Sigma not too long ago launched the brand new 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Modern lens, designed to deal with every thing from huge angle landscapes to distant sports activities motion with one lens. It might simplify your package, however is the comfort well worth the potential compromise in picture high quality?
Coming to you from Curtis Padley, this sensible video takes you trackside on the Donington Historic Competition, the place Padley examined the Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Modern lens on his Sony a6700. This lens boasts an expansive zoom vary from 16mm to 300mm, equal to 24-450mm on full body, masking almost each state of affairs conceivable. Padley appreciates its versatility, highlighting comfort for journey and sports activities photographers, and assessments its autofocus pace, stabilization, and dealing with. Impressively, Sigma included optical stabilization, a primary for his or her APS-C lenses, offering as much as six stops on the huge finish and 4.5 stops at telephoto lengths. That is particularly helpful paired with cameras just like the a6700, which provides 5 stops of its personal.
Padley additionally addresses considerations about picture sharpness, widespread in lenses with such excessive zoom ranges. Surprisingly, he notes strong efficiency on the heart throughout most focal lengths, although corners soften, particularly on the 300mm excessive. There’s anticipated barrel distortion on the huge finish and a few pincushion distortion zoomed in, although each may be minimized with in-camera corrections. Chromatic aberration, sometimes problematic with lenses of this vary, exhibits up mildly however stays manageable in most taking pictures eventualities. Padley demonstrates its strengths and weaknesses clearly, exhibiting examples from the race.
Key Specs
Focal Size: 16 to 300mm (24 to 450mm equal)
Aperture: f/3.5-6.7 most; f/22-45 minimal
Lens Mount: Sony E, Canon RF, Leica L, Fujifilm X
Lens Format: APS-C
Angle of View: 83.2° to five.4°
Minimal Focus Distance: 6.7 inches (huge), 41.3 inches (tele)
Magnification: 1:2 Macro (0.5x)
Optical Design: 20 parts in 14 teams
Stabilization: Optical (6 stops huge, 4.5 stops telephoto)
Filter Measurement: 67 mm
Weight: 21.7 oz (615 g)
With these specs, it is clear Sigma is positioning this lens for many who prioritize flexibility, significantly vacationers, sports activities, wildlife fans, or informal shooters preferring carrying only one lens. Padley factors out that its close-focus capabilities almost allow you to contact topics on the widest setting, very best for fundamental macro-style images. Regardless of some compromises in most aperture, limiting background blur for portraits, its autofocus is notably quick, quiet, and dependable when paired with Sony’s AI-enabled autofocus system.
Padley emphasizes construct high quality, noting it feels premium regardless of its compact dimension and light-weight development. It contains dust- and splash-resistance, a weather-sealed gasket, and a water-repellent entrance coating—very best options for out of doors and difficult situations. Dealing with is enhanced by a thoughtfully designed zoom ring, which requires minimal wrist motion to go from wide-angle to full telephoto.
Padley in the end finds the lens’s strengths outweigh its limitations, significantly given the worth of $769. For photographers who worth comfort and flexibility with out sacrificing an excessive amount of high quality, this lens might turn into a mainstay of their bag. Try the video above for the complete rundown from Padley.
