What has isolation/lockdown taught you? There are many ways in which people over the last year and a bit have had their lives changed. Whether its socially, financially, and other ways it most definitely has changed our lifestyles. However, how has it changed photography? For some and I should say most, travel has been restricted. Only now are international borders starting to open, whether you travelling to the many reserves and private lodges within South Africa or travelling further into the Masaai Mara, Uganda, Mana Pools, Okavango Delta or the… read more →
What is photography, really? Here I sit, its early morning approximately 05h30 and I have just checked guests out for their departure from the lodge. This is the time I have before new guests to write these blogs for the public. Its tough when it comes to time as a full-time lodge-based safari/field guide, nevertheless its rewarding as I have the honor of being a Sigma Brand Ambassador. This blog discusses “What is photography really?” We will of course portray it in a different way or have different opinions, that… read more →
David Rogers writes about his impression of the Sigma 60 – 600 I recently went on assignment to Botswana for ORMS* using the Sigma 1:4,5-6.3 DG 105 Sport 60 – 600 mm lens. I usually travel with the Nikon 80 – 400 (1,3 kg) and 200 – 500 (2,3 kg) that being able travel with this one lens at (2.7 kg) and cover an even wider range was a bonus. As a photo guide, being able to pack, travel and shoot with one lens for 90% of the time on a shoot was just… read more →
After using a 150-600mm Contemporary Sigma lens for most of my time as a wildlife photographer I thought it would be quite difficult to find something not only on performance wise for the price of the lens but the durability and all-around performance from image quality to the specs based on a lens which copes quite well in different conditions such as rain and dust which I have experienced while up in the Kalahari. This lens is a little heavier than the 150-600mm Contemporary however it is made from a… read more →
Firstly a caveat, I am not a techie or pixel peeper and I am not a bird photographer. So technically this is not a review, but rather my hands-on experience of the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 Sport lens. When I intend to buy gear I usually read two or three opinion pieces and then test the camera or lens to see if it will fit my shooting style. Some reviews are very technical and I sometimes wonder if shooting brick walls qualifies someone as a photographer. My passion is mostly sports… read more →
CANON EOS R5 | SIGMA FIELD TEST Text and photo’s by Sigma Ambassador Simon Du Plessis, Actionimage. I was invited by Canon South Africa to do a field review on their new Canon EOS R5 mirrorless body. This kept me quite busy, testing the R5 out in the field using various Canon RF and EF lenses, as well as my Sigma lenses, namely the 120-300 f2.8 Sport, 100-400 f5-6.3 Contemporary and my EX 150 f2.8 Macro. When I collected the R5 from Canon SA, there was concern that the AF… read more →
A journey through my equipment upgrade career Text and photo’s by Sigma Ambassador Simon Du Plessis, Actionimage. A question I am asked often, and I just know a lot of other professional and experienced photographers are asked quite often, is what lens or camera is best for any specific application. Over the past 35 years or so that I’ve been active in photography, starting out as a real beginner with very basic entry level kit and upgrading, building up my experience , learning from two mentors back in the 80’s… read more →