I am super impressed (even though I already own the Canon 100-400L II)! It is incredible the kind of optical quality Sigma has delivered for such a laughably low cost. This bodes well for the future of glass in general and keeps the pressure on Canon and Nikon to deliver top quality optics at a competitive price.
I recently acquired the Sigma 100-400mm lens for photography purposes. I usually shoot sports photography for media outlets, and as an experiment, I used this Sigma lens during the 2023 Texas Bowl football event at the NGR Stadium. The lighting at the stadium was bright for TV broadcasting, and the lens, mounted on a Canon R3 with an RF adapter, captured images with excellent clarity and fast focus. Although I do own a Canon 400mm 2.8 Vii lens, I found the lighter weight versatility of a 100-400mm zoom at 6.3 remarkable at ISO 12000 and 1/1000 second in RAW, though noise reduction is necessary in post-production. Nevertheless, it's important to note that this lens may not be ideal for shooting at high school football stadiums where the lighting is nearly two stops less. Another thing to keep in mind is that the autofocus (AF) on the Canon R5 camera may lag with this lens. This is because the Canon R5 cannot provide sufficient current to drive the lens focus motor. However, the Canon R6ii camera works just fine with this lens, but there is not enough information available regarding other Canon R camera versions.
I bought the Sigma 100-400mm 5-6.3 Contemporary to go with my Nikon D850. I was initially concerned about the lack of a tripod collar. Doing some online research, I found the iShoot SM140 tripod collar which retails for about $39 U.S. on Amazon. I think it works exceedingly well. I also want to mention that it works great with my Sigma 1.4x Teleconverter. I have several more expensive lenses, but I continue to love the images from this lens. It also works well with my Nikon Z6ii with the FTZ adapter.
Thank you for this review. My Canon Mk1 failed, so I've looked at the Sigma and the Canon Mk2. Was set to buy the Sigma, but with the issue of focus tracking, I'm not so sure now. Yes, the Sigma is significantly cheaper - but I don't want to constantly thing "I wonder if the Canon would have been better".
I was considering this lens, but the disappointing servo focus tracking is a problem for me. I shoot birds in flight so servo tracking is important. I tried a Tamron 100-400 lens and had some very inconsistent results with servo tracking so I returned it. The one lens that I have had very good servo tracking with both on an 80D and 90D is my Tamron 18-400 zoom. Ironic isn't it, a supposedly lower end lens giving me better results than something higher end. I am not sure what I will do now.
@@hollyjostudios I've had good success with it. I worked very well with me on my Canon 80D and 90D. It's very good as an all around lens. Very sharp in close in up work. The focus locks on well for birds in flight shots. Not as sharp as a 100 to 400, but not far off. The zoom ring is stiff mid through the range. Very stiff in the cold. Fairly rugged, I kept mine attached to camera in my handlebar bag of my bicycle. It took all the bumps with no problems. That's my experience.
Now I have use this little gem for a while. Last week I was working as a nature photographer for a botanist. I take about 800 pictures of plants & flowers and of them 300 shine. The botanist was very pleased of both picture quality and IQ. 10 pictures are going into the book.
Can I please suggest that for any other videos that you don't place the mic anywhere near where you're going to be banging into, that noise is terribly annoying! Other than that great video.
Great review. I was ready to buy this lens, but the poor focus tracking is a problem for me. There is always the potential for pre-focusing, but I have only had sporadic luck with that. I may still buy the lens, but at least I know now what I can expect. Thanks.
Thank you for your thorough review. This will make an excellent travel telephoto lens. I can see an avid photographer with kids on a budget taking his/her family to Yellowstone and taking some great wildlife photos. I am looking for a lighter and more compact telephoto lens and my choice is either this lens or Tamron's new 18-400mm. Excellent reviews like yours greatly facilitate my decision making.
Thanks for the frank and balanced review, I have just ordered this lens as have recently made the jump to full frame from APS-C and wanted something longer than the 24-105. I think that the Sigma is perfect for me, I don't use tracking focus and it does not cost $2,100 like the Canon equivalent, I'm a real estate photographer, but a casual wildlife photographer, so it didn't make sense to pay 3 x more for the Canon over the Sigma.
It should work fine. Autofocus speed isn't top tier, but should be fast enough for that. The Tamron 100-400 VC is a bit faster if you want more focus speed.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Yeah I also saw that lens but it's a bit expensive for me and I also saw that the Sigma had a bit better iq. I'll use it for Civilian aircrafts (so not the fast fighter jets), I think the autofocus is fast enough for that...
AF worked well as i tested it on small birds that where about 30ft away or so. Very little to none focus hunting and so it was easy to take photos because of that.
Great set of reviews for this lens, and in far more depth than of any other one that I have seen. I was really hoping to get this lens for Wildlife, but as you pointed out the flaws in AI Servo mode, it has made me decide to save the extra and purchase the Canon 100-400 MKII. Thanks again for all your hard work into these reviews.
Thank you so much for your thorough review. It covers every aspect! I love it! I did purchase this lens about 3 weeks ago. I can't agree with more! I adapt this lens on a Sony A7R2 with a Metabones adapter. It autofocus just fine. It really resolves the 48MP sensor on the A7R2. Because it is so light, I would even prefer this lens over the Canon or Sony 100-400 4.5-5.6 for almost anything except sports.
+Xi He I can see that, for sure, although I wouldn't love the AF there personally for anything moving. I've used adapted lenses on the A7R II and it is a much poorer experience than using them on my 5D Mark IV.
Thanks for the review. Bought this lens from focus camera on ebay today, with the USB dock and a 32gb sandisk card as free add-on, for 699$, and there's even that 8% ebay buck campaign. I guess no tripod mount really hurt the sale of this lens so they are running sales on it.
Thank You so much for your total honesty in regards to this lens and basically said that it would not work well wih Auto Focus and Rodeo work, however I don't have a lot of money to spend perhaps the depth of field in this case might work out, but I also need as fast shuttter speed to stop the actions of a bucking bull or horse. Again thanks for your forth rightness any recommendations?
Thanks for the review series on this lens. I have a canon 70D and a Canon f/4 IS USM 70-200mm lens. I am considering adding this lens to my kit. One other option that I am considering is getting the Tamron f/2.8 70-200mm with VC (not the G2) and getting a 2.0 teleconverter, which will give me f/5.6 at 400mm. The DXO Mark for the Tamron lens on the Canon 70D is 20 with 15p-Mpix. Do you think that the Tamron with the teleconverter will give me as good or better performance than the Sigma 100-400 in the 200-400mm range? If I get the Tamron 70-200, I will likely sell my Canon f/4 as it duplicates the focal range.
Dustin, Thank you again for an in-depth really helpful and professional lens review. A couple of updates , as the review is from 2017. I did buy the lens, and am using it on my SonyA6500 with the MC 11 adapter. As you had mentioned to CO, the lens does work on the Sony E mount, with the updates and the Sigma Dock. Also, happily, I did find an after market collar that has worked well for me, and it is the Elefront Tripod Mount Ring for Sigma 100-400mm. The addition of this to the lens has made it's range and use more favorable for use as a birding lens on my APS-C camera. Again, I very much appreciate your work in helping all of us to have the "bigger picture" related to your reviewed gear. CHEERS!
Dear Dustin, I follow your tips regularly. What I realised from this video is save more money and buy 100-400 Canon L series. Also I had a second thought on Tamaron too in this segment. What's your true advice on this ? Love from India.
I don’t want to criticize too harshly but your tracking shots are so vastly different that the results match what I would assume. The lighting on the canon sequence is more even and contrasts in the way that helps and that huge black band of shadow that is in the frame entirely on the sigma isn’t on the canon. That black band would confuse the best of AF systems. In addition the dog is evenly centered on the canon sequence where on the sigma sequence it is running in a different sort of sideways fashion that you didn’t follow very well. I’d redo this comparison if you have time. Great work overall Dustin! I’ve bought this lens partially on the information you posted and so far completely preliminarily am happy with it. Thanks again!
If you watch the image quality segment you'll see more of what I'm referring to. I shot the comparison between the lenses within minutes of each other, so the lighting was not fundamentally different.
I think when you are comparing the effectiveness of the vibration reduction systems it is better at measurement if you tested it at infinity focus. This is because the lens may experience different focus breathing effectively putting it on a shorter focal length. The breathing may be amplified when shooting a close targets especially the nearby calendar.
The calendar is about 15 foot distance, and using an infinity target suggests doing it outside, which introduces a lot of other variables in terms of subject movement and wind. I would consider those type of results less, not more, reliable.
Could Sigma improve focus tracking later with a future firmware update via USB dock? Or is there not much potential improvement due to physical design?
Sigma released number of firmware updates for the lens that improved AF tracking ability quite a bit. here is the actual firmware update announcement by Sigma USA released back in September 2017. www.sigmaphoto.com/article/firmware-update-100-400mm-for-mc-11-sigma-july-2017/ Perhaps it is a good time to give the Sigma a second chance?
