Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Review

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Review:

If you’re an L mount shooter, there just aren’t many long telephoto lenses out there yet.  This especially goes for Leica users.  I’ve been using Leica cameras for my entire life, and like most, I was an M user.  There aren’t many options in the long telephoto range, which makes sense given an M is a rangefinder.  Now, I’m in the SL system, and I’d love to be able to try more longer telephoto lenses.  So, I was very excited when I heard news Sigma was coming out with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens for L mount.  I rarely get to use these kinds of focal lengths, and I think it would be such a great addition to the L Mount Alliance.  The lens would help make it an even more versatile system.  So, thanks to the fine folks at Sigma, I was able to test this lens out before it was officially released to see what it was really all about.  Here’s what I think of it.

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens Build Quality:

As with all my reviews, I like to start off with the overall build of the product.  With a lens like this you definitely want it to be well made.  You’re probably going to take this on trips or go hiking around some beautiful area to get the perfect wildlife photo.  You might even use it for sporting events.  Well, I’m happy to report that as part of Sigma’s Sports line of lenses, the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is made for conditions that are more challenging.

↑ Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens attached to the Leica SL2.

The build starts off with the barrel being constructed of a combination of aluminum and TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), which not only makes it lighter but also give you a very solid feel.  There are no creaks, rattles or any signs of inferior workmanship here at all.  Trust me, I’ve been walking around a lot with this lens, and it’s been rock solid.  It also seems to match my SL2 quite well in this regard.  Furthermore, the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is designed to be taken outside rain or shine thanks to it also being dust and splash resistant.  There’s even a water, and oil repellant coating on the front element, which resists fingerprints and moisture.

In addition to being well made, there are actually some really useful features built into it as well.  For one, there’s a cool new zoom torque switch, which allows you to adjust the level of zoom resistance from Lock (locked at the widest focal length for transportation), Tight (prevents zoom creep), and Smooth (for easy, smooth zooming).  This has been such a useful feature.  This is a 600mm zoom lens, and when you’re walking around, you just don’t want or need any zoom creeping.  The lock works great, and so does the Tight setting.  It really does prevent zoom creeping quite well, so when I have the camera aiming down as I look through my viewfinder to view my images, for instance, I don’t have to worry about the lens extending forward.

↑ There’s a switch adjust the level of zoom resistance, which really comes in handy.

Furthermore, other features include a Focus Limiter switch, and three customizable AFL buttons.  There’s also a magnesium tripod socket with a removable foot and 90-degree click stops.  Lastly, there’s a Custom switch (for custom OS settings: L-mount version allows adjustment of custom OS using UD-11 USB Dock), and of course an OS Mode switch.

↑ There are a bunch of features.

Speaking of optical stabilization, as many of you know, the longer the focal length, the more difficult it is to hold steady while taking photos.  Being that this zoom goes all the way up to 600mm, you can bet that it can be difficult to hold steady.  Luckily, stability issues are solved here with an optical image stabilization that’s good for approximately 4 stops of compensation with two standard OS modes for both handheld shooting and panning situations.  Overall, I found the optical stabilization to work great.  All my pictures here were taken hand held.  I even had a couple I took on a moving monorail ride in the Bronx Zoo, and the photos came out!  I was surprised because the ride was quite bumpy to the point where it was even difficult to frame them correctly.

↑ This was taken on the bumpy monorail ride I was on, and I while it’s cropped poorly (the horns are cut), I thought it was a great example of how the image stabilization was still able to help me get a sharp image.  The settings here were f5.1 (wide open), and 800 ISO.  I used the 154mm focal length.

↑ Here’s another photo on the same monorail ride.  It was quite bumpy, and I was even a bit surprised I was able to get the elephant in the frame without cutting parts of her.  The settings were f5 (wide open), and 500 ISO using the 150mm focal length.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.

Since we’re on the topic of hand held, I’m also happy to report that this lens can definitely be carried around all day.  As I said, I went to the Bronx Zoo with it, where I spent essentially the entire day with it walking around and snapping pictures in the summer heat.  It’s a zoom that ranges from 150mm to 600mm, so it’s not going to be like your typical compact short tele prime, for example.  In other words, it’s not going to be an ultra compact lens that is also super light but no one should expect it from any lens that has a zoom range like this one.  With that said, for a lens of this range, the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS is pretty manageable in terms of size.  It’s maximum aperture is f5, which isn’t large.  However, nowadays we have decent high ISO, which helps, and because of the smaller max aperture, Sigma was able to shrink the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens down quite a bit in my opinion.  The lens measures 109.4 mm×263.6 mm/4.3 in. × 10.4 in., and weighs 2100 g/74.1 oz.  One note worth mentioning is that it is actually 26.8 ounces (760g) lighter and about an inch (26.6mm) shorter than the DSLR version.  It also uses just a 95mm filter thread.

