Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM | Sigma | Lenses

Overview

Telephoto Zoom Lens
100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM

The ideal telephoto zoom lens for Digital SLR cameras

This telephoto zoom lens provides a large F4 aperture at all focal lengths. With minimal light-fall-off, superior peripheral Brightness is ensured. It’s the ideal lens for digital SLR cameras.

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SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass for high image quality.
This lens uses two pieces of SLD glass elements in the front lens group and another two in the rear group for excellent correction of Chromatic aberration. High optic performance is demonstrated throughout the entire zoom range.

HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures a quiet, high-speed AF
The AF drive for Sigma SA, Canon and Nikon cameras is equipped with a silent, responsive and high speed HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which also provides full-time manual focus function.

Inner focusing and inner zooming systems
This lens incorporates an Internal Focusing system, which eliminates front lens rotation, allowing the use of a Petal-type Hood and more convenient to use of Circular polarizing filter. Since focusing and zooming do not change its overall length, this lens is easy to hold and use.

APO lens
The use of an Apochromatic design and 4 SLD (The Special Low Dispersion) glass elements (two SLD glass elements are utilized in the front lens group and two in the rear group) provide for full correction of chromatic Aberration and a high level of optical performance.

APO Tele-Converter EX (optional)
High-speed focusing is possible when this lens is used with dedicated APO EX tele-converters (1.4x and 2x). With the optional APO tele-converter 1.4x EX, it works as AF zoom lens from 140mm to 420mm F5.6. With APO tele-converter 2.0x EX, it works as a manual focus zoom lens from 200mm to 600mm F8.
It is possible to use AE (Automatic Exposure) function, even EX Tele-converters are attached to the lens.

100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM		SIGMA
		CANON
		NIKON (D)
100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF		SONY
		PENTAX

Lens Specifications

Generic Lens Specifications

Lens Type: Zoom
IS / VR / OS: None
Min Focal length (mm): 100
Max Focal Length (mm): 300
Number of Elements: 16
Element Groups: 14
Max Aperture: 4
Minimum Aperture: 32
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Closest Focus Distance (m): 1.8
Maximum Magnification: 1.5
Filter Diameter (mm): 82
Diameter at widest (mm): 92
Lens Length (mm): 227
Weight (g): 1440

Details

Lens Hood LH890_01

100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF

Lens Hood

Fitted Padded Case

Front and Rear Caps

Instruction Manual

1 Year Warranty Card

2 Year Extended UK Warranty Card

Price Tracking

USA Lens Price History

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Amazon Price US

Amazon Price UK

Editor review : Sigma 100-300mm f4


Overall rating (weighted)		3.3
Sharpness		3.0
Build Quality		3.0
AF Speed		3.0
Value for Money		4.0

Boosting you telephoto power can get prohibitively expensive, but here's one optic that'll enable you to tackle a wide range of distant subjects without paying silly money. Granted, this is no cheap lens, but when it's married to a DSLR with a cropped sensor it really will pull distant details in. Of course, the pay off with the with the extra telephoto power is the aperture, but at least it is constant thought out the focal range.

The Focusing with the HSM motore is also impressivly quick, accurate and quite- something that can come in very handy for thouse shooting timid wildlife. Optical speaking, you'll gte the very best results in the central apertures, which may necessitate a tripod of faster ISO settings, but there's very litle diffrence between the definition at the centre and the edge of the frame. In addition, distortion is well controlled thanks fo the use of four soecial low-dispersion glass elements.

This won't be suitable for every telezoon worker, but if you like the idea of this focal range, then chances are you will love this lens.

Why should you care what I think?

My relationship with this item: I used to own it • I have borrowed a friends
Where did you buy this item?: N/A
Price paid: 900
When did you buy this item?: N/A

Conclusions at a glance

Would you recommend this Item: Undecided
Pros: Value for money
Cons: not sutible for all.