After watching your video and the others, I bought the Sigma. I want this lens to take plane pictures. The movement is basically constant and horizontal. Greetings from Valencia(Spain) and as ever, thank you very very much indeed for your lovely explaining videos. Actually I had the Canon 100-400 mark II but I sold this lens to buy and X-T3 and the Fujinon 16-55
Hi Mr Abbott. I enjoy your videos and about three years ago i purchases an a7r3, and yesterday i bought a sigma 100-400. I thought your coverage was excellent. Weight more than price was my concern. I am having some difficulty capturing action. What settings would recommend i use on the R3 for tracking. I have the option of returning the lens if not satisfied and perhaps go Sony. I want to make sure i optimize the camera settings. Thank you
The weak link of the Sigma 100-400 is that it isn't as fast in focus or tracking as some of the native Sony lenses. The Tamron 150-500mm is better, but none of the third party lenses are quite as good as the Sony 100-400 GM or 200-600 G.
I will say it again...i love you show these on an 80D lol. Nice lens but i can't wait to buy the Tamron 100-400. Very glad i found you...your reviews are fantastic! Thanks Dustin!
That's good to hear, though my criticisms remain. I've seen how that collar fits, and it isn't completely natural due to Sigma not designing with a collar specifically in mind.
I never liked the original Canon 100-400 for its dust pump push pull design & as good as Sigma has been optically AF concerns rise again which for my Art primes I've had no problem with it being slower AF than a Nikon 1st Party lens. I most certainly am popping my pennies in the jar , but for what , a 5D Mark 4 or 6D Mark 2 interesting comparison, a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 G2 , the original Nikon version has been stellar but I've completely lost all AF Twice with it, the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 or Canon own 24-105 M2 kit , or just hold on for the Nikon D820 first . You'll have a busy time ahead reviewing gear!
What about new Nikon af-p 70-300 4.5-5.6E VR for FX? Reviews say it's sharper, and it coast almost the same, but it has stepper motor nearly silent, useful on videos and much precise on live view focus. Which to choose between this two? I have d610 and want to pair d7200 as crop body. Shooting wide open seems to be similar in performance, but 1/3 on Sigma is a problem? I say this because sometimes it useless to have VR to reduce shutter time if subject move to fast, you need shorter time and higher iso. What do you think? Thanks I think also I lose some af points because of minimum aperture over F5.6 with Sigma.
Hi Dustin, I reached out to you last year with some questions about the Irix 15mm f2.4 and ended up buying the Blackstone version. It's a fabulous manual lens and I thoroughly enjoy shooting with it whether using Nikon DSLRs ( D600, D700 or D300) . As well it performs excellently on a Nikon D90 modified to 720nm IR. I have been contemplating 3rd party lenses in the 100-400mm f4.5-6.3 (Tamron) or Sigma's 100-400 f5-6.3. All things being equal, I have yet to find a comparison of these lenses in terms of auto focus and auto focus tracking. My understanding is the Sigma has a slower wide aperture. I want to know your opinion of the image clarity across the frame as well as the capabilities of tracking movement. Given I am using DSLR bodies over 10 years of age, I am banking on a copy which works well out of the box, but if necessary, I can calibrate at the wide end using a calibration target. Looking forward to your comments. Regards. Ted
Unfortunately there is some chance that you would have to calibrate focus with either lens. Both allow you to do some focus calibration in the lens if you purchase the USB dock (Sigma) or Tap In Console (Tamron). It's some work, but it is worth doing to get the maximum out of your lens.
@@DustinAbbottTWI would auto focus fine tune not be adequate on the body? The only disadvantage is fine tuning at a wide aperture and a specific focal length.
Got my lens yesterday and had an hour of decent light to play, can't today as it is overcast and dull so can't take my tests any further yet. Initial results using the Nikon D500 with camera focus settings on the fastest refocus setting and single centre point for focus. Did some AFC tests on cars coming towards me starting at about 15mph and doing at least 30mph as they came past, got a burst of 41 shots everyone looks sharp at normal ViewNX size, click them to 100% and about 10 of them show signs of a slight miss focus and i do mean slight. As the light was good i thought i would be silly and pop a Sigma 1.4 converter on making it an f9 lens, got 35 continuous shots of a car behaving very similar, ignoring possible image degradation due to the converter and the lens being wide open plus me shooting head on at 1/800th i feel the lens did very well, guess the D500 helped. Had it on the dock this morning and set the lens AF to the fast setting so looking forward to som decent light.
Dustin,thanks so much for your review. Would you recommend Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 G2 + 2x over Sigma 100-400 C on Aps-c body ( for travel and occasionally bird photography) ?
No, not if you goal is to cover up to 400mm on a regular basis. If you mostly intend to use the 70-200 focal length with occasional need for more reach, yes, but I always recommend covering a regularly used focal length with a native lens.
Outstanding review. Since focus tracking is not on par with the Canon 100-400mm MII, what are you findings with manual tracking of fast objects? E.g., Is there a lot of throw, ease of the throw? Thanks!
Hi Dustin. Thank you so much for your review. I have a Canon 70d, and consider this lens or the Canon EF 70-300 IS ii USM. What would you recommend? I will shot mostly familie pictures and some bird pictures.
I have a 70D with the first version of the 70-300 lens. The results get soft out towards 300mm. I get much better results with my used Canon f/4 IS USM 70-200 with a used 1.4x teleconverter, though the focal range is more limited (98-280mm). Total cost was US$900.
Hi Dustin, I purchased the Sigma and think its a great lens with great image quality. Do you think my image quality would improve more, is there benefit of buying a canon 400mm F5.6. Do you know if there is enough of a difference to warrant buying the Canon Prime?
I would say the only way you will see any advantage is if you always work off a tripod. The Canon has no IS, which makes it very difficult to handhold. The Sigma is more versatile, and the image quality is very good.
I should have said that I take photos mainly of birds and wildlife and most reviews say that it is super sharp. Having purchased the Sigma. Would I see much of a benefit moving to the Canon 400mm F5.6. I think the sigma images are very usable but just tormented by the reviews of the Canon being the best. So is there enough of a difference in image quality to make the jump or is the sigma extremely close in its image quality as I think most of the Canon reviews have been done well before the Sigma 100-400 came out. Thanks Again for your views in advance :)
My point is the same. The Canon will be less sharp unless you are shooting at shutter speeds of 1/800th or faster all the time...or shooting off a tripod. I would advise you to stick with what you have.
wow ..im probably sold with this lens thnx Dustin for the review.... im gonna get 1... pair it with my a6500 + fifth edition MB speedbooster to get extra stop and sharpness f4-5.6... or pair it with mc11 to get extra reach 600mm... best option for Wildlife i guess...
Excellent review Dustin! Really helpful 👍 Ouick question, so if I were to buy a telephoto zoom lense (body: Canon 80D) for bird photography, should I get the Tamron 100-400 over this one?
In the tracking shots of the dog, the comparison might not have been entirely fair, as the light is not the same (or so it seems). In the Canon photos the light seems considerably more diffused, and very importantly the eyes of the dog are clearly visible in nearly every photo. In the Sigma shots the dog's eyes are nearly always lost in the blackness of the animal's fur, presumably due to the harsher light and higher contrasts, and maybe also due to the angle of the dog's course across the lawn. The difference in light may also at least partially account for the apparently better colour rendition of the Sigma lens.
Well, of course I can only judge by what I see in your footage, and I don't know what your settings were. But I find it very noticeable that the light appears to be different. Whether that is due to actual real life differences (light sometimes changes rapidly) or differences in how the Camera percieves light with different lenses, I can't tell. But the difference in how visible the eyes of the dog are, is remarkable.
So having the nikon 70-200vr2 and the nikon 200-500 I might want a lens for which I don't have to use a forklift. The Nikon lenses are great but heavy. Only thing is that am I used to the Nikon IQ. Is the Sigma IQ acceptable with respect to the Nikkors?
Hi Toni - I'm not a Nikon shooter, but I did compare the Sigma to one of the very best lenses in the class and found that it compared very well. I doubt you'll be disappointed with the image quality.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Ok thanks. Heard that the Tamron version also received some good credits. Will check at my camerastore whether they have some demos of the Sigma and Tamron.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Got a change to test the Sigma and Tamron. Both very similar and indeed good value. But both feel a bit to much as a compromise to me. With the 100-400 range already covered by my Nikkors I went happily home with a sensor cleaning kit. I can not leave a camerastore without buying something😂😂
How does the autofocus of the Sigma 100-400 compare to the Sigma 150-600? I have a 150-600 now, but I'm thinking the 100-400 might be a better option for travelling; smaller, lighter, can more easily fit in my camera bag.
I know i'm late but what is the namw of gear that you use to walk with this setup placed on your torso at the beginning of the video? It seems to be really usefull.
