Sigma 150-600 Garbage

[jcdeboever]

Well, the manual was worse but overall similar. I don't think my D3300 can correct this, am I correct?

If my failing memory serves, I don't think the 3300 has that ability.

Where did you buy it from? Perhaps contact the seller and request a replacement.

That thought comes to my mind. Do you think there is something wrong with it based on the info I provided?

 

[jaomul]

If live view doesn't give clear shots when focused and conventional and manual it Would point at a faulty unit

 

[jcdeboever]

Sometimes you just get a bad lens. I know a few photogs who send lenses back three+ times until they're happy. I have acquired a ton of lenses over the course of my lifetime and I've never sent one back. I don't think the IQ is acceptable. I don't shoot Nikon. But if this was a Canon, I'd take it down the street to the Canon repair facility in Irvine and in a few days it would be fixed.

If you shot mirrorless, you'd haven't any front/back focus issues.

PS- How do you golf in the snow? (I'd think those little white balls you chase would easily blend into the ground cover.)

orange or black balls...

 

[480sparky]

That thought comes to my mind. Do you think there is something wrong with it based on the info I provided?

It's possible it's just a bad copy. But I'd work with it more to make sure it's actually the lens before I would return it.

Is there someone you know that can try it on their camera? Hopefully someone with a body that can adjust for front- or back-focusing.

 

[jcdeboever]

That thought comes to my mind. Do you think there is something wrong with it based on the info I provided?

It's possible it's just a bad copy. But I'd work with it more to make sure it's actually the lens before I would return it.

Is there someone you know that can try it on their camera? Hopefully someone with a body that can adjust for front- or back-focusing.

Maybe I can get with @astroNikon but man, this is bad timing.

 

[astroNikon]

Wish I knew about this earlier. I did absolutely NOTHING all day. I would have gone to AA and met you and tested it out.

But redo those tests at f/8 and see if they are sharper. Also try higher shutter speeds. That flag in the wind is really moving fast as the wind gusts were from 30 to 45 mph today. Even constantly it was easily above 20mph. Those flags shafts will bend and move and then the flag is probably flapping like crazy in an open field/golf course.

My Tamron was noted in the past as it is sharpest at f/8. I essentially use it at f/8 ALL THE TIME.
The earlier Sigma 150-500 had the same issue. I don't know about the current Sigma 150-600s.

 

[jcdeboever]

Wish I knew about this earlier. I did absolutely NOTHING all day. I would have gone to AA and met you and tested it out.

But redo those tests at f/8 and see if they are sharper. Also try higher shutter speeds. That flag in the wind is really moving fast as the wind gusts were from 30 to 45 mph today. Even constantly it was easily above 20mph. Those flags shafts will bend and move and then the flag is probably flapping like crazy in an open field/golf course.

My Tamron was noted in the past as it is sharpest at f/8. I essentially use it at f/8 ALL THE TIME.
The earlier Sigma 150-500 had the same issue. I don't know about the current Sigma 150-600s.

Ok. Will try it when I get time. Yes they were whipping but the heron which I didn't post were even worse. I couldn't have met you today anyway. After I finished 9 loads of laundry I ran up and seen grandma at hospice. Still there but leaving shortly.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[DarkShadow]

Just some observation your In AF-S on what looks like the flag is blowing around so it looks to be OOF more then a sharpness issue to me. I found Also almost all consumer lenses I had or have do better stopped down.For example f/6.3 stopped down to f/8 should be noticeably sharper.Here is some recents with my sigma 150-600 @ 600mm stopped down to f/8 . These are Large Jpegs from the D7200 In Camera sharpening +7 No PP Sharpening.

 

[DarkShadow]

Just thought I mention that I returned my first copy to B&H for a faulty OS that was not working correctly.The second copy I have now is perfect. I also bought the Dock for calibration and firmware updates.After downloading the software from the sigma website,straight away a firmware update was found and I updated it . Also with the dock and software allows a user to change the default OS from standard mode to dynamic mode for maximum effectiveness on stabilization for hand holding stored in one of the two custom modes 1 or 2 then you just set your switch to the one you selected. You Can also change the AF speed from normal to its fastest setting which I did that to and So far so good. Oh yes I almost forgot, its just as sharp on my D3300 as well.

 

[shefjr]

Something maybe to consider would be to send in the camera body with the lens. I did that with my D7000 and the Sigma 150-500. I only had to pay for it to be shipped to them. They "married" the lens to the camera at the factory and I think had it back to me in a few days. I am much happier with the results after having sent in the lens. Additionally, if there was then a problem with the lens they could repair or replace for you.

