Yanqui67 From Puerto Rico, joined Jan 2005, 505 posts, RR: 3 Posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 4227 times:
I am not very satified with this lens at all. My biggest gripe is the softness of it. I tried all kinds of modes, settings, speeds OS on and off. No diffrence. I bet I get 2 out of 8 keepers. Unaccepatable. This lens hunts a lot and makes weird noises. It tends to lock up also where it will go from infinity to close up and not return I have to manually turn the focus to infinity by that time the freaking subject is gone. I am not happy. I will return it and buy the Nikkor 80-400mm VR. Today while shooting with the Sigma I pulled out my trusty Nikkor 80-200mm F2.8 and holy smokes what a diffrence. The cropped picture from the Nikkor looked far better than the Sigma. A lesson learned, I will not buy third party lenses again. Nikon glass from now on. Like I said in a previous post, this will go back if it turns out to be a doorstop. And it is!!
NIKV69 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 4164 times:
Quoting Yanqui67 (Thread starter): I pulled out my trusty Nikkor 80-200mm F2.8 and holy smokes what a diffrence.
Yes that becomes clear the second you use it. I love my 200 2.8. I am learning to get good results with my 400VR. Both Nikkor.
Good luck with your new lens.
B757300 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 4114 posts, RR: 25 Reply 4, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 4140 times:
Quoting Aviopic (Reply 2): d you get a new DG version btw ?
According Sigma it should be a lot better.........
If he found a DG version, he is lucky. I've been considering this lens for my 350D but so far I haven't seen it for sale anywhere except on B&H where it has been back ordered since being listed. This goes for the lens whether it is for Canons, Nikons, Sigmas, etc.
Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10213 posts, RR: 21 Reply 6, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 4102 times:
Sounds like he has one from the first production run.
There were problems with very early 80-400s, so serious in fact Sigma removed the lens from production and sales for several months while redesigning and fixing it.
Not sure if existing lenses were recalled for replacement.
Yanqui67 From Puerto Rico, joined Jan 2005, 505 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 4063 times:
Thanks for the comments guys. What is the DG version? What makes it different? I sent an E-mail to Sigma to see if I have an old version. If anybody knows how to tell here is the serial number 1004445. This is so frustrating to save the money and end up with crap. From all the research I did, this is a very highly rated lens, but in my world I get a turd.
Gus Anaya
Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10213 posts, RR: 21 Reply 8, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 4037 times:
Sigma is renaming pretty much all their lenses to "DG" with no or minimal changes.
It simply indicates the lens is compatible with DSLRs (which all lenses are anyway), it's a marketing trick more than anything.
DLKAPA From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 4034 times:
Quoting Jwenting (Reply 8): Sigma is renaming pretty much all their lenses to "DG" with no or minimal changes.
I thought they actually did put a non-reflective coating on the inside of their glass because digital camera sensors reflect light back onto the lens, which in turn reflects light back onto the sensor, affecting the image, and that the coating is put there to eliminate the problem?
Aviopic From Netherlands, joined Mar 2004, 2681 posts, RR: 46 Reply 10, posted (7 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 4015 times:
Quoting B757300 (Reply 4): If he found a DG version, he is lucky. I've been considering this lens for my 350D but so far I haven't seen it for sale anywhere except on B&H where it has been back ordered since being listed.
Yes that's true, it should have been available since last Sept. but as far as I know it is still not in the shop.
Quoting Jwenting (Reply 8): Sigma is renaming pretty much all their lenses to "DG" with no or minimal changes.
Did you take one apart ?
Quoting DLKAPA (Reply 9): I thought they actually did put a non-reflective coating on the inside of their glass because digital camera sensors reflect light back onto the lens, which in turn reflects light back onto the sensor, affecting the image, and that the coating is put there to eliminate the problem?
That's what I heard too although I would not be surprised if they changed some more bits.
Most of us know the quality of the 70-200/2.8 which is excellent but after trying the new DG version for a few hours I can honestly say...... I want it.
Willem
The truth lives in one’s mind, it doesn’t really exist
Syarif From Malaysia, joined Jul 2004, 29 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (7 years 6 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3911 times:
Sigma has "DG"tised nearly all of its major telephoto lens, except for the 80-400mm OIS.
Could this mean there is a newly redesigned 80-400mm with newer generation OIS (and please, make it at least f3.5-f4.5 instead of f4.5-f5.6and put in HSM as well).
That's the word from a Sigma EX dealer... I don't consider an extra layer of coating a major change, and that seems indeed to be the biggest change most lenses are getting that is non-cosmetic.
A major change would mean a redesign of the optical elements.
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