Thanks for a great review. I'm saving for either this 100-400C or the 150-600C to use on my Rebel T3 (EOS 1100D in Europe) Did you compare them to each other? Does one of the two have a clear preference for birds- and general wild photography?
I didn't shoot them side by side, no. I reviewed the 150-600 C about two years ago. There are a number of people who have done a lot of successful birding with the 100-400 C. I won't be surprised to hear that people do the same with the 100-400 C.
I am fed up with saying "for the price", there is no price to RUBISH! Waste of money, burnt 800 dollars on something it doesn't work properly, period. You can sell it for 100 bucks, its 100 wasted bucks when it doesn't focus! Thanks, the review was great, now we know why NOT to buy it. Thank you man! This is exactly what i was looking for. Now i can by the Tamron which doesn't have the same optics sadly, but focuses much better.
Since the 100-400 MK2 is out of my price range, I'm looking at buying a Sigma 100-400 vs a 100-400 MK1. Would you expect the Sigma to be better than the MK1?
Dustin Abbott great thorough review as usual. Thanks. I'm glad to hear unbiased statements about the only area where Sigma always let's us down : "autofocus" so far it has always prevented me from buying any of their lenses. Do you intend to test the lens on aps-c like the 80D? that's what most people will be using it on I'm sure. Cheers
Hi Dustin! According to canonrumors Tamron will be announcing a 100-400 4.5-6.3 soon. With Tamron's excellent autofocus performance this new lens could get very close to Canon's offering. Like you, I don't like walking around with Canon's white lens and would happily switch. Can't wait to hear what you have to say about Tamron's new 100-400 in a few months! Many regards from Spain, Dirk
Could not have asked for a more informative review, presented in such a great way. I am currently cross shopping between the : -Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM (Which you reviewed earlier) -Canon EF 70-200 F4 IS USM - and this lens. Being completely new to telephoto photography, I was pretty worried I may be putting my budget into a lens that would suffer from sharpness issues. But watching your this review has laid that one to rest. Keep up all the great work, I will be watching on to what will hopefully be, your review of the Sigma Art 24-70 :) Kind Regards, Domingo
Dustin Abbott great informative review as ever. One question springs to mind, that is the often quoted issue if lens to lens variation; ie you can get a good sharp one or a poor soft one. I'm presuming this can be corrected using the micro adjust in the USB dock? If you've done the comparison to the ef 70-200f4 IS that would be really interesting, I'm thinking of selling mine to get this sigma, as the extra reach would be useful, but I'm slightly concerned how much performance I might be sacrificing?
Dustin Abbott thanks. A bit off topic ish but in your opinion how does it compare to the tamron 150-600 G2 for IQ? I'm presuming the latter has a much better sorted AF and general build quality and handling.
Dear Dustin, thank you so much for your review. Shooting subjects in motion I found that the focus appears a little behind or I mean around the subject. Can you please help with your comments and how I can solve. My regards.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Dear Dustin, I am using the body from Panasonic S1R. There is another brand which can solve the slow down? Normally which camera body you use? Thanks for the reply
Just discovered your channel. Such good information thank you and I have subscribed. Im torn between this and the Tamron. Many mixed reviews concluding which is better. One thing I would like to ask is would you consider it almost foolish not to get the USB, Tap In adapters when buying either one? Im coming to that conclusion despite what appears to be a laborious task of calibrating them. Lastly even though the Nikon lenses that are equivalent to these are way out of my price range have you found that the manufactures own lenses have less variances than the after market ones as far as focus OS etc? Thanks
The short answer is that yes, often first party lenses do require less calibration (though not always). I personally would choose the Tamron based on my tests as I felt it had a far more robust AF system. Finally, it is absolutely worth investing in the USB/Tap IN. Even getting firmware updates can make a big difference, and fine-tuning the AF allows you to get the best out of your investment.
You can tweak the behavior via the Sigma Optimization software, but there are limits to how much that accomplishes. It's worth a try, though. Test the different modes and see if one works more to your liking.
is this lenses af speed good enough for birding? on an aps-c body like 800d... i am really confused tamron 100-400 has better af speed sigma 100-400 has better inage quality according to yours and other reviews.. but i heard that sigma's af speed has improved after a firmware update.. can you varify me that..
+Václav Halbrštát There's not a problem, per se, but rather a limitation of the AF system. Sigma has already released an update, but I had applied the update before testing the AF system. I doubt there is much potential to improve it much more through firmware.
I like the details of your reviews. Although I hope no dogs were harmed in the production of your videos.(Joke) I shoot mostly film to be frank. I have been kicking around getting some of these after market lenses for my old 5d( yes the first one). I look at the Canon money and just go "ouch", although they would likely hold their value. In your video, what is it about the lens that prevents it from obtaining and maintaining focus as your puppy dog was running. Any thoughts on using these(100-400 & 160-600) on a legacy Canon 5d. Also is there a 1.4x converter?
The original 5D has a less robust autofocus system, and so I honestly don't know how well these newer lens work on it as I havent' tested that combination. I think in the case of the Sigma the focus motor isn't powerful enough to keep up. An alternative (if you need the tracking) is to try the new Tamron 100-400 VC, which was much closer to my Canon 100-400L II in tracking.
I have decided against purchasing the sigma 150-400mm lens but now considering the tamron 150-600mm g2 lens or the canon 100-400mm IS II. I have the original tamron 150-600mm vc usd lens and i feel at 600mm even with a monopod and VC on, there is alot of camera shake. I prefer to shoot handheld. Also with the tamron g2 lens, how does the weather sealing compare to the sigma sport since there is a big difference in weight?
The thing i am wondering is that the sigma sports lens is quite bulky and weather sealed, does this mean that for example in heavy rain the sigma lens has better chance of surviving than the tamron g2 lens? Would the tamron g2 lens perform well in hot and humid conditions or even in extreme cold?
Thank you for your review! Really helps me a lot. I am considering purchasing a telephoto zoom lense. Among sigma, Tamron, and canon, there were lots of choices, and thanks for your review I have made my decision to go for Canon 100-400mm mark ii. Really appreciate your reviews! Hoping to see more in the future.
Thanks for the review its a shame the AF is not as good as the Canon 100-400 otherwise this would be an absolute winner for me. I can't afford the Canon so i guess ill just stick with my 55-250mm for now.
A nice series of reviews of this very attractive priced zoom lens from Sigma. So attractive that I bought it. I use the lens on a Canon 6D, not the fast tracking camera from Canon to say it polite. Tracing is not that important to me. Tracking and getting a good result offcource also depend on the distance your subject is away from you and I had some nice results with the 6D on a racetrack, safely away from the actuel action. Your reviews are honest. I really love this lens with it's superb IQ. Thanks again Dustin for your nice review!
You are the perfect candidate for this lens - you can benefit from its great image quality without having inflated expectations for how well it can track.
liked the video until the blurry shots of the dog because the shutter speed was obviously too slow. Probably less than the focal length. Also what's the point of viewing photos when we have no idea what the focal length, aperture, and ISO settings are?
Not true, actually. If you took the time to visit the image gallery, as I suggest, you could see the information you wanted. Also, this is hardly the first time I've shot action. The problem wasn't the shutter speed; the problem was that the lens couldn't autofocus quickly enough to keep up with the action (which was the whole point I was making).
Thank you. It has been on my radar. I question myself if not spending a little more for the Canon 400mm F5.6 might be worth it or just going with that Tamron SP AF 150-600mm 5.0-6.3 Di VC USD instead. Or even the Tamron 150-600mm G2. They are all so close. And even the Canon 100-400mm L II is temping. Especially with the student cash-back.
Has anyone tried this lens on Eos R/RP - I think that DP-AF works on totally different way and that on those body there would be no problem with AF-servo and this lens !??
I haven't tested there, though there is one flaw in your logic. DPAF does not influence the lenses' focus speed. It can affect the speed in which a camera focuses, but can't increase the torque to the lens' focus motor. That being said, there is a firmware update that is supposed to have improved focus speed somewhat since I've done this review.
At 5:23, you say that the canon is worse in the corners. Sorry, but that is not true. In your test shots, look where the focus is in the canon image: The grass is in focus, not the window.
Hi Dustin, this is a great review...thanks so much for all you've done on this lens! I'm *almost* sure that I'm going to buy this but I have one question if you don't mind: I'll be using this on my Canon 80D as you did in at least one of you videos (I love it!), and I'm a bit concerned that the weight of the lens may cause some damage to the mount inside the camera (as another viewer mentioned could happen). Did you find this was the case? Were you worried about it at all? I know you said that it wants to droop a bit on a tripod, so I just wonder if you were at all worried that it would damage your camera body. I did hear someone say they didn't think this would be the case since it's not as heavy as it's counterparts, so I just wanted to get your opinion either way. Thanks!
