Optimizing my150mm-500mm Sigma

13 years 6 months ago #2552 by nu2photography
I'm still new to the art of photography. I just bought a sigma 150mm-500mm lens with a 1.4x telephoto converter. Can someone advise me please on how to get the most out of the lens. I have a pretty old (Canon 10D) camera. Got it from someone I know 2nd hand.

I've been taking wildlife photos, but they all seem blurry and not as sharp as I was expecting.
I typically use the full 500mm to get my subject in the frame fully. I noticed that the sunlight has been lacking a bit though this affects the sharpness of the bird/animal?

Any help or advice is welcomed! Thanks again!
:cheer:


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13 years 6 months ago #2556 by ratesh123
Based on my experience, the teleconverter and sigma lens will take you right to the edge of the 10D capability to autofocus. I think the lens has an aperture larger than it has even for its own, it'll be tough for your 10D.

However the 300D, which I used to have. Which is pretty much the same AF module as the 10D. I found that it has a hard time to focus using the older Sigma 170-500. I strongly recommend to only use manual focus if you have the teleconverter on.

I found the lens soft wide open, and lacking in contrast, lowering the aperature down to F8 made a big difference. Keep the lens hood on, it helps lift contrast and don't UV filters if the weather is nice and sunny. Try adding more contrast in thru photo editing programs. Note that putting a teleconverter will only make softness worse.

IF image stabilizing on your lens is not that good. You may want to consider shutter speeds above 1/250, for hand holding. If you are using a tripod and shutter speed iss below 1/100 disable IS feature.

If you have a moving subject, then turning the IS off will speed up the AF lock time, however I suggest you want to be looking @ 1/1000 at the longer end.


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13 years 6 months ago #2560 by reyvan21
500mm on a crop sensor, gives you massive range! I'd like to try the lens with and without the telephotoconverter. I think it'll work better without the converter. Especially with the correct camera settings & the image stabilising in use.....:)

If your subject is too small in the viewfinder.:( Try closing in on it....;) But its far better than putting more glass onto the camera!


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13 years 6 months ago #2562 by Bman
Rule of thumb: The shutter speed needs to be the same as the focal length of your lens also multiply it to the crop factor of the sensor of your 10d. On your camera it would mean 500 x 1.6=800 meaning a shutter speed of 1/800th, that is with the IS on the lens is disabled, with that stated consider 2 stops lower, while camera is hand held.

bman


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