Sigma APO 120-300mm F2.8 Ex DG APO OS HSM? thoughts?

[Aloicious]

Upgrading some of my glass and going FX soon and have been looking at some higher speed tele zooms...anyone tried the sigma EX OS 120-300 f2.8 before? I might have access to get a nice used one, but its a little ways away, so I'd rather not drive for several hours just to try it out and find out it really sucks or something. and non of the local stores carry it, so I don't know anywhere that I can go try it out first.

if you've tried it, what were your thoughts on it?

it would mostly be used for general tele work, wildlife (probably with a 1.4 or 1.7 teleconverter at times), but also sometimes for some automotive events for some photojournalism (I'll mainly be using a 24-70 nikon f2.8 for most of my journalism work, but possibly this one for longer stuff like at the race track or somewhere that I can't get close enough)

I've also been looking at the nikon 70-200 2.8, but the added length of the sigma with the same f2.8 is very appealing since my current 200 isn't quite long enough at times (even with the DX crop factor), especially for some wildlife and at some of the racing events I cover. I figure the 300mm + 1.4 or 1.7 converter would make a nice long faster lens.

 

[Dao]

Ask Overread, he just got one in Canon mount

 

[Aloicious]

oh nice, I'll have to shoot him a message or something, Thanks!

 

[Overread]

Heya!
I've honestly not had all that long to really try the lens out and see how it performs so I can't give too much direct info right now, I'll also note that I've not got access to some of the competing lenses that it fights against - eg 300mm f2.8 primes and the like.

That said a few early thoughts on the lens:

1) Zoom and focus wheels are backwards, a little bit to get used to what with having the zoom held back further, but shouldn't be too hard to get used to with a bit of time.

2) It's heavy - heavier than 300mm f2.8 lenses - certainly I don't feel that its an unmanageable handholdable weight, plus the OS will help a lot (not so much countering handshake blur when shooting action, but certainly with helping give a smoother viewfinder image whilst handholding). You might find a monopod of help though when shooting a full day with it.

4) New Sigma finish on it is much more metallic, colder than their older EX covering, but this one won't be chipping, scraping or showing up marks like the older cover would tend to do.

5) The hood screws and then clicks into place (the lack click can be a little tricky considering the size of the hood). This is as opposed to a locking screw that some larger lenses tend to sport

6) No focus limiter switches - a bit of a drawback and one oft stated with regard to this lens; its a shame though its overall AF speed is very good so it shouldn't be a major problem excepting in difficult conditions


In general my overall impression is that, for its price point and zoom features its a very well suited lens. Yes there are better primes (And for nikon your 200-400mm) though tests tend to show that the primes are not leaps and bounds ahead, plus the prices on them are much much higher. (esp on canon side, I'm not sure how nikons pricing lays out).

 

[Aloicious]

Thanks,

Does the OS version have the F-stop selector on the lens? the reason I ask is that the guy has it listed as the OS version but I didn't think the OS has the F-stop selector wheel on the lens itself (which his does). plus he said he's had it for 3 years, and I think the Os version only came out a year or 2 ago?

if it turns out to be the non-os one, I'm less enthusiastic about it, and at that point I'd probably go with a 70-200 2.8 nikon and maybe a 1.7TC or something....

 

[Overread]

Canon side non of them have the aperture selector on the lens, so I've no idea how things are for Nikon at all. That said I would be cautious a lot of lenses have varying names depending on what parts a shop decides to show and could be the guy trying to sell to you has no idea what OS means, he's just seen it attached to the similar looking lens .

that said a simple product shot showing the side would confirm - since the OS has OS control switches.

 

[Aloicious]

Canon side non of them have the aperture selector on the lens, so I've no idea how things are for Nikon at all. That said I would be cautious a lot of lenses have varying names depending on what parts a shop decides to show and could be the guy trying to sell to you has no idea what OS means, he's just seen it attached to the similar looking lens .

that said a simple product shot showing the side would confirm - since the OS has OS control switches.

yeah, his ad doesn't show the side with the switches. I'm thinking the same thing, maybe he just isn't aware of what OS is or something...I'll have to verify that before I go check it out.

 

[Aloicious]

so after looking at the photo and comparing it to BH and other places, I'm pretty sure its the older non-OS version. oh well, I guess I'll be looking at 70-200 2.8's now.