Hi, I’m Alex from Wilkinson Cameras and today were at WWT martin mere. We’re testing
the sigma 60-600mm DG DN in a Sony FE mount. I’ve got the monopod because as you can
see its quite a big lens. I’m using it on the a7 IV and were going to show you just
how versatile this *60-600mm* or 10x zoom lens can be.
So WWT Martin Mere is the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust so you might hear that there are lots
of birds in the background. We’ve come here deliberately because we want to test this
in an environment where we know we're going to get some wildlife.
This is the biggest zoom range available for Sony…. Errr to any system...
I'm going to stop because... Lets try that again!
This is the biggest zoom range available to any system I think…. but certainly for Sony!
It’s an extremely versatile lens for sports and wildlife photographers thanks to the massive
60-600mm focal length. Wildlife, motorsports, airshows… this lens really opens up your
opportunities to capture really great quality images at a huge range of focal lengths.
WHAT IS GOING ON?!?
I'm going to give these birds a minute to do whatever it is they're doing.
So, yeah... You've got really a really wide range of focal lengths here, 60-600mm its
opening up loads of opportunities for you.
If you were to stick this on a APS-C camera, like the A6600, you’d have the equivalent
focal length of 90mm to 900mm! To be honest, this isn’t something that
I think I’d do, it's a very big lens as you can see. It doesn’t really lend itself
to the smaller Sony cameras. However… you could maximise the crop mode on the full-frame
cameras. On a Sony A7 R V this would result in a 26MP image and on the Sony A7 IV that
I’m using today, you’re still getting 16 megapixels.
This 10x zoom lens effectively means you can go out for a day or to capture an event and
only have to take the one lens. You’re removing the time and hassle of changing lenses OR
carrying a second body with a wider lens on. It’s at least 2 lenses in one…. And it
feels like it, because this lens is HEAVY. More on that later…
This is a redesign of the original DSLR 60-600mm, but built from the ground up for full frame
mirrorless cameras. This is exciting for a couple of reasons… one it’s the most wide
ranging zoom lens available to Sony users right now. Two… it means there’s potential
to see this lens available for Nikon Z and Canon RF mounts in the future… or at least
we can hope!!
I tested this at the weekend and the image quality I got from this lens at all focal
lengths was really really good. Subjects were sharp throughout the zoom range.
In this review I’ll not be delving into how many elements make up this lens (there’s
27 in 19 groups…) or what they’re coated in and I don’t think you’ll ever see a
test chart in our reviews! Sorry lens nerds! I think it’s important to review camera
equipment in a way that you’re most likely going to use it. So this weekend I tested
it in and around my house for an initial opinion and today we’re here at Martin Mere to put
it through a more thorough real-world test. My initial opinion after using it briefly
is that this is a really great quality lens and I really liked the images it produced.
It’s certainly versatile! However… there’s always a however… this lens is mega heavy.
It weighs in at just shy of 2.5kg. I found it a bit of a chore to carry around with me
and use for prolonged periods. I have a really sore back at the moment so the timing it pretty
awful as well! BUT… there are solutions for this!
So for our proper test today I’m using the ProMaster Air Support monopod and I’m hoping
that this is the ticket to getting the most from this lens. I’ve also brought a strong,
but compact and lightweight carbon tripod with me – this is a ProMaster XC-M Pro 528K.
On top of it I’ve got a ProMaster Pro Gimbal head.
Let’s just talk for a minute about who are Sigma and why would you buy a Sigma lens over
a Sony lens. Sigma are a family-owned Japanese lens manufacturer.
Their current CEO actually used to make lenses in the factory! Every lens is manufactured
in Japan to the highest standards and they manufacture as many components of each lens
in-house, wherever possible… even down to the screws they use! I’m not sure if there’s
many other brands who can claim to have such control over the quality and design at every
stage like this. Originally Sigma concentrated on providing
inexpensive lenses. But in the last 10-15 years they completely changed tack and now
they focus on designing more affordable alternatives the main camera manufacturers, but also designing
lenses which don’t exist within manufacturers lens ranges. They’re really very innovative
in this respect and this 60-600mm is a great example of this.