I highly doubt that would be the case. Sigma wouldn't be so foolish as to design a lens that requires a tripod foot to not damage a camera and then not sell a tripod collar for it. There are many more heavy lenses (lots from Sigma themselves) that have no tripod collar design at all. That reviewer didn't know what they were talking about.
Dustin Abbott not the weight i just don't know i am getting sharper shots with my 300mm F4 L IS... i had a Sigma 50-500 and because of the weight i just did not use it that much. I took it to South Africa and Canada to shoot wildlife but now i have a little son and i can not take that big heavy beast with me anymore (besides that i have not so much time) this 100-400 would be a dream, a telezoom with great IQ, light weight and small. My primes i kept and i use them i take either the canon 300 f4 is or the 400 f5.6 besides my Tamron 70-200 when i go for a walk. I miss sometimes the reach of my 50-500 which i loved specially stoped down to f7.1 of f8 but life is making choices and it is hobby. But when i would use it it is on Wildlife... maybe stick with the 300 and 400 prime would be better then. Have to find a way to learn the 400mm prime maybe i just have to learn to be less shaky... in 3 weeks we go again to Canada and i hope to get some good shots. For one holiday a 150-600 is a bit expensive like i wrote it is heavy and big so then the Sigma 100-400 comes in. But maybe i need to be more creative and just take my primes with me.
That was a good advice and good explination! Thank you so much for this Video!💖💯👍👍👍... I was always doubtful about Sigma what some youtubers talk about "Autofocus"...But now I finely got the point!😊👍...Im more in Landscape and Portrait shooter so now I finaly decided to buy Sigma 100-400..😊👍.. How about Sigma 100-400 vs Tamron 100-400??hope you can make a video too about these 2 power Lenses..😊
I'm afraid that I won't be going back this far to do any new content. I preferred the Tamron out of the two, though, as while they are similar optically, I felt the autofocus was better on the Tamron.
Great review as normal, a question about your afc (Nikon Speak) comment, would you say its worse than the Sigma 150-600C, i do bird photography including BIF and have a Nikon D500 but have had to give the 150-600 up as its too heavy for me. I know ability will have some bearing on it and would just say i can get most BIF shots i go for with a Panasonic G80 and 100-400. thanks
There were none at the time of the review, and, I took a quick look at the tripod collars you mention. They do exist, but you can see the limitations compared to typical lenses designed with collars in mind. You can't freely rotate all around, the distance window gets blocked somewhat, and there are complaints of scratches from mounting third party tripod collars. My point remains: Sigma still doesn't have a collar because incorporating a collar really isn't part of the design.
The panning shots of the dogs are terribly out of focus, they're beyond soft, so I don't understand why you would say they are acceptably in focus? Having watched the video now it's as I thought whilst watching the first optical comparison video between this lens and the Canon 100-400 II. Whilst the Sigma surprised me optically, and left me very impressed from the comparison shots, I was thinking whilst watching it that I bet the Canon obliterates it when it comes to AF performance, and having watched this video that's exactly how it is. If you're investing in a 100-400 lens you aren't doing so primarily for landscapes, you're more than likely buying it to photograph your kids (and they move a lot so AF is important), or wildlife, which can move very erratically, or sports - which is constantly moving and needs a solid AF lens. If you're wanting to shoot wildlife which doesn't move then just get the Sigma 150-600 C lens for the reach (perched birds etc.) This 100-400 is supposed to be more of a versatile action, sports and wildlife lens imo where whilst IQ is very important, and the Sigma is outstanding for it, it still needs decent AF, but this review shows it to be very poor indeed- perhaps hence the price. Thank you for these reviews they are brilliant, well made and informative.
Thanks for the feedback. I think I made it pretty clear that this is the main shortcoming of the lens. I suspect that Sigma will try to get a little more performance out of it via firmware, but frankly the focus motor probably isn't powerful enough to achieve the speed for demanding BIF or sports work.
I am super impressed (even though I already own the Canon 100-400L II)! It is incredible the kind of optical quality Sigma has delivered for such a laughably low cost. This bodes well for the future of glass in general and keeps the pressure on Canon and Nikon to deliver top quality optics at a competitive price.
+Kirk Durston That's a fact!
I recently acquired the Sigma 100-400mm lens for photography purposes. I usually shoot sports photography for media outlets, and as an experiment, I used this Sigma lens during the 2023 Texas Bowl football event at the NGR Stadium. The lighting at the stadium was bright for TV broadcasting, and the lens, mounted on a Canon R3 with an RF adapter, captured images with excellent clarity and fast focus.
Although I do own a Canon 400mm 2.8 Vii lens, I found the lighter weight versatility of a 100-400mm zoom at 6.3 remarkable at ISO 12000 and 1/1000 second in RAW, though noise reduction is necessary in post-production. Nevertheless, it's important to note that this lens may not be ideal for shooting at high school football stadiums where the lighting is nearly two stops less.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the autofocus (AF) on the Canon R5 camera may lag with this lens. This is because the Canon R5 cannot provide sufficient current to drive the lens focus motor. However, the Canon R6ii camera works just fine with this lens, but there is not enough information available regarding other Canon R camera versions.
Interesting feedback.
thanks a lot for the experience that mounting on RF camera
Very helpful feedback.
I bought the Sigma 100-400mm 5-6.3 Contemporary to go with my Nikon D850. I was initially concerned about the lack of a tripod collar. Doing some online research, I found the iShoot SM140 tripod collar which retails for about $39 U.S. on Amazon. I think it works exceedingly well. I also want to mention that it works great with my Sigma 1.4x Teleconverter. I have several more expensive lenses, but I continue to love the images from this lens. It also works well with my Nikon Z6ii with the FTZ adapter.
Glad you are enjoying it.
Thank you for this review. My Canon Mk1 failed, so I've looked at the Sigma and the Canon Mk2. Was set to buy the Sigma, but with the issue of focus tracking, I'm not so sure now. Yes, the Sigma is significantly cheaper - but I don't want to constantly thing "I wonder if the Canon would have been better".
I was considering this lens, but the disappointing servo focus tracking is a problem for me. I shoot birds in flight so servo tracking is important. I tried a Tamron 100-400 lens and had some very inconsistent results with servo tracking so I returned it. The one lens that I have had very good servo tracking with both on an 80D and 90D is my Tamron 18-400 zoom. Ironic isn't it, a supposedly lower end lens giving me better results than something higher end. I am not sure what I will do now.
Is the 18 400 good? I was thinking on getting it but I see mixed reviews about it!
@@hollyjostudios I've had good success with it. I worked very well with me on my Canon 80D and 90D. It's very good as an all around lens. Very sharp in close in up work. The focus locks on well for birds in flight shots. Not as sharp as a 100 to 400, but not far off. The zoom ring is stiff mid through the range. Very stiff in the cold. Fairly rugged, I kept mine attached to camera in my handlebar bag of my bicycle. It took all the bumps with no problems. That's my experience.
@@d53101 cool! Thank you for your response! Might pull the trigger lol
Now I have use this little gem for a while. Last week I was working as a nature photographer for a botanist. I take about 800 pictures of plants & flowers and of them 300 shine. The botanist was very pleased of both picture quality and IQ. 10 pictures are going into the book.
+Kjell Hedberg excellent! It is a very competent lens optically
Thanks for delivering such a detail and comprehensive review on the lens!
My pleasure. Thanks for the feedback.
Can I please suggest that for any other videos that you don't place the mic anywhere near where you're going to be banging into, that noise is terribly annoying! Other than that great video.
+canuckpeoplerule I agree
Dustin another great review. Your thoroughness is noticed and much appreciated.
+Cactus Tweeter Thanks!
Great review. I was ready to buy this lens, but the poor focus tracking is a problem for me. There is always the potential for pre-focusing, but I have only had sporadic luck with that. I may still buy the lens, but at least I know now what I can expect. Thanks.
Who knows - your mileage may vary!
Thank you for your thorough review. This will make an excellent travel telephoto lens. I can see an avid photographer with kids on a budget taking his/her family to Yellowstone and taking some great wildlife photos. I am looking for a lighter and more compact telephoto lens and my choice is either this lens or Tamron's new 18-400mm. Excellent reviews like yours greatly facilitate my decision making.
Glad to help out!
Stan Obert your comment sounds like this is the lens for me this summer break 😉
I'm really glad my views of it's auto focus issues match your test results too! :)
Hope you didn't choose the Tamron)))
Thanks for the frank and balanced review, I have just ordered this lens as have recently made the jump to full frame from APS-C and wanted something longer than the 24-105. I think that the Sigma is perfect for me, I don't use tracking focus and it does not cost $2,100 like the Canon equivalent, I'm a real estate photographer, but a casual wildlife photographer, so it didn't make sense to pay 3 x more for the Canon over the Sigma.
Sounds reasonable. This lens has a lot of bang for the buck.
Hi, very nice video!!!
