Sigma 120-300 f2.8 EX DG OS HSM

[camerasnoop]

Anybody actually got one of these and care to give me an opinion on it? This is the OS version released last year and not the non-OS version. I'm looking for a fast 2.8 zoom above 200mm for use in sports photography. I need a zoom rather than a prime at this stage. I've done the google thing and can't find much on this particular lens. Lots on the non-OS version, but I'm a bit suspicious of Sigma's QC/QA processes and the lens has been extensively redesigned from what I can tell. I don't want to fork-out over $3,000 only to find that it's a dud.

TIA

Snoopy

[I @ M]

What brand / model camera are you thinking of mounting it on Snoopy?

I haven't seen any reviews of that lens let alone know of anybody on this forum that have one. There have been a few members here that own or have owned the non OS version and from what I have seen there are mixed results with the success of it.

As for the QC/QA process at Sigma, I really don't think that the internet hype and chatter, mostly negative, is anything to base a decision on.

[kiwi]

It wont be a dud, but it wont be a good as a 300mm 2.8 prime either. Everything I have seen in the lats tow or three years suggests that Sigma have really lifted their QA game and i wouldnt personally worry about it any more than Canon really

I had the older version and really liked it but it was not as sharp at 2.8 as the Nikon I replaced it with. Similar contrast and focus speed.

You will not (or rarely) use OS for sport

The zoom is sort of nice but I found 90% of the time I was at 300mm anyway

[camerasnoop]

Thank Darren. I was only looking at the OS version because it is the latest and replaces the older one. I see there is an older one at CamerasDirect that they are asking the same price for as the newer one. The reason I'm after a zoom is because I shoot a lot of horse sports where they are coming at me. Head-on they get big pretty quickly and a prime would limit my shooting opportunities. My only Sigma experience was with a 50-500 and the rear element just snapped off it! Prior to that though I was always having to tighten the screws that held it on. I keep reading about people having to try several copies before getting one they are happy with.

Mount shouldn't make too much of a difference, should it Andrew? I'll be using it on two 1D bodies and sometimes a 5D or 40D.

[I @ M]

My only Sigma experience was with a 50-500 and the rear element just snapped off it! Prior to that though I was always having to tighten the screws that held it on. I keep reading about people having to try several copies before getting one they are happy with.

Mount shouldn't make too much of a difference, should it Andrew? I'll be using it on two 1D bodies and sometimes a 5D or 40D.

Did you have the lens with the loose screws looked at under warranty before it failed?

As I said, internet chatter and hype about lenses is not a reliable source of information, in this day and age their seem to be plenty of people that simply repeat a story that someone else has posted and call it their own experience. Many times in fact, the first report that is aired on the big www may only be a load of BS to start with.

The make of body can have a bearing on the operation of the lens as Sigma have to reverse engineer their products to work with a Canon, Nikon, Pentax etc etc body and with most communications done electronically between the two these days they need to know how the camera operates in the firmware dept. so when a maker updates their firmware for a particular camera they may throw in a bit of coding that the lens doesn't know about and that is where the fun begins. The lens then has to be rewritten to it's own CPU to talk to the camera again.

From what I have heard, Sigma lenses and Canon bodies are known to have issues with communications after firmware upgrades in some instances, of course, Canon are only doing the best thing by their customers by bringing out improvements to the bodies and are not under any obligation to ensure that their new firmware is compatible with a 3rd party product such as a Sigma lens.

[camerasnoop]

The lens was out of warranty Andrew. I simply tightened them every time I noticed they were loose. When the rear mounting section broke off, the screws were still in place but the little tabs that they screwed through, all let go at once, shearing off. That's fine, I'm not complaining about that as the lens had a rough life. The camera I was attaching at the time didn't hit the ground.

What I was more interested in was any stories by users of this new lens about getting good or bad copies. I am well aware that Sigma goes out of its way to rectify any issues, but I'm planning on buying from the US, so CR Kennedy (rightly) won't want to know about it.

In any case I see B&H have it listed for pre-orders only at this stage, so it is obviously not in circulation yet.

[Wobbles]

In any case I see B&H have it listed for pre-orders only at this stage, so it is obviously not in circulation yet.

Yes, it was only announced last year.. It was supposed to be released around April, but I think the natural & nuclear disasters in Japan put a bit of a dint in their schedule. I too have been following it's progress with some interest. Having tried the current (non OS) model a while ago I was quite impressed (maybe a "good copy") and was looking forward to even better optics, weather sealing and of course OS. If you believe the Sigma advertising (on paper, at least) it will out perform the current Sigma 300 2.8 Prime.... which could get it pretty close to the Canon/Nikon 300 2.8 territory! If they can pull it off could be a brilliant bit of gear.

[camerasnoop]

It certainly seemed a promising option for what I shoot. The non-OS version is listed as discontinued on Sigma's website. I saw a review on a website that indicated that the older version was sharper in the centre than the 300 prime in Sigma's line-up. They're about the same price. I also read that the older version gave good results with both a 1.4 and a 2X TC. That makes it a very attractive proposition for me. At the moment, I'm using F5.6 for anything over 200mm and that just doesn't cut it for me.

[I @ M]

Fresh off the web today for you Snoop, Photozone have a review up just fuel your lust a little more.

http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff...120300f28oseos

[Wobbles]

Wow, if they can get the consistent production quality, this looks like a winner... sign me up!

[camerasnoop]

Yes, they had a review of the earlier one there too for a while as well as the 100-300 F4. I'd still like a more in-depth review as I had heard complaints about the non-OS version having difficulty will not focusing on objects moving towards it, Apparently it had no focus limiter either which meant it wouldn't quickly re-acquire focus. This review seems positive enough. B&H have it at $3199 or something like that. That's not much dearer than the EF70-200F2.8L II

[kiwi]

I can tell you that the af on the siggy old one was just as fast as my Nikon prime. It doesn't focus too well if you are zooming at the same though which is fair enough

[camerasnoop]

That's really good to know thanks Darren. might have to put my name down at B&H.

[kiwi]

I'd be tempted to get a good 2nd hand one, they can go for $2k

[camerasnoop]

Gee, I'd hate to end up getting one from someone who treats their gear like I treat mine.

[dulvariprestige]

Snoopy have a look on ebay, I noticed brand new non OS versions going for $1800, if I only seen this 2 days ago before I bought a new 70-200 OS

[dulvariprestige]

don't worry about the above comment, looks like they're all gone, I did notice a quickshop international add, they're asking $2068

[camerasnoop]

That's probably the F4. Here's the OUCH price:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1106/11...gma120-300.asp

[kiwi]

lol, better be good at 4700

[camerasnoop]

You said it! My first move was to see if that non-OS model was still at Camerasdirect. Gone....!