It's so nice to have an English video without the 'Yo, wud up guys! We're going to be super cool today voice!' Easy soft voice, content is great and no unnecessary drama. Call me old school, but I can actually concentrate.
That's because the video is about the lens, not about the photographer. Self-referential statements apply to the nature of cameras and tested applications, not specifically telling us that he's a pro or advertising services.
@Eagleeye Jones You mean Jarrod. He's actially a nice guy and very knowledgable, but at 64 my ears just cant run as fast as his mouth. I use Chris all the time for good honest reviews. Gordon Laing is good too.
8:18 I would have never thought of putting vents in a lens hood but it completely makes sense. Without it it's just a big parachute to catch all the wind and shake you camera around
I've been using this lens for 2 years. Initially, the weight will be an issue for some when using hand-held (which is the best way to use it IMO). But after some use, you'll get used to using it. The sport version is simply too heavy for a lot of people. The lens is great fun and brilliant for birding, both for photography and actually using to identify birds. It's also a great lens for composition in dare I say, 'street photography' and creating these 'compressed' images. Great review Chris.
I bought mine last September new. I certainly do not regret my purchase. I use it regularly on my Nikon D7200 and I believe it be a very good and sharp lens. I use it primarily for bird photography.
Hi I have a D7200 too, and I am debating between this one and the Nikkor 200-500mm... is your lens still performing well? Are you still happy with your purchase ?
@@andrecruz4484 Yes, I am. I still have it and still works well. I still don't regret the purchase. That being said, if I had a choice between the Sigma or the Nikkor, I would pick the Nikkor. This, in my opinion, does not mean that the Sigma isn't good. I just think the Nikkor is just an edge better in image quality. The Tamron G2 version is also good too. I don't think you will be disappointed in any of these choices.
I have been using this lens for the past 2 years at super bike events and have had brilliant results. Handheld at 600 on fast moving subjects and have the results I was looking for from behind the spectator fences
Thanks for what I believe to be the best review of this lens on UA-cam. I purchased one and have struggled to get nice, consistently sharp images, married to a Nikon D7200, even on a mono-pod. I have the usb dock so will now use your recommended OS settings for C1, along with stopping down to f8. Thanks for all your time on this, look forward to improved results.
Love your videos. Very informative. I also watched your "Letters" series and was very pleased. You are a true blessing not only to photographers, but to the world in general.
4:26 This is the main difference between Sigma and Tamron for anyone in doubt, other than these really not much difference between these two great lenses. I have had two Tamron 150- 600mm, Original and II Gen, and in no time both had a broken outer ring so no more lens sunshade can be attached as the ring is HIGHLY and notoriously fragile and breaks on slights hit, the last time a hi to the wall, as I was turning indoor!!!!!! I am still a Tamron fanboy but a fair one in that. So have to give this to Bigma!
I got this lens one month ago (without the dock), for me it's the best ratio price / sharpness / weight for the 600mm range, built quality feel great, focusing is good, sometime difficult but my 6D play a role in that too. I managed to shoot a wild roe, hand-held at 516mm and at 1/160s, the result was surprisingly sharp, I can't wait to shoot more and more with it, the 600mm range opens up a lot of possibilities!
I've seen a lot of reviews of this lens and honestly, this one was the most comprehensive, all encompassing, clearly explained review (and on a side note, the BG music was pleasant, subtle and not obnoxious in it's levels) Thanks! I'm mostly looking for lenses compatible with my Sony A6600 camera and not sure if I really would need the other reviews on your channel (to be fair, I haven't gone through the list of video reviews you have and only skimmed through it) but I'm so happy with your video, I decided to subscribe to your channel anyway :) Thanks for your time, presentation and attention to details
Thank you for such a great review! I just purchased this lens and have yet to use it in the field. This review is the best on the web. You do us a wonderful service!
My hubby surprised me with this lens today, it was at the very top of my want-to-buy list! I am a wedding photographer by trade but I want to do a lot more nature photography and I also shoot our big airshow every year, so I am beyond excited to have this baby in my collection! Thanks for the great video, I really appreciate it!
I've had several people tell me how soft this lens is at 600mm, I've had mine for about 5 years now and have used it on my old Canon 7D, my little M5, my R and now my R3, I have always been very happy with the results.
I got the canon version earlier this year. Used it in combination with the MC-11 on my a73 at an airshow past summer and was quite happy with the results. Good hand held AF results.
I think it's important to use a duo battery pack on the camera in order to get not just the 150-600mm to properly operate (...and get full use of the AF) but with any other high-end lens regardless of the manufacturer. I'm sure plopping in a freshly charged 1800mA battery will provide ample power but after shooting in high frame rate, that battery's strength will quickly diminish - especially in a cold climate.
I had this lens for a year and a half, ended up selling it because it was so large and heavy it was hard to bring any other lens with me. Upgrading to the RF 100-500 soon luckily.
Great review! I love my 150-600 and I nearly always use it on a monopod. I find this a huge help in dealing with the weight for long periods and it's surprisingly easy to lug around all together, I just hook the lens over my shoulder and head off into the unknown....
