sigma 150-500mm dg

hi everyone just wanted to know what people who had this lens thought of it i have only had it to day, and have not really had a good play, but it does seem soft, heres some pics,
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/SJB15953.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/IMGP8155b.jpg[/IMG]

Nothing wrong with them Scot especially the 1st. The 2nd might be focussed just in front of the bird.

The background looks soft

shim

shim i have tried a set of photos from -10 all the way to +10 on the k20 focus adjustment just using 5 stagered batteries, and found that the focus adjustment does nothing really noticable to me, maybe im doing something wrong, but maybe i was very lucky to get a very sharp 170-500mm lens which im conparing it to, which has gone today,

I'd have been chuffed to take them Scott.

cheers oggy how do you find yours for sharpness,

Seem fine to me Scott just as good as the other lens,

superb images Scott

Once you've got the focus about right, try taking a photo of something that stands vertical like a corn flakes box,(a sky router is better), then move it back 10mm take a shot, then move it forwards to 10mm in front of the original position and see which is the sharpest. It's normally the biggest file if you shoot jpegs. If the focus is right the first shot should be the sharpest. Batteries aren't ideal because they aren't flat and the AF might not be exactly where it's shown in the viewfinder.

shim

I'm happy with it, but it's not quite up to the DA* 50-135.

Out of interest what is your lens reported as in the EXIF data?

I guess its all relevant.

Is it new? If not how much did you pay 2nd hand if you dont mind me asking.

How far away are the birds?

First one is telling me f6.7 @ 160th, 800 iso. In all honesty if the bird is more than 20 feet away i think you are being a little critical of the image.
Had it been f8 @ 250th and 800 iso i would have been very happy but to get that quality with your settings i would have been delighted.
I was tempted to look for a Siggy 100-300 f4 but i might look for one of those lenses instead.
Dull Day?

cheers for all the nice comments everyone, i will do some more testing over the next couple days, even put it on the k200d so how it compares on that, and shim i will try something flat, i have got the test chart but my tripod aint man enough for my camera with this lens, and i cant afford one at the mo,
oggy it doesn't say anything that i can say on photo me, and also i would say the birds were about 20 maybe 25 foot away, i should just stop comparing it the the sigma 170-500mm as it was lighter by 500g, but i still think i should be getting better with this lens, one good point is i could hear a spider fartover the focus of this lens, it really is that quiet, and on another point i still thought the focus adjustment on the k20 would of had more of an effect, heras some samples at 0 and -10 and +10
set at o
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/01d8595c.jpg[/IMG]
set at -10
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/-10.jpg[/IMG]
set at +10
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/10.jpg[/IMG]

CraigF1969, sorry yes its new, well to me i brought it of a forum member loskeran(richard) my second lens i have brought of richard. and i got a bargain as he only had it about 2 months and its mint,£520 delivered

I have to be honest and say i think you are seeing something thats just not there.
I cant notice any real difference in the AF Adjustments either.
Is the lens the OS one? And if it is did you possibly have the OS on the Lens on as well as the IS on the Camera. I know you probably didnt but i cant think of any other reason, but in saying that i think the images are very sharp for that lens.

CraigF1969, the os version is only for nikon canon and oly no pentax due to being built in body, if you think this is sharp look at my bird pics in my portfolio and see what you think of them, if i can grt them as good as this i will be a happy man,
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/b.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/animals%20and%20stuff/garden%20birds/IMGP8069.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/IMGP8121.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww272/scottthehat/SJB15376copy.jpg[/IMG]

Although I havent bothered with a K20D yet I would have thought there would have been more of a difference when doing the focus adjustment.

As for the birdies, very nice and I would be more than happy with the first one but I must admit I have seen sharper from you.