Sigma 60‑600mm

Full-Frame f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports

Sample Images   Intro   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Accessories  USA Version

Unboxing   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports (Full-frame and APS-C coverage, comes in versions for Nikon F, for Canon EF or for Sigma, 105mm filters, 95.5 oz./2,710g, 2-8.5'/0.6-2.6m close focus, $1,999) bigger. I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally-approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sigma does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens — especially with something this exotic. Get yours only from the trusted sources I've used personally for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

November 2018   Better Pictures   Sigma   Tamron   Nikon   Canon   Sony   Fuji   LEICA   Zeiss   All Reviews

Sigma 150-500mm

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8

Canon 100-400mm L IS II

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Tamron 150-600mm

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Sample Images

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These are all shot as NORMAL JPGs; no RAW files or FINE JPGs were used or needed.

The Moon

The Moon, 0246 UTC 26 October 2018. Canon EOS R, 1.6x APS-C crop, EF Control Ring Adapter, Extender EF 1.4x II, Extender EF 2x II and Sigma 60-600mm set to 600mm, giving an effective 1,680mm focal length, 1/30 at ISO 1,600 at full aperture. bigger.

Used with teleconvertters the combination can be so long that I can photograph local airplanes in the sky and read their tail numbers. More at Teleconverters.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Sample Image of a Palm Tree

Palm at 186mm, 12 November 2018. Canon 5DS/R, Sigma 60-600mm set to 186mm, f/8 hand-held at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.

This is a real 3-D tree, so only the front fronds are actually in focus.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Sample Image of a Palm Tree

Palm at 600mm, 12 November 2018. Canon 5DS/R, Sigma 60-600mm set to 186mm, f/8 hand-held at 1/500 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.

This are real 3-D trees, so only the front fronds are actually in focus. The trunks are farther away and not in focus.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Sample Image of a Palm Tree

Palm trunk 65mm, 12 November 2018. Canon 5DS/R, Sigma 60-600mm set to 65mm, f/16 hand-held at 1/100 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © file.

This is a real 3-D tree trunk, so only the center is in focus while the sides are farther away and not in focus.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Sample Image of a Palm Tree

Mercedes AMG GLE 63S Coupe at 85mm, 12 November 2018. Canon 5DS/R, Canon 580EX II flash, Sigma 60-600mm set to 85mm, f/9 hand-held at 1/200 at Auto ISO 400, Perfectly Clear. bigger, full-resolution or camera-original © file.

I'm focused on the front wheel, so the far side of the grille and the back of the car and trees are not in focus.

 

Introduction

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New   Good   Bad   Missing

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This Sigma 60-600mm is sharp, focuses well, covers a huge zoom range, focuses very close at most focal lengths and its stabilization allows easy hand-holding at all zoom settings, especially 600mm. Its tripod foot has an Arca-Swiss groove.

With such a huge zoom range, this is two lenses in one. It can replace both a 70-200mm and a 200-600mm superzoom all in one lens.

The only gotcha is that this hobby-grade lens costs more than the fully professional Canon 100-400mm L IS II and costs much more than the Nikon 200-500mm. The reason to pay more or accept lower build quality in this huge Sigma lens is if you don't mind sacrificing build quality to get all the way to 600mm, or if you want want the ability to focus much closer or get to much shorter focal lengths than the Nikon 200-500mm. There's no free lunch here; this Sigma works extremely well but is priced the same as camera-brand lenses that cover narrower zoom ranges.

I prefer and own camera brand lenses, but if you really need the broader zoom range of this lens, it works extremely well. My biggest concern is that you can get the real Nikon or Canon lenses for the same price. It's been this way for 50 years: off-brand lenses have always offered better on-paper specifications for less money than name brands, but their mechanical, optical and future compatibility are what you're losing in exchange. Today optical quality has advanced to the point that this lens performs extremely well, but it's not built as well nor can it focus as fast as the Canon 100-400mm L IS II, and it costs more than the Nikon 200-500mm which has about the same optical quality.

This Sigma has instant manual-focus override by grabbing the focus ring at any time. An extra feature not in Canon, Sony or Nikon yet is a new MO (Manual Override) autofocus mode where even if you're in continuous AF (AFC on Nikon and Sony or SERVO on Canon), this Sigma lens magically locks focus after you manually override instead of continuing to try to track focus. You have three AF modes: the usual AF and MF and now this new MO mode.