Great Review 👍 i've been using this lens for about 2 years in a Canon 750d, with surprising results in wildlife, specially birds and always handheld. I think it's (still is) the best value for money in the market.
Excellent review and I appreciated the balance between technical and practical speak :-) I was leaning towards this lens over the Sports model and the Tamaron. Your review convinced me to go this route and very satisfied with the choice. Even though it is relatively lighter still hitting the gym to help with those hand held shots. going to do some girls' lacrosse and soccer games and will likely go with a tripod or monopod for some then give the handheld a shot. I particularly appreciated your insights on the Custom and OS modes. Thank you
🇨🇦... Hey there, Christopher. I've been humming and hawing for years, waiting for a reasonable 150-500 or 150-600mm lens to come into my price range. You helped me out here. Thanks bro.
Fantastic tip on the USB dock and OS settings. I've owned the lens for quite awhile now and I always thought the stabilization was a bit crap... handheld shots were always blurry. I finally bought a USB dock based on your comments and the Dynamic OS setting is fantastic, completely changed the lens for me. It's a shame you have to make a separate purchase to get this outstanding lens to perform to its full capabilities.
Another great review, as always. I rented this lens for a shoot a while back and I was very happy with it. Even managed to get a really nice big print out of this lens on an APS-C sensor
Great stuff here, Christopher! I had been negotiating with my wife: She's getting a new bathroom for Christmas, and in return for that, she was going to get me the Canon 70-200 f/4. (I think that she won this particular transaction...) However, I recently picked up a Canon 100-400, which along with my 55-250, makes the 70-200 a bit redundant. The only lens left on my wish list is a 500mm some day. Note: I don't use mirrorless. I have my 1DX Mk III, a 7D Mk II, a 20D, and my original old 300D which is too much like an old friend to get rid of. I started reading reviews of the Sigma, watched a lot of videos here, and posted a few questions about it on the Canon forums. In sum, I've changed my Christmas wish list to the Sigma Contemporary. The Sport model was a bit more expensive, and since I'd classify myself as a semi-advanced hobbyist, I believe the Contemporary will serve me beautifully. I expect to pair it with my 1DX3, and/or my 7D2. REALLY looking forward to Christmas this year! 😉
One of my favorite lens is an older Sigma: 300mm f/2.8 DG EX with 1.4x converter. This lens is an outstanding performer especially since it is not a modern "Art" lens.
The Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS APO macro is the single best overall macro lens in existence. Also predating the "Art" era. It has that unique combination of long working distance, stabilization, AF, and a bright wide open aperture, not to mention being razor sharp and when they say APO, they mean it. Yes, macro has lots of specialists, Canon MP-E... a number of Laowa lenses, etc... but I would say this Sigma is the overall king. I do wonder if they plan to refresh it soon, since the Art line is getting pretty filled out.
4:15 That was the photography equivalent to a fork scraping against a plate :-) As always great review. I got a canon 40mm and 55-250mm stm based on your reviews and I'm so glad i did. Thanks.
@@c2h3cl82 really good. It is sharp, it focuses fast. It is light and so far no quality issues. Just keep in mind it is 5.6 so it is not the best in low light, but for the price is a great lens.
Great review as always. This is my go to lens for wildlife and simply love its performance on the A7III. Its like a new lens. They definitely kick ass with higher megapixel cameras especially at 600mm. Never understood why the Sigma Sport taps out to f6.3 at 340mm compared to the Contemporary at 483mm though considering the Sport is the more expensive lens. Only thing I would say is give the focus ring a few months and its as smooth as you like.
Been using this lens for a little over a year now, and I have to say that I love it for birding. I've gotten good results with my 5d classic, my Sony a7ii (w/ mc-11), and my Fuji X-T2 (w/ Fringer). I'm planning on upgrading to a Fuji X-h2 in the near future, and I hope it'll work well on that too. Just have to wait and see. This one is a keeper tho for sure 👌
I love this lens. Perfect marriage with my 1Dx. Beast and Bazooka. I took recently few birds in flight and was super impressed with how sharp they came. All handheld.
Great review. I’ve been doing a lot of alligator and bird photography as of late. I’ve been looking at this lens and the rf 600/800mm. I own an r6 and and m6mk2. I realize the rf won’t work on the m6 but will on the r6. If you had to choose between these three lenses which one would you go with? If a gator runs at me I can beat him with the sigma but can run away faster with the canons.
I agree it is nice to hear English voice. I have this lens and it is pretty good for the price. I will be setting the OSS to Dynamic to get better stabilization.
1:00 you say that the lens is adaptable to mirrorless cameras, and use a sony camera as the example. I have a canon M50 and want to adapt this lens to fit it (I have an EF adapter already), can this be done?
@@triethylborane49 I saw this manifestation in a camera shop today. the camera was utterly dwarfed by the size of the lens. I'm still not convinced that a camera with a crop sensor (APS-C) is right for it though, and I did test it out myself.
