LBA: Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro

Just got this new lens for my GX10 and am quite pleased with it. I didn't get it for the Macro switch (it's 1:2 and not as sharp as my 50mm Macro) but this looks nice to me:

GX10 Sigma 70-300mm Macro 1/180 f/9.5 ISO200



GX10 Sigma 70-300mm Macro 1/125 f/16 ISO400



I was a good metre away from the subject, hand-held with natural light. Images only slightly cropped.

Good shots! This lens is better than it's reputation. I have the APO version of it and I'm quite pleased with it. There is a rumour that it is a bit soft on the long end wide open but it looks ok to me. Here are two shots that were taken wide open (no sharpening, 100% crop insert, CA corrected in SilkyPix):

I've just bought the Tamron equivalent which is supposed to performwell. Those dragonfly macros are really impressive. I didn't expect a lens tof this price to be able to produce that quality of result - I piced up the Tamron for a £99 so hopefully I've got a decent buy. I think I'm going to have to spend some more time with it
Donut

Oh by the way Chirpy - did you manaul focus or use the autofocus for those shots?
Donut

Hi Donut,

When I'm doing macro stuff with my Sigma 50mm Macro I only use MF, but with this lens I've been finding myself using AF more often than not (and did so with those two shots).

However, I do find that the lens hunts a lot - when it starts having one of its fits, I switch to MF so I can get the shot

Hi,
Those photos really look good. At what focal length was he shot with he dragon flies made?

Focal Length in the exif data reports as 300mm, but that's with the lens switched to macro mode. I was around 1m from the subject:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_exif.gne?id=1061104855

Excellent shots Chirpy.

I used the 70-300 Sigma for a while before I got my 105mm Macro, and the results weren't bad, but as you say, a proper macro is sharper, you just need to be a lot more careful approaching your subject.

Dan

I also find the Sigma 70 -300 to be excellent (with the K01D) and also have been happy with dragonfly shots. The only point I would make is to avoid the extreme 300 limit. Staying around 260mm keeps everything sharp.

Stuart

Looks much better than my 50-200 Really tempted by the Tamron 70-300 and other lenses at the moment.