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Buying a Sigma 70-300 macro lens

John S

By John S
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John S Member

John S

Posted
Posted

Next week I'll be buying one of these lenses, just wondering if anybody has one of these already and what do you think of it? I tried one out on my camera last week and it looked sharp enough on the display screen - call me a silly bugger if you like, but I neglected to print out the photo's I took in the shop prior to deleting them :huh:

 

Good lens or just a waste of money?

 

Cheers, John

John S

Quanti Canicula Ille In Fenestra

 

Species caught in 2017 Common Ash, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, White Willow.

Species caught in 2016: Alder, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Crab Apple, Left Earlobe, Pedunculate Oak, Rock Whitebeam, Scots Pine, Smooth-leaved Elm, Swan, Wayfaring tree.

Species caught in 2015: Ash, Bird Cherry, Black-Headed Gull, Common Hazel, Common Whitebeam, Elder, Field Maple, Gorse, Puma, Sessile Oak, White Willow.

Species caught in 2014: Big Angry Man's Ear, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Common Whitebeam, Downy Birch, European Beech, European Holly, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, Wych Elm.
Species caught in 2013: Beech, Elder, Hawthorn, Oak, Right Earlobe, Scots Pine.

Species caught in 2012: Ash, Aspen, Beech, Big Nasty Stinging Nettle, Birch, Copper Beech, Grey Willow, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Wasp Nest (that was a really bad day), White Poplar.
Species caught in 2011: Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Elder, Fir, Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut, Oak, Passing Dog, Rowan, Sycamore, Willow.
Species caught in 2010: Ash, Beech, Birch, Elder, Elm, Gorse, Mullberry, Oak, Poplar, Rowan, Sloe, Willow, Yew.

Gillies Member

Gillies

Posted
Posted

Hi John

 

Pound for pound this is a superb lens - I have had one for years, taking loads up loads of shots and have been more than happy with its performance. I only use it occasionally now, since I purchased Canon L telephoto lenses - but it is definately worth the money and getting.

 

In my experiences, its nice and sharp up to 200mm, from 200mm to 300mm the images can be a wee bit softer depending on the available light, but if you have good light the images are plenty sharp.

 

The Macro feature on it is surprisingly very very good, I've got some really nice shots of flying insects etc with it.

 

All in all, a very good lens for the money and I personally would highly recommend it.

 

Gillies

tha fis agam a bhe iasg nuth dunidh sasain!

 

www.gilliesmackenzie.com

John S Member

John S

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for that Gillies :thumbs:

 

I've noticed that they do two versions, normal and APO (which I assume stands for apochromatic....), if they have the latter in stock I'll try to get that one instead :)

John S

Quanti Canicula Ille In Fenestra

 

Species caught in 2017 Common Ash, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, White Willow.

Species caught in 2016: Alder, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Crab Apple, Left Earlobe, Pedunculate Oak, Rock Whitebeam, Scots Pine, Smooth-leaved Elm, Swan, Wayfaring tree.

Species caught in 2015: Ash, Bird Cherry, Black-Headed Gull, Common Hazel, Common Whitebeam, Elder, Field Maple, Gorse, Puma, Sessile Oak, White Willow.

Species caught in 2014: Big Angry Man's Ear, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Common Whitebeam, Downy Birch, European Beech, European Holly, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, Wych Elm.
Species caught in 2013: Beech, Elder, Hawthorn, Oak, Right Earlobe, Scots Pine.

Species caught in 2012: Ash, Aspen, Beech, Big Nasty Stinging Nettle, Birch, Copper Beech, Grey Willow, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Wasp Nest (that was a really bad day), White Poplar.
Species caught in 2011: Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Elder, Fir, Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut, Oak, Passing Dog, Rowan, Sycamore, Willow.
Species caught in 2010: Ash, Beech, Birch, Elder, Elm, Gorse, Mullberry, Oak, Poplar, Rowan, Sloe, Willow, Yew.

  • 2 weeks later...
phil dean Member

phil dean

Posted
Posted

great lens, but it takes some holding at the macro end and blur can easily creap in, plenty of light and a tripod for me, but that doesn't help with the insects. Certainly the best value out of the lenses I tried, very cheap for what you get.

phil,

JOIN ANMC TODAY

John S Member

John S

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks Phil :)

 

I should have mentioned that I bought the lens on the 30th, and am well chuffed with it. It's the APO version I bought and although I haven't used it much since buying it, I'm very pleased with the results. In the same week I also decided to replace my tri and monopods, both of which had seen better decades....