I have had the Sigma sport version for for a while, I used it with the original 7D APS-C). I tried it for a couple of weeks and could not get consistent sharp pictures, especially at the long end (600mm true 980mm). I then got myself a tripod and gimbal mount this improved the situation quite a lot but it still just did not get the results I have been hoping for. Finally I upgraded the camera to something with larger photosites (1Dmk4 APS-H sensor) what a difference. My overall conclusion is once the focal length get longer than a theoretical 450 mm (Full frame 300mm APS-C), it becomes disproportionately harder to control. There are a few video's on long lens Technique (Moose Paterson) worth a watch. It worked for me I can now get very crisp shots at 600mm (780mm true) most of the time.
Yep, I found the same when using the Sigma C on different Canon Aps-c bodies. I found the 80D to work the best all the way up to 600mm without any focus tuning and the 70d to be the worst. Sharpest pictures I've had have been with the 7dmkii with focus adjustment in with Sigma dock. 400mm pictures at around 15-20 metres were pushing prime quality in good light but found it to be less accurate past 20 metres to infinity at 600mm. On the A7III it needs zero focus adjustment and the AF sharpness plus 40 metres is simply scary but in a very good way. If anything the Sigma C on the A7III is like a completely different lens and works amazing in low light.
This is something shown on the canon european website. “As the resolution of cameras increases, and pixel sizes decrease, you may find that there is a need to use faster shutter speeds. The smaller pixels in cameras mean that any slight subject movement during the exposure is more likely to show up as subject blur - this is because it doesn’t have to move as far to affect more pixels. To avoid this just use a faster shutter speed than you would previously have done. For example, if you previously used 1/500sec, you could now try using 1/1000sec or faster.“ Shows the advantage of larger photosites and sort of explains it. There is a caveat however , I find at 6.3 @ 600mm I am alway fighting the light . most FF camera will live with 1600 to 3200. Thats not the case with APS-C cameras the higher magnification makes the problem worse. (you usually run out of higher ISO) it fine for Facebook but try to print an image out.
@@a20cae I photograph birds of prey regularly at a feeding station in the Brecon Beacons. Ive compared my work to other photographers with similar skill sets and those using prime lenses typically Nikon 200-500mm, 500mm f4 and Canon (100-400i/ii, 400mm f4 etc. I got to be firm on this one, I find that after using the Sigma contemporary for 2 years and really pushing it to the limits, as long as you take into consideration that you have to update the firmware, focus tune the lens (if it needs it for your camera) and be conservative about when you use your IS, it will deliver very sharp, prime quality photos up to around 450mm imho. Not to brag but I showed one of of my bird in flight photos to a Sony rep at this years birdfair and his jaw dropped. I can't repeat the words that came out of his mouth. Until Sigma deliver something like f4-5.6 the current contemporary for wildlife is unmatched imo. I doubt they could make a faster aperture lens like that without comprising weight. I owned the Canon 100-400i for a brief while. Stunning image quality not to different other than an extra stop of light but I definitely missed that extra reach the Sigma has and its got quick AF response. Focusing at 600mm on any lense takes skill when predicting movement and maintain balnce when shooting handheld. Although I got to say, having using the A7 III with this lens and MC-11 it will nail sharp shoots of subjects at distances of around 60m at 600mm in decent light without focus tuning. The pictures at this range will be soft but this sort of accuracy would not be achievable with a Dslr handheld or with a tripod.
You need to calibrate the lens according to the camera. You might think its sharp or soft at different focal lengths that's why you calibrate it. I have calibrated mine to the specific camera and I have no problems getting sharp photo's hand held even at the maximum focal length of 600mm.
Great review Chris, very useful thanks. I have this lens paired with the 7D mkll and very happy with the results. It came with the x1.4 extender which I haven't really used yet, that would be a massive range.
Christopher, howdy from Uruguay, I have had that lens for more than a year, but as I live in the coast I found out that it got an odd stain of who knows what in the front lens... In my country no one can fix it... I loved the quality paired with my canon's but I finally bought the tamron lens (second version) and believe me it does a better job than this sigma. In fact I bought one, sold it after one year, and bought the same one back again LOL... I am a birding photographer, those lens are fundamental for me . Thanks for a good review to which I mostly agree!
Thanks for reviewing this lens Christopher. I enjoy your reviews because they follow a similar format and are to the point with little waffle. Could you please find the time to review the new Sigma 60-600 sports lens? In my opinion this new lens will be a best seller because of the image quality and the massive focal range, along with the just about affordable price for an enthusiast photographer.
The moon sounds very impressive, especially with such a lens. Was it in full view with an APS-C ? I believed that the moon gives about 2mm per 100mm "focale" (sorry, I'm french), that means about 12mm for a 600mm. Many thanks for the video, cordially, Milos
@@callymw D500 is an APS-C camera so about the same, just may be a bit less usable with the D5600 having everything buried in menus and not on dials like they should be.
Hi Chris, I’m going to upgrade my gear soon and I am really stuck between two cameras, now I am thinking of getting this lens (sigma 150-600 C) but the real question here for me is that I hope you can give me and answer which camera shall I go for? canon 90d or the canon 7d mark ii? I’m looking to do wildlife and of course I would like to print my shots so quality of the image would be important. Hope to hear back much appreciated, thanks for your reviews!