 

[jcdeboever]

Just thought I mention that I returned my first copy to B&H for a faulty OS that was not working correctly.The second copy I have now is perfect. I also bought the Dock for calibration and firmware updates.After downloading the software from the sigma website,straight away a firmware update was found and I updated it . Also with the dock and software allows a user to change the default OS from standard mode to dynamic mode for maximum effectiveness on stabilization for hand holding stored in one of the two custom modes 1 or 2 then you just set your switch to the one you selected. You Can also change the AF speed from normal to its fastest setting which I did that to and So far so good. Oh yes I almost forgot, its just as sharp on my D3300 as well.

I did download the software and hooked it to the dock. Yuck, Windows, I hate Windows. I checked for firmware but it had the latest already. I had no idea how to do what you did but didn't try real hard to figure it out. The software doesn't appear intuitive at first glance but gonna give it another go.

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[Didereaux]

I have to disagree. There IS a difference between 1 & 2. Look carefully at first the doorway/windows vertical supports above the bushes. You will see motion shake in # 1, but far less if any in #2 So there is IS and it is working. Secondly look at the flag it is WIND blurred! But even under those conditions #2 is sharper. Again IS. 1/800th will not stop that much motion. It sounds like for some reason or another you want to toss the lens. But your evidence doesn't support your reasons!

 

[jcdeboever]

I have to disagree. There IS a difference between 1 & 2. Look carefully at first the doorway/windows vertical supports above the bushes. You will see motion shake in # 1, but far less if any in #2 So there is IS and it is working. Secondly look at the flag it is WIND blurred! But even under those conditions #2 is sharper. Again IS. 1/800th will not stop that much motion. It sounds like for some reason or another you want to toss the lens. But your evidence doesn't support your reasons!

No, I don't want to toss or send back the lens. I was frustrated because the first pics I took of cranes were very blurred. I need to further test it. I am somewhat new at all this. The lens is heavy and hard to steady, not used to that either. I will keep on testing when I get a chance. I jumped the frustrated gun, I just want it to work.


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[480sparky]

Set it up on a sturdy tripod and aim it at something it can easily acquire AF on. Then turn off the AF.

Manually turn the focus ring one way or the other, but not much. Now start taking a series of photos, moving the focus ring back in the opposite direction you originally turned it. Keep shooting until you go well past where the camera AF'd at.

In other words, let's say the lens focused at precisely 100'. Turn off the AF and manually move the lens so it will be focused on, say, 110 feet. Then start shooting, moving the focus ring to 109, 108, 107 feet. Keep going until you get down to 90 feet.

Now pixel-peep the results. Is there ANY image(s) in focus?

 

[Derrel]

This lens is known to be "not that great" when it is wide-open at f/6.3. Additionally, I agree with Didereaux's comments above--shot 1 looks like it has some motion blurring, but #2 has less--look at the white cap on the flag shaft, see the ghost outline. The camera settings of ISO 125, 550mm, and 1/800 second are really not very good settings. First off, every single report from every user has stated that this lens is **not** that good at the long end at f/6.3...it's just...not. Your ISO level is too low because it left you at 1/800 second with a 550mm focal length, and multiplied by 550mm is 841.5mm...the 1/over focal length guideline is not quite met....but the real world guideline I go by is TWICE the effective focal length on lens lengths over 200mm...plus, additionally, that flag is whipping in the wind. SHot 1 looks to me like motion blurring, but also, combined with that thin layer of veiling glare over the image...that subtle, gentle hazy look called veiling glare (that term must be 100 years old).

Luckily, you were photographing indoors, thus sheltered from the wind, but the flag is whipping hard, and it appears to me to be recorded with a slight bit of wind-motion blurring. And I can see the image lacks a bit of contrast, due to the veiling. In this testing scenario there's only ONE, single plane of focus that the lens can resolve and show sharpness at, and that plane is the thickness of the flag fabric. To evaluate a front- or back focus issue, you would need a subject that has more than air, located in the immediate area of the focused distance; something like the side of a large, brick building, shot at an angle, would make a good target that would allow you to check focus.

I looked at 1 and 2--I think your focus is pretty close to dead-on: LOOK at the stitching thread--it is resolved fairly clearly as a line of stitching, but the lens is not pro-grade at f/6.3, it shows low contrast, and low resolving ability, and 1/800 in a stiff breeze is just not a good shutter speed on what is, likely, an oscillating flag. From the tests I've seen, and the actual pictures I have seen from your lens, it's NOT "that good" of a lens at the longer end. Long lenses, over 300mm, often show image quality issues caused by uncorrected chromatic aberration; it generally takes ED glass to get rid of that.

I'd look for a non-moving, solid target, and get the shutter speed at least 50% higher, to 1/1250 or so, and try f/8 at the long end: I think that veiling, that hard-to-describe look, will be reduced a good deal. F/8 is 2/3 of a stop down from wide-open, so I expect you'll be a lot happier at f/8 than you are f/6.3. But it WILL MANDATE that you step the ISO level UP from 125 during the winter.