Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens Review: Is it Worth it?
In the world of wildlife photography, capturing the perfect shot of a subject from a distance is essential as is having the right telephoto zoom lens. The Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary Lens achieves just that, with spectacular image quality and high performance. Most importantly, this telephoto lens won’t break the bank. In this Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary Lens Review I’ll dive into some of the pros and cons of this lens, go over some of it’s features and functions, provide general tips, and share some of my favorite wildlife photos that I’ve personally taken with the Sigma 150-600mm lens.
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**Note: All photos on this post are mine and were taken with the Sigma 150-600mm
Like most photographers, I started with a DSLR kit that came with the camera body and lens. My very first DSLR camera was a Nikon D3100 with the generic 18-55mm lens.
This was in 2008, right before a trip to Guatemala. I knew I would visit Tikal, Guatemala and I wanted to photograph the unique wildlife there. I was in need of a telephoto lens, so I purchased the bundle that came with a 55-300mm lens.
At the time, I was amazed by the reach and quality of the 55-300mm lens made by Nikon.
Since then, I’ve upgraded the body of my camera to a Nikon D7500, which I absolutely love.
I got into macro photography using the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens and instantly loved how detailed the photos were.
I then decided I wanted to photograph the wildlife in Okinawa. One of the more unique animals in Okinawa is the Ryukyu Flying Fox. This is a type of mega bat. Last year (2022) I found a bunch at a nearby park and photographed them with my 55-300mm lens. I was somewhat satisfied with the photos, but wasn’t happy with the colors or sharpness.
I did some research on better telephoto lenses that would achieve the detail and reach I was looking for to photograph the Ryukyu Flying Foxes. Price was definitely a factor that played a role, I wasn’t looking to spend thousands. I narrowed my choices down to the Sigma 150-600mm and Tamron 150-600mm lens. Ultimately, I decided to go with the Sigma lens based on need and price and am so glad I went with the Sigma 150-600mm lens.
To see the differences between my first kit lens the 55-300mm lens and the Sigma 150-600mm lens, below is a comparison photo of the Ryukyu Flying Foxes. The photo on the left was taken with the 55-300mm lens and the photo on the right was taken with the Sigma 150-600mm lens.
About the Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM Lens
The Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens is a telephoto zoom lens that is Made in Japan. Here are some of the specs and parts of the camera from the packaging.
- The Sigma 150-600mm weight is 1,830g or 4 lbs.
- Optical Stabilizer (OS), used to compensate for blurry images that are caused by shaking
- Tripod Socket and Collar
- Zoom locking which locks the lens at a specific zoom level set by the user
- Minimum aperture is F22 and the max aperture is F5-F6.3
- Filter size is 95mm, for filters
- The box contains a case for the lens, a strap, lens hood, and a tripod socket
Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary Lens Review
I’m going to start the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens review by saying, I absolutely made the right decision in purchasing this lens. Every time I process my photos, I am amazed by how sharp and detailed my photos turn out.
There are two types of Sigma 150-600mm lenses, there is a contemporary and sport. The sport version might be more rugged, has a faster autofocus, and might be better weather proofed, but it is much more expensive then the contemporary version. For my purposes, the contemporary lens was exactly what I needed.
I primarily purchased this lens for shooting the unique wildlife in Okinawa. Outside of photographing wildlife, I have taken it to an air show in Iwakuni and took some action packed shots of F-35’s zipping through the air.
I use this with my Nikon D7500 and made sure to purchase the Lens for Nikon F Cameras. It fits snug on my Nikon and I’ve never had an issue attaching it.
I use a SLIK Tripod which I find works well with this lens. Honestly, I shoot mainly handheld, especially with wildlife photography. You have to be ready and move with the subject. Thankfully my Nikon D7500 has an option to shoot multiple images which can be beneficial or those action shots.
The Sigma 150-600mm is heavy and makes for a great forearm workout when out in the field. I tend to walk around with a backpack that stores the lens and take it out when I find a unique subject to photograph. You really need both hands to stabilize the camera and lens.
I tend to use both autofocus and manual focus depending on the subject and if the lens can autofocus. I’ve found it to be easy to use the manual focus and the autofocus works great if it can pick out the subject.
For shooting with this lens, I always shoot in Manual Mode and RAW. I feel this way, I am in total control of my camera and can adjust the Aperture, ISO, and Shutter, as necessary.
For the most part, I do love this lens. I do find the performance can be poor in low light situations. This lens definitely needs a lot of light. So shooting during the day in light conditions will get the best results. Sometimes, this isn’t always possible. Like when shooting bats at dusk. In many scenarios, I will shoot in Manual mode with Auto ISO.