Sports is supposed to focus faster? I got the Sport version for $900 due to price error between the C and S:-) Its heavy, and very well made. I use the Canon 1.4x on it for more reach, and works well. But auto focus is not great.
Thank you Very much Christopher , I really love your films😊. When I turned 50 this summer, all i wanted was giftcards from The local camera store. I Got 22 😄 just enough to buy The Canon 100-400 I so wanted, since I saw your review of The lens (it is a fantastic lens for my 77d) Thank you again, and take Care. Many regards from Denmark😊
So based on the info provided here, this Sigma may not be the best choice for my APS-C Nikons (Z50 and D7200). I'm deciding between this 150-600C, and Nikon's 200-500 - both of which are highly rated (with the Nikon getting higher props for image quality / sharpness overall). Thanks for this informative review!
Hi Chris, have you tested this lens on the newer RF mount Canon cameras? I'm trying to decide between this and the new RF 100-400mm (which I hope you'll be reviewing soon). Slightly different propositions I know!
I am seriously considering sidering this lenses to pair with my Canon R7. Others on my list is the Canon RF 100-400 F5.6-8 and maybe the RF 600 F11. This lens however is still top on my list, despite Sigma stating of an incompatibility issue of thr AF motor with the animal eye AF. This lens has the reach and wide aperture I want, but I would still need to adapt it and would have preferred a native mount.
Would you do a review for use together with the teleconvertor tc1401? Or maybe a review of canon 1.4x vs sigma tc1401? It would be interesting. So far have not came across any teleconvertor review. Thanks.
It's so nice to have an English video without the 'Yo, wud up guys! We're going to be super cool today voice!' Easy soft voice, content is great and no unnecessary drama. Call me old school, but I can actually concentrate.
That's because the video is about the lens, not about the photographer. Self-referential statements apply to the nature of cameras and tested applications, not specifically telling us that he's a pro or advertising services.
I completely agree with you
Couldn't agree more! Not once did he say "I'm gonna go ahead and...". Fark, that drives me crazy!!!
I even use Christopher's videos to learn english.. I mean proper english not just any english
@Eagleeye Jones You mean Jarrod. He's actially a nice guy and very knowledgable, but at 64 my ears just cant run as fast as his mouth. I use Chris all the time for good honest reviews. Gordon Laing is good too.
This guy is a best Lens review on youtube
i agree
Sun Vachana by far
That accent though
He's a chruch boy!
Thanks mum!
8:18 I would have never thought of putting vents in a lens hood but it completely makes sense. Without it it's just a big parachute to catch all the wind and shake you camera around
Very true, I don't even use hoods on very windy days for that exact reason.
Bro, YOU ARE SMART for pointing that out
I've been using this lens for 2 years. Initially, the weight will be an issue for some when using hand-held (which is the best way to use it IMO). But after some use, you'll get used to using it. The sport version is simply too heavy for a lot of people. The lens is great fun and brilliant for birding, both for photography and actually using to identify birds. It's also a great lens for composition in dare I say, 'street photography' and creating these 'compressed' images. Great review Chris.
I bought mine last September new. I certainly do not regret my purchase. I use it regularly on my Nikon D7200 and I believe it be a very good and sharp lens. I use it primarily for bird photography.
Hello is it possible to see ur birds photographs ? ^^
Hi I have a D7200 too, and I am debating between this one and the Nikkor 200-500mm... is your lens still performing well? Are you still happy with your purchase ?
@@andrecruz4484 Yes, I am. I still have it and still works well. I still don't regret the purchase. That being said, if I had a choice between the Sigma or the Nikkor, I would pick the Nikkor. This, in my opinion, does not mean that the Sigma isn't good. I just think the Nikkor is just an edge better in image quality. The Tamron G2 version is also good too. I don't think you will be disappointed in any of these choices.
Been waiting for this review for a long long time.
me too!
me too :)
I have been using this lens for the past 2 years at super bike events and have had brilliant results. Handheld at 600 on fast moving subjects and have the results I was looking for from behind the spectator fences
Thank you for another great review. I'm using this lens with Canon 80D and it is razor sharp. Great lens for the money.
can i see some of the pics captured ?
Seeing Chris' garden is the most wholesome thing I'll see all day.
go find bob ross and his squirrel
Thanks for what I believe to be the best review of this lens on UA-cam. I purchased one and have struggled to get nice, consistently sharp images, married to a Nikon D7200, even on a mono-pod. I have the usb dock so will now use your recommended OS settings for C1, along with stopping down to f8. Thanks for all your time on this, look forward to improved results.
Did it work?
Love your videos. Very informative. I also watched your "Letters" series and was very pleased. You are a true blessing not only to photographers, but to the world in general.
4:26 This is the main difference between Sigma and Tamron for anyone in doubt, other than these really not much difference between these two great lenses. I have had two Tamron 150- 600mm, Original and II Gen, and in no time both had a broken outer ring so no more lens sunshade can be attached as the ring is HIGHLY and notoriously fragile and breaks on slights hit, the last time a hi to the wall, as I was turning indoor!!!!!!