↑ Here’s the lens cover.  It will fit over the lens as well as the lens hood.

↑ Here are all the accessories that are included.  There is a hard plastic lens cap as well.

Lastly, the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens does come with a lens hood.  In addition to flare protection, it can also provide a bit more general protection for your front element.

↑ Here’s the lens hood attached to the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens.

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Autofocus:

As for autofocus the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens has a redesigned system that incorporates an AF actuator driven by a stepping motor, as well as a high-precision magnetic sensor.  Overall, I found the autofocus be quite decent.  It was fast, accurate, and essentially silent.  As I said earlier, there is even a Focus Limiter switch, which can help.  I was able to capture animals at the Bronx Zoo even as they darted around or moved their heads quickly.  I was also shooting in all types of lighting ranging from nice, bright settings to darker, and more dimly lit areas.  As you’ll see below, most of my shots were taken in high ISO, so I definitely needed the light.  The autofocus also seemed to work quite well with my SL2.

↑ This was taken as the bear was walking down the hill, and as you can see, it’s sharp.  The settings were 800 ISO and f8.  The focal length used was 179mm.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.

It’s worth noting that the 90mm has great close up focus capabilities for its focal length range as well.  At 150mm, the minimum focus distance is just 23 inches (58 cm), which makes it great for close up shots and macro style shots.  This only further adds to the versatility of this lens.

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Image Quality:

Optically, the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens has an updated design that features 25 elements in 15 groups, with 4 FLD and 2 ELD elements.  Overall, I’m happy to say that the optics are superb.  I’ve been testing this lens with my Leica SL2, and I just love how the images come out.  I shot around Manhattan for a bit but being that this was a 600mm lens, which is something I rarely use for my own work, I wanted to give it a real test drive ;).  Finding wildlife in New York City, isn’t always easy, so went to the zoo where I was really able to test the entire range of this zoom along with its capabilities in all types of lighting.  Plus, it was a great place to test how portable this lens would be considering there was a lot of walking.

↑ This image was taken at the f5.5 using the 232mm focal length.  I used 1600 ISO.

↑ This photo was taken using 600mm and the max aperture of f6.3.  This was indoors, so I had to crank my SL2 up to 6400 ISO.  This was shot through a glass window as well.

↑ Here’s a photo taken using f11 and the 256mm focal length.  I used 200 ISO.

↑ This photo was taken through a window using 3200 ISO and f5.8.  I was using the 301mm focal length.

So getting back to the optics, it starts off with sharpness, which is excellent.  This lens can really produce some very detailed shots.  Even at its wide open aperture of f5, nearly the entire frame is tack sharp.  It’s impressive.  As you stop down just a bit, the overall image sharpness improves slightly.  Overall, don’t worry about picking the perfect aperture because this lens performs superbly throughout its aperture range and yields fantastic results.  As I said, I’ve been testing this lens on my SL2 with 47 megapixels and no anti-alias filter.  I just love what I’ve been getting.

↑ This lens is sharp.  This was taken with 125 ISO and f8.  The focal length used here was 150mm.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.  Click to enlarge.

↑ Here’s a photo taken using the 184mm focal length.  f8 and 200 ISO were used here.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.  Click to enlarge.

↑ Here’s a photo taken at the 600mm focal length.  I used f8 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.  Click to enlarge.

↑ This was taken using the 153mm focal length.  The settings were f5.1 and 1000 ISO.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.  Click to enlarge.

Other characteristics that make the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 such a fantastic lens include great contrast and color rendering.  The images just come out so beautifully with no real need for major editing to be honest.  In addition to detail, contrast, and color, there’s just this beautiful depth in the images as well.  In other words, there’s nice pop that you would expect from any good lens.  In term of vignetting, I don’t really even see much of it at wide open aperture.  As for flare, I didn’t experience anything in normal shooting conditions meaning not purposely shooting directly at the sun to make it flare, for example.  In fact, I decided to even leave the lens hood at home.  I usually like to carry less :).

↑ This was shot through a dirty glass window.  The settings were f6.3 and 6400 ISO.  I used the 335mm focal length.

↑ Here’s a photo of the Empire State Building.  This was taken with the 375mm focal length.  The settings were f8 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s a photo I took in the Bronx Zoo using the 150mm focal length.  The settings were f11 and 1600 ISO.

↑ This was shot through a glass window with the 250mm focal length.  The settings were 2500 ISO and f5.6.

