Tech Specs
Focal Length: 100-300mm
Dimensions: 8.9 x 3.6 in.
Weight: 51oz.
Maximum Aperture: f4
Minimum Aperture: f32
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Front Element: non-rotating, non-extending
Optical arrangement: 16 elements in 14 groups
Autofocus Mechanism: HSM
Closest Focus: 70.9 inches
Maximum magnification: 1:5
Filter Size: 82mm
Background
Traditionally, serious photographers have had two choices when it comes to telephoto zoom lenses: the short fast ones (70-200 2.8) and the long slow ones (100-400 f4-5.6). Obviously, there is a trade off with these optics in terms of focal lengths and speed. This in mind, it's really a wonder that optics splitting the difference between the two aren't more common. So, if 200 f2.8 is too short but 400 and f5.6 too slow, well, the Sigma 100-300 f4 may be just your thing, but is it any good? Read on!
Focal Length: 100-300mm
Dimensions: 8.9 x 3.6 in.
Weight: 51oz.
Maximum Aperture: f4
Minimum Aperture: f32
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Front Element: non-rotating, non-extending
Optical arrangement: 16 elements in 14 groups
Autofocus Mechanism: HSM
Closest Focus: 70.9 inches
Maximum magnification: 1:5
Filter Size: 82mm
Background
Traditionally, serious photographers have had two choices when it comes to telephoto zoom lenses: the short fast ones (70-200 2.8) and the long slow ones (100-400 f4-5.6). Obviously, there is a trade off with these optics in terms of focal lengths and speed. This in mind, it's really a wonder that optics splitting the difference between the two aren't more common. So, if 200 f2.8 is too short but 400 and f5.6 too slow, well, the Sigma 100-300 f4 may be just your thing, but is it any good? Read on!
The lens stays the same size no matter what you do with it.
Build Quality 5/5
The Sigma 100-300 f4 is targeted toward professionals and is built for all the rigors of pro use. To start with, the lens is all metal, a good thing that increases weight, but also confidence. Adding to the pro-grade feel is the fact that the lens is both internal zoom and focus, which means that the lens stays at a single physical length no matter what you're doing with it. Needless to say, with such construction, it'll be hard for any dust to get inside your lens. In terms of the rings, the focus is the larger, outer one while the zoom is the smaller, inner ring. Both are rubberized and highly textured to provide ample grip. In addition, this being a sonic drive lens, the focus ring doesn't spin during AF. There is a difference on Canon and Nikon mount: the Canon version has a AF/MF switch while the Nikon does not, making this Sigma like older Nikkors, which means that you control AF/MF via the switch on the camera. As a last nice touch, the tripod collar is removable, too. About the only thing this lens is missing is a weather seal at the mount. However, thanks to its non-changing dimensions, it is still better than most when it comes to dust/moisture resistance because there is simply no way for junk to get inside.
Survivability
This lens has a built-in focus motor for both Canon and Nikon versions, which means that, sooner or later, it will die on you, rendering this a manual focus lens unless parts can be located. Unfortunately, being officially phased-out in 2012, parts may be hard to come by come 2020.
See Also: A Complete List of Sigma Weather-Resistant Lenses
The Sigma 100-300 f4 is targeted toward professionals and is built for all the rigors of pro use. To start with, the lens is all metal, a good thing that increases weight, but also confidence. Adding to the pro-grade feel is the fact that the lens is both internal zoom and focus, which means that the lens stays at a single physical length no matter what you're doing with it. Needless to say, with such construction, it'll be hard for any dust to get inside your lens. In terms of the rings, the focus is the larger, outer one while the zoom is the smaller, inner ring. Both are rubberized and highly textured to provide ample grip. In addition, this being a sonic drive lens, the focus ring doesn't spin during AF. There is a difference on Canon and Nikon mount: the Canon version has a AF/MF switch while the Nikon does not, making this Sigma like older Nikkors, which means that you control AF/MF via the switch on the camera. As a last nice touch, the tripod collar is removable, too. About the only thing this lens is missing is a weather seal at the mount. However, thanks to its non-changing dimensions, it is still better than most when it comes to dust/moisture resistance because there is simply no way for junk to get inside.
Survivability
This lens has a built-in focus motor for both Canon and Nikon versions, which means that, sooner or later, it will die on you, rendering this a manual focus lens unless parts can be located. Unfortunately, being officially phased-out in 2012, parts may be hard to come by come 2020.