I am still a Tamron fanboy but a fair one in that. So have to give this to Bigma!
I got this lens one month ago (without the dock), for me it's the best ratio price / sharpness / weight for the 600mm range, built quality feel great, focusing is good, sometime difficult but my 6D play a role in that too. I managed to shoot a wild roe, hand-held at 516mm and at 1/160s, the result was surprisingly sharp, I can't wait to shoot more and more with it, the 600mm range opens up a lot of possibilities!
I've seen a lot of reviews of this lens and honestly, this one was the most comprehensive, all encompassing, clearly explained review (and on a side note, the BG music was pleasant, subtle and not obnoxious in it's levels)
Thanks! I'm mostly looking for lenses compatible with my Sony A6600 camera and not sure if I really would need the other reviews on your channel (to be fair, I haven't gone through the list of video reviews you have and only skimmed through it) but I'm so happy with your video, I decided to subscribe to your channel anyway :)
Thanks for your time, presentation and attention to details
Thank you for such a great review! I just purchased this lens and have yet to use it in the field. This review is the best on the web. You do us a wonderful service!
I love the shot of the bird sitting on your test chart.
My hubby surprised me with this lens today, it was at the very top of my want-to-buy list! I am a wedding photographer by trade but I want to do a lot more nature photography and I also shoot our big airshow every year, so I am beyond excited to have this baby in my collection! Thanks for the great video, I really appreciate it!
How has it been? And what camera have you used it with?
This is so pleasant to watch. Well done once again!
"Don't spy on people" 😆 Chris your reviews are both informative and entertaining!!
I've had several people tell me how soft this lens is at 600mm, I've had mine for about 5 years now and have used it on my old Canon 7D, my little M5, my R and now my R3, I have always been very happy with the results.
I got the canon version earlier this year. Used it in combination with the MC-11 on my a73 at an airshow past summer and was quite happy with the results. Good hand held AF results.
LOL "This makes it the perfect lens for spying on people.... Don't spy on people."
I need a lens like this because i do spy on people as a private investigator :D
I think it's important to use a duo battery pack on the camera in order to get not just the 150-600mm to properly operate (...and get full use of the AF) but with any other high-end lens regardless of the manufacturer.
I'm sure plopping in a freshly charged 1800mA battery will provide ample power but after shooting in high frame rate, that battery's strength will quickly diminish - especially in a cold climate.
Thank you fir taking the time to do this review. You f do I am amazing job. Impeccable!!
I had this lens for a year and a half, ended up selling it because it was so large and heavy it was hard to bring any other lens with me. Upgrading to the RF 100-500 soon luckily.
Great review! I love my 150-600 and I nearly always use it on a monopod. I find this a huge help in dealing with the weight for long periods and it's surprisingly easy to lug around all together, I just hook the lens over my shoulder and head off into the unknown....
As usual, the most comprehensive lens reviews. Great video! I hope to get one of these someday. I'd love to get pictures of the moon with it.
Always enjoy your reviews, Chris. Many thanks.
Your videos are timeless, so relaxing and informative 🥳🥳🥳🥳🤩🤩🤩
And another great review. In my humble opinion, the best reviews out there. Thanks Chris 👍
Great Review 👍 i've been using this lens for about 2 years in a Canon 750d, with surprising results in wildlife, specially birds and always handheld. I think it's (still is) the best value for money in the market.
Excellent review and I appreciated the balance between technical and practical speak :-) I was leaning towards this lens over the Sports model and the Tamaron. Your review convinced me to go this route and very satisfied with the choice. Even though it is relatively lighter still hitting the gym to help with those hand held shots. going to do some girls' lacrosse and soccer games and will likely go with a tripod or monopod for some then give the handheld a shot. I particularly appreciated your insights on the Custom and OS modes. Thank you
Thanks I have this lens and love it for my Sony A6500, A7RIII and A7III,using the Sigma MC-11 adapter. Cheers
Any issues with the focus with the A6500?
I've been waiting for Chris to review the APO version
i just noticed that the test image in the bottom right of your image sheet is a shot of polperro! its a lovely town!
🇨🇦... Hey there, Christopher. I've been humming and hawing for years, waiting for a reasonable 150-500 or 150-600mm lens to come into my price range. You helped me out here. Thanks bro.
Excellent review...Thanks, I think a lot of people have been waiting for this.
Thanks for the review. It's helped me with making my choice for the Sigma and a Sony
Excellent review as always Christopher. Thank you for taking the time to do all your reviews so well.
I am considering this or the Tamron G2 for my "Moon" shots. As the iso will by f/8 or f/11 which would you pick ?
I can't remember if either of them is sharper - I think they're about the same. Check out my review of the Tamron lens :-)
Fantastic tip on the USB dock and OS settings. I've owned the lens for quite awhile now and I always thought the stabilization was a bit crap... handheld shots were always blurry. I finally bought a USB dock based on your comments and the Dynamic OS setting is fantastic, completely changed the lens for me. It's a shame you have to make a separate purchase to get this outstanding lens to perform to its full capabilities.
