MINI TESTS
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length: 300-600mm Mount: Leica L, Sony E Image coverage: Full-frame Aperture: F/4-22 Aperture blades: 13 rounded Construction: 28 elements in 21 groups with 6 FLD aspherical and 1 SLD elements Image stabilisation: Yes Minimum focusing: 280cm/110.2in at wide end Filter size: 40.5mm drop-in Dimensions (wxl): 167x469.9mm/6.6x18.5in Weight: 3.99kg/8.8lb
speed and framing up some landscape shots, making use of the 600mm’s extreme compression. The lens is heavy and needs support. The rotating mechanism of the tripod socket uses bearings for smooth rotation, with optional click and de- click for each 90° angle. The drop-in filter holder takes standard 40.5mm filters. Sigma has developed a new drop-in circular polarising filter and variable ND filter that can be adjusted by up to seven stops while inside the lens, but these aren’t available yet. Its large function ring offers two different modes, selected via its setting switch. The first is focus preset mode, where turning the function ring to the left or right can instantly shift focus to a preset position; a great feature. The other option is power focus, where focusing is altered at a constant speed. This is perfect for filming, as it allows for smooth focus shifts, and speed can be put in two settings. The lens also features AFL buttons in four different locations: focus mode, focus limiter, two-position stabilisation mode and custom mode switches. Sigma’s mission to build top- quality lenses that offer something different to other manufacturers continues with this monster of a telephoto zoom, at a surprisingly low price considering its speed and tech. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Another unique and fast, good-value zoom from Sigma Pros: Image quality, range Cons: Big and heavy
The L-Mount version of the lens is also compatible with 1.4x and 2x converters, but the Sony version isn’t. Sigma’s complex optical formula has 28 elements in 21 groups, with six FLD aspherical elements and one SLD to combat chromatic aberration. The results are impressive, with minimal colour fringing, excellent contrast and detail retention, even in high-contrast scenes such as outdoor sports or backlit wildlife at golden hour. We tested the lens capturing birds at the local river, tracking dirt bikes at
use, this allows handheld wildlife sequences at 600mm without the jitter and vibration that typically plagues long lens work. As an independent- brand lens it’s limited to 15fps for stills instead of reaching the insane 120fps of a Sony A9 III with its own 600mm prime. For video, there’s no difference. For filmmakers who want extra reach for capturing nature, the 600mm setting gives a rough equivalent of a 900mm lens when used on a Super 35 or APS-C crop camera. This was previously limited to broadcast lenses.
WATER BIG LENS! This burly Sigma dwarfs Sony’s A9 III mirrorless camera
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