I'd watched a couple of demonstration videos from the manufacturer, and they looked impressive, but how would it perform in a real world environment with a long zoom lens?
Pretty damn bloody well is my short answer.
I used a Fujifilm X-H1 along with a Sigma 150-600mm lens, mounted using the Fringer EF-FX Pro.
This gave me a full frame equivalent focal length of 900mm at f6.3 straight away is 300mm longer than Fujifilm's own 100-400mm lens. To get close to that focal length using Fujifilm glass you'll have to attach the Fujifilm 1.4 teleconverter which brings it out to 840mm, but it'll be a stop or so slower at around f8.
Costs (approximate at time of writing):
Sigma 150-600mm - £700 + Fringer $299 = £850 ish
Fujifilm 100-400mm - £1400 + Extender x1.4 £389 = £1789
For around half the cost you'll be getting a longer focal length, and a faster lens (optically perhaps the Fuji lens wins, but I'm not testing that, and it's a hefty price premium to pay).
The plan was to test things photographing birds (something I do want to do more of, but lack the require focal lengths since making the switch to Fuji a year or so back), but even with some bird seed to assist the birds weren't playing, so I ended up photographing bits of tree instead.
Focusing was snappy, quickly locking on from near (5 metres) to far (50 metres) objects in a fraction of a second. I didn't test the build in image stabilisation of the lens because of the IS built into the body of the X-H1, but I could hear the IR motors working - something to test another day on one of my Fuji X-Pro2's...
Would I buy this configuration for myself - that's a big hell yes! If I had a spare £850 that is...!
Big thank you to Steve for the loan, and pretty please can I borrow your glass for my trip to Scotland in September?
Video - struggled to film through the EVF - but should give an idea of focus speed.
Photos - all taken at 600mm & f6.3. ISO ranged from 500 to 1000 (I forgot to switch off auto).
4 comments:
I am very interested in this combination, enough so that I would consider selling my Fuji 100-400 with the 1.4X for the Fringer adapter and the Sigma 150 - 600. Thanks for your review.
Thanks for this review, I just found this lens for ~£500 second hand and was considering it for my XH1 and your post answered all my questions.
Hello i purchased this lens from watching your video looked impressive.
But did you have to calibrate the sigmas lens focusing? I have it set up on my xt2 but it doesn't focus at all. cant seem to work it out any feedback would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
I wish I could help "Unknown"... I didn't do anything, just clicked it all together and started shooting. Couldn't have been easier.
Post a Comment