A couple months ago I was approached by Sigma South Africa to use and review a selection of their Sigma lenses while out in the field. I am a field guide and have been guiding now for just over four years in some of the most prestigious lodges within the Greater Kruger region in South Africa namely the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve and the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. Conducting game drives daily in these spectacular regions allows me to encounter some of the most sort after species on safari… read more →
I had the pleasure of taking the new 60-600mm on a shoot on the Caprivi strip in between Botswana and Namibia a couple of weeks ago. After loving the 150-600’s I have been very eager to try out this new super zoom that has just won best telephoto of the year at the TIPA awards, so of course, high expectations. To be honest I also had my reservations as a 10x zoom has a lot going on inside, so I wondered whether it would have any drawbacks. The first thing… read more →
Outstanding wide-aperture, mid-telephoto performance with F1.4 brightness at maximum aperture, this lens incorporates 17 optical elements in 12 groups, an uncommonly large number of elements for a prime lens. By including three FLD glass elements, two SLD glass elements, and one aspherical lens element, the optical system minimizes axial chromatic aberration to deliver extremely high resolution along with ample peripheral light volume. Like SIGMA’s Sports line lenses, the 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art features a highly effective dust- and splash-proof structure with special sealing at the mount connection (with… read more →
The Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is the first prime macro lens to be adorned with the Art badge. Fully redesigned to deliver exception 1:1 (life-sized) magnification, the 70mm F2.8 DG Macro lens features a new coreless DC motor for extremely smooth autofocus performance. Prioritizing optical performance, the lens features an extending, floating, two-group focus mechanism. This configuration minimizes aberration to produce optimal results at any focus distance. The Canon EF mount version of the lens is compatible with Canon Lens Aberration Correction performs in-camera corrections of peripheral illumination, chromatic… read more →
Introduction I was able to field test the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens (Sigma 100-400C) extensively for 25 days on a recent birding trip through South Africa. The lens was challenged by varied shooting conditions from the dry, dusty Northern Cape, the cold uplands of Lesotho and the moist savannahs and forests of KwaZulu-Natal. What appealed to me about this lens the most is the versatile focal range in a compact form. For most of my shooting (and being an avid birder), mobility is often key, and… read more →
Introduction There is no lens manufacturer that has done a better job than Sigma at combining incredibly build quality with an affordable price tag. With their introduction of the Art Series in 2013, Sigma has gained many new fans including myself! The spectacular Sigma 35mm Art and the Sigma 85mm Art are the lenses that open peoples eyes to the incredible quality of the sigma range. The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art is Sigma’s new standard zoom lens, and I was very excited to get my hands on this… read more →
When I was asked to test the new Sigma AF 100-400mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM, I thought to myself why would someone buy this one from Sigma if major brands have their own lenses in this range? With Sigma’s good success on the 150-600mm lens, I was definitely curious about this one. The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is a relatively compact and lightweight telephoto zoom lens for full-frame DSLR cameras and APS-C sensor cameras with an effective increase in focal length. For bird, wildlife and sports photography, a… read more →
Over the past year or so I have had the privilege of being equipped with the 120-300mm F/2.8 DG OS HSM | SPORTS amongst some other fantastic sigma products. Over the past 13 months I have been faced with a number of different situations in the field and been able to really put this lens through its paces. I have decided to do a short write up on my general thoughts on the lens. First Impression: Taking this lens out of its case for the first time and attaching it… read more →
To say that my anticipation for this lens was fever pitch would be a mild understatement! I have been using the new generation of Sigma Lenses (Art & Sport) for the last four years, one of the greatest missing elements in the Sigma range was without doubt a fast and fancy prime, the bread and butter of Wildlife & Sport Photographers across the globe. Enter the 500mm F4… Overview So, looking at the release pictures of the 500mm had me salivating at the mouth and having the lens in my… read more →
There are a lot of macro lenses out there, what makes this one stand out from the crowd? Sharpness? Of course it’s sharp – tack sharp. But then again, pretty much all macro lenses are sharp, and my poor old 10 megapixel sensor won’t be able to distinguish between them. The focal length is a bit unusual – most macros are in one of three focal length ranges: 50-60mm (“normal lens” range), 90-105mm (short telephoto) and 180mm (telephoto). The longer lenses typically have the advantage of a longer working distance,… read more →