Do you think this is a good lens for planespotting with the Canon EOS800d (rebel T7i)?
It should work fine. Autofocus speed isn't top tier, but should be fast enough for that. The Tamron 100-400 VC is a bit faster if you want more focus speed.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Yeah I also saw that lens but it's a bit expensive for me and I also saw that the Sigma had a bit better iq. I'll use it for Civilian aircrafts (so not the fast fighter jets), I think the autofocus is fast enough for that...
Thank you so much for your awesome Sigma 100-400mm lens reviews!
Bought my copy today and after updating the firmware i am truly happy with it.
I've heard good things about the changes made by the latest firmware update.
AF worked well as i tested it on small birds that where about 30ft away or so. Very little to none focus hunting and so it was easy to take photos because of that.
Is this lens worth buying in 2019? I just got my self a 7d mark 2 for wildlife photograpy thanks
Great set of reviews for this lens, and in far more depth than of any other one that I have seen. I was really hoping to get this lens for Wildlife, but as you pointed out the flaws in AI Servo mode, it has made me decide to save the extra and purchase the Canon 100-400 MKII. Thanks again for all your hard work into these reviews.
It's important to be realistic about what your needs are, and if you are going to shoot fast action, you probably need to spend the extra money.
Thank you so much for your thorough review. It covers every aspect! I love it!
I did purchase this lens about 3 weeks ago. I can't agree with more! I adapt this lens on a Sony A7R2 with a Metabones adapter. It autofocus just fine. It really resolves the 48MP sensor on the A7R2. Because it is so light, I would even prefer this lens over the Canon or Sony 100-400 4.5-5.6 for almost anything except sports.
+Xi He I can see that, for sure, although I wouldn't love the AF there personally for anything moving. I've used adapted lenses on the A7R II and it is a much poorer experience than using them on my 5D Mark IV.
Thanks for the review. Bought this lens from focus camera on ebay today, with the USB dock and a 32gb sandisk card as free add-on, for 699$, and there's even that 8% ebay buck campaign. I guess no tripod mount really hurt the sale of this lens so they are running sales on it.
I'm surprised they are discounting it so soon - it's actually an excellent lens.
Thank You so much for your total honesty in regards to this lens and basically said that it would not work well wih Auto Focus and Rodeo work, however I don't have a lot of money to spend perhaps the depth of field in this case might work out, but I also need as fast shuttter speed to stop the actions of a bucking bull or horse. Again thanks for your forth rightness any recommendations?
What camera body are you using? The Tamron 100-400 VC is a similarly priced lens with better AF.
@@DustinAbbottTWI 5D
Thanks for the review series on this lens. I have a canon 70D and a Canon f/4 IS USM 70-200mm lens. I am considering adding this lens to my kit. One other option that I am considering is getting the Tamron f/2.8 70-200mm with VC (not the G2) and getting a 2.0 teleconverter, which will give me f/5.6 at 400mm. The DXO Mark for the Tamron lens on the Canon 70D is 20 with 15p-Mpix. Do you think that the Tamron with the teleconverter will give me as good or better performance than the Sigma 100-400 in the 200-400mm range? If I get the Tamron 70-200, I will likely sell my Canon f/4 as it duplicates the focal range.
I would definitely say the native sharpness of the Sigma will be greater across the 200-400mm range.
Thanks for the reply.
Dustin, Thank you again for an in-depth really helpful and professional lens review. A couple of updates , as the review is from 2017. I did buy the lens, and am using it on my SonyA6500 with the MC 11 adapter. As you had mentioned to CO, the lens does work on the Sony E mount, with the updates and the Sigma Dock. Also, happily, I did find an after market collar that has worked well for me,
and it is the Elefront Tripod Mount Ring for Sigma 100-400mm. The addition of this to the lens has made it's range and use more favorable for use as a birding lens on my APS-C camera.
Again, I very much appreciate your work in helping all of us to have the "bigger picture" related to your reviewed gear. CHEERS!
Glad to help out.
Dear Dustin, I follow your tips regularly. What I realised from this video is save more money and buy 100-400 Canon L series. Also I had a second thought on Tamaron too in this segment. What's your true advice on this ? Love from India.
The Canon is the best, followed by the Tamron, then the Sigma
Thank you very much!!
Thank you for your s fantastic videos. Is this lens good with my eos r5 Mirrorless camera, thank you.
I haven't tried this lens via an adapter. I suspect it should work okay.
I especially liked the part "if you're on a budget" 😅 😅
I’d be very curious to see the autofocus section repeated with, say, an R6 or similar.
I don’t want to criticize too harshly but your tracking shots are so vastly different that the results match what I would assume. The lighting on the canon sequence is more even and contrasts in the way that helps and that huge black band of shadow that is in the frame entirely on the sigma isn’t on the canon. That black band would confuse the best of AF systems. In addition the dog is evenly centered on the canon sequence where on the sigma sequence it is running in a different sort of sideways fashion that you didn’t follow very well. I’d redo this comparison if you have time. Great work overall Dustin! I’ve bought this lens partially on the information you posted and so far completely preliminarily am happy with it. Thanks again!
If you watch the image quality segment you'll see more of what I'm referring to. I shot the comparison between the lenses within minutes of each other, so the lighting was not fundamentally different.
I think when you are comparing the effectiveness of the vibration reduction systems it is better at measurement if you tested it at infinity focus. This is because the lens may experience different focus breathing effectively putting it on a shorter focal length. The breathing may be amplified when shooting a close targets especially the nearby calendar.
The calendar is about 15 foot distance, and using an infinity target suggests doing it outside, which introduces a lot of other variables in terms of subject movement and wind. I would consider those type of results less, not more, reliable.
Could Sigma improve focus tracking later with a future firmware update via USB dock? Or is there not much potential improvement due to physical design?
I can't say that definitively. This lens has already been updated to improve AF, and I've tested it after the update.
Oh! I was a bit confused there. So basically, you got those AF issues after the USB tweaking!?
That's correct.
I wonder how much more aggressive you could make the AF with firmware updates.
Do you think it would have a better time tracking on, say, a 7DII?
Sigma released number of firmware updates for the lens that improved AF tracking ability quite a bit. here is the actual firmware update announcement by Sigma USA released back in September 2017.
www.sigmaphoto.com/article/firmware-update-100-400mm-for-mc-11-sigma-july-2017/
Perhaps it is a good time to give the Sigma a second chance?
Another solid no nonsense review. Thanks!
Thank you!
After watching your video and the others, I bought the Sigma. I want this lens to take plane pictures. The movement is basically constant and horizontal. Greetings from Valencia(Spain) and as ever, thank you very very much indeed for your lovely explaining videos. Actually I had the Canon 100-400 mark II but I sold this lens to buy and X-T3 and the Fujinon 16-55
Enjoy your lens!
Hi Mr Abbott. I enjoy your videos and about three years ago i purchases an a7r3, and yesterday i bought a sigma 100-400. I thought your coverage was excellent. Weight more than price was my concern. I am having some difficulty capturing action. What settings would recommend i use on the R3 for tracking. I have the option of returning the lens if not satisfied and perhaps go Sony. I want to make sure i optimize the camera settings. Thank you
The weak link of the Sigma 100-400 is that it isn't as fast in focus or tracking as some of the native Sony lenses. The Tamron 150-500mm is better, but none of the third party lenses are quite as good as the Sony 100-400 GM or 200-600 G.
I will say it again...i love you show these on an 80D lol. Nice lens but i can't wait to buy the Tamron 100-400. Very glad i found you...your reviews are fantastic! Thanks Dustin!
Thanks for the feedback.
IShoot make good collar/Foot. Got one and it’s brilliant
That's good to hear, though my criticisms remain. I've seen how that collar fits, and it isn't completely natural due to Sigma not designing with a collar specifically in mind.
You make the best camera gear reviews ! Thanks Dustin :)
+ApertureAce My pleasure
I never liked the original Canon 100-400 for its dust pump push pull design & as good as Sigma has been optically AF concerns rise again which for my Art primes I've had no problem with it being slower AF than a Nikon 1st Party lens. I most certainly am popping my pennies in the jar , but for what , a 5D Mark 4 or 6D Mark 2 interesting comparison, a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 G2 , the original Nikon version has been stellar but I've completely lost all AF Twice with it, the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 or Canon own 24-105 M2 kit , or just hold on for the Nikon D820 first . You'll have a busy time ahead reviewing gear!
Tell me about it! I've got six lenses and one camera body on hand right now, plus a backpack!
What about new Nikon af-p 70-300 4.5-5.6E VR for FX? Reviews say it's sharper, and it coast almost the same, but it has stepper motor nearly silent, useful on videos and much precise on live view focus. Which to choose between this two? I have d610 and want to pair d7200 as crop body. Shooting wide open seems to be similar in performance, but 1/3 on Sigma is a problem?