Sigma UK also plant a tree for every lens sold… so for every lens you buy from us,
a tree is planted. And then when you register your lens with Sigma, you not only get a 3
year warranty, but they’ll plant another tree as well. So… you could save money,
fill a gap in your lens lineup AND do your bit for the environment as well!
This is a Sigma DG DN Sports lens – the DG means it’s full frame. The DN means that
it’s designed for mirrorless cameras, rather than DSLRs. We have a separate video covering
the difference between these so check that out if you’re not sure what I’m on about!
OS means it is Optically stabilized with Sigma stating this offers up to 7 stops of stabilization
– 6 stops at the 600mm end. This is really essential as it’s such a long and heavy
lens that you need as much help as you can get to hold it steady!
It also features a new HLA or high-speed linear motor. Linear motors offer incredible fast
and accurate autofocus along with being very quiet. They’re great for stills and video
autofocus and handle continuous AF brilliantly. You’ll notice lots of new mirrorless lenses
feature this kind of motor. The Sports line from Sigma offer their highest
level of build quality and feature longer lenses. They’re designed for well… sports
photographers! But also wildlife photographers – whether enthusiast or professional. They
have high levels of weather sealing and are built to last and withstand extreme environments.
This lens is dust and weather sealed, which is great for us… because if you’re a regular
to the channel then you’ll have noticed we pick the WORST days to film!!
It’s has a full metal internal build. We’ve got a stripped down 150-600mm Sports lens
to show you just what this means… but in essence, it means it’s built to last and
to perform. The outside of the lens is made from “thermally
stable composite” or TSC… which in laymens terms means the outer shell is designed to
be neutral to changes in temperature, such as extreme heat, which could cause the elements
inside the lens to produce distorted images. This is why you see some brands like Sony
and Canon making their pro lenses in light grey, to reflect the light and keep them cool.
Sigma tackle this with their TSC outer instead.
The lens comes in it’s own dedicated case, which makes transport and storage that little
bit easier. The bag itself has a shoulder strap, but the lens includes a strap as well
and these strap lugs on the side here. You’ll see I’m actually using my peak design slide
lite today though! The lens hood has a padded cover, which is
a nice touch and I quite like popping on when we’re between locations. It means if the
lens does swing round and tap my tripod, for example, that the hood will stay scratch free.
The lens hood attaches with a screw, rather than a bayonet style. This is so much easier
on this type of lens… just be careful not to lose the screw!
One of my favourite things about this lens is that it has been designed to be either
a push pull or twist to zoom lens. You don’t see as many push-pull zooms these days, but
I’ve found this design to be invaluable when using this. 60-600mm is such a massive
zoom range and the barrel of the lens is so wide, that it’s just not as practical…
for me anyway… to rotate the zoom ring on this lens when I can just push…. Or pull….
To frame your subject. There’s a lock button to lock the zoom and
prevent lens creep. I haven’t actually found any issues with lens creep, but over time
and on a heavy lens like this you are likely to encounter it in certain positions. Locking
the lens when carrying it around is also an essential.
Of course there’s also an MF/AF switch and a manual focus ring.
The minimum focus distance on this lens is 45cm to 260cm at the wide and telephoto ends
of the lens. This is 15cm closer than the original DSLR version of this lens.
The focus limiter allows you to select either the closest minimum focus distance to 6m,
6m to infinity or the full range. Selecting one of the specific focus ranges will allow
faster autofocus, so if you know your subject will be in a specific range, choose accordingly
for the best performance. So for birds in flight I’ll be choosing the 6m to infinity
setting to gain better AF.
There’s 2 stabilisation modes. You can also turn stabilization off, which is usually advisable
when using a tripod. You’ll definitely want it on for hand held!!
Mode 1 offers compensation for both vertical and horizontal movement. This will be your
go-to mode for most scenarios. Mode 2 is for panning shots. If you’re a motorsports photographer
you’ll probably use this one more. There is a custom mode for IS, which you can
fine tune if you have the Sigma USB dock. I’m not sure this is something I’d personally
use or need, but I guess its nice to have the option!
