For E-mount owners, however, there are a couple of direct rivals and also some caveats to bear in mind. Image quality is exceptional, with ultra-high-performance glass capable of delivering ultra-sharp results even on the highest resolution cameras. The lens displays beautiful bokeh throughout its zoom range, and optical aberrations are kept well under control. It can be used with SIGMA’s 1.4× and 2× L-Mount teleconverters, with AF effective up to 1200mm. It's also quite a bit larger and heavier than the Sigma. Its barrel diameter is close enough that you won't notice the difference, but it's a full 5.2cm (2.0") longer. And it weighs 2.12kg (4.66lb), which sounds almost the same as the 2.1kg (4.63lb) Sigma unless you note the fact that Sigma includes its non-removable tripod mount in the weight figure, whereas Sony doesn't.

Focus accuracy and repeatability is critical to consistently produce sharp shots. Repeatability (the accuracy of focus on the same subject after repeated focus-acquisition) of the Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS under well-lit test conditions is good (measured 96.4% in Reikan FoCal) but shows some focus variation especially when focusing from further away. And there was one clearly misfocused shot over a series of 40 shots. At 200mm focal length the lens focuses in around 0.7 sec from infinity to 2.08m (1:10 magnification). In darker conditions (+5EV) I encountered a lot of hunting at focal lengths of 300mm and beyond. Capture the long-reach images you have always wanted with an ultra-telephoto lens—that’s the visual experience you will enjoy with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports, the first ultra-telephoto lens for mirrorless systems from SIGMA Sports line. Both shots were focused manually for optimal sharpness of the corner crop, shot from a heavy tripod with image stabilization switched off. As you can see turning the lens by 90 degrees around its optical axis has a devastating effect on corner sharpness. The lens develops quite some astigmatism which hints at a lens group tilting from its optimal position when the lens is turned. That 3 out of 3 lenses showed the same effect might also indicate that this problem affects more than just a few individual copies. My advice: If you buy this lens make sure your copy is not affected. Overall, we'd term its autofocus performance as merely adequate. Unless you're on L-mount, where there are no close alternatives, you may want to consider a rival if you'll predominantly be shooting more active subjects. But if your subjects mostly won't vary significantly in distance from frame to frame, the Sigma 150-600mm will certainly do the job. The Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is not really a macro lens, but the close-focus point is a useful 58cm from the film/sensor plane at 150mm and 2.8m at 600mm, and Sigma quotes a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2.9 which is achievable at the 180mm focal length.

Above: Tamron SP AF 150-600mm f5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 (left, needs mount converter), Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS (right)

Slow shutter speeds are possible but the keeper rate is lower too, so make sure to take multiple pictures in a row I have been using the Sigma 150-600mm C with the Canon 80D for the past few months and I find it very hard to focus on small birds. I shoot small birds and they keep moving. I am not sure if it is the camera or the lens or the cameramen. I feel like the Sony 200-600mm might give me a better result based on what I read in this thread. I also have the Sony a6000 and a6100 cameras. I tried the a6000 with the Sigma lens using MC-11 and it was not a very good experience (hard to focus and the balance). I have yet to use the Sigma lens with the a6100. A dust and splash resistant structure that stops water drops or dust from getting into the lens, combined with a The 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports comes with the pro-level functionality that defines the SIGMA Sports line lens, which is designed for capturing fast-action subjects.

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I have spent my career traveling the world, photographing wildlife, from great gray owls to wild horses, peregrine falcons, red foxes, wolves, puffins, and so much more. What have I been photographing all of these animals with, you ask? Barring when I am testing gear, the tool in my kit is a Sigma supertelephoto zoom. This entire time, one lens has created nearly my whole wildlife portfolio, and that is the Sigma 50-500mm. Tried and true, this glass has survived harsh conditions from snow to salt and been reliable. This lens is many years old, however, and I have to use an adapter to fit it to my mirrorless camera. So, how would the latest and greatest update of the iconic “Bigma” in E mount fashion fare in my hands out in the wild? Well, let me tell you a tale of an epic thunderstorm, two hurricanes, and little ole me out in the field, crafting through it all with this versatile lens.

Put another way, the mirrorless lens and a fully-loaded Panasonic S5 or Sony a1 body would tip the scales at just a little less than the unmounted DSLR lens alone! But be that as it may, it still weighs 2.1kg (4.62lb) without the camera. So while you can certainly shoot with it handheld if needed, for extended shooting sessions you'll likely find yourself wanting some support.

It might not be a concern for you either way, because I only found this problem during my sharpness test using manual focus. In real world use with AF, the lens seems to work normally. But, if for some reason you need to focus manually and capture the same subject at different apertures, it’s worth testing the lens to see if it has the problem or not. If it’s there, you’ll have to re-focus every time you change apertures. Sony Sigma Tamron Minimum focus distance An effective optical design pays as much attention to gaining sharp, high contrast results as it does to out of focus areas and bokeh. Isolating the subject is a desirable aim for many subjects which fall into the remit of this type of zoom lens and results are consistently spot on. Similarly you’ll find your results demonstrate well controlled aberrations, ghosting and flare with high quality images and video throughout the aperture and zoom range.