Sigma 150 - 600 Poor Airshow Results

[trev864]

I have tested it now under controlled conditions the tripod against my old lens. There is noting to choose between the two....


This is the Sigma 150 - 600. Static on tripod




This was one from the airshow yesterday. Whilst I know its wide open at f6.3 as opposed to the one above at f8, it just looks wrong. I appreciate its softer at f6.3, however this looks very poor. The point of focus was just below the cockpit on the engine intake

 

[nickt]

That one looks like bad air. There is a great distance there and lots of opportunity for humidity to get in the way. The sky is not so blue either, making me wonder about humidity. I live in New York and it's hard to get a good plane shot in the summer. Same with the moon. I get my best long distance shots when its miserable cold out.

 

[Shy Talk]

Well, Trev. It looks like it's ok optically, so I guess you are just going to have to learn how to use it.

Using a 70-300 is just not the same as your new lens.
Are you using back button focus? I find it essential for moving aircraft.

Must say though, that I agree about your Gripen shot. Looks crummy.

There's kinda a limit to what you can do though sometimes, my lens does well normally, but I shot at Miramar a while ago and my shots were all crap. It was just too hot!
Theres days when you can shoot nicely at 300, but struggle at 600.

Cant think what else to suggest other than to practice using your new lens.

btw, if I remember right, Cosford is one of these shows where the light is wrong. That wouldn't have helped shooting that jet. It looks backlit.

 

[trev864]

Thanks Shy Talk. Maybe it is me. I don't know
The Gripen was from Yeovilton yesterday. It was partially backlit and it was a scorching hot day (if that had an effect)
I have tried back button focus and struggled with it. Perhaps I should try it again. I am at Fairford next weekend for a few days so plenty of time to experiment and practise. The sun there is behind you for most of the day.

You are right about the lighting at Cosford by the way

 

[nickt]

Here is my typical 'bad air day' shot. Very humid. Taken with the Sigma 150-600 C

Straight from camera

Tweaked up in LR

Still crappy in my opinion. Maybe if I was better in post I could do more fix shots like this, but when the air is hot and thick, its tough.

 

[Shy Talk]

Just on the subject of AF-ON, or back button focus as some call it.

I was a late adopter of it, but now I won't buy a camera without the AF-ON button. You'll have to program a button on your D7xxx body.

it took me a couple of days, but I will never go back to shooting 'the old way'. It helps enormously with flying aircraft. Once you crack it, you'll never go back.

 

[trev864]

Thanks Shy Talk

I'll give the back button focus another try

I don't know if the sir was bad yesterday

I have viewed quite a few other shots people took yesterday at the same show that were crystal clear

 

[Ad B]

I have this lens for two years now and I'm very satisfied with it.
A bit more than 1,5 years ago I went to a spottersday in Belgium.

600 mm

600 mm

600 mm

150 mm
The weather was first rainy, later clouded and damp.
At that time I had this lens only a few months.

 

[trev864]

Update
I spoke to a member of staff at Sigma yesterday. He believes from what I told him that there is a problem with the lens. They are having it back to sort it

 

[mikew_RIP]

Update
I spoke to a member of staff at Sigma yesterday. He believes from what I told him that there is a problem with the lens. They are having it back to sort it

In the past i have known Sigma to offer very good customer service,hoping it all goes well with them.

 

[Shy Talk]

Great news.
Whether it's defective or not now, you'll soon have a lens that you KNOW has been checked out and is working as it should. Sigmas customer care is one of their strong points.

Please check back in and let us know you you got on.

Im going to get a lens like yours, or more likely the sport version soon.

 

[trev864]

It's going back to the retailer tomorrow. Good to hear that Sigma give good customer service.
I looked at the sport but thought the extra weight wouldn't help handholding it at airshows.
I will let you know how i get on

 

[RixPix56]

Hi there, in your crop (and it doesn't show how much it is cropped) but the whole plane looks out of focus suggesting it either hasn't nailed focus at all or there's something else. What was the light like ? Is the D7100 rated for obtaining focus at f6.3 as the largest aperture opening it can use - for focus at 270mm (f16 setting is irrelevant) ? Most of the earlier Nikon pro-consumer bodies are only rated to f5.6 for this like your 70-300 has at 300 and then only for the centre point or a couple around it. The other possibility is atmospheric haze - I was at an Airshow in Australia recently where not even the pros could get sharp shots no matter what they did. A whole day's shooting for me with a fast prime and a friend's Tamron 150-600 shots essentially went in the bin because nothing was sharp no matter what we tried. We have had the opposite great success at past air shows. Have you compared results to others at same event?
Regards RixPix56


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trev864]

Hi RixPix56

I never had problems like this with my 70 - 300. I had several photos from this show where the focus point is bang on the aircraft but the shot is out of focus despite high shutter speeds.
I have viewed lots of shots from the same show (many with compositions identical to mine) and they are tack sharp, so I don't think it was atmospherics


Update.......

I took the lens back to the retailer today who exchanged the lens for a new one. I will update you after the airshow this weekend

 

[RocketCowboy]

Is the D7100 rated for obtaining focus at f6.3 as the largest aperture opening it can use - for focus at 270mm (f16 setting is irrelevant) ? Most of the earlier Nikon pro-consumer bodies are only rated to f5.6 for this like your 70-300 has at 300 and then only for the centre point or a couple around it.

Minimum AF on the D7100 is f/6.3 or f/8, but I'm thinking it's actually f/8. I've not had problems with either the Nikon 200-500 (granted it's an f/5.6 lens) or the Tamron 150-600 G1 in acquiring focus with the D7100 in daylight.

 

[trev864]

Well it looks as though the old lens wasn't right after all. These photos were shot at the weekend with the new replacement. Happy days!

 

[jay_dean]

Well, i took my Siggy 150-600mm Sport to RIAT, its first real shoot in anger. I have to say that i found the IQ very good compared to my usual long lens

 

[Shy Talk]

Great news Trev, so glad you got things sorted.

I once had probs with gear (it was Oly btw) and I spent far too long taking advice and trying things. I had to dump the lot eventually and move to Nikon, but my mistake was listening to idiots like me, on forums like this, for far, far too long!

if the stuff don't work, get it fixed or dump the lot- but do it quickly!

The gear's dear, but the time and photo ops are literally priceless.

 

[trev864]

Thanks Shy Talk......

I had tried everything and thought it was me.......

If only I had gone back to the shop sooner.....

 

[Shy Talk]

Oh Dearie-dear.
Those were my exact thoughts when I flogged all my Oly stuff.

"Dang! Should have done this a year ago!"

Happy days!��