See Also: A Complete List of Sigma Weather-Resistant Lenses
AF Performance 5/5
Being a sonic drive (HSM in Sigma lingo) lens, focus is fast and silent with the option for full time manual override, which means that you can simply leave the lens in AF, grab and turn the focus ring, and then go about autofocusing, no need to flip switches. The only problem with this lens is that, thanks to the huge focus ring, it may be easy to actually bump the focus ring when holding the lens. An easy way around this is to leave the hood on in the stowed position, which blocks access to the focus ring. In reality, the AF/MF switch can be thought of as more of an AF/AF disable switch. On my used copy, both rings are like Goldilocks, just right as in not too sloppy or stiff, buyt your copy may vary.
Being a sonic drive (HSM in Sigma lingo) lens, focus is fast and silent with the option for full time manual override, which means that you can simply leave the lens in AF, grab and turn the focus ring, and then go about autofocusing, no need to flip switches. The only problem with this lens is that, thanks to the huge focus ring, it may be easy to actually bump the focus ring when holding the lens. An easy way around this is to leave the hood on in the stowed position, which blocks access to the focus ring. In reality, the AF/MF switch can be thought of as more of an AF/AF disable switch. On my used copy, both rings are like Goldilocks, just right as in not too sloppy or stiff, buyt your copy may vary.
Optics: 3/5
Sharpness
A lot goes into optical quality, so let's examine various characteristics individually. For sharpness, if you shoot a sub-frame camera, consider mid frame on the tests to be your corner.
A lot goes into optical quality, so let's examine various characteristics individually. For sharpness, if you shoot a sub-frame camera, consider mid frame on the tests to be your corner.
Lens at 100mm
At its shortest focal length, the Sigma 100-300 f4 is tack sharp from wide open across the entire frame, no mean feat. Blowing up to 100%, one has a pretty hard time telling whether the crop comes from the center or the extreme corner, it's just that good!
At its shortest focal length, the Sigma 100-300 f4 is tack sharp from wide open across the entire frame, no mean feat. Blowing up to 100%, one has a pretty hard time telling whether the crop comes from the center or the extreme corner, it's just that good!
Lens at 200mm
In the middle of its range, this lens softens in the center. Stopping down to f5.6 doesn't really change anything but another click down to f8 does make things a bit better. The same goes for the mid frame though the overall performance is clearly worse. By the corners, though, things are really mushy wide open and even stopping down to f8 doesn't really help.
In the middle of its range, this lens softens in the center. Stopping down to f5.6 doesn't really change anything but another click down to f8 does make things a bit better. The same goes for the mid frame though the overall performance is clearly worse. By the corners, though, things are really mushy wide open and even stopping down to f8 doesn't really help.
Lens at 300mm
For center and mid frame,things improve wide open, but f5.6 is slightly sharper than f4 with f8 offering no improvement. In the corners, things are different in that the mushiness seen at 200mm is gone with, again, sharpness peaking at f5.6 with no improvement thereafter.
Vignetting
Throughout the focal range, there is horrendous vignetting wide open that will even have an impact on your images with a sub-frame camera. In real life, images shot at f4 and f5.6 will have an obvious difference in brightness, as evidenced by the sets in the sharpness section. The good news is that, by f5.6, the vignetting is essentially gone (except maybe at 200mm) on full frame and will be a non-issue altogether on crop.
.
Distortion
There isn't any visually, trust me.
Chromatic Aberration
This lens is marketed as an “apo” and it certainly lives up to that reputation. The above shots are 100% crops of a much larger original, to boot. *80mm is left, 300mm is right.
A monster hood (on an already big lens) is sure to minimize any tendency for flare/ghosting. As an added convenience, the tripod collar is removable, too.
There isn't any visually, trust me.
This lens is marketed as an “apo” and it certainly lives up to that reputation. The above shots are 100% crops of a much larger original, to boot. *80mm is left, 300mm is right.
Flare/Ghosting
Macro
While not marketed as a macro lens, the Sigma 100-300f4 does a decent job getting up close images at 300mm. The best part: you have a lot of working distance to the subject, meaning that you are unlikely to block your own light.
Astrophotography
With the Sigma 100-300 f4, infinity is not infinity, which means that you'll have to fiddle with manually focusing the lens on a bright star while using the live view at full magnification.
This lens is very resistant to flare/ghosts. Unless you have a bright point source of light like the Sun in the corner of the frame, you shouldn't have any reason for worry and, even when they do appear, flaring is minimal. The huge hood helps with this problem, too.
While not marketed as a macro lens, the Sigma 100-300f4 does a decent job getting up close images at 300mm. The best part: you have a lot of working distance to the subject, meaning that you are unlikely to block your own light.