 

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

 

New

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com World's only 60-600mm zoom. Just like the Canon 100-400mm L IS II, it does enough that if you don't mind the Sigma's jumbo size it can be the only lens you need to carry in addition to a wide zoom.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Zoom-lock slide-switch locks at every marked focal length.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com New MO mode allows locked manual focus override even in continuous AF.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com "Custom" switch allows you to change AF speed, stabilizer and focus limiter settings — but only if you buy Sigma's USB Dock to program these trivial things. This is just marketing fluff to sell USB docks; I see little to no need for these features.

 

Good

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Very sharp and undistorted optics.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Huge zoom range.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com If you don't mind the size and weight, also replaces your 70-200mm lens.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Close focusing.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Great stabilizer performance; I have no problem hand-holding at 1/100 at 600mm.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Integral Arca-Swiss plate.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Nice tripod collar with great lock knob and 90º clicks.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Has Canon lens data profiles for distortion and corner falloff correction.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Case, hood and special caps all included.

 

Bad

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com $1,999.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Huge.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Very heavy.

 

Missing

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No white version for Canon; black only.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Sony E-mount version; use the Canon EF version with the Metabones adapter and hope for the best.

 

Format

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This is a full frame lens and I'm reviewing it as such.

It also works great on APS-C cameras, on which you may make the usual inferences.

 

Compatibility

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I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

 

Warning

This is an off-brand third-party lens and may or may not work on your camera regardless of what anyone says. If it doesn't work, return it, or call Sigma, not your camera maker, for help.

Even if it works on your camera today, there is no guarantee that it will work on whatever camera you buy 5 or 10 years from today.

Get yours only from one of my personally-approved sources and you can return it for a full cash refund if it doesn't work today.

 

Canon

Sigma 60-600mm

Canon EOS R, EF Control Ring Adapter and Sigma 60-600mm. bigger.

This lens should work flawlessly on every Canon DSLR and EOS 35mm SLR made since 1987.

It should work flawlessly on every Canon full-frame and every Canon APS-C DSLR.

It also should work flawlessly on every 35mm EOS camera, like my Canon EOS 1V, introduced in 2000, and yes, I tried it on my original 1987 Canon EOS 620 and autofocus and stabilization both work great!

Use an EF Adapter to use on the EOS R System as shown here.

Use the EOS-M adapter to use this on Canon's EOS-M cameras.

 

Sony

Oddly there is no Sony version. You could try the Canon EF version and the Metabones adapter.

 

Nikon

Use the FTZ adapter and it should work on Nikon's Z-series mirrorless cameras.

This lens has an electronic diaphragm, so its aperture won't stop down unless you camera model was introduced since about 2007. Honestly with a lens this long we usually shoot it at full aperture so this is rarely a problem, but if you want to shoot it at smaller apertures, stick with the models listed here as YES.

If you don't mind always shooting wide-open (f/4.5 at 60mm to f/6.3 at 600mm), then see Nikon Lens Compatibility for details on your camera. Read down the "AF-S" and "G" columns. You'll get the least of what these two columns say, as "G" is actually a downgrade with modern Nikon lenses that removes the aperture ring and therefore compatibility with older 35mm cameras.

 

Specifications

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I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

 

Name

Sigma calls this the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports:

    DG: Works on digital cameras, so?

    OS: Optical Stabilizer.

    HSM: Hyper Sonic (Autofocus) Motor.

    Sports: Focuses more quickly than Sigma's crummier lenses.

 

Optics

Sigma 60-600mm optical construction

Sigma 60-600mm internal optical construction. SLD and FLD elements.

25 elements in 19 groups.

1 SLD extra-low dispersion element, which helps reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

3 FLD extra-low dispersion elements, which help reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

Dust and crud resistant front and rear coatings.

Internal focusing.

Pumper zoom; the front pumps in and out as you zoom.

No aspherical elements.

No fluorite elements.

 

Coverage

Full-Frame, 35mm and APS-C.

 

Diaphragm

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports (diaphragm not shown). bigger.

9 rounded blades.

Electronically actuated.

Stops down to f/22 at 60mm to f/32 at 600mm.