Another great review, as always. I rented this lens for a shoot a while back and I was very happy with it. Even managed to get a really nice big print out of this lens on an APS-C sensor
Great stuff here, Christopher! I had been negotiating with my wife: She's getting a new bathroom for Christmas, and in return for that, she was going to get me the Canon 70-200 f/4. (I think that she won this particular transaction...) However, I recently picked up a Canon 100-400, which along with my 55-250, makes the 70-200 a bit redundant. The only lens left on my wish list is a 500mm some day. Note: I don't use mirrorless. I have my 1DX Mk III, a 7D Mk II, a 20D, and my original old 300D which is too much like an old friend to get rid of.
I started reading reviews of the Sigma, watched a lot of videos here, and posted a few questions about it on the Canon forums. In sum, I've changed my Christmas wish list to the Sigma Contemporary. The Sport model was a bit more expensive, and since I'd classify myself as a semi-advanced hobbyist, I believe the Contemporary will serve me beautifully. I expect to pair it with my 1DX3, and/or my 7D2. REALLY looking forward to Christmas this year! 😉
One of my favorite lens is an older Sigma: 300mm f/2.8 DG EX with 1.4x converter. This lens is an outstanding performer especially since it is not a modern "Art" lens.
The Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS APO macro is the single best overall macro lens in existence. Also predating the "Art" era. It has that unique combination of long working distance, stabilization, AF, and a bright wide open aperture, not to mention being razor sharp and when they say APO, they mean it. Yes, macro has lots of specialists, Canon MP-E... a number of Laowa lenses, etc... but I would say this Sigma is the overall king. I do wonder if they plan to refresh it soon, since the Art line is getting pretty filled out.
I just took delivery of this lens. THANKS for your through review and walk through!
Thanks for the review.
A local retailer has this lens on sale so I'll be buying one based on your recommendation.
4:15 That was the photography equivalent to a fork scraping against a plate :-)
As always great review.
I got a canon 40mm and 55-250mm stm based on your reviews and I'm so glad i did. Thanks.
Imma get that 55-250mm stm lens. How did it perform for you?
@@c2h3cl82 really good. It is sharp, it focuses fast. It is light and so far no quality issues. Just keep in mind it is 5.6 so it is not the best in low light, but for the price is a great lens.
@@doctorlovera Excellent! Thank you for your input. I don't really care much for the aperture caveat, so this will be a no-brainer for me.
Great review as always. This is my go to lens for wildlife and simply love its performance on the A7III. Its like a new lens. They definitely kick ass with higher megapixel cameras especially at 600mm. Never understood why the Sigma Sport taps out to f6.3 at 340mm compared to the Contemporary at 483mm though considering the Sport is the more expensive lens. Only thing I would say is give the focus ring a few months and its as smooth as you like.
How is the video quality of this lens with A7lll?
Been using this lens for a little over a year now, and I have to say that I love it for birding. I've gotten good results with my 5d classic, my Sony a7ii (w/ mc-11), and my Fuji X-T2 (w/ Fringer). I'm planning on upgrading to a Fuji X-h2 in the near future, and I hope it'll work well on that too. Just have to wait and see. This one is a keeper tho for sure 👌
Tamron variant too?? Great video Chris!!
I love this lens. Perfect marriage with my 1Dx. Beast and Bazooka.
I took recently few birds in flight and was super impressed with how sharp they came. All handheld.
Love my Sigma 150-600C & Canon 80D combo. Have gotten some great wildlife images. Can't beat both for the price.
awesome. Got the lens and already had the camera. Hoping to get some goodness out of it. Did you have to use the sigma dock to get satisfying results?
Thank you for this review, Christopher! I'd love to get a telephoto zoom sometime, trying to decide between Canon and Sigma. Enjoy your new lens! :)
excellent review. i've been thinking of getting this for my old canon 7d mainly for bird shots, likely with a mono pod. thanks
Would the only reason to get the Canon f/11 600mm prime over this be the lighter build? Or am I missing something
Yes, the Sigma ist nearly 2 Stops (4x) brighter!
Yet again another fantastic no thrills review. 10 out of 10.
Great review. I’ve been doing a lot of alligator and bird photography as of late. I’ve been looking at this lens and the rf 600/800mm. I own an r6 and and m6mk2. I realize the rf won’t work on the m6 but will on the r6. If you had to choose between these three lenses which one would you go with? If a gator runs at me I can beat him with the sigma but can run away faster with the canons.
I agree it is nice to hear English voice.
I have this lens and it is pretty good for the price. I will be setting the OSS to Dynamic to get better stabilization.
Love your style for your reviews 👍🏼
I don't experience any sticky turning of the focus and zoom ring.
1:00 you say that the lens is adaptable to mirrorless cameras, and use a sony camera as the example.
I have a canon M50 and want to adapt this lens to fit it (I have an EF adapter already), can this be done?
I don't see why not
@@triethylborane49 I saw this manifestation in a camera shop today. the camera was utterly dwarfed by the size of the lens. I'm still not convinced that a camera with a crop sensor (APS-C) is right for it though, and I did test it out myself.