I say this because sometimes it useless to have VR to reduce shutter time if subject move to fast, you need shorter time and higher iso. What do you think? Thanks
I think also I lose some af points because of minimum aperture over F5.6 with Sigma.
Hi Mike, I don't do review Nikon, do I'm not really your guy for this question.
Hi Dustin, I reached out to you last year with some questions about the Irix 15mm f2.4 and ended up buying the Blackstone version. It's a fabulous manual lens and I thoroughly enjoy shooting with it whether using Nikon DSLRs ( D600, D700 or D300) . As well it performs excellently on a Nikon D90 modified to 720nm IR. I have been contemplating 3rd party lenses in the 100-400mm f4.5-6.3 (Tamron) or Sigma's 100-400 f5-6.3. All things being equal, I have yet to find a comparison of these lenses in terms of auto focus and auto focus tracking. My understanding is the Sigma has a slower wide aperture. I want to know your opinion of the image clarity across the frame as well as the capabilities of tracking movement. Given I am using DSLR bodies over 10 years of age, I am banking on a copy which works well out of the box, but if necessary, I can calibrate at the wide end using a calibration target. Looking forward to your comments. Regards. Ted
Unfortunately there is some chance that you would have to calibrate focus with either lens. Both allow you to do some focus calibration in the lens if you purchase the USB dock (Sigma) or Tap In Console (Tamron). It's some work, but it is worth doing to get the maximum out of your lens.
@@DustinAbbottTWI would auto focus fine tune not be adequate on the body? The only disadvantage is fine tuning at a wide aperture and a specific focal length.
Got my lens yesterday and had an hour of decent light to play, can't today as it is overcast and dull so can't take my tests any further yet.
Initial results using the Nikon D500 with camera focus settings on the fastest refocus setting and single centre point for focus.
Did some AFC tests on cars coming towards me starting at about 15mph and doing at least 30mph as they came past, got a burst of 41 shots everyone looks sharp at normal ViewNX size, click them to 100% and about 10 of them show signs of a slight miss focus and i do mean slight.
As the light was good i thought i would be silly and pop a Sigma 1.4 converter on making it an f9 lens, got 35 continuous shots of a car behaving very similar, ignoring possible image degradation due to the converter and the lens being wide open plus me shooting head on at 1/800th i feel the lens did very well, guess the D500 helped.
Had it on the dock this morning and set the lens AF to the fast setting so looking forward to som decent light.
Thanks for the review, very professional.
Thank you!
Dustin,thanks so much for your review. Would you recommend Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 G2 + 2x over Sigma 100-400 C on Aps-c body ( for travel and occasionally bird photography) ?
No, not if you goal is to cover up to 400mm on a regular basis. If you mostly intend to use the 70-200 focal length with occasional need for more reach, yes, but I always recommend covering a regularly used focal length with a native lens.
Outstanding review. Since focus tracking is not on par with the Canon 100-400mm MII, what are you findings with manual tracking of fast objects? E.g., Is there a lot of throw, ease of the throw? Thanks!
The focus ring is pretty decent, so it will come down to your skill in doing this party trick :)
Hi Dustin. Thank you so much for your review. I have a Canon 70d, and consider this lens or the Canon EF 70-300 IS ii USM. What would you recommend? I will shot mostly familie pictures and some bird pictures.
The Canon focuses faster, but I think the Sigma is sharper.
I have a 70D with the first version of the 70-300 lens. The results get soft out towards 300mm. I get much better results with my used Canon f/4 IS USM 70-200 with a used 1.4x teleconverter, though the focal range is more limited (98-280mm). Total cost was US$900.
Thanks for the advice
REASemanticWeb iii honcho
whats name on that wearing to holding your camera? looks pretty stable with it
I used the Cotton Carrier. Here's a review: th-cam.com/video/_VmI3rTBGmQ/w-d-xo.html
I would not be surprised that Sigma would come whith a "Sport" version of that lens :)
Perhaps. They seem to be focused a lot on Sony at the moment.
Hi Dustin,
I purchased the Sigma and think its a great lens with great image quality. Do you think my image quality would improve more, is there benefit of buying a canon 400mm F5.6. Do you know if there is enough of a difference to warrant buying the Canon Prime?
I would say the only way you will see any advantage is if you always work off a tripod. The Canon has no IS, which makes it very difficult to handhold. The Sigma is more versatile, and the image quality is very good.
I should have said that I take photos mainly of birds and wildlife and most reviews say that it is super sharp. Having purchased the Sigma. Would I see much of a benefit moving to the Canon 400mm F5.6. I think the sigma images are very usable but just tormented by the reviews of the Canon being the best. So is there enough of a difference in image quality to make the jump or is the sigma extremely close in its image quality as I think most of the Canon reviews have been done well before the Sigma 100-400 came out. Thanks Again for your views in advance :)
My point is the same. The Canon will be less sharp unless you are shooting at shutter speeds of 1/800th or faster all the time...or shooting off a tripod. I would advise you to stick with what you have.
wow ..im probably sold with this lens thnx Dustin for the review.... im gonna get 1... pair it with my a6500 + fifth edition MB speedbooster to get extra stop and sharpness f4-5.6... or pair it with mc11 to get extra reach 600mm... best option for Wildlife i guess...
Best of luck. I haven’t been overly impressed with long glass via adapter.
so far its fast ..as long as its MB brand or Sigma MC... well lets see :) .. if it doesn't... i still have my 5ds body..
Hi Dustin
Do you think the AF has better results on the R5? Thanks
Yes, to some extent, though the R5 isn't going to improve focus speed.
Excellent review Dustin! Really helpful 👍
Ouick question, so if I were to buy a telephoto zoom lense (body: Canon 80D) for bird photography, should I get the Tamron 100-400 over this one?
I personally think so, yes.
Thanks, Dustin, maybe a silly question from an amateur here, would the Sony A7R4 with AF and eye-tracking do a better job with this lens?
Not this lens, but purchasing the new Sigma 100-400 DN version (made for mirrorless) gives much better results.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks
In the tracking shots of the dog, the comparison might not have been entirely fair, as the light is not the same (or so it seems). In the Canon photos the light seems considerably more diffused, and very importantly the eyes of the dog are clearly visible in nearly every photo. In the Sigma shots the dog's eyes are nearly always lost in the blackness of the animal's fur, presumably due to the harsher light and higher contrasts, and maybe also due to the angle of the dog's course across the lawn. The difference in light may also at least partially account for the apparently better colour rendition of the Sigma lens.
The series were not shot very far apart (within minutes), so that shouldn't have been a primary factor.
Well, of course I can only judge by what I see in your footage, and I don't know what your settings were. But I find it very noticeable that the light appears to be different. Whether that is due to actual real life differences (light sometimes changes rapidly) or differences in how the Camera percieves light with different lenses, I can't tell. But the difference in how visible the eyes of the dog are, is remarkable.
What about comparing Tamron with sigma 100-400 lens for canon.
These are both lenses that were released about 4 years ago. I've got far too much current gear to review to go back and recover older lenses. Sorry!
So having the nikon 70-200vr2 and the nikon 200-500 I might want a lens for which I don't have to use a forklift. The Nikon lenses are great but heavy. Only thing is that am I used to the Nikon IQ. Is the Sigma IQ acceptable with respect to the Nikkors?
Hi Toni - I'm not a Nikon shooter, but I did compare the Sigma to one of the very best lenses in the class and found that it compared very well. I doubt you'll be disappointed with the image quality.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Ok thanks. Heard that the Tamron version also received some good credits. Will check at my camerastore whether they have some demos of the Sigma and Tamron.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Got a change to test the Sigma and Tamron. Both very similar and indeed good value. But both feel a bit to much as a compromise to me. With the 100-400 range already covered by my Nikkors I went happily home with a sensor cleaning kit. I can not leave a camerastore without buying something😂😂
How does the autofocus of the Sigma 100-400 compare to the Sigma 150-600?
I have a 150-600 now, but I'm thinking the 100-400 might be a better option for travelling; smaller, lighter, can more easily fit in my camera bag.
It would definitely be the smaller, light option. I would say AF is fairly close.
I know i'm late but what is the namw of gear that you use to walk with this setup placed on your torso at the beginning of the video? It seems to be really usefull.
It's called the Cotton Carrier: th-cam.com/video/_VmI3rTBGmQ/w-d-xo.html
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks.
Thanks for a great review.
I'm saving for either this 100-400C or the 150-600C to use on my Rebel T3 (EOS 1100D in Europe)
Did you compare them to each other?
Does one of the two have a clear preference for birds- and general wild photography?
I didn't shoot them side by side, no. I reviewed the 150-600 C about two years ago. There are a number of people who have done a lot of successful birding with the 100-400 C. I won't be surprised to hear that people do the same with the 100-400 C.
