I’ve spent the final week going out thrice a day with some severe glass, and I am about to let you know one thing that may prevent over ten grand.
A few months in the past, I reviewed the Sony 400-800mm lens and fell utterly in love with wildlife images. I even mentioned that setup was actually the perfect sports activities and wildlife mixture in the marketplace proper now. However you guys weren’t having it. The feedback rolled in: “What concerning the new Sigma 300-600mm f/4?”
Honest level. So I received my arms on three ultra-telephoto beasts: Sony’s $3,300 400-800mm, Sigma’s brand-new $6,600 300-600mm f/4, and Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS prime. I shot 1000’s of pictures with each, and what I discovered was actually stunning.
The Lineup
This is what we’re working with:
Sony 400-800mm ($3,300): Variable aperture from f/6.3 to f/8, zoom vary from 400-800mm.
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 ($6,600): Fastened f/4 aperture all through the whole zoom vary, considerably bigger and heavier.
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS ($14,100): Fastened 600mm focal size, no zoom functionality, identical f/4 aperture because the Sigma.
The principle drawback with the 400-800mm is pace. It drops to f/8 nearly instantly once you begin zooming, which implies your ISO goes by way of the roof once you want quick shutter speeds for wildlife or sports activities.
Construct High quality: All Winners Right here
I am not going to sugarcoat this: every certainly one of these lenses is constructed like a tank. I genuinely could not level to at least one and say it is constructed higher than the others. All of them really feel premium, weather-sealed, and prepared for skilled use. The Sigma is considerably heavier, which turns into very related once you’re handholding these items.
Picture High quality: I Can’t Imagine What I am Seeing
After taking pictures actually 1000’s of pictures with every lens and evaluating them at 400% zoom on my pc, I should be sincere with you: I can not inform a significant distinction in picture high quality between these three lenses.
The colour rendering appears to be like the identical. The sharpness appears to be like the identical. The distinction appears to be like an identical.
I assumed I wanted to do a extra scientific take a look at, so I arrange a managed comparability. Once I put the Sigma 300-600mm at 600mm subsequent to the Sony 600mm f/4 at 400% magnification, they appear nearly an identical. Perhaps, and I imply possibly, the Sony appears to be like barely cleaner within the excessive far edge, however we’re speaking about pixel-peeping territory that no person will ever discover in real-world use.
This is the place it will get loopy: I in contrast the Sony 600mm f/4 vast open in opposition to the 400-800mm zoomed to 600mm (vast open at f/8). The cheaper lens truly regarded very related, possibly even a contact sharper within the excessive edges. I needed to look twice as a result of I could not consider what I used to be seeing.
Every certainly one of these lenses produces completely stunning bokeh. The out-of-focus areas when taking pictures at f/4 with the 2 bigger lenses are buttery clean and beautiful. However here is the factor: even the cheaper 400-800 at f/8 appears to be like unimaginable. If you’re taking pictures at these focal lengths, depth of subject is already so shallow that the distinction turns into nearly meaningless.
The Sony Teleconverter Scandal
That is the place issues get irritating, and it has nothing to do with the lenses themselves.
I used to be excited to check the Sony 2x Teleconverter, which magnifies your picture and offers you double the attain, however you lose two stops of sunshine. I hooked up it to my digicam, mounted the Sigma lens, and… nothing. Black display screen.
Apparently, Sony would not permit their teleconverters to work with third-party lenses. Annoying, however high-quality. I will simply get the Sigma teleconverter, proper? Mistaken. I regarded on-line and located Sigma teleconverters for Canon, Nikon, and different manufacturers, however not Sony.
This is the kicker: Sony has banned third-party firms from making teleconverters for his or her system. So not solely are they limiting this $6,600 Sigma lens to fifteen frames per second (extra on that in a minute), they’re forcing you to make use of it as-is with no possibility to increase your attain. That is insane to me.
Teleconverter Efficiency: Evening and Day
I examined the Sony 2x Teleconverter on each Sony lenses, turning the 600mm right into a 1,200mm and the 400-800 right into a 1,600mm monster.
With the 400-800, the outcomes had been disappointing. All the things I like about this lens went out the window. The pictures regarded smooth and uninteresting. I assumed: “Alright, 2x teleconverters simply aren’t for me.”
Till I attempted it on the Sony 600mm f/4.
I used to be anticipating the identical softness and lack of element. As an alternative, these pictures regarded wonderful. I did wall checks on each lenses with the teleconverter, and the distinction was night time and day. The 600mm maintained unimaginable decision and sharpness, whereas the 400-800mm produced noticeably softer, duller pictures.
However here is the issue: with the teleconverter hooked up, my f/8 lens grew to become f/16. Even in shiny Puerto Rican daylight, I used to be taking pictures at ISO 4,000 simply to keep up 1/800th shutter pace. The lens solely works with a teleconverter in excellent, shiny situations. In any other case, your ISO goes to infinity and the photographs look horrible.
Autofocus Winner: All Three (With a Catch)
Autofocus on the Sony a9 III with every of those lenses is unimaginable. I actually did not discover any pace distinction, as they’re all practically on the spot and flawless.