 

Focal Length

60-600mm.

When used on an APS-C camera, it sees the same angles of view as a 90-900mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or 35mm camera.

See also Crop Factor.

 

Angle of View

39.6º ~ 4.1º diagonal on full-frame.

 

Autofocus

Internal focus.

No external movement as focused.

 

Focus Scale

Yes.

 

Infinity Focus Stop

No.

 

Depth of Field Scale

No.

 

Reproduction Ratio Scale

No.

 

Infrared Focus Index

No.

 

Close Focus

2 feet (0.6 meters) at 60mm.

8.5 feet (2.6 meters) at 600mm.

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:3.3 (0.30×) at 200mm.

 

Image Stabilizer

Rated 4 stops improvement.

 

Caps

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

Padded nylon front cover and standard rear cap included.

The padded front cover velcros-on as shown here with the hood reversed. It also covers the front with the hood mounted for use.

There is also a standard snap-in plastic 105mm cap in the bottom of the box if you prefer.

 

Filters

Plastic 105mm filter thread.

 

Hood

Sigma LH1144-01 Hood for 60-600mm

Included Sigma LH1144-01 Hood. bigger.

Sigma 60-600mm

 

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports with included hood. bigger.

 

Case

Sigma 60-600mm case

Included Sigma LS-730 EOL Case. bigger.

 

Tripod Collar

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

The foot comes off, but the collar to which it attaches does not.

The collar has no play, rotates smoothly with 90º clicks and has an excellent metal knurled lock knob.

The foot has ¼" 20 TPI and ⅜″ threads and Arca-Swiss grooves.

 

Size

4.7" ø maximum diameter × 10.6" extension from flange.

120.4mm ø maximum diameter × 268.9mm extension from flange.

 

Weight

95.5 oz. (2,710g) actual measured weight, lens only.

5.615 oz. (159.15g) hood only.

3.370 oz. (95.5g) front and rear caps.

104.25 oz. (2,960g) total carry weight.

Rated 95.2 oz. (2,700g).

 

Quality

Made in Japan.

 

Announced

Photokina, 26 September 2018.

 

Shipping Since

October 2018.

 

Included

(See also Unboxing)

Lens

Padded front velcro cap and standard rear cap.

Standard plastic 105mm snap-in front cap (packed in bottom of cardboard box).

LH1144-01 Hood.

LS-730 EOL Case.

Allen wrench and spare screws for the tripod foot.

USA warranty paperwork.

Folded multi-language instruction sheet

 

Sigma's Model & Part Numbers

018.

The tripod foot is the TS-101.

LS-730 EOL case.

LH1144-01 hood.

 

Price, USA

$1,999, November 2018.

 

Accessories

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Included

LH1144-01 Hood.

LS-730 EOL Case.

 

Optional

Teleconverters

Wimberly GH-200 Gimbaled Head or others with Arca-Swiss receivers.

 

Unboxing

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I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

It comes in a big (14 x 9 x 5" or 36 x 23 x 13 cm) microcorrugated white box:

Sigma 60-600mm Box

Box, Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

Inside this box are two folded cardboard ends holding the lens, hood and caps in its case, as well as USA warranty paperwork, folded multi-language instruction sheet and an Allen wrench and spare screws for the tripod collar foot. There is also a 105mm snap-in front cap in the bottom of the box you might not notice.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Box

Box, Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

The box and lens are completely unsealed. There is no way to know if anyone else has been fiddling with your lens, swapping parts and accessories, or even if it's a used lens.

That's why it's critical only to buy from an approved online source, since they ship from automated warehouses where no shifty salesmen or customers ever get to touch your exotic new lens before it ships. While new $5 CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and bottles of milk and drinking water are sealed and quite obvious if anyone's opened them, paradoxically Sigma doesn't bother sealing anything on this $2,000 lens, so your only insurance is to buy only from a trusted online dealer.

 

Getting a Legal USA Version

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This section applies in the USA only.

I got my Canon USA version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

In the USA, be sure your box includes a printed copy of Sigma's Americas Limited Warranty (shown at the bottom center above), and most importantly has this sticker:

Sigma 60-600mm warranty sticker

USA Warranty Sticker. bigger.

