| Monday, 22 March 2010 | | | | I've found the Sigma 150-500mm performs well. I |
| Review of the Sigma 150-500mm lens for Sports | | | | tested it in sunny and overcast conditions and it |
| Event Photography | | | | gets the shots I want. I'm not posting any yet as |
| Let me say straight away that I know expensive | | | | they are of U-16's but once I've got permission |
| Nikon lenses are unbeatable on Nikon cameras. So | | | | they will be in a gallery called "Sport" on the |
| don't go throwing test graphs and data sheets at | | | | website. The lens is not too heavy, zooms |
| me. But I've found the paying guests at our | | | | smoothly and the image stabiliser works really |
| parties and events don't care what lens is used as | | | | well. I've used all the different focussing modes on |
| long as it's a great photo. We've stopped taking | | | | the D700 and prefer the central focussing mode |
| the really expensive lenses to Events as they get | | | | to the 56 point 3D mode which sometimes locks |
| damaged, are extremely heavy, and basically | | | | on to the wrong competitor. |
| overkill. | | | | Colours are vivid and accurate, there is no |
| I brought a Sigma 24-70mm lens at Xmas to use | | | | problem with chromatic aberrations or lens flare, |
| on my backup Nikon D700 as we were so busy | | | | not suprising really when you see the size of the |
| with Xmas parties I needed a second | | | | flowerpot lens hood included. The lens is big and |
| photographer to help. I ended up using it myself | | | | really looks the part, the parents at the matches |
| and letting the other guy use my pro Nikon glass. | | | | I attend often give up and put their SLR's away |
| The Sigma is lighter and when you are printing 9" | | | | when they see I'm shooting, exactly what we |
| x 6" photographs there is NO difference in quality! | | | | want to achieve! I tend to shoot away in full |
| In fact it focuses just as fast and is as sharp as | | | | manual with auto ISO turned on in case the sun |
| the Nikon. | | | | slips into a cloud. Looking at the shots I've taken |
| I've now been appointed official photographer for | | | | I'm mainly at f8 with shutter speeds around 1 |
| our local Cricket team, and am working with Herts | | | | 500 to 1/1000 which freezes the action nicely. |
| County Cricket to shoot the U-16's in action as | | | | The low light capability of the Nikon D700 kicks in |
| my son is in the squad. I've also just been asked | | | | often, some of the shots with auto ISO end up |
| to cover all the sporting events for the local | | | | at 1600 or even 3200, but there is no grain or |
| private school, so will be shooting Football, Rugby, | | | | noise unless I really crop heavily, but if the shots |
| Cricket, Lacrosse and Netball and more. | | | | are properly framed there's no need to. I leave |
| Obviously we will need a team of photographers | | | | white balance at auto and keep the quality at |
| to cover all this so I priced up a kit for each | | | | Medium Jpeg with optimal quality turned on in the |
| photographer based on a D700 camera, WT-4 | | | | hidden menu. That ensures the images get sent |
| wireless transmitter to send the images back to | | | | quickly through the air to the Base station, and |
| our Mitsubishi Click, spare batteries, memory | | | | that when we have thousands of images the |
| cards etc. The stumbling block was the lenses. | | | | separate viewing stations don't slow down as |
| Nikon glass was out of the equation, and I was | | | | parents are searching through the images. We still |
| very happy with the Sigma 24-70mm. | | | | have more than enough resolution to crop if |
| So I brought a new Sigma 150-500mm imaged | | | | needed, with plenty left for a 9" x 6" print at |
| stabilised lens to try out. I've used every sports | | | | 300dpi. |
| lens going for both Canon and Nikon, usually | | | | At around £700 on the street these are |
| renting them for events as needed. The Bigma is | | | | affordable professional lenses that every |
| a well respected lens at 50-500mm but is too | | | | photographer should consider. I got mine from |
| slow and lacks image stabilisation. So the Bigos | | | | SRS Microsystems in Watford who were |
| looks ideal with it's clever Optical Stabilisation with | | | | extremely helpful. They let me test the lens |
| two modes for monopod use and hand held. | | | | thouroughly in the store and outside in the High |
| I've tried getting away with 200mm and 300mm | | | | Street. The lens focuses down to just over a |
| lenses in the past for Sports, using doublers, and | | | | meter so you can get stunning close-ups. I've |
| know that for the photos I want I need at least | | | | even shot team photos and informal portraits |
| 500mm. The logic there is that you need 10mm | | | | with this, couldn't be bothered to switch lenses so |
| for every meter, and the pitches are big! I'm | | | | just moved back (a lot!) and have been |
| never more that 50 meters from the action, so | | | | impressed with the results, no distortion and |
| 500mm gives me the range to get a full frame | | | | beautiful perspectives with accurate depth of field. |
| photograph of an individual which we can then | | | | You really can focus in on an eye and let the lens |
| offer framed. I'm not too worried about blurring | | | | and camera do the rest. |
| the background, it looks nice and can isolate a | | | | So in summary it's a stunning lens ideal for Sports |
| sportsperson from a busy background of | | | | and Wildlife which is beautifully built and feels |
| spectators, but I'm not working in packed | | | | natural to use. I'm really happy and will be kitting |
| Stadiums with huge crowds (yet:) | | | | out the team. |