Help With Sigma 150-500

[snerd]

I haven't had much luck with this lens. Even thinking about selling it. Images are always soft. But maybe I need to give one last attempt and try to use the micro focus adjustment. Ive never done the mfa on a lens........ is there a quick and dirty way to check it?

 

[sm4him]

I thought the same thing when I first got mine. I really struggled with it for a while.
I did find that fine-tuning the focus helped. I just can't really remember how I did it (which makes sense, considering I evidently can't even remember the difference between a forward slash and a back slash anymore, lol!). But, I'm pretty sure I basically just did it "quick and dirty." Set up something stationary to shoot at, then just adjusted the fine-tune focus up or down a little until I got something I felt like was sharper. Then I compared the shots on the computer, until I was happy with what I had. It really did make a difference for me.
But, I also found that just taking some time to really learn how to keep the lens stabilized, and when to use the IS versus when NOT to use it, helped too.

I hope you find a solution! There ARE some soft copies of the lens out there, from what I've heard. Hope yours isn't one of them!

 

[SnappingShark]

I think I need to calibrate mine, too.

I'm getting good shots, but they're not sharp.
It may be due to me bumping the ISO to get the faster shutter speeds, but I am still experimenting.

 

[baturn]

I think Sharon covered it pretty well. Those were, and still are to some extent, the same issues and solutions I dealt with using my 150 - 500. Remembering to shut OS off when not needed and turn it back on when shutter speeds get slower is my biggest concern when it comes to soft photos. Dealing with noise from high ISO is another issue but shouldn't be of much concern to those of you with the newer sensors. As is every thing in photography, there is a trade off for every solution to every problem .Experimentation is one answer, and its relatively cheap.

 

[DarkShadow]

When I got mine 150-500 I went to the local Camera Shop with my 60D mounted it then after paying for it went outside and tested it in the parking lot.Took shots of different of street signs and few people,tree leaves to be sure it was sharp.I got a very good Copy sharp out of the box.

There is some test charts on the inter webs you can print for fine tuning for back focus issues etc but do use a tripod for adjustments.Hope you didn't get a bad copy. If its still under warranty you could just send it to sigma.

 

[nzmacro]

It may well just need that adjustment, but we are seeing some great shots for that lens, Dave, Kris, Sharon, etc. Well worth trying a few things first Mike.

A few questions more about techniques if I can Mike. What sort of shutter speeds are you using with it and is it with an APS-C sensor, also what sort of apertures are you stopping down to ?. Are you using it only hand held, tripod or monopod ?. Not exactly but just a rough idea on average if you spot a bird, plane or whatever. AF I wouldn't have a clue about, but some techniques are still the same. Also are you turning off OIS or VR at higher shutter speeds.

All the best Mike.

Danny.

 

[snerd]

It may well just need that adjustment, but we are seeing some great shots for that lens, Dave, Kris, Sharon, etc. Well worth trying a few things first Mike.

A few questions more about techniques if I can Mike. What sort of shutter speeds are you using with it and is it with an APS-C sensor, also what sort of apertures are you stopping down to ?. Are you using it only hand held, tripod or monopod ?. Not exactly but just a rough idea on average if you spot a bird, plane or whatever. AF I wouldn't have a clue about, but some techniques are still the same. Also are you turning off OIS or VR at higher shutter speeds.

All the best Mike.

Danny.

I'm turning up iso for 1/800 - 1/1250 ss or thereabouts. It's on a crop sensor, 1.6 on the 7D I think. Usually hand-held open up at 6.3. No, I've never thought about turning off the stabilizer, even at higher shutter speeds my hands are still a little shaky. I mainly use AI Servo with high speed shutter, I'll track with 4-pt expansion for bif. I realize those shutter speeds are still slow for bif, so maybe I should push the iso up to 1600 or so, from 800. But this body gets pretty noisy at that high iso.

Anyway, I spent the last hour setting the mfa, at the long end which I almost always use, turns out -5 looked the closest. I'll head out later and see what happens. Still seems soft though. Thanks everyone!

 

[TheNevadanStig]

I know most say anything above 1/500 to turn OFF IS. It can apparently cause problems with image quality. So at those speeds you might try with experimenting tuning it off and seeing if it helps. You can also try getting it around f/8 or so, that should also help with image sharpness. On a good sunny day you should be able to run f/8 at 1/1000 or so without needing to bump up the ISO too badly.

 

[nzmacro]

Agree with Jason, try turning off the OIS even if you do shake a little. The 500 F/4.5 is around 5 lbs so I shake a fair bit as well, so I use higher shutter speeds to compensate for it. So the POV of that lens at 500 with your camera is around an 800mm lens on APS-C. Some will say in that case a min of 1/800th, ehhhh wrong, what that doesn't take into account is the weight of the focal length used. That weight always introduces camera shake, we are human after all. I would love to see you hit ISO 400-800 at around 1/1500 - 1/2000 depending on the size of the bird in flight. Mine are all well over 1/2000 and yep, you do need good daylight with the sun at your back.

So try seeing what you can squeeze out of that beast and also play with those micro .... thingies for the AF focal point, not something I need to worry about, but plenty I shoot with do now and again. Jason up there would know more about what you are after and need more than I do. I would just tell you to turn the AF off

All the best and please let us know how those micro adjustments went, I'm curious

Danny.