Check that the serial number on the sticker matches the serial number at the upper right of the focus distance scale, just behind the focus ring, on your lens barrel:

Sigma 60-600mm serial number

Sigma 60-600mm Serial Number. bigger.

If you don't have this sticker or the serial number doesn't match, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. (The serial number on the box doesn't have to match, but if it doesn't it means you bought from a shady dealer who took lenses out of boxes and then resold them as new.) This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you won't even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!

If a gray market version saves you $1,000 it may be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.

Always be sure to check your sticker and lens while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.

 

Performance

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications   Accessories

Unboxing   USA Version   Performance

Compared  User's Guide   Recommendations

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Breathing

Bokeh   Distortion   Ergonomics   Eyeblow   Falloff

Filters   Flare & Ghosts   Lateral Color Fringes

Lens Corrections   Macro   Min & Max Apertures

Mechanics   Sharpness   Spherochromatism

Stabilization   Sunstars   Teleconverters

 

Overall

Performance          top

The Sigma 60-600mm covers a uniquely huge zoom range. It's also super-sharp, even in the center at 600mm, and focuses fast. If you don't mind the huge size, weight and expense, it's a swell lens.

I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

 

Autofocus

Performance          top

Autofocus is fast, but not instantaneous.

It focuses about as fast as Nikon's 200-500mm, but it's not instantaneous as are the Canon 100-400mm L IS II, Canon 70-300mm USM IS II and the Nikon 70-300 AF-P VR.

 

Manual Focus

performance          top

Manual focus is excellent. It has a direct-coupled mechanical manual focus ring you may move at any time for instant manual focus override. It works in any position of the AF-MO-MF switch.

Better, there is a unique MO (Manual Override) mode that improves on manual override while in continuous AF mode. In this mode, even with the camera set to continuous AF, the focus holds after you release the manual focus ring. Nikon's and Canon's lenses revert to autofocusing when you remove your hand from the ring in continuous AF, as this lens does in its regular AF mode, while in this new MO mode focus locks after you've manually overridden continuous AF.

 

Focus Breathing

Performance          top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

There is little to no focus breathing in this lens, which is excellent.

 

Bokeh

Performance          top

Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is very good. Backgrounds don't distract. Here are photos shot wide-open at about headshot distance:

Sigma 60-600mm Bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 25 October 2018. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 25 October 2018. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Bokeh

Davis 6250 weather station, 25 October 2018. bigger or camera-original © file.

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 600mm and f/6.3 and get as close as possible.

 

Distortion

Performance          top

There is no visible distortion, especially since most cameras will correct the distortion automatically because the Sigma 60-600mm has correction factors, at least with my Canon 5DS/R and Canon EOS R with EF adapter.

Even if you go out of your way to turn off automatic correction or are shooting this on film, even without correction there is no visible distortion except at 60mm. There is no visible distortion from 100-500mm, and even at 600mm it's mostly invisible even uncorrected.

Any of this distortion is easy to correct fully with Photoshop's lens correction filter for critical use.

These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.

On Full-Frame at 10' (3m)

Correction factor for images made with correction ON with Canon EOS R with EF adapter.

Correction factor with uncorrected images

60mm
+1.00 +3.00
100mm
±0.00 +0.30
200mm
-0.50 -0.10
300mm
±0.00 -0.50
400mm
±0.00 -0.50
600mm
+0.50 -1.30

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Sigma 60-600mm distortion

Sigma's calculated distortion, uncorrected.

 

Sigma 60-600mm distortion

Sigma's calculated distortion, uncorrected.

 

Ergonomics

Performance          top

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm at 60mm. bigger.
Sigma 60-600mm at 600mm. bigger.

This is a big, heavy lens and otherwise handles as you'd expect.

It takes at least two firm fingers to zoom. You're moving most of the lens in and out.

Manual focus is easy, one firm finger does the trick.

The massive tripod collar works great. It has 90º clicks, a big knurled metal friction and lock knob, and rotates without play.

The tripod foot also works as a handle making it easy to carry this lens and/or your camera together.

 

Eyeblow

performance          top

The Sigma 60-600mm has loads of eyeblow. Lots of air pumps in and out of the back of the lens as zoomed, so you may feel it blowing out your camera's eyepiece or rear buttons.

 

Falloff

Performance          top

Falloff is invisible at all settings on full-frame, especially with correction turned on by default. It will be even less of an issue on APS-C.