The tripod collar features an arca swiss style or dovetail tripod mount as standard. All
the latest Sigma lenses have this. This is great as we’re using it on a ProMaster gimbal
head today and it means I can just mount the lens straight onto it and then take it off
and straight back onto my monopod for when we’re on the move again.
There’s no teleconverter available for this lens it’s simply not an option for Sigma’s
E Mount lenses and I think this is determined by Sony themselves, but as I said earlier,
you could use the crop modes in the higher resolution cameras if you want that extra
reach…. Or crop in post.
Stabilsation – the stabilization on this lens
is really really good. This means I can hand hold on a much lower shutter speed for shooting
in low light, woodlands, etc and still get my subject sharp.
This is a really big lens. It’s long… it gets even longer at 600mm and it’s pretty
heavy too at about 2.5 kilos. The push-pull zoom works well and means that despite the
lens extending when zoomed, you have full control over the balance change when shooting
hand held. This is… a little bit more tricky when shooting on a gimbal head though!!
Push pull zoom could also potentially pull in dust over time… although sigma do state
that it’s a dust proof design. The images are sharp at all focal lengths
and I found the autofocus to be fast and keep up with moving subjects with ease. In my initial
test shots I haven’t had any issues with sharpness, distortion, or chromatic aberration.
The lens performed exceptionally well… better than I was expecting if I’m honest.
There’s a little bit of vignetting, but nothing overly concerning and something that
can be very quickly rectified in editing. There’s no major chromatic aberration or
any noticeable in most shooting conditions. Twigs in distant trees against a bright sky
at certain apertures do show some… but most lenses would in this scenario.
The lens produces a very creamy bokeh nicely separating my subject nicely from the background.
I’m really, really pleased with the results this lens produces based on the images I’ve
taken with it so far and I’d say that it is worth definitely worth the size, weight
and price.
If you’re looking to buy a super telephoto lens like this, there’s some other lenses
that you might be considering alongside it. The Sigma 150-600mm lens and Sony 200-600mm
lenses are probably on your list. And at just short of £2000 this IS a considered purchase.
This lens, the 60-600mm is clearly the winner in terms of versatility. The ability to get
this massive wide shot and then also zoom in to 600mm… it’s pretty astounding. The
fact that the image quality is superb throughout compounds that this is a great lens for you
to consider. Yes it’s hefty both in size and price, but it’s ONE lens where you’d
normally need at least TWO. If you don’t need that very wide end, whether
this is due to the type of photography you do or because you already have a favorite
lens that covers this, then you should probably look at the Sigma 150-600mm Sports lens. This
has the same exceptional build quality and is known for its image quality. This will
save you about 500g in weight and £800 in your pocket!
The Sony 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS is another contender. It’s also about 5cm longer so
you’re going to need a big bag! But, It’s about 400g lighter and £400 cheaper! But
it is a dedicated telephoto lens starting at 200mm. You’re missing a whole other lens.
I’ve used the Sony 200-600mm lens personally and I did like this lens, but it’s massive…
MASSIVE and I also found myself swapping between this and a 70-200mm throughout the day. But,
the 70-200mm I was swapping to was a 2.8 which did mean I could make the most of that fast
aperture to separate my subject from the background. Something else you’ll need to consider is
that Sony do limit some of the features that 3rd party lenses can use… for example, if
you’re using a Sony A1… you’ll be limited to 15fps with the Sigma lens. I’ve not had
any issues with that today though so the Sigma is still a great choice for most people.
For my personal preferences, weight and ease of use is important to me… so to be totally
honest, this isn’t a lens I would buy. It’s too heavy for me. I take photos on the go.
I also wouldn’t use the wide end as much as I prefer longer lenses in general for this
type of photography. However, it IS a very good lens and the quality
of the images surprised me… I didn’t think they’d be as good as they are! If you want
a really good quality and incredibly versatile super telephoto lens, then get yourself a
monopod… this one has been a lifesaver and add this lens to your kit. We’ll part-exchange
the two lenses it’s replacing for you! Let us know if this is a lens for you or which
other lens you’d prefer in the comments and if you’ve got any questions then we’ll
do our best to answer them.
As always, thank you for watching and don’t forget to like this video, subscribe the channel
and take a look at our other videos!!