Sigma 70 - 300mm

[GeckoZ]

Hi to all peeps who uses the Sigma 70 - 300mm lens. How did you all find it?

I recently borrowed this lens (i don't know how many versions of it there are) from a friend and tried it on a TFCD shoot, the photos that came out were out of focus. The lens was mounted on my EOS 40D.

Does other user experience this problem as well?

[GeckoZ]

just uploaded the photo at 100%. can be viewed here.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/...e6a19c64_o.jpg

what's the problem actually? most of my photos came out as blur.

focal length was 133mm, f/4.5, ISO 100. Tripod not used. Doesn't seems like handshake, does it?

[Cartman2000]

lol thats pretty bad.. either shutter speed problem or the lens needs to be calibrated

[GeckoZ]

Originally Posted by Cartman2000 lol thats pretty bad.. either shutter speed problem or the lens needs to be calibrated

how do u calibrate a lens? bring it to service?

[Cartman2000]

send it to sigma

[Snoweagle]

This is taken with mine with no PP.

[GeckoZ]

Alright, thanks all for the help!

[jwlsin]

i would like to ask how far the girl was from you.

she may be too close to the photographer.

the lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5meters on normal. and i think 1 meter on macro.

if you are within this range then it will show that kind of picture.

oh yea. is the autofocus ON? just wondering.

[GeckoZ]

Originally Posted by jwlsin i would like to ask how far the girl was from you. she may be too close to the photographer. the lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.5meters on normal. and i think 1 meter on macro. if you are within this range then it will show that kind of picture. oh yea. is the autofocus ON? just wondering.

yea, autofocus was on. maybe it was the "macro" mode issue? cos I wasn't really familiar with the lens when I used it. some shots i took weren't 1.5m away i suppose..

[jwlsin]

that could be it then.

try to shoot things or stuffs that are beyond 1.5m and see if it focuses well and gives clearer pictures.

regarding re-calibation. sigma lens are known to have front/back focusing issues. but upon looking at the picture you sent. well, it doesnt look like a front/back focus issue. but i could be wrong. because everythng is blurred.

give us feedbacks regarding pictures taken more than 1.5meters away.

oh yea another question. where you shooting on Manual? or Auto Presets?

[GeckoZ]

what's the front/back focusing issue about?

If i get the chance to borrow the lens from my friend again will keep u updated with the results

I was shooting in AP (aperture priority) mode tt day.

[Snoweagle]

Originally Posted by GeckoZ what's the front/back focusing issue about? If i get the chance to borrow the lens from my friend again will keep u updated with the results I was shooting in AP (aperture priority) mode tt day.

U mean Av?

[GeckoZ]

oh ya, Av.

[jwlsin]

Originally Posted by GeckoZ what's the front/back focusing issue about? If i get the chance to borrow the lens from my friend again will keep u updated with the results I was shooting in AP (aperture priority) mode tt day.

ah ok.

well the front and back focusing issue is a known problem with sigma lens.

but its quite easy to fix. the shop where you brought it from can calibrate it for you. or if they dont have machine or skills to do it. then can send it to whomever can.

the front and back focusing problem is missed focus (not sure with the correct term hehe). lets say there are 3 batteries in a line. first is nearer. then 2nd is farther. 3rd is farthest. when you try to focus on the 2nd battery which is in the middle. and then the lens focuses on the 1st or 3rd battery. thats the front/back focus problem.

your lens could suffer from it.

look for a focusing chart. or how to check focusing. search the forum about it.

hth

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by GeckoZ Does other user experience this problem as well?

that is really very off.

my advice is, ask around your group of friends, if they are into photography and experienced, show them the picture, and then ask them to check for you.

most people would be able to tell you what you have been doing wrong right away, as opposed to just chit-chat here.

it could be anything, from butter fingers due to relatively low shutter speed required, to lens problems, to min focusing distance problem as others have mentioned. and the list of potential causes is non-exhaustive, you'd be surprised what can happen when people are paired with a camera-lens combination.

i have used sigma 70-300 on my pentax camera before, 200-300 mm is soft, but on the whole it is a very value for money lens.

[GeckoZ]

ok thanks a lot jwlsin! i will check with my friend who owns the lens about it.

[GeckoZ]

thanks night86mare! what's can't remember who u are but ur nick's familiar. we did the same photoshoot b4 didn't we?
thanks for the info, will check around with my friends!

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by GeckoZ thanks night86mare! what's can't remember who u are but ur nick's familiar. we did the same photoshoot b4 didn't we? thanks for the info, will check around with my friends!

same photoshoot?

if you are talking about model shoots, no, i have never shot models, or participated in such.

anyhow, good luck with the lens. if your friend has not experienced any problem with it though (since i reread first post and it was mentioned that the lens was loaned), then it is likely that it is not a lens problem.

[GeckoZ]

icic.. must have remembered wrongly. any will chaeck with my friend. I sure hope it wasn't my camera but the settings.

[tf2628]

I have the the APO version, with red ring just like the Canon L-series, and I have to say for price below $350/- really cannot complain much, but some different on the focus performance with different camera body!