topic Re: Sigma 150-600 in EF & RF Lenses

Sigma 150-600

Corvax — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 02:01:02 GMT

So I was going to invest and get the sigma 150-600mm lens I have a rebel sl1. Was wondering if it's a good lens for the camera I have or is it not worth getting it and save up for a better camera then get the lens. Thanks for the help

Re: Sigma 150-600

kvbarkley — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 04:22:08 GMT

Assuming you stick with Canon, the lens will work fine with your SL1 and any future body.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 22:33:13 GMT

There are two versions or models of the big Siggy zoom. The one you want is the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens for Canon EF, The "S" model would make for a very unbalanced combo.

There is also the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Canon EF. At this time if I were to buy one of there super zooms it would be the Tamron. You may want to check it out.

Re: Sigma 150-600

TTMartin — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 13:34:22 GMT

Those lenses are far to big and heavy to pair with the diminutive SL1.

Re: Sigma 150-600

kvbarkley — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:59:17 GMT

What do you mean? That is why you support the lens with its own handle, not the camera. It works fine with my XS which is not much bigger than the SL1.

Re: Sigma 150-600

TTMartin — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 18:33:32 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
What do you mean? That is why you support the lens with its own handle, not the camera. It works fine with my XS which is not much bigger than the SL1.

Supporting the lens by its 'handle' is fine for carrying it. But, handheld shooting would be awkward at best. The photo below is of my XTi with EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens and my 7D with the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 which is similar in size and weight to the Sigma 150-600 Sport.

My Canon 100-400 L IS II weighs a full lb less than the Sigma 150-600 contemporary, and I still wouldn't use it on my SL1.

I purchased an SL1 to carry on long distance backpacking trips. The SL1 camera is ideal i.e. the best camera for what it was designed for being small and light weight. Pared with the EF-S 55-250 IS STM it is superb.

I'm not a fan of the 3rd party 150-600's they are heavy compared to the Canon 100-400 L IS II, and image quality of the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary is no match for the Canon 100-400 IS II even with a 1.4X teleconverter.

Re: Sigma 150-600

kvbarkley — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 18:59:33 GMT

Now that you mention it, it is a bit awkward, but for some shots you have little choice (I wish I would have had it at Edwards this week when the F-35's went by on afterburner):

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 22:29:03 GMT

"Now that you mention it, it is a bit awkward,..."

Of course a real photographer, you adjust to it. I probably would not use the "S" on a SL1 or a M6 personally, but I know guys that do. Guess what they do just fine.

BTW, those are F16's in your photo. My father was an original member of the Thunderbird Demonstration Team. They flew the F51-D Mustang.

Re: Sigma 150-600

Waddizzle — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 23:20:08 GMT

@Corvax wrote:
So I was going to invest and get the sigma 150-600mm lens I have a rebel sl1. Was wondering if it's a good lens for the camera I have or is it not worth getting it and save up for a better camera then get the lens. Thanks for the help

I have the Sigma 150-600mm “C”, and hardly used it. I would not recommend it. Sigma released a firmware update, which was a complete rewrite of the AF algorithms. The update was like buying a new lens, and now I would recommend the lens.

It is good advice to carry the camera/lens combo by the tripod foot. The lens is quite heavy compared to what you might be accustomed to using. I always use mine on a monopod, with a Kirk MPA-2 Monopod Head.

Re: Sigma 150-600

Waddizzle — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 08:50:30 GMT

@Corvax wrote:
So I was going to invest and get the sigma 150-600mm lens I have a rebel sl1. Was wondering if it's a good lens for the camera I have or is it not worth getting it and save up for a better camera then get the lens. Thanks for the help

Another reason the SL1 is not a good match for one of the 150-600mm lens has to do with battery size. Big lenses have big focusing motors. They require a lot of power to operate. A small power supply will not operate the larger focusing motors as smoothly and accurately as a larger power supply.

Re: Sigma 150-600

RobertTheFat — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 14:19:34 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
@Corvax wrote:
So I was going to invest and get the sigma 150-600mm lens I have a rebel sl1. Was wondering if it's a good lens for the camera I have or is it not worth getting it and save up for a better camera then get the lens. Thanks for the help
Another reason the SL1 is not a good match for one of the 150-600mm lens has to do with battery size. Big lenses have big focusing motors. They require a lot of power to operate. A small power supply will not operate the larger focusing motors as smoothly and accurately as a larger power supply.

And the battery itself may be more prone to overheating, because it's trying to put out more power than it was designed for. A well-designed battery may refuse to make the attempt, but then, as Waddizzle says, a focusing motor whose power requirements aren't being met will operate sub-optimally, if at all. A mismatch between the power supply and the device being powered will cost you at one end or the other.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 14:39:49 GMT

And the Looney Toon parade continues!

LCD screen and any wireless features like Bluetooth, WiFi or GPS are the big heaviest drains. This would be followed by flash and or focus-assist. Auto-focus, image stabilization would probably be last.

Re: Sigma 150-600

kvbarkley — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 14:58:15 GMT

Sorry, ebiggs: While the *average* power drain might be low, moving all that mass on a big lens is going to require a hefty current draw.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 15:17:55 GMT

Even if that amounts to a significant loss of battery usage, which I don't agree with at all, carrying a second battery is not difficult. Lot's of folks own more than one battery. Geez!

Re: Sigma 150-600

TTMartin — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 17:32:49 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
Even if that amounts to a significant loss of battery usage, which I don't agree with at all, carrying a second battery is not difficult. Lot's of folks own more than one battery. Geez!

And lots of folks use a battery grip with two batteries for higher amperage or a 1DX camera with both higher voltage and higher amperage batteries to specifically help with the focus speed of bigger lenses.

Carrying an extra little battery in your pocket isn't going to get more power to the lens.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:42:49 GMT

"...isn't going to get more power to the lens."

The lens is going to take whatever power it needs. The only question is how long the battery can supply it. I think it not a problem but if it is take two batteries or even three.

Re: Sigma 150-600

kvbarkley — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 14:55:05 GMT

The problem with a third party lens is that Canon probably does not share maximum current draw specs so Sigma is flying blind as to how much peak current is safe.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:02:59 GMT

No, the problem is, we have not confirmed there is a problem. There is not. The Rebel SL1 or SL2 can use either the big Tamron 150-600 or the Siggy zooms or any of the big white lenses for that matter.

I have used the SL1 and the only problem is the diminutive size of the camera. But personally I wouldn't use the SL1 at all because of that fact.

Re: Sigma 150-600

RobertTheFat — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:07:02 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"...isn't going to get more power to the lens."

The lens is going to take whatever power it needs. The only question is how long the battery can supply it. I think it not a problem but if it is take two batteries or even three.

No, that is not the only question. The question at issue in this case is whether the battery can supply the required power at all.

Have you seen those plastic shells that make a AA or AAA cell look like a D cell? Try putting a AA in four of those, then put them in, say, a flashlight or camp lantern that takes four D cells. The light will be very weak if it comes on at all. The AA's simply can't supply the necessary power, even briefly. By your reasoning, you could use eight D cells to start a car. Ain't gonna happen.

Re: Sigma 150-600

ebiggs1 — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 20:33:09 GMT

The the Great Karnak would be amazed. You have never used the SL1 or the Sigma 150-600mm C at least together and yet are able to explain exactly how they will work together.

"... you could use eight D cells to start a car."

That is priceless. It certainly proves a SL1 can not work a big lens.