Photography News Issue 29

Photography News Issue 29 absolutephoto.com

45

First tests

Sigma 180mm f/2.8 APOMacro EX DG HSM £1099

Specs

Format 35mm and APS-C Mount Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Sony Construction 19 elements in 14 groups Special lens elements 3 FLD Coatings Super Multi-layer Coating Filter size 86mm Aperture range f/2.8-22 Diaphragm 9 blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes, full-time override Minimum focus 47cm Focus limiter 3 positions: full, infinity to 0.67m, 0.67-0.47m Maximummagnification 1:1 Distance scale Yes, metres and feet. Magnification ratios at different distances also shown Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser Sigma Optical Stabilizer Tripod collar Supplied. Removable Lens hood Supplied. 2 section for 35mm and APS-C Weather-sealed No Dimensions (lxd) 203.9x95mm Weight 1640g Contact sigma-imaging-uk.com

Most macro lenses are in the 50- 100mm area (or equivalent to, depending on the format) and those focal lengths are very popular. Of course such lenses not only focus very close but also double up as fine all- round lenses, and the extra potential justifies their extra cost. There are fewer longer focal length macro lenses to choose from, but Sigma is one maker of such optics with a 150mm f/2.8 as well as this 180mm f/2.8 in its range. So, why consider such a long macro lens? Well, the issue with shorter macro lenses is, if you are working at life-sizemagnification (or close to) you need to be so close to the subject that your presence will spook it. Another problem is that you might not be able to physically get close enough to the subject in the first place. Another possible issue is lighting. Get in close with a short macro lens and the lens or your shadow might get in the way, either disturbing the subject or spoiling the image. If you want to add extra lighting, again the close shooting range might be a problem for you. This is where a longer lens like this Sigma 180mm f/2.8 can come in mighty useful. And, of course, it’s a fast prime telephoto in its own right so suits action, portraits and landscape too. Shoot on an APS-C body with its 1.5x or 1.6x crop factor and you get even more pulling power.

Given its complex 19 element construction and fast maximum aperture you won’t be surprised to learn that it is a weighty, slightly front-heavy lens. However, it balances well on a camera like the Nikon D800, which we used for this test. Autofocusing is handled by Sigma’s Hypersonic Motor so it’s swift, responsive and accurate. It’s also silent. AF on macro lenses, with their long focusing range, can be prone to hunting. This lens has three limiting options: 0.47-0.67m, 0.67 to infinity or the full range. You will save frustration and possible missed shots if you use the limiter. Or shoot in manual focus. The broad, smooth-operating focus barrel has full-time manual override, and there is an AF/M switch on the lens body too. Such a long, heavy lens means camera shake is a risk so Sigma has equipped this lens with its Optical Stabilizer system with a benefit of up to 4EV. It is worth noting that the system is less effective as the focusing distance gets shorter – which makes sense as getting closer means the magnification is higher. There are two OS settings, 1 and 2. Mode 1 is for lens movement in any plane so general usage. OS setting 2 corrects in the vertical plane so select this mode when horizontally panning a moving subject and the camera won’t try to correct for your panning action.

Above Using the lens on a tripod-mounted Nikon D800 and ElinchromQuadra flash heads, we shot at 1:4 and 1:1 life-size. The aperture values are according to the lens click-stop; there’s light loss as the lens is focused more closely. Flare can be an issue with longer lenses and it’s no different here. The lens hood should be always be used to avoid any risk fromstray light striking the lens front. The supplied hood comes in two parts to suit shooting 35mm or APS-C format. WC macro or distant scenes. Macro lenses are often used at their small apertures for as much depth-of-field as possible and while diffraction always takes the edge off performance, I think f/16 and f/22 (as set on the lens) can be used with confidence here, even with extreme close-ups. If ultimate quality is your goal I would stop at f/16 and, if depth-of- field is less of an issue, then f/8 and f/11 show the lens at its very best with excellent sharpness across the frame. Wider apertures perform capably too, although it’s true that for close- up shooting stopping to f/5.6 and beyond does deliver noticeably better sharpness, but for normal picture- taking, even f/2.8 can be used for high- quality shots.

Testing the OS system in practice, at normal shooting distances, say five metres and further, Iwas getting sharp pictures as slow as 1/15sec – success rate at this speed was about 60%. My handheld limit would probably be 1/30sec where I was getting four out of five shots pin-sharp. Moving in to one metre from the subject, I wouldn’t be overly confident successfully hand-holding at 1/30sec, or even 1/60sec. I reckon 1/125sec would be my lower limit. The OS still has a benefit when shooting close-ups but probably more like 1 or 2EV as opposed to up to 4EV at normal shooting distances, so it is still worth using – unless you’re using a tripod or monopod, of course. Given its macro skills, we tested the Sigma 180mm at 1:1 and 1:4 magnifications as well as at normal shooting distances. The 180mm showed itself to be very capable throughout its aperture range and perfectly useable at both aperture extremes whether shooting

Quarter life-size

F/2.8

Verdict

The Sigma 180mm is a serious lens with a serious price to match and it is not a lens you’d buy or carry on the off-chance of snapping the odd picture. But if your need is for a fast-aperture, high-performing telephoto for low- light shooting or for macro work at a relatively comfortable camera-to- subject distance, this lens is worth a serious look.

F/4

F/5.6

F/8

Features A well-specified lens with f/2.8, OS, tripod mount, HSM focusing and 1:1 magnification

24/25

Performance Very good, for close-up and distance shooting

23/25

23/25

Handling This lens handles well for its size and is nicely balanced

F/11

F/16

F/22

21/25

Value for money It’s a top-end lens with a price tag to match, but it’s still competitive for the features and performance you get Overall A fine, capable lens that has uses beyondmacro so well worth a look Pros Fast aperture, AF speed, OS, image quality Cons Heavy, expensive

91/100

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