@@STAG162 Interesting.
I have had the Sigma sport version for for a while, I used it with the original 7D APS-C).
I tried it for a couple of weeks and could not get consistent sharp pictures, especially at
the long end (600mm true 980mm).
I then got myself a tripod and gimbal mount this improved the situation quite a lot but it still
just did not get the results I have been hoping for. Finally I upgraded the camera to something
with larger photosites (1Dmk4 APS-H sensor) what a difference. My overall conclusion is once the focal length get longer than a theoretical 450 mm (Full frame 300mm APS-C), it becomes disproportionately harder to control.
There are a few video's on long lens Technique (Moose Paterson) worth a watch.
It worked for me I can now get very crisp shots at 600mm (780mm true) most of the time.
Yep, I found the same when using the Sigma C on different Canon Aps-c bodies. I found the 80D to work the best all the way up to 600mm without any focus tuning and the 70d to be the worst. Sharpest pictures I've had have been with the 7dmkii with focus adjustment in with Sigma dock. 400mm pictures at around 15-20 metres were pushing prime quality in good light but found it to be less accurate past 20 metres to infinity at 600mm. On the A7III it needs zero focus adjustment and the AF sharpness plus 40 metres is simply scary but in a very good way. If anything the Sigma C on the A7III is like a completely different lens and works amazing in low light.
This is something shown on the canon european website.
“As the resolution of cameras increases, and pixel sizes decrease, you may find that there is a need to use faster shutter speeds. The smaller pixels in cameras mean that any slight subject movement during the exposure is more likely to show up as subject blur - this is because it doesn’t have to move as far to affect more pixels. To avoid this just use a faster shutter speed than you would previously have done. For example, if you previously used 1/500sec, you could now try using 1/1000sec or faster.“
Shows the advantage of larger photosites and sort of explains it. There is a caveat however , I find at 6.3 @ 600mm I am alway fighting the light .
most FF camera will live with 1600 to 3200. Thats not the case with APS-C cameras the higher magnification makes the problem worse.
(you usually run out of higher ISO) it fine for Facebook but try to print an image out.
@@a20cae I photograph birds of prey regularly at a feeding station in the Brecon Beacons. Ive compared my work to other photographers with similar skill sets and those using prime lenses typically Nikon 200-500mm, 500mm f4 and Canon (100-400i/ii, 400mm f4 etc. I got to be firm on this one, I find that after using the Sigma contemporary for 2 years and really pushing it to the limits, as long as you take into consideration that you have to update the firmware, focus tune the lens (if it needs it for your camera) and be conservative about when you use your IS, it will deliver very sharp, prime quality photos up to around 450mm imho.
Not to brag but I showed one of of my bird in flight photos to a Sony rep at this years birdfair and his jaw dropped. I can't repeat the words that came out of his mouth.
Until Sigma deliver something like f4-5.6 the current contemporary for wildlife is unmatched imo. I doubt they could make a faster aperture lens like that without comprising weight. I owned the Canon 100-400i for a brief while. Stunning image quality not to different other than an extra stop of light but I definitely missed that extra reach the Sigma has and its got quick AF response.
Focusing at 600mm on any lense takes skill when predicting movement and maintain balnce when shooting handheld. Although I got to say, having using the A7 III with this lens and MC-11 it will nail sharp shoots of subjects at distances of around 60m at 600mm in decent light without focus tuning. The pictures at this range will be soft but this sort of accuracy would not be achievable with a Dslr handheld or with a tripod.
Great review! I’d love to see your thoughts on how this lens works on the Canon M6 Mk II!
You need to calibrate the lens according to the camera. You might think its sharp or soft at different focal lengths that's why you calibrate it. I have calibrated mine to the specific camera and I have no problems getting sharp photo's hand held even at the maximum focal length of 600mm.
Great review Chris, very useful thanks. I have this lens paired with the 7D mkll and very happy with the results. It came with the x1.4 extender which I haven't really used yet, that would be a massive range.
"Don't spy on people" got it. *wink*
@@operationmindfuck7145 Umm mister, I'll let you know that I use this to spy on people and it works great! don't bash a product based on its size >:(
@@adrianborinsky2989 Not really spying when you are the most conspicuous object in the area.
It would be more subtle pointing a cannon at someone.
@@operationmindfuck7145 I was joking..
@@adrianborinsky2989 No such thing as jokes...no wait that's coincidences.
@@adrianborinsky2989 Size does matter then?
How does it compare to the Sigma 100-400mm at around 400mm?
Christopher, howdy from Uruguay, I have had that lens for more than a year, but as I live in the coast I found out that it got an odd stain of who knows what in the front lens... In my country no one can fix it... I loved the quality paired with my canon's but I finally bought the tamron lens (second version) and believe me it does a better job than this sigma. In fact I bought one, sold it after one year, and bought the same one back again LOL... I am a birding photographer, those lens are fundamental for me . Thanks for a good review to which I mostly agree!