I feel the Sigma 150-600mm is a sturdy camera, well designed, and is a quality piece of equipment.
One of the main reasons I decided to purchase the Sigma 150-600mm was because of the attractive price tag. Some big name brand telephoto lenses can be several thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, I purchased the Sigma 150-600mm lens on Amazon, for under $1000.
PROS
- Price is very affordable
- Detail and Sharpness of the photos
- Zoom Lock Switch
- Sleek Design and Easy to use
- Focus and Zoom Ring are comfortable and well built
CONS
- Heavy, especially when handheld
- Needs a heavier/sturdier tripod
- Storage
- Autofocus sometimes has troubles finding the subject
- The performance in low-light environments and situations is below average. I’ve found it is best to shoot during the day with a decent amount of light
Photos Taken with this Lens
Where to Buy the Sigma 150-600mm Lens?
I recommend just buying the Sigma 150-600mm lens from Amazon.
Make sure that when buying from Amazon to select the appropriate Style: Canon EF Cameras, Nikon F Cameras, or Sigma SA Cameras.
Once you select the style compatible with your camera, simply purchase the lens. I bought it new off of Amazon and it came with a bag, strap, hood, and lens cover.
There are many Sigma 150-600mm Bundles on Amazon that include other camera equipment such as memory cards, cases, and cleaning supplies. It’s up to the user to decide what they all need.
In addition to Amazon, you can visit the Sigma Website for more information on their lenses and even purchase directly from the site.
Additional Tips When Shooting with this Lens
Please note, I am not a professional photographer. I just love traveling and taking photos! These tips are based on my own research and practice in the field while using the Sigma 150-600mm lens.
- Typically when shooting wildlife like birds in flight, you’ll want to use a fast shutter speed. Remember, the rule of thumb. Use a shutter speed of 1 focal length of the lens you are using. For animals in motion, try starting with a shutter speed of 1/600 and adjust as necessary from there.
- Depending on the light and subject, play around with the exposure triangle – Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO. Sometimes you only need to adjust one setting or sometimes all three to get the shot that is right for you.
- For wildlife photography, don’t always depend on a tripod. I found it is hard to follow and focus on a subject with a tripod. Get comfortable shooting handheld with this lens for wildlife that is active. For animals and subjects that don’t move or do so very little, feel free to use a tripod.
- I’ve been told for high quality and clear photos, that a low ISO, typically ISO 100 is the best settings to shoot in. The Sigma 150-600mm lens needs a lot of natural light, sometimes that is not always on our side. Rules are meant to be broken. For many situations, like shooting the Ryukyu Flying Bats in Okinawa, the time of day is not ideal, or the bats are hanging upside down under the canopy, which is generally dark. I shoot these scenes using Auto ISO. Thankfully, the bats stand somewhat still so I can slow down the shutter speed.
- Don’t be afraid to shoot using Auto ISO. Most cameras have a setting where you can adjust the maximum Auto ISO setting sensitivity.
- I used to shoot using JPEG but have since switched to shooting in RAW for specialized photography. RAW files are much larger but gives the user much more freedom to work with, especially when post processing.
- I tend to shoot in Manual mode with this lens. I like to be in control of the camera when shooting wildlife. Plus the more practice I get using Manual the more comfortable I feel using the camera and lens.
- Lastly, the best way to improve your photography is to get out there, explore, and practice. You’ll be amazed by the wildlife you encounter when you start paying attention on your daily walks, weekend adventures, or multi day trips.
So, Is the Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary Lens Worth it?
The short answer is, absolutely! I’ve had the Sigma 150-600mm lens for about a year now and love it. Every time I take this lens out, I am always impressed with my photos after post processing.
There is a learning curve with this lens and the size can seem a bit bulky, but the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens is 100% worth it. Between the attractive price and detailed photos, I am very happy with the lens. For the price, it simply can’t be beat.
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2 Comments
Paul S Robinson
I don’t suppose you used that lens in low light situations. If you have you would find that particular lens lacking.
I have tge Sigma 150-600 C lens and while it’s a good not great lens in good light it truly is not in low light situations where a faster shutter speed is needed when photographing wildlife.
zimminaround
Paul,
I do agree with you, this lens does require a significant amount of light. I will definitely make note of this.
I do use Auto ISO for low light situations, we all know this can produce grainy images. But so far, for what I use it for I am very satisfied! I checked out your site, great photos by the way!