I am fed up with saying "for the price", there is no price to RUBISH! Waste of money, burnt 800 dollars on something it doesn't work properly, period. You can sell it for 100 bucks, its 100 wasted bucks when it doesn't focus! Thanks, the review was great, now we know why NOT to buy it. Thank you man! This is exactly what i was looking for. Now i can by the Tamron which doesn't have the same optics sadly, but focuses much better.
And 100-400 canon L the Leader anyways. Though costly.
Since the 100-400 MK2 is out of my price range, I'm looking at buying a Sigma 100-400 vs a 100-400 MK1. Would you expect the Sigma to be better than the MK1?
It's sharper and has much better IS. It isn't better for autofocus speed.
Mostly buying it for a vacation in Africa / a safari. So I suppose better IS would benefit me more than autofocus speed. Thanks for your help!
Truly appreciate you
Thank you very much.
Dustin Abbott great thorough review as usual. Thanks. I'm glad to hear unbiased statements about the only area where Sigma always let's us down : "autofocus" so far it has always prevented me from buying any of their lenses. Do you intend to test the lens on aps-c like the 80D? that's what most people will be using it on I'm sure. Cheers
My 80D review comes next week.
Perfect for lumix, we dont have af anyway. If theres one area where we can compromise to save cost, its af.
@@fredriksvard2603 well taking sports and action shots without AF...🤔
Hi Dustin! According to canonrumors Tamron will be announcing a 100-400 4.5-6.3 soon. With Tamron's excellent autofocus performance this new lens could get very close to Canon's offering. Like you, I don't like walking around with Canon's white lens and would happily switch. Can't wait to hear what you have to say about Tamron's new 100-400 in a few months! Many regards from Spain, Dirk
Let's just say my lips are sealed ;)
Is it possible the Canon was front focused, for example @5:24 the grass appears sharper than the window. that seems problematic.
I've just chart tested the Canon against the new Sony version of this lens if you want to check that out. bit.ly/DN100400Def
Could not have asked for a more informative review, presented in such a great way.
I am currently cross shopping between the :
-Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM (Which you reviewed earlier)
-Canon EF 70-200 F4 IS USM
- and this lens.
Being completely new to telephoto photography, I was pretty worried I may be putting my budget into a lens that would suffer from sharpness issues. But watching your this review has laid that one to rest.
Keep up all the great work, I will be watching on to what will hopefully be, your review of the Sigma Art 24-70 :)
Kind Regards,
Domingo
I'm working on that review right now.
Dustin Abbott great informative review as ever. One question springs to mind, that is the often quoted issue if lens to lens variation; ie you can get a good sharp one or a poor soft one. I'm presuming this can be corrected using the micro adjust in the USB dock? If you've done the comparison to the ef 70-200f4 IS that would be really interesting, I'm thinking of selling mine to get this sigma, as the extra reach would be useful, but I'm slightly concerned how much performance I might be sacrificing?
Optically I don't think you are sacrificing anything.
Dustin Abbott thanks. A bit off topic ish but in your opinion how does it compare to the tamron 150-600 G2 for IQ? I'm presuming the latter has a much better sorted AF and general build quality and handling.
Dear Dustin, thank you so much for your review. Shooting subjects in motion I found that the focus appears a little behind or I mean around the subject. Can you please help with your comments and how I can solve. My regards.
That was my primary complaint with the lens. The focus was a little slow for fast action.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Dear Dustin, I am using the body from Panasonic S1R. There is another brand which can solve the slow down? Normally which camera body you use? Thanks for the reply
I personally use Sony (a9 and a7RIII) and Canon (EOS R, but soon the EOS R5).
Dustin Abbott thanks a lot with my regards
Just discovered your channel. Such good information thank you and I have subscribed. Im torn between this and the Tamron. Many mixed reviews concluding which is better. One thing I would like to ask is would you consider it almost foolish not to get the USB, Tap In adapters when buying either one? Im coming to that conclusion despite what appears to be a laborious task of calibrating them. Lastly even though the Nikon lenses that are equivalent to these are way out of my price range have you found that the manufactures own lenses have less variances than the after market ones as far as focus OS etc? Thanks
The short answer is that yes, often first party lenses do require less calibration (though not always). I personally would choose the Tamron based on my tests as I felt it had a far more robust AF system. Finally, it is absolutely worth investing in the USB/Tap IN. Even getting firmware updates can make a big difference, and fine-tuning the AF allows you to get the best out of your investment.
Should I get this for my T1i?
I'm looking for an affordable upgrade from my Canon 75-300 ii
This would be a significant upgrade over that lens.
Dustin Abbott thanks for the quick reply!
I just got the lens, but optical stabilization is poor. Can I improve optical stabilization using the customization software ?
You can tweak the behavior via the Sigma Optimization software, but there are limits to how much that accomplishes. It's worth a try, though. Test the different modes and see if one works more to your liking.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you !!!
is this lenses af speed good enough for birding? on an aps-c body like 800d...
i am really confused
tamron 100-400 has better af speed
sigma 100-400 has better inage quality
according to yours and other reviews..
but i heard that sigma's af speed has improved after a firmware update.. can you varify me that..
I can’t, unfortunately, as I return gear shortly after I do reviews and don’t have ongoing access to it.
Will you be comparing this lens to the new Tamron 100-400 f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens? Thank you brother...
Not directly, as I don't have the Sigma on hand anymore.
Another fantastic review Dustin, superb work again, thank you for all your hard work doing these reviews.
+Mick Jury Thanks, Mick. My pleasure
Hello Dustin.Can we expect from the Sigma to fix the problem with the AF servo?
+Václav Halbrštát There's not a problem, per se, but rather a limitation of the AF system. Sigma has already released an update, but I had applied the update before testing the AF system. I doubt there is much potential to improve it much more through firmware.
I understand.
It's just a system that Sigma uses.
Thank you, Dustin. I hope good light.
So I have this lens. ;-)
Sharpness is good.
AF is good. I'm happy.
Did not you have OS enabled with AI servo?
Instead a tripod mount using nodal slide with lever release.
I did have it engaged, yes.
I like the details of your reviews. Although I hope no dogs were harmed in the production of your videos.(Joke) I shoot mostly film to be frank. I have been kicking around getting some of these after market lenses for my old 5d( yes the first one). I look at the Canon money and just go "ouch", although they would likely hold their value. In your video, what is it about the lens that prevents it from obtaining and maintaining focus as your puppy dog was running. Any thoughts on using these(100-400 & 160-600) on a legacy Canon 5d. Also is there a 1.4x converter?
The original 5D has a less robust autofocus system, and so I honestly don't know how well these newer lens work on it as I havent' tested that combination. I think in the case of the Sigma the focus motor isn't powerful enough to keep up. An alternative (if you need the tracking) is to try the new Tamron 100-400 VC, which was much closer to my Canon 100-400L II in tracking.
How does the AF tracking and stability while shooting handheld at maximum zoom compare to the Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens?
+abhishek deepak I didn't directly compare them. Are you wanting to compare 400mm vs 600mm?
I have decided against purchasing the sigma 150-400mm lens but now considering the tamron 150-600mm g2 lens or the canon 100-400mm IS II. I have the original tamron 150-600mm vc usd lens and i feel at 600mm even with a monopod and VC on, there is alot of camera shake. I prefer to shoot handheld. Also with the tamron g2 lens, how does the weather sealing compare to the sigma sport since there is a big difference in weight?
I think the Tamron sealing is as good as you will need. They use pretty strong language in backing up the sealing on their G2 lenses.
The thing i am wondering is that the sigma sports lens is quite bulky and weather sealed, does this mean that for example in heavy rain the sigma lens has better chance of surviving than the tamron g2 lens? Would the tamron g2 lens perform well in hot and humid conditions or even in extreme cold?
Without having personally used both lenses in extreme conditions side by side, I wouldn't really be qualified to answer that question.
what do you think about the latest eunuch of a camera, the 6d2?
I can't really say without using it, but, much like the original 6D, I suspect it will be a much better camera than what people predict.
In your sharpness comparison the focus of the canon is on the grass, while the focus of the sigma is on the barn. No wonder the canon is “less sharp”
Thank you for your review! Really helps me a lot. I am considering purchasing a telephoto zoom lense. Among sigma, Tamron, and canon, there were lots of choices, and thanks for your review I have made my decision to go for Canon 100-400mm mark ii. Really appreciate your reviews! Hoping to see more in the future.
That's a solid choice. I think it offers the best package out there.
fancy that. A designer had a reason for a design feature...
Hi David, this review was probably at least 100 lenses ago for me, so I'm not quite sure what your comment is in reference to.
How would you rate the image quality at 400mm compared to the Canon EF 400 5.6 L?
I haven't compared the two, though I suspect the prime will be sharper. The challenge there is handholding a 400mm lens!
Thanks for the review its a shame the AF is not as good as the Canon 100-400 otherwise this would be an absolute winner for me. I can't afford the Canon so i guess ill just stick with my 55-250mm for now.