Astrophotography
With the Sigma 100-300 f4, infinity is not infinity, which means that you'll have to fiddle with manually focusing the lens on a bright star while using the live view at full magnification.
Value: 3/5
Well, a $1,200 lens when it sold new is not cheap by any means, so it had better perform, and in the case of the Sigma 100-300 f4, it does for the most part. The build is top-notch, as is AF. The optics are generally good, with the vignetting being the only weakness, albeit a glaring one, in the package. The softness at 200mm may be a concern for some, but many others will be more concerned about the long end, at which things improve. The big reservation: now out of production going on 8 years, if the focus motor were to die, you could be out of luck when it comes to getting it fixed. On the other hand, selling in the $500s most of the time come 2020 (I virtually stole mine for just under $300) and being virtually the only lens of its kind even today (see competition below), the price to performance ratio is quite good even considering the calculated risk of availability (or lack thereof) of spare parts.
Competition
In a toe-to-toe match-up, the Sigma 100-300 f4 has no direct competition unless one counts the ancient Tokina 100-300 f4 AT-X from way back in the early days of AF. Never having used this particular Tokina, I can't comment on it directly but, having played with contemporary Tokinas in a 80-200 f2.8 AT-X and a 80-400 f4.-5.6 AT-X, I can pretty comfortably say that the odds of having better optics (except maybe in the vignetting department) and AF are greatly in favor of the Sigma. The real, practical competition for the Sigma comes in the form of shorter, faster f2.8 zooms (ex. your 70-200s everyone makes) and the longer, slower lenses (the familiar 80/100-400 f4-5.6 ones). Out of production examples of both short and fast as well as long and slow lenses can run in the same price range as the Sigma and are very different in that one sacrifices speed or range. Contemporary versions? Be prepared to pay a lot, lot more, especially for manufacturer offerings. Personally, I hope Sigma will resurrect this lens as part of its new Global Vision lineup, but only time will tell.
Well, a $1,200 lens when it sold new is not cheap by any means, so it had better perform, and in the case of the Sigma 100-300 f4, it does for the most part. The build is top-notch, as is AF. The optics are generally good, with the vignetting being the only weakness, albeit a glaring one, in the package. The softness at 200mm may be a concern for some, but many others will be more concerned about the long end, at which things improve. The big reservation: now out of production going on 8 years, if the focus motor were to die, you could be out of luck when it comes to getting it fixed. On the other hand, selling in the $500s most of the time come 2020 (I virtually stole mine for just under $300) and being virtually the only lens of its kind even today (see competition below), the price to performance ratio is quite good even considering the calculated risk of availability (or lack thereof) of spare parts.
Competition
In a toe-to-toe match-up, the Sigma 100-300 f4 has no direct competition unless one counts the ancient Tokina 100-300 f4 AT-X from way back in the early days of AF. Never having used this particular Tokina, I can't comment on it directly but, having played with contemporary Tokinas in a 80-200 f2.8 AT-X and a 80-400 f4.-5.6 AT-X, I can pretty comfortably say that the odds of having better optics (except maybe in the vignetting department) and AF are greatly in favor of the Sigma. The real, practical competition for the Sigma comes in the form of shorter, faster f2.8 zooms (ex. your 70-200s everyone makes) and the longer, slower lenses (the familiar 80/100-400 f4-5.6 ones). Out of production examples of both short and fast as well as long and slow lenses can run in the same price range as the Sigma and are very different in that one sacrifices speed or range. Contemporary versions? Be prepared to pay a lot, lot more, especially for manufacturer offerings. Personally, I hope Sigma will resurrect this lens as part of its new Global Vision lineup, but only time will tell.
Conclusion: 4/5
The Sigma 100-300 f4 is overall a solid performer, but not without shortcomings. Build quality is excellent and the sonic-drive AF mechanism means virtually instant, silent, and accurate focus every time with the option for full manual override without the need to flip any switches. Optics? Aside from the terrible vignetting problem wide open, they're good as long as one can live with some mid range mushiness at faster apertures. Price? Well, it's justifiable for amateurs come 2020. As a last bit, this lens could be the perfect thing for anyone fretting over the “do I go for a fast, short f2.8 zoom or a slow, long one in the 400+mm range?” In every respect, the Sigma splits the difference, making itself the perfect lens for anyone who just can't make up his/her mind. Recommendation? A "yes," but with caveats.
The Sigma 100-300f4 DG HSM APO: a serious piece of glass!
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