This lens is still used alot on the rf system have you tried it on the r5 ?
rarely see review of this one good work chirs
Thanks for reviewing this lens Christopher. I enjoy your reviews because they follow a similar format and are to the point with little waffle. Could you please find the time to review the new Sigma 60-600 sports lens? In my opinion this new lens will be a best seller because of the image quality and the massive focal range, along with the just about affordable price for an enthusiast photographer.
I will eventually. It's going to be a huge pain to review but I will do it eventually
Happy to report that on the Sony A7III it works great!!
hows it work for BIF or fast moving stuff?
@@TheDarkhorse228 It works really good. As long as my shudder speed is right I get a high success rate. Much better than my Canon 70D did.
@Tim Lane thanks for feedback on your a7iii. I also have a7iii and waiting for this specific lens.
This is a really swell summarization of this awesome lens. From a Burnley lad that now lives in Nashville :). Reet grand!
Thanks Christ for your sharing, I got one last winter and love it for moon and bird capture.
nice explanation.Thank you very much.Ibrought c 150mm to 600 .very good to click even to 6kilometers.
Works perfectly with my R6, even can get the full 12fps after the latest firmware update. Find it surprisingly really sharp too.
Is it really sharp? I also have a R6, I’m really considering buying it :O but no idea!!
For me, the lens works better when you set it to dynamic view mode. It is rock solid then.
I am considering to pair this lens with my Olympus E-M1 Mark II for this documentary I'm working on.
Thank you, that was very helpful. I do enjoy your videos, you are straight to the point.
Beast review yet… very detailed
The moon sounds very impressive, especially with such a lens. Was it in full view with an APS-C ? I believed that the moon gives about 2mm per 100mm "focale" (sorry, I'm french), that means about 12mm for a 600mm. Many thanks for the video, cordially, Milos
Tack excellence as usual keep the good work you gave me a lot of valuable information
05:10 I like the Word Documents the most!
Hi Christopher, It would be interesting if you make a video on "how" you make your lens review. Greetings and great review like always.
I wonder how well this performs with high resolution aps-c camera, like the 90D
I'm using the Sigma 150-600 C on a D500. It's the perfect wildlife combo.
Mike Bruschke glad I saw this comment, literally considering it for my D500. So thank you!
how do you think it would be with a d5600 ?
@@callymw D500 is an APS-C camera so about the same, just may be a bit less usable with the D5600 having everything buried in menus and not on dials like they should be.
hypercube33 thanks for the reply, I already purchased it and am having a blast haha.
@@callymw does the auto focus work on a non motorized body? thank you
Hi Chris, I’m going to upgrade my gear soon and I am really stuck between two cameras, now I am thinking of getting this lens (sigma 150-600 C) but the real question here for me is that I hope you can give me and answer which camera shall I go for? canon 90d or the canon 7d mark ii? I’m looking to do wildlife and of course I would like to print my shots so quality of the image would be important. Hope to hear back much appreciated, thanks for your reviews!
Great review, I even picked up some tips on how to get best results using ASP-C with this lens.
Can’t wait to get mine next year just started to save money up for it unless you can get this on pay monthly but don’t know we’re.
George Robertson Roberts camera offers payment through Affirm. I have used it a lot with no problems.
Sports is supposed to focus faster? I got the Sport version for $900 due to price error between the C and S:-) Its heavy, and very well made. I use the Canon 1.4x on it for more reach, and works well. But auto focus is not great.
Thank you Very much Christopher , I really love your films😊. When I turned 50 this summer, all i wanted was giftcards from The local camera store. I Got 22 😄 just enough to buy The Canon 100-400 I so wanted, since I saw your review of The lens (it is a fantastic lens for my 77d) Thank you again, and take Care. Many regards from Denmark😊
Henrik Carstensen wow 22! I’m lucky to get two! 👏🏾
So based on the info provided here, this Sigma may not be the best choice for my APS-C Nikons (Z50 and D7200). I'm deciding between this 150-600C, and Nikon's 200-500 - both of which are highly rated (with the Nikon getting higher props for image quality / sharpness overall). Thanks for this informative review!
Hi Chris, have you tested this lens on the newer RF mount Canon cameras? I'm trying to decide between this and the new RF 100-400mm (which I hope you'll be reviewing soon). Slightly different propositions I know!
I am seriously considering sidering this lenses to pair with my Canon R7. Others on my list is the Canon RF 100-400 F5.6-8 and maybe the RF 600 F11. This lens however is still top on my list, despite Sigma stating of an incompatibility issue of thr AF motor with the animal eye AF. This lens has the reach and wide aperture I want, but I would still need to adapt it and would have preferred a native mount.
Would you do a review for use together with the teleconvertor tc1401? Or maybe a review of canon 1.4x vs sigma tc1401? It would be interesting. So far have not came across any teleconvertor review. Thanks.
I'm using this lens with my Canon 90D to video birds and wildlife. I'm very pleased with the results. Great video BTW. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the video, I'm going to keep an eye out for a second hand one for my Nikon d7200 🤸
Excellent - worth your effort 👍👍👍
Thanks for a good no frills review.
would you recommend this or the Tamron 150-600mm (Gen 1 or Gen 2)?