Tamron also makes a 100-400 VC that has faster AF.
A nice series of reviews of this very attractive priced zoom lens from Sigma. So attractive that I bought it. I use the lens on a Canon 6D, not the fast tracking camera from Canon to say it polite. Tracing is not that important to me. Tracking and getting a good result offcource also depend on the distance your subject is away from you and I had some nice results with the 6D on a racetrack, safely away from the actuel action. Your reviews are honest. I really love this lens with it's superb IQ. Thanks again Dustin for your nice review!
You are the perfect candidate for this lens - you can benefit from its great image quality without having inflated expectations for how well it can track.
I use a Canon 6D and I'm curious about AF speed on this lens. Thank you for your comment.
Very snappy elve7878.
liked the video until the blurry shots of the dog because the shutter speed was obviously too slow. Probably less than the focal length. Also what's the point of viewing photos when we have no idea what the focal length, aperture, and ISO settings are?
Not true, actually. If you took the time to visit the image gallery, as I suggest, you could see the information you wanted. Also, this is hardly the first time I've shot action. The problem wasn't the shutter speed; the problem was that the lens couldn't autofocus quickly enough to keep up with the action (which was the whole point I was making).
There goes my hope to have found a cheapo lens for birds in flight for my 80D.
The Tamron 100-400 VC focuses more quickly and might be the lens you are looking for.
Thank you. It has been on my radar. I question myself if not spending a little more for the Canon 400mm F5.6 might be worth it or just going with that Tamron SP AF 150-600mm 5.0-6.3 Di VC USD instead. Or even the Tamron 150-600mm G2.
They are all so close. And even the Canon 100-400mm L II is temping. Especially with the student cash-back.
Has anyone tried this lens on Eos R/RP - I think that DP-AF works on totally different way and that on those body there would be no problem with AF-servo and this lens !??
I haven't tested there, though there is one flaw in your logic. DPAF does not influence the lenses' focus speed. It can affect the speed in which a camera focuses, but can't increase the torque to the lens' focus motor. That being said, there is a firmware update that is supposed to have improved focus speed somewhat since I've done this review.
At 5:23, you say that the canon is worse in the corners. Sorry, but that is not true. In your test shots, look where the focus is in the canon image: The grass is in focus, not the window.
Hi Dustin, this is a great review...thanks so much for all you've done on this lens! I'm *almost* sure that I'm going to buy this but I have one question if you don't mind: I'll be using this on my Canon 80D as you did in at least one of you videos (I love it!), and I'm a bit concerned that the weight of the lens may cause some damage to the mount inside the camera (as another viewer mentioned could happen). Did you find this was the case? Were you worried about it at all? I know you said that it wants to droop a bit on a tripod, so I just wonder if you were at all worried that it would damage your camera body. I did hear someone say they didn't think this would be the case since it's not as heavy as it's counterparts, so I just wanted to get your opinion either way. Thanks!
I highly doubt that would be the case. Sigma wouldn't be so foolish as to design a lens that requires a tripod foot to not damage a camera and then not sell a tripod collar for it. There are many more heavy lenses (lots from Sigma themselves) that have no tripod collar design at all. That reviewer didn't know what they were talking about.
Oh, that's great...thanks for taking the time to reply and for sharing your thoughts. I'm pretty positive I'm going to order it tonight :)
For anyone reading this there are now well reviewed 3rd party lens tripod collars for this lens. Can be found on Amazon and Im sure elsewhere.
any feedback on using this wi MC-11 Adapter for Sony a6500 ? :)
I'm waiting on Sigma Canada to send me one. Soon, hopefully.
Can this lens handle kids sports? Particularly soccer for 11-14 year olds?
As long as the light is decent and the action isn't too fast.
so for wildlife keep my 400mm f/5.6 L (however i found it a hard lens tow ork with) but i have to practice more...
Yes and no. If you are struggling to handhold the lens, you might find this an easier option. I would say the tracking on your lens is factor, though.
Dustin Abbott not the weight i just don't know i am getting sharper shots with my 300mm F4 L IS... i had a Sigma 50-500 and because of the weight i just did not use it that much. I took it to South Africa and Canada to shoot wildlife but now i have a little son and i can not take that big heavy beast with me anymore (besides that i have not so much time) this 100-400 would be a dream, a telezoom with great IQ, light weight and small. My primes i kept and i use them i take either the canon 300 f4 is or the 400 f5.6 besides my Tamron 70-200 when i go for a walk. I miss sometimes the reach of my 50-500 which i loved specially stoped down to f7.1 of f8 but life is making choices and it is hobby. But when i would use it it is on Wildlife... maybe stick with the 300 and 400 prime would be better then. Have to find a way to learn the 400mm prime maybe i just have to learn to be less shaky... in 3 weeks we go again to Canada and i hope to get some good shots. For one holiday a 150-600 is a bit expensive like i wrote it is heavy and big so then the Sigma 100-400 comes in. But maybe i need to be more creative and just take my primes with me.
That was a good advice and good explination!
Thank you so much for this Video!💖💯👍👍👍...
I was always doubtful about Sigma what some youtubers talk about "Autofocus"...But now I finely got the point!😊👍...Im more in Landscape and Portrait shooter so now I finaly decided to buy Sigma 100-400..😊👍..
How about Sigma 100-400 vs Tamron 100-400??hope you can make a video too about these 2 power Lenses..😊
I'm afraid that I won't be going back this far to do any new content. I preferred the Tamron out of the two, though, as while they are similar optically, I felt the autofocus was better on the Tamron.
Thanks, like the review. With f/6.3, I guess the Sigma lens will have difficulty to use with a teleconverter.
I've not really been impressed with any of the long f/6.3 lenses + TC combinations, myself.
Great review as normal, a question about your afc (Nikon Speak) comment, would you say its worse than the Sigma 150-600C, i do bird photography including BIF and have a Nikon D500 but have had to give the 150-600 up as its too heavy for me.
I know ability will have some bearing on it and would just say i can get most BIF shots i go for with a Panasonic G80 and 100-400.
thanks
mikew5349 which 100-400?
I haven't used the Sigma 150-600 C since the firmware update which was supposed to improve performance, so I'm not sure.
The Panasonic/Leica 100-400
Thanks i may go with it as i can't afford the Nikon and i dont think its as sharp anyway.
Haha, loved the video. But that Intro haha, so good. Appears from behind the tree with the vest holster. so good.
Glad to make you smile ;)
A baby harness to keep your baby safe. Why not, indeed!
LOL
i laughed when he said there was no place to make a tripod color as there are two different ones selling in amazon.
There were none at the time of the review, and, I took a quick look at the tripod collars you mention. They do exist, but you can see the limitations compared to typical lenses designed with collars in mind. You can't freely rotate all around, the distance window gets blocked somewhat, and there are complaints of scratches from mounting third party tripod collars. My point remains: Sigma still doesn't have a collar because incorporating a collar really isn't part of the design.
Sigma 100-400mm Contemporary vs tanrom 100-400, Who is the best for you?
Tamron. Better focus.
Thanks
Amazing review!
Thank you!
brilliant, brilliant review :)
Thanks!
Thank you Dustin for the review. Have just recived the lens for my Nikon D500. Fast AF and a little sharper than my Nikon 200-500mm...
That's impressive!
I don’t believe that.
You must get a lot of finger prints on the front element.
???
what other lenses for apsc on a 7d for around the same price point for wildlife then
I can't think of another lens at that price point that I'd recommend over it.
The panning shots of the dogs are terribly out of focus, they're beyond soft, so I don't understand why you would say they are acceptably in focus?
Having watched the video now it's as I thought whilst watching the first optical comparison video between this lens and the Canon 100-400 II.
Whilst the Sigma surprised me optically, and left me very impressed from the comparison shots, I was thinking whilst watching it that I bet the Canon obliterates it when it comes to AF performance, and having watched this video that's exactly how it is.
If you're investing in a 100-400 lens you aren't doing so primarily for landscapes, you're more than likely buying it to photograph your kids (and they move a lot so AF is important), or wildlife, which can move very erratically, or sports - which is constantly moving and needs a solid AF lens.
If you're wanting to shoot wildlife which doesn't move then just get the Sigma 150-600 C lens for the reach (perched birds etc.)
This 100-400 is supposed to be more of a versatile action, sports and wildlife lens imo where whilst IQ is very important, and the Sigma is outstanding for it, it still needs decent AF, but this review shows it to be very poor indeed- perhaps hence the price.
Thank you for these reviews they are brilliant, well made and informative.
Thanks for the feedback. I think I made it pretty clear that this is the main shortcoming of the lens. I suspect that Sigma will try to get a little more performance out of it via firmware, but frankly the focus motor probably isn't powerful enough to achieve the speed for demanding BIF or sports work.
I like your change of scenery going out of the studio for this. Just make sure you don't walk out of focus next time! :P
Going outside definitely introduces a LOT more variables!