Amazingly, Canon cameras seem to recognize this lens and have correction data available. My Canon 5DS/R and EOS R with EF Adapter both do.

If you go out of your way to turn correction off or are shooting on 35mm film, falloff is invisible at every setting except wide-open at 60mm and 600mm, where there is just a little bit that goes away as stopped down.

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:

Sigma 60-600mm falloff on Canon 5DS/R, correction ON.

 
f/8
f/11
60mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
150mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
300mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
600mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff

 

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Sigma 60-600mm falloff on Canon 5DS/R, correction OFF.

 
f/8
f/11
60mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
150mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
300mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff
600mm Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff Sigma 60-600mm falloff

 

© 2018 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Sigma 60-600mm falloff of illumination

Sigma's calculated falloff of illumination.

 

Filters, use with

performance          top

There's no need for thin filters. It works great with no vignetting on full-frame even with a few stacked filters.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.

 

Flare & Ghosts

Performance          top

This 60-600 has a very complex 25-element optical system and thus will have some flare and ghosts if you out of your way to point it at the sun as I did here.

Even if you do, this is as bad as it gets, a few green blobs:

Sigma 60-600mm Flare and Ghosts

Worst-case flare and ghosts. bigger.

 

Lateral Color Fringes

Performance          top

I can't see any as shot on my Canon 5DS/R or EOS R, which correct them automatically with the profiles which miraculously are available.

There are probably no color fringes on Nikon cameras, which by default correct for any that may be there.

 

Lens Corrections

Performance          top

Astonishingly my Canon EOS R with EF Adapter reads lens correction data and corrects automatically for falloff (peripheral illumination), lateral color fringes (chromatic aberration), distortion and diffraction. You can turn each of these ON or OFF in various ways. My Canon 5DS/R doesn't have the ability to correct distortion; that's a limitation of this model camera.

 

Macro Performance

Performance          top

Macro performance is excellent. It's sharp wide-open and gets even sharper stopped down. It gets closest at the shorter focal lengths, but doesn't focus as close at 600mm. Thus the largest image is had at the 200mm setting where you still can get very close and have a reasonably long focal length.

Click any for the camera-original © files. These are all shot wide-open:

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Sigma 60-600mm Macro Performance

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch, 25 October 2018.

Click any for the camera-original © files. These are all shot wide-open.

 

Minimum & Maximum Apertures

Performance          top

 
Maximum Aperture
Minimum Aperture
60mm
f/4.5
f/22
100mm
f/5
f/22
200mm
f/5.6
f/29
300mm
f/5.6
f/29
400mm
f/6.3
f/32
600mm
f/6.3
f/32

 

Mechanical Quality

Performance          top

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

The Sigma 60-600mm is a typical big consumer lens, mostly made of plastic with a metal tripod mount and rearmost barrel.

 

Front Cap

Padded (generic) nylon & velcro.

Made in People's Republic of China (PRC).

 

Hood

Rubber front bumper.

Plastic body.

Metal thumbscrew cinch lock.

 

Lens Front Bumper

Rubber.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Mount Recess

Plastic.

 

Front Barrel

All plastic.

 

Zoom Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Mid Barrel

Section with zoom lock slider: plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Slide Switches

Plastic.

 

Rear Barrel

Section with focus distance window and switches: metal.

 

Tripod Collar

Metal. Even the lock knob is knurled metal with a set screw.

The collar doesn't come off the lens, but the foot does come off from the collar.

The foot has standard ¼" 20 TPI and ⅜″ pro threads and Arca-Swiss grooves.

 

Identity

Printed below focus distance window.

"018" model number printed on bottom of barrel near mount.

 

Internals

Metal zoom tubes with other plastic parts.

 

Dust Gasket at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Chromed metal.

 

Markings

All paint; no engraving except for a couple of dots and ⅜ markings on tripod foot and the serial number.

 

Serial Number

Sigma 60-600mm serial number

Sigma 60-600mm Serial Number. bigger.

Engraved and filled with paint just above the focus scale.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Just some mild clunking.

 

Made in

Japan.

 

Sharpness

Performance          top

This is a very sharp lens, as good as Nikon's 200-500mm. The only limitation to picture sharpness will be your skill as a photographer.

