Reuben

So, do you have the DA*300 now? What is your impression of it?

I did try the 60-250 at the shop but didn't like it. Like you R I tend to usually shoot things where I also never have enough reach, as a consequence my 55-300 images are most if not all at the long end.

When I picked up the 60-250 at the shop today I immediately aimed at that poster which Chris often has been joking about that they asked the restaurant across to put up there specially for us to test the lenses and they would have a free ad across the www , and I felt instantly that it had a shorter reach for what I would like. So for me the 50mm definitely makes a difference. Following on I picked up the DA*300 and wanted to have a go at it again and aimed at the poster and bingo, the impression it left on me was absolutely phenomenal.

So I guess the choice for me still remains, Sigma 150-500 or DA*300

Steve

those are stunning images you got on your portfolio and on your website. Real cracking ones. Did you take them with your DA*300?

I love capturing wildlife and would really love to dedicate more time to it and develop more skills towards it.

Great pictures you have taken there, well done.

Now there is something I just learnt, about comparisons, light and cropping .

Thank you very much Mille.

I must admit, I really really liked the DA*300, its light, the images look great, and in certain circumstances I could even use it handheld.

The Sigma 150-500 is a superb lens, reading various comments about it around and the images I saw also, but to me personally the weight is a big factor when I start considering it.

But well, still a few good months for my birthday so lot can change in the meantime and something can come up that might sway me towards the sigma 150-500. But for now its the DA* 300 that tops the scale.

Before I even begin my comment I would like to apologise first of all because I am a newbie and just taking my first steps into DSLR.

This is really about the sigma 150-500 and the DA*300. In my quest to try and find something that I would like to include in my wish list for a very near future acquisition (birthday coming soon ) I have been dropping by at SRS in the past week including today for the lovely open day (by the way, it was really a great pleasure meeting you Kris ), and have been testing the 150-500 and also the DA*300.

My impressions are that the shots captured at a same physical distance from both the lenses, the DA 300 even heavily cropped comes out looking better than the one taken from the 150-500. The image is sharper, the colours more vibrant and the degrading from the cropping is not such that it loses to the image taken by the 150-500. And this we are talking about images that were physically taken at over 120 ft.

Now, I might be missing something here, but could someone please help me and tell me the disadvantage of cropping in this situation, because I am totally lost, as the image still looks better in my eyes.

Of course there is one aspect that the 300 cannot beat the sigma, and that is if you cant see the subject then you can't focus and then all the vibrancy and sharpness just goes out of the window. And also the price difference. But on other situations such as weight seems to me that the DA*300 comes up tops.

Again you will all have to excuse me as this is not really a true test but simply crude experiment done over two half hour sessions at SRS. I am planning to go back next week and use a tripod and take some more images at different physical distances and also use the sigma at different settings and then come back and will upload the images so that you all could chip in and help me clear this confusion for me. Because I might be missing something big big time here with my lack of experience.

By the way I did get to play with the DA 60-250 also, but I really liked the 300 much much better

I will upload a couple of shots taken including one with the 300 taken at about 3 meters distance, probably less, if I am not wrong. I was qite impressed with the focus distance. Hope the gentleman (one of the SRS staff members )in the image doesn't mind nor sues me for publishing rights.

By the way, the images were all taken handheld, that's why I want to go back and use a tripod next time, to make sure there was no blur caused by the hand movement etc.

The links are below, I thought better not to upload images here as they are in their original sizes.
link
link
link

with the adjustments on that cheek I prefer the B&W one now . You are right, it looks a bit more red on the colour one.

But the kind people around here might show you a way to get around that.

Thanks

Amin

Hi Spencer

I dont know much about photography, I am quite new to the field so my opinions are quite of a novice.

When I look at both the pictures I feel like I would like to have been able to see a little more of the darkened part of the face of the subject. Looks like it could do with a bit of light there. The eye, the cheek and generally that part of the image.

But please this is my very personal and inexperienced opinion. The ones with a huge wealth of experience and knowledge here will be able to give you a more professional advice and views.

But I do prefer the coloured one

Amin

Spencer

where is the B&W version? I see both colour

Mark

Still cant see them. If you have msn or skype send them to me I will upload on my server and give you the link

Hehehe this is really gathering pace. Who started the rumour? Who was the whistle blower?

Impotentspider

its not in my backgarden , its here, link, well, there are open spaces too around, the Ruislip woods, and that's the place for BBQ.

On another note I just got back from SRS having had a fun time there in the shop playing with some toys . Chris as usual and also the staff, James in particular very helpful and got to play with quite a few high end gadgets, and I was even handed a goodie that aparently is supposed to be for the ones who are attending on saturday, .

It pays living at virtually a stone throw distance from SRS, of course not good for the pockets ha . But well, that's another story.

Now if you all are curious about this lovely goodie that Chris very kindly handed to me you all better behave and be good, then I will give it a thought and disclose exactly what it is. I might even think of a way of photographing it and uploading for the competition.