Sigma 120-300 F2.8 OS Example

Apr7

Posted in: Articles, Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle Workshop, Equipment, Gear, Technical, Workshops

Bald Eagle close up portrait, Kachemak Bay Alaska.Nikon D4 with Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX OS APO HSM + Sigma 1.4X, 1/500 sec, f/8.0 ISO 400 in Manual mode, handheld.

Be sure to click on the image for the larger version and hit the expand button in the top right corner once the larger image window opens for an even larger view. The image above is a crop made in Photoshop CS5 at 60% magnification to show the level of detail the 120-300 is capable of. Image was converted in ACR 6.7 with light NR and 50-.8-1-0 sharpness settings, then after curves was applied it was cropped and PS CS5.

I am in the process of creating a review and field note post for my blog and the Sigma blog but I wanted to share one of the images. During my last eagle tour series in Alaska I was able to spent time in the field with the lens alone, with 1.4x and with a 2x and I was pleasantly surprised at the sharpness and speed of this lens. Of course this lens is not perfect (which lens is anyway?) but I will cover all the positives and negatives in my upcoming reviews.

What do you think of the above? Not bad at all for a large aperture telephoto Sigma zoom lens that retails for just over $3000!

Spaces are available for my November tour so contact me now if you would like to join me don’t hesitate, you won’t be disappointed. More info: http://www.robertotoole.com/workshop/bald-eagles/

2013 tour details should be available in a few days. If you are interested email me to be place on an interest list.

8 Comments

Comment by Lance Warley — April 8, 2012 @ 8:55 am

That’s a stunner, Robert. Wow.

Did you happen to try this lens stopped down to f16 or even more? You’ve proven how it will do wide open. I’m wondering how it does for landscape-type shots.

Thanks. Hope to see you down here…Lance
Comment by admin — April 8, 2012 @ 11:10 am

Hi Lance,

This one was made at F8 so its 2 stops down. I did make a few at F16 and they looked good but I would have to dig them up. I can shoot a couple samples for you next week if you remind me, I still need to finish up my taxes before I can do that!

Thanks for stopping by!
Comment by Woos — April 12, 2012 @ 10:41 pm

I’m gettin a d800 and probably going to get either the 50-500 OS or the 120-300 OS w/a TC. My question is, how do you feel the 120-300mm OS with a 1.4x TC is, on the long end, compared with the 50-500mm OS?
Comment by admin — April 13, 2012 @ 8:24 am

Hi Woos

So far with the limited amount of time I have spent with the 120-300 I would say that it has the edge with a 1.4x over the 50-500. The 120-300 even with a teleconvertor is plenty sharp but things are not that simple, I found that the 120-300 is short at the longest setting, that is compared to a 300mm prime lens, the 120-300 is more like 270mm or so. So if that is not an issue it would be a good choice, however also consider the weight, the 120-300 is not a small lens.

Hope this helps
Comment by Wilson — April 19, 2012 @ 9:37 pm

I too am getting a d800 and was wondering what you thought of this lens vs the Nikon 70-200, I currently have a sigma 2x teleconverter and use a Nikon 24-70 in addition to my sigma 70-200 (old version) I find that the sigma 70-200 doesn’t work well with the teleconverter even stopped way down. Does this new sigma 120-300 work well at 600mm? After seeing the results you have got with the 1.4x I might also buy the 1.4x for this lens if that’s what I go with. Or would I get better results with a Nikon 70-200 + 2x teleconverter at 400mm?
Thanks
Comment by Steve Barton — May 14, 2012 @ 8:03 am

Thnanks for the information. Great shots!! Have you tried the 120-300mm OS with a 2.0 tc or a 2.0 tc III nikon?
Comment by admin — May 14, 2012 @ 7:24 pm

Hi Steve,

It tried the 120300 with the Sigma 2x and it was sharp I have to stay but AF was a lot slower. But I am sure it would be usable if you really needed the extra reach. I can email an image or 2 I shot with the 2x if you like.

Thanks for commenting,

Robert
Comment by Herbert — May 19, 2012 @ 2:26 pm

Hi,
I would really like to see the image shot with the 120-300 and the Sigma 2x.

Thank you,
Herbert