 

My next purchase is going to be a Nikon 50mm lens. Zooms are nice and handy, but I miss the limited depth of field you can get with an f1.8 :camera:

John S

Quanti Canicula Ille In Fenestra

 

Species caught in 2017 Common Ash, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, White Willow.

Species caught in 2016: Alder, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Crab Apple, Left Earlobe, Pedunculate Oak, Rock Whitebeam, Scots Pine, Smooth-leaved Elm, Swan, Wayfaring tree.

Species caught in 2015: Ash, Bird Cherry, Black-Headed Gull, Common Hazel, Common Whitebeam, Elder, Field Maple, Gorse, Puma, Sessile Oak, White Willow.

Species caught in 2014: Big Angry Man's Ear, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Common Whitebeam, Downy Birch, European Beech, European Holly, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, Wych Elm.
Species caught in 2013: Beech, Elder, Hawthorn, Oak, Right Earlobe, Scots Pine.

Species caught in 2012: Ash, Aspen, Beech, Big Nasty Stinging Nettle, Birch, Copper Beech, Grey Willow, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Wasp Nest (that was a really bad day), White Poplar.
Species caught in 2011: Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Elder, Fir, Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut, Oak, Passing Dog, Rowan, Sycamore, Willow.
Species caught in 2010: Ash, Beech, Birch, Elder, Elm, Gorse, Mullberry, Oak, Poplar, Rowan, Sloe, Willow, Yew.

Westie Member

Westie

Posted
Posted
  John S said:
Thanks Phil :)

 

I should have mentioned that I bought the lens on the 30th, and am well chuffed with it. It's the APO version I bought and although I haven't used it much since buying it, I'm very pleased with the results. In the same week I also decided to replace my tri and monopods, both of which had seen better decades....

 

My next purchase is going to be a Nikon 50mm lens. Zooms are nice and handy, but I miss the limited depth of field you can get with an f1.8 :camera:

 

Hi John - I'm a Nikon user too - I have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 - dof can be tricky (and fun) with that. 50mm f1.8 gets rave reviews for the price. Be interested to see what you think of it!

Westie.

 

If you're being chased by a police dog, try not to go through a tunnel, then on to a little seesaw, then jump through a hoop of fire. They're trained for that.

 

Visit My Photo Gallery

John S Member

John S

Posted
  • Author
Posted
  Westie said:
Hi John - I'm a Nikon user too - I have a Sigma 30mm f1.4 - dof can be tricky (and fun) with that. 50mm f1.8 gets rave reviews for the price. Be interested to see what you think of it!

 

I might do a mini-review when i get it then ;)

John S

Quanti Canicula Ille In Fenestra

 

Species caught in 2017 Common Ash, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, White Willow.

Species caught in 2016: Alder, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Crab Apple, Left Earlobe, Pedunculate Oak, Rock Whitebeam, Scots Pine, Smooth-leaved Elm, Swan, Wayfaring tree.

Species caught in 2015: Ash, Bird Cherry, Black-Headed Gull, Common Hazel, Common Whitebeam, Elder, Field Maple, Gorse, Puma, Sessile Oak, White Willow.

Species caught in 2014: Big Angry Man's Ear, Blackthorn, Common Ash, Common Whitebeam, Downy Birch, European Beech, European Holly, Hawthorn, Hazel, Scots Pine, Wych Elm.
Species caught in 2013: Beech, Elder, Hawthorn, Oak, Right Earlobe, Scots Pine.

Species caught in 2012: Ash, Aspen, Beech, Big Nasty Stinging Nettle, Birch, Copper Beech, Grey Willow, Holly, Hazel, Oak, Wasp Nest (that was a really bad day), White Poplar.
Species caught in 2011: Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Elder, Fir, Hawthorn, Horse Chestnut, Oak, Passing Dog, Rowan, Sycamore, Willow.
Species caught in 2010: Ash, Beech, Birch, Elder, Elm, Gorse, Mullberry, Oak, Poplar, Rowan, Sloe, Willow, Yew.

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