Sigma Zoom Telephoto 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

This lens is sharp and high speed focus for good wildlife photography. No need to spend more unless you're a pro.

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

Great lens, resolution of fine details is excellent. This lens has been a workhorse for me for over 3 years.

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

as stated above, the only thing I have bad to say about this lens, is.....it weighs a ton. That being said, it's sturdy and feels like it'll last forever. Takes incredibly clear shots when using handheld although I preferring using a monopod. IMO, worth every penny.

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

the lens has a great build-quality, AF is appropriately fast and reliable (on a 5Dm2). it would be nice if the lens would come with IS. the negative aspect of the lens is the rendering of pin lights (at night). every light source gets a spiky 18-pin star/flare, almost like a christmas ornament. it might be pretty at first, but this effect gets tired very fast. had to return the lens.
I would think that the lens would make a great daylight only lens, i.e. wildlife, landscape, just not for night photography.

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

This is one of the finest zoom lenses I own in terms of optical performance. The HSM focusing is very fast and on a monopod the lens is easy to control. I have no hesitation shooting it wide-open throughout its focal range. I can find no faults for this lens.

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

I bought this lens in Aug 2006, I was looking for a zoom to shoot youth baseball , soccer and to sub as a wildlife lens also.I tried the 70-200mm's, both Canon and Sigma , but they where to short for my needs. I then ran across the Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX lens. It was equal to Canons 70-200mm's in Image Quality and AF speed. When a tc was added to the 70-200's, the 100-300mm out preformed them.

The AF on this lens is very fast and accurate. Image Quality is excellent. It can be used wide open at 300mm f/4 with no problem. It is a very sharp lens.
Weight ? Hey, it's a 300mm f/4 zoom, so it's going to be a little heavy. But it's still lighter then the Canon 70-200mm IS 2.8 lens.
With good technique, it can be hand held with great results ! "Blurry images" are caused by poor technique and is not the lens fault.

Lens hood- The lens comes with a very good lens hood . It will protect the lens against scratches and flare. The lens is not any more subject to scratches then any other lens is. Use the hood !

Build is great. It a very solid lens.

1.4 converter - The lens handles a 1.4 converter very well. As any lens does, it takes a little hit in IQ and Af speed. But not enough to matter. It still can be shot wide open at 420mm , f/5.6. But at this focal length , I suggest a tripod or at least a monopod.

Advanced amateur

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

I'm using this lens for a year now on my 30d and it gave me many many good shots.Optical performance is excellent right from f4 and I found that f5 is the best (fast enough, and top optical quality through the focal range). I noticed a little CA at the long end at all apertures, but it is easily removed with Photoshop or other post processing software.Construction is top quality, autofocus lighting fast and accurate, manual focus is a joy (so smooth) and it seems that you'll never brake it. I could only make some wear to the hood since I use it as support on trees, rocks and other strange things that help to take good pictures without a tripod.The tripod collar is excellent too.This lens combined with an APS-C sensor camera is great for nature photography, and the 1.4x converter comes very useful when more reach is necessary without loosing image quality nor autofocus performance (I use a Kenko Pro 300).One great thing of this lens is the out of focus background, very smooth and buttery, so good when you want to isolate your subject.Another very good thing is constant aperture and length, you can zoom in and out and the lens will remain same length and aperture, without any rotating elements.I use this lens every weekend and usually take a lot of pictures with it and I can say that results are very consistent along this year of use in every single picture.It may seem a little heavy at the beginning but once you get used to deal with it, most of all after seeing the results in the monitor, then you forget about its weight.I did use the lens for night sky photographs with very good results too (even deepsky).I did read almost all reviews out there and I suppose that the few that didn't like it, they just didn't get a good sample.Overall is an excellent and VERY good price for your money.

Expertise: Advanced amateur / astronomer

Comments about Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS:

This lens gives you f/4 300mm with the flexibility of a zoom. The HSM is blazing fast and the IQ is on par with if not better than the 70-200L. I use the Sigma 1.4xTC with this lens all the time and it is a great combo. If you're shooting daytime sports and can't afford a 2nd body and f/2.8 glass, this is the lens for you. Drawbacks are that it is big and heavy (but lighter than the 70-200L IS)and doesn't have IS.

Problems Encountered: No problems with this lens in the first year of shooting with it.

Items I Recommend: 1.4xTC, monopod