GEAR MINI TESTS
We put the hefty Sigma 300-600mm zoom, Sandisk’s new desktop SSD, a Smallrig cage kit and 3 Legged Thing’s Monty trio through their paces
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
SIGMA 300-600MM F/4 DG OS SPORTS £5899/$5999 sigmauk.com
Physically, the lens is long – especially with its hood on – making any mirrorless camera front-heavy, even though Sigma has engineered many of the heavy components to be as close to the lens mount as possible to bring the centre of gravity back. But balance is critical, and for filmmaking you really need to mount it onto a tripod or monopod with a fluid head. It comes with a detachable tripod foot with Arca-Swiss compatibility, as well as a decent backpack to help you carry it into the wild. It’s a shame the bag isn’t a tad longer because then you could keep your camera mounted to it. The 300-600mm is compatible with Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF system, and dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors inside the lens are fast, quiet and accurate. In continuous AF modes for video, tracking moving subjects is a confident experience. Whether filming a bird in flight or a racing car at full speed, the AF sticks well and delivers smooth transitions. For manual focus users, the lens provides a traditional focus ring and full support for focus assist tools on compatible Sony cameras, including peaking and magnification. While not a dedicated cine lens, the focus rotation and responsiveness are decent. But it’s not made for a follow focus system. As it’s not a parfocal lens, it’s not ideal for zooming while filming. The optical stabilisation is good too. With two modes – one for general use and the other optimised for panning – it takes the wobbles out of shots at longer focal lengths. For photo
Whichever way you look at it, Sigma’s new 300-600mm f/4 Sports lens is a heavyweight performer that makes a serious dint in your bank account. But for your £5899/$5999, you get a unique super-tele zoom that wildlife shooters will love. There’s nothing else like it for full-frame mirrorless Sony and L-Mount users, at any price. The only thing with this reach and speed is Sony’s 600mm f/4 G Master. It’s roughly the same size – just a tad lighter – but costs more than double. It’s also a fixed prime rather than a zoom and only designed for Sony users. Sony also offers the £1559/$1998 200- 600mm, but it has a variable aperture of f/5.6-6.3 so is much slower. The Sigma offers far more flexibility as an all-in-one telephoto zoom built for wildlife documentaries and sports. With a constant f/4 aperture across its entire focal range, robust build and Sigma’s signature optical quality, this lens offers properties that rival the mighty Sony 600mm lens. Whether you are at the 300mm or fully extended to 600mm, the lens maintains a consistent sharpness that can rival primes. We didn’t get the chance to do direct comparison tests with the Sony 600mm, but the Sigma does offer stunning sharpness, colour fidelity and pleasing bokeh. The Sigma feels every bit the flagship. Weighing 3.99kg/8.8lb, it’s a heavy lens with a lot of premium glass inside. Built for harsh outdoor shoots, it uses magnesium alloy and carbon- fibre-reinforced polycarbonate, with weather sealing in key areas.
CONTROL CENTRE
The left side houses the switches and the drop-in filter holder
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