However there’s that Sony limitation once more: the Sigma is capped at 15 frames per second, whereas the Sony lenses can shoot as much as 120 frames per second on the a9 III. Truthfully, even when taking pictures flying birds, 15 frames per second is sufficient for me. However if you happen to’re taking pictures fast-action sports activities professionally, that limitation would possibly matter.
Optical Stabilization Winner: Not the $14,000 Lens
This one shocked me. The 2 cheaper lenses have considerably higher stabilization than the Sony 600mm.
I did a handholding take a look at at 600mm with every lens, and also you would possibly assume I forgot to activate stabilization for the Sony 600mm. I did not. It was simply that dangerous. And optical stabilization is an enormous function once you’re taking pictures at 600mm, 800mm, or 1,200mm with a teleconverter hooked up.
I used to be genuinely shocked at how poor the stabilization is on Sony’s most costly lens.
Minimal Focusing Distance: A Actual Downside
I used to be sitting on my sofa watching TV when a hummingbird landed on a tiny twig proper outdoors my window. I grabbed my Sigma 300-600mm and began taking pictures. As I walked nearer, I shortly hit the minimal focusing distance wall. I could not get any nearer.
Each 600mm lenses wrestle with minimal focusing distance. When you’re taking pictures small animals like hummingbirds, these may not be your only option. In my sizzling sauce bottle take a look at, the 400-800mm was the clear winner, in a position to focus a lot nearer than both 600mm lens.
Actual-World Use: Tripod vs Handheld
For 4 days, I shot with every of those lenses utterly handheld. When you’re simply taking pictures fast bursts, even the huge Sigma is manageable. However the second you discover one thing cool and also you’re holding the lens up, monitoring a shifting topic, attempting to maintain it in body, it is going to put on you out.
Recognizing animals together with your eyes is simple. Lifting certainly one of these lenses to your eye and looking for that fowl within the tree when all you are seeing by way of the viewfinder is blurry leaves? Extremely tough and tiring. Each time I introduced the digicam away from my face to have a look at the fowl once more, I used to be shifting the lens and having to restart the entire course of.
With a sturdy tripod, you may have a look at the display screen, preserve the digicam completely stationary, lookup on the animal, and fine-tune your purpose. I did miss some pictures as a result of I used to be organising whereas birds flew away. However long-term, I received extra pictures as a result of I might use the 2x teleconverter to make the 600mm a 1,200mm lens, shoot from a lot farther away, and extra shortly discover topics within the body.
Digital camera Physique Ideas
Once I reviewed the 400-800mm a few months in the past, I solely used Sony’s top-of-the-line a9 III with its insane autofocus, 120 frames per second uncooked taking pictures, and pre-capture mode. I had the sensation I would want to purchase each the $3,000 lens and the $6,000–$7,000 digicam physique.
Throughout this evaluation, I jumped between the a9 III and my far more inexpensive Sony a7 IV. Surprisingly, I received higher outcomes with the a7 IV. It has extra decision, higher ISO efficiency, and 90% of the time, I am taking pictures stationary topics anyway. Sure, the a9 III has higher autofocus and monitoring, but when most birds are simply sitting on branches, I do not actually need it.
Last Verdict: Which Ought to You Purchase?
Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 ($3,300): That is the worth champion. The picture high quality matches these two far more costly lenses, and also you’re getting an additional 200mm of attain (800mm vs 600mm). Sure, you are dropping two stops of sunshine, however you are saving 1000’s of {dollars} and getting a lens that is far more manageable, simpler to pack and journey with, and extra handy to hold. For many photographers who do not shoot wildlife or sports activities professionally, that is an incredible purchase.
Sigma 300-600mm f/4 ($6,600): That is the perfect lens of the bunch, no query. It is extremely succesful, and at $6,600, it is truly a cut price for what it does. My three issues: (1) minimal focusing distance makes it powerful for small topics like hummingbirds, (2) Sony’s arbitrary 15 frames per second limitation, and (3) Sony blocking teleconverter use. That final one is devastating as a result of this lens is able to being a 1,200mm powerhouse, however Sony simply will not permit it.
Sony 600mm f/4 ($14,100): This lens is worse than the Sigma in nearly each means. You get very related picture high quality, no zoom functionality, and considerably worse optical stabilization. The one advantages are 120 frames per second taking pictures and teleconverter compatibility, and that is simply an arbitrary Sony rule. The 2x teleconverter efficiency is genuinely magical on this lens, however I can not justify the $14,100 price ticket when the Sigma exists.
Why This Issues
During the last week, I have been so excited to get up day-after-day and instantly exit on the lookout for wildlife to shoot. I can not bear in mind a time I have been this excited to take footage.
When you’ve by no means given a lot thought to wildlife images, give it a strive. Get certainly one of these super-telephoto lenses. It is a lot enjoyable, it’s going to get you outdoors, it’s going to get you exercising, and you will take stunning pictures you may grasp in your own home.
Simply possibly do not spend $14,000 when $3,300 will get you there.
