400mm.

03-13-2009, 08:28 AM	#23
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by Harry Strange. I have just bought a SIGMA 120-400mm and it works with my Kenko 1.5 TC. Also a friend of mine tested his new 150-500 and this lens also works with the Kenko 1.5... Both lenses / TC combinations work with SDM...!! The Kenko 2.0x does not work with the 120-400mm. There are different Kenko x1.5 TCs. There are, for example, SHQ and MC versions.

03-14-2009, 05:03 AM	#24
Harry Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Naarden Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26	Originally posted by asdf There are different Kenko x1.5 TCs. There are, for example, SHQ and MC versions. In detail: the SHQ version does work THK Photo Products, Inc.

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