If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or lower because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight through heat shimmer of rapidly moving subjects at differing distances in the same image.

Even shot on my 50MP Canon 5DS/R it's super-sharp at all focal lengths at all apertures at all points in the full-frame image. It's just a tad softer in the corners at 600mm wide-open at f/6.3, but nothing I'd ever notice in actual shooting.

Sigma 60-600mm MTF

Sigma's claimed MTF charts, calculated (not measured), unspecified apertures.

These are purely computed; not actually measured. These are what Sigma calls "Diffraction MTF," which includes the calculated effects of diffraction. Sigma's "Geometric MTF" are fake, cheerfully excluding the very real softening effects of diffraction.

 

Spherochromatism

Performance          top

Spherochromatism, also called "color bokeh" by laymen, is an advanced form of chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral color. It can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.

There is just the tiniest amount of spherochromatism, with slight blue fringes on the foreground and slight yellow-green on the background:

Sigma 60-600mm Spherochromatism

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch, 25 October 2018. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Sigma 60-600mm Spherochromatism

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

 

Image Stabilization

Performance          top

Image Stabilization (IS or Vibration Reduction (VR)), works remarkably well. Even at 600mm images lock-down tight in the finder and let me shoot at ridiculously low shutter speeds handheld.

 

Sunstars

Performance          top

With a rounded 9-bladed diaphragm, I don't see any significant sunstars on brilliant points of light, not just because it's a rounded diaphragm, but also because a lens like this is usually shot wide-open or close to it.

 

Teleconverters

performance          top

On normal DSLRs a lens this slow rarely works well with anything other than a mild 1.4x converter because DSLRs rarely autofocus well with lenses of f/8 or slower.

 

If you want to use teleconverters, mirrorless is the way to go. With a mirrorless camera like the Canon EOS R I have no problems using an insane combination of Canon EOS R, EF Control Ring Adapter, Extender EF 1.4x II and Extender EF 2x II, giving the equivalent of a 170-1,700mm f/12-16 lens! This crazy combo isn't the fastest at autofocus, but it still works and is easy enough to hand-hold:

Sigma 60-600mm

Canon EOS R, EF Control Ring Adapter, Extender EF 1.4x II, Extender EF 2x II and Sigma 60-600mm. bigger.

AF can get stuck with any camera and a teleconverter because at insanely high magnifications it can get so far out of focus that the camera just gives up. No worries, just help it by turning the manual focus ring to bring it into better focus and the AF system will take it from there.

You might want to use a tripod with teleconverters since the apertures become so slow that ISOs will have to climb to keep shutter speeds hand-holdable, which leads to softer images. Outdoors you might need ISO 3,200 to shoot at 1/1,000, for instance.

Leave the stabilizer ON with a tripod unless you're making exposures longer than about a second; the stabilizer also corrects for inevitable tripod shake with a lens this long.

 

The Moon

The Moon, 0246 UTC 26 October 2018. Canon EOS R, 1.6x APS-C crop, EF Control Ring Adapter, Extender EF 1.4x II, Extender EF 2x II and Sigma 60-600mm set to 600mm, giving an effective 1,680mm focal length, 1/30 at ISO 1,600 at full aperture. bigger.

The moon barely fit the APS-C frame as you can see here, and yes, the EOS R easily autofocused at the f/18.5 that results when using both converters at the lens' 600mm setting. AF isn't that great with this extreme setup with an off-brand lens at 1,680mm total for most shooting, but for something simple like the moon, it works great.

Yes, I use the older -II extenders; they're all the same inside even if Canon changes the paint color on the outside.

I could have used a lower ISO if I had a clock drive to track the moon; at this astronomical magnification you can see the moon running across your frame just as you do in a telescope without a clock drive to track the heavens.

 

Compared

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications   Accessories

Unboxing   USA Version   Performance

Compared  User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

There is nothing else on earth with this zoom range.

Personally I own and love my Canon 100-400mm L IS II, which focuses faster and is smaller, lighter, less expensive and much better made of almost all metal — but doesn't go to 600mm.

The Nikon 200-500mm is a fantastic lens at a bargain price with similar quality optics, autofocus and mechanics, but doesn't zoom anywhere near as short as 60mm and doesn't focus as close. The Nikon lens is a great buy, but limiting as you can't focus closer than 7.2'/2.2meters and you still need another lens to cover the 60-200mm range the Nikon lens skips.