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens Bokeh:

Let’s take a look at the bokeh now.  This lens has a modest maximum aperture range but given it’s telephoto capabilities, you can actually get quite a shallow depth of field.  It’s why in most of my shots, I actually stopped down a bit, and chose to use a higher ISO.

↑ This was taken with the 600mm focal length using f6.3 and 320 ISO.  It’s not easy holding a lens at 600mm steady but the image stabilization definitely helped.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.

Overall, I really do love what Sigma lenses in general produce when it comes to shallow depth of field and bokeh.  I’ve tested quite a few L mount lenses from Sigma, and there isn’t one where I didn’t like the bokeh and shallow depth of field quality.  With its 9-blade rounded diaphragm, the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is no exception.  The bokeh quality is ultra smooth and inviting.  We all have different tastes when it comes to the quality of bokeh but in my opinion,  there is nothing harsh here.  I also just love the way that this lens transitions from the sharpness of the subject to the buttery smooth background.  It really just has such a nice look in my opinion.

↑ This was taken with the 305mm focal length through a dirty window.  The settings were f5.8 and 6400 ISO.

↑ Here’s another shot taken through a window using the 600mm focal length.  The settings were 6400 and f6.3.

↑ This was also shot through a window but I used the 311mm focal length this time.  The settings were 6400 ISO and f8.

Pros And Cons:

Pros:

• Extremely well made.
• Optical Image Stabilization.
• Cool new zoom torque switch that is quite useful.
• A bunch of other features on the lens.
• Relatively compact and light considering its focal length zoom range.
• Great autofocus.
• Excellent image quality.
• Reasonably priced.

Cons:

• For some, the maximum aperture range might be a little too slow.

Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Verdict:

Overall, I feel the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is such a great addition to the L Mount Alliance.  I am a fashion and boudoir photographer that normally doesn’t use focal lengths of this range but I thoroughly enjoyed using this particular lens so much, and I imagine anyone who needs something like this will enjoy it quite a bit as well.

↑ This was taken with the 432mm focal length.  The settings were 6400 ISO and f8.

↑ Here’s another photo taken through a window using the 487mm focal length.  The settings were 6400 ISO and f6.3.

To me, it just checks all the right boxes.  This lens is something you can carry around because it is relatively compact, and light for what it offers in terms of focal length range.  The build is excellent, and there are a lot of features on the lens itself like the cool zoom torque switch.  The autofocus is also quick and accurate.  Of course, image quality is superb, and the price is just right.

↑ Here’s a photo taken with the 419mm focal length.  The settings were f8 and 500 ISO.

↑ Here’s a photo of a peacock walking towards me.  This was shot with the 238mm focal length using f8 and 4000 ISO.

There aren’t really many downsides that I can think of except maybe its modest maximum aperture range.  However, I don’t even consider its max aperture a downside because this lens is designed to be kind of an all in one that is also easy to use.  It’s designed to be easier to carry around.  Therefore, to me, portability is key, and because of the max aperture, Sigma was able to make this lens more compact and light.  I think that’s a good trade off considering also that high ISO capabilities are so good in cameras today anyway.  Plus, because of the longer focal length, I found myself stopping down quite a bit to get more in focus.

↑ I had so much trouble trying to photograph a flamingo who’s head wasn’t blocked or tucked away haha.  The settings here were f8 and 200 ISO with the 600mm focal length used.

↑ This was taken with the 261mm focal length.  The settings were f5.8 and 500 ISO.

One last note: obviously, the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens is designed to be used with the entire L mount Alliance which includes Sigma, Panasonic, and Leica.  But I just want to say that as a Leica user, it is so nice to see a lens of this range available for Leica cameras without the use of any adapters.  As most of you know, I love Leica products but this is a lens that I don’t think I will ever see Leica make anytime soon for my SL2, and if they do, it would probably cost the price of a car haha.  I just love that something like this is available now, and let me tell you, it works great with the SL2.  It just makes my camera so much more versatile, and really opens up the possibilities of what I can shoot.  A lens like this is what we need to expand the L Mount system.  Plus, besides getting great pics, it’s just been so much fun to use it with the SL2.

I highly recommend the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens.  When you add everything up from its features to its price, it is really a well-rounded and fantastic lens.  The more I used this lens, the more I was just loving it.  The files are really wonderful.  If any of you are looking for a long range zoom or like me, where you just want to try something new, this is definitely something that you should add to your short list of lenses to buy.

Thanks for taking the time to read my review!  If you’re considering purchasing the Sigma 150-600mm, and my review helped you decide, please help support this site by purchasing from the links below or any mentioned in this review.  It will not cost you anything extra. Thank you for your support!

Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports lens at B&H Photo

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