FRUSTRATED! - sigma DG 150 -500mm APO HSM
What shutter speed/ aperture are you using?
I had this lens with a K50 and it was absolutely well it was good. Sadly I no longer have either.
I found that if I shot at ISO 400 and f8 I could hand hold at the long end at about 1/400 maybe on a good day 1/250.
David
"All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman"
(Janis Joplin)
KIT: K5iis, DAWR18-55mm,FA4.5 80-320mm, Mitsuki 5.6 400mm, M1.7 50mm, M1.4 50mm, M2.8 28mm, Miranda M2.8 28mm, M3.5 135mm, M1.4 200mm, Vivitar S13.5 70-210mm, Vivitar A 2.8 90mm macro,
Sigma150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG HSM.
David
I know what i like, If not always why.

"All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman"
(Janis Joplin)
KIT: K5iis, DAWR18-55mm,FA4.5 80-320mm, Mitsuki 5.6 400mm, M1.7 50mm, M1.4 50mm, M2.8 28mm, Miranda M2.8 28mm, M3.5 135mm, M1.4 200mm, Vivitar S13.5 70-210mm, Vivitar A 2.8 90mm macro,
Sigma150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG HSM.
https://photographylife.com/how-to-quickly-test-your-dslr-for-autofocus-issues
or from another thread
AF fine adjustment is the menu you need. On yours it allows a different adjustment for each lens, while on older models it is a one-size-fits-all adjustment.
On a camera body with Live View (which we can take to be perfect for this purpose) then do the following:
1. On a tripod, use LV to focus on a specific clear object a few metres away. Like a poster on the wall.
2. Once focussed, place a mark on the focussing ring (or on a piece of masking tape on the ring) to show where the exact point of focus is in relation to the centre line.
3. Defocus the lens completely by putting your hand in front of it and focussing on that.
4. Focus the lens again using normal AF, rather than LV.
5. Is the mark you made in LV now exactly aligned, or is the focus point slightly different?
6. Adjust AF offset until the two match exactly.
Once done the normal AF can be set to match the Live View AF and you have exact focus.
I hope this is all that is stopping you from getting the sharpness you want.
Let us know how. It goes.
Derek
I know what i like, If not always why.

If you can get good results that way, finetune the AF (as indicated before).
Note: AF finetuning is ONLY required for normal AF (Phase Detect AF, viewfinder), not for live view (Contrast Detect AF). So changing it while in live view has no effect.
Pentax K10D + Vivitar 55/2.8 macro + Super Takumar 55/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 85/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 135/3.5 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 200/4 + Super Takumar 300/4
Pentax K100D + DA18-55ALII + DA55-300
Pentax K5 + FA31Ltd + M50/1.7 + DFA100WR + M120/2.8 (+ DA18-55WR at occasion)
Start with live view; if that does not give sharp pictures, there is more than likely something wrong with the lens. f/14 might be a bit much due to diffraction, try to open to f/11 or f/9.
If you can get good results that way, finetune the AF (as indicated before).
Thef14 was my immediate thought as a possible culprit here - even try it at f8 or wider. I have had some indifferent results from my copy and found that on occasion the wider aperture seems to come out sharper although it is counter-intuitive to getting a good DOF!
PS - have also used the in camera IS as opposed to the lens one as well and found it very good when shooting hand-held
Andy
"All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman"
(Janis Joplin)
KIT: K5iis, DAWR18-55mm,FA4.5 80-320mm, Mitsuki 5.6 400mm, M1.7 50mm, M1.4 50mm, M2.8 28mm, Miranda M2.8 28mm, M3.5 135mm, M1.4 200mm, Vivitar S13.5 70-210mm, Vivitar A 2.8 90mm macro,
Sigma150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG HSM.
Regards
David
Flickr
Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu
Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs
Regards
David
Flickr
Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu
Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs
Having said that I don't use mine now. I've replaced it with the DA 560mm. Think I'll keep it for airshows though, where a zoom comes in handy
Alan
PPG
Flickr
Taynuiltpixels
Member
Taynuilt, Argyll, UK.
Any tips/advice gratefully received.
Stephen
"All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman"
(Janis Joplin)
KIT: K5iis, DAWR18-55mm,FA4.5 80-320mm, Mitsuki 5.6 400mm, M1.7 50mm, M1.4 50mm, M2.8 28mm, Miranda M2.8 28mm, M3.5 135mm, M1.4 200mm, Vivitar S13.5 70-210mm, Vivitar A 2.8 90mm macro,
Sigma150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG HSM.