Nikon's 80-400mm VR is a great lens, but more expensive than any of these.

The Tamron 100-400mm is the best buy of all of these, with great optics at a bargain price.

See also my reviews of the Sigma 150-500mm, Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 and Tamron 150-600mm.

 

User's Guide

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications   Accessories

Unboxing   USA Version   Performance

Compared  User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

 

Sigma 60-600mm

Sigma 60-600mm HSM Sports. bigger.

LOCK Slider

This is a mechanical zoom ring lock.

It can lock at any marked setting, but you only can slide it to LOCK if you're set at one of the marked settings. You can't slide it to LOCK in-between zoom settings.

 

FOCUS Switch

AF: Auto Focus. You have auto focus, and also have instant manual focus override by turning the focus ring at any time. Like all Nikon and Canon lenses, if you're in continuous AF(AF-C on Nikon or SERVO on Canon cameras) the AF system will take over again as soon as you let go of the manual focus ring.

MO: Auto Focus with Locked Manual Override This is a feature not in other lenses. You have auto focus and instant manual focus override as most other lenses, except now if you're in continuous autofocus mode the focus stays locked after you manually override it. In other words, in this mode continuous AF won't take over again if you focus manually.

MF: Manual Focus only.

 

Full / 6m-∞ / •—6m Switch

This is a focus limiter.

Leave it in FULL, which allows the lens to focus anywhere.

The 6m-∞ position prevents the lens from autofocusing closer than 6 meters (20 feet). Use this setting only if you're having a problem with the lens attempting to focus on irrelevant close items, or if for some reason the lens is "hunting" from near to far looking for distant subjects.

The •—6m position prevents the lens from focusing not farther than 6 meters (20 feet) away. You might try this is shooting closeups and the lens keeps trying to focus on the background.

I always use the FULL position.

 

OS (Optical Stabilizer) Switch

2: Panning mode. Use this only if you're trying to get blurred backgrounds while panning moving subjects.

1: Normal stabilization mode. I use this setting all the time.

OFF: Only use this if you're on a very sturdy tripod, or if you're making exposures longer than about a second.

 

CUSTOM Switch

If you buy Sigma's USB Dock you can program the C1 and C2 positions to let you change the AF speed, focus limiter range or stabilizer function. I'd not waste any time or money on these; the AF speed setting doesn't give a you any faster speed.

Otherwise, leave this OFF.

 

Cases

It comes with a case. For a basic padded sleeve, you also can try the LowePro 13 x 32 cm case.

As s system case, I use my Think Tank Airport Commuter. It's a backpack that holds this lens, a few bodies and several other lenses:

Think Tank Airport Commuter

Think Tank Airport Commuter. (The big lens shown here is my Canon 300mm f/2.8L).

 

Recommendations

Top   Sample Images   Intro   Format

Compatibility   Specifications   Accessories

Unboxing   USA Version   Performance

Compared  User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my Canon version at B&H. I'd also get either version at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H.

This is a great lens. It is super-sharp at every setting and covers such a huge range and focuses so fast and so close that it can replace several lenses — if you don't mind the huge size, weight and price.

You don't need a tripod unless you're using teleconverters. I easily hand-hold this beast with its excellent stabilizer at 600mm.

This Sigma is as expensive as camera-brand lenses but offers a greater zoom range. Its zoom range is so broad that if you don't mind hauling it everywhere (I do), that it replaces both a 70-200 and a 200-600mm lens — so then it's not that expensive anymore.

Its optics are wonderful; sharp and contrasty all the time. Most people make mistakes like shooting with not enough light, shooting at slower shutter speeds with subject motion, shooting above ISO 100 or at smaller than f/11 which lead to softer images regardless of your equipment. For best results I shoot this lens always wide-open at ISO 100 if at all possible for the sharpest results.

I'd use a 105mm B+W single-coated 010 UV filter to protect this lens. You can pay more for a 105mm B+W multi-coated 010M UV filter or a 105mm Tokina dirt-resistant protective filter, but the difference is in fancy coatings that have a big effect on price with very little effect on pictures.

This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sigma does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

 

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25 October 2018 - 20 November 2018