User Lens Reviews

Average user rating from: 5 user(s)


Overall rating (weighted)		4.4
Sharpness		4.4
Build Quality		4.4
AF Speed		4.4
Value for Money		4.4

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Excellent telephoto for portrait, Wednesday, 20 January 2010


Overall rating (weighted)		4.0
Sharpness		4.0
Build Quality		4.0
AF Speed		5.0
Value for Money		3.0

I got this lens a year ago from Amazon for a little more than sevenhundred, much cheaper than today price. Somehow HSM is not implemented on Minolta or Sony mount so AF is a little Bit slow on my Sony Alpha A200, not super fast like on Canon or Nikon mount. Couple with 1.4X extender, I tried to take some birds but AF is slower than w/o the extender, I got like 50% of success rate. Chromatic aberration is visible if 100% crop. So my experience with birds were not very successful, but I used this lens to take my wife portraits and it did a good job. Colors were vivid and pleasing.
I think I used this lens wrongly for bird photography, I know that Canon 400 2.8 is good for that, but hey it cost maybe 5 times this lens cost. Overall I like this lens and I will keep it for a while.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Excellent optical and build quality., Saturday, 30 May 2009


Overall rating (weighted)		5.0
Sharpness		5.0
Build Quality		5.0
AF Speed		5.0
Value for Money		5.0

I can only add my unreserved enthusiasm for this lens to the technical reviews out there. I had one off ebay, rarely used it and sold it when strapped for cash, but then spent months craving it back. Finally a wonderful person in my life bought me a new one from Amazon and since when I've taken hundreds of sporting and street journalism images.
It handles and balances really well on my Nikon D2X, has solid zoom ring in a great position, smooth movement of manual focus override if needed, near silent use, non-rotating and non-extruding front element, removable tripod clamp. It feels like its hewn from solid volcanic rock and glass -in stark Contrast to the Nikon 18-200mm which has essentially and almost literally fallen apart after 3 years. The long end of this is so much sharper, brighter to compose, and richer in quality (as well as longer in telephoto) than the Nikon. The wide end of that will soon be replaced by a 16-85mm. Highly recommended, and can't find the slightest niggle to complain about.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Sigma 100-300mm F4 - Great lens for the price., Tuesday, 31 July 2007


Overall rating (weighted)		3.5
Sharpness		3.0
Build Quality		4.0
AF Speed		3.0
Value for Money		4.0

I bought this lens because the Canon 100-400mm was alittle to much for my pocket book. I have had the lens over 5 months and used it mostly outdoors with a monopod. A monopod is a must, Living next to Yellowstone Park I use this lens alot, however it is alittle heavy, and needs alot of light to get a perfect picture. Its not a L lens but it has its qualities that are very close, this lens doesn't get the attention it deserves for outdoor photography.

If you are looking for a good F4 lens without spending over $ 900.00 this is a good alternative. If you shot in low light tripod is a must.

Overall I am very happy with this lens, I would give it 5 stars if it handled low light better.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Great Telephoto Zoom, Monday, 04 June 2007


Overall rating (weighted)		4.5
Sharpness		5.0
Build Quality		4.0
AF Speed		4.0
Value for Money		5.0

I bought this lens to use with my Canon 30D for high school sports (soccer, football, baseball, etc). I already had the Sigma APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras and needed more focal length. Like the 70-200 F/2.8, this lens is big, heavy, and built like a tank. The bare lens is about an inch longer than the 70-200, but the 100-300's hood is longer than the 70-200's hood.

The zoom and focus rings are wide and move smoothly with just the right amount of resistance. This lens is sharp wide open. At the overlapping focal lengths, the 70-200 at F/4 is just barely sharper than this lens at F/4 (wide open). At 200mm, this lens is actually sharper (200mm is this lens's sweet spot.) At 300mm, the lens is still sharp wide open, but I like to stop down to F/4.5 just to keep things super-sharp. Up to 250mm, I would not hesitate to use it wide open.

This Sigma lens has HSM which means the focus is fast and quiet. The lens focuses a little slower than the 70-200 F/2.8, but I've found that the 30D is more of a limiting factor in focus speed than the lens is. Servo tracking is very good with this lens, the only time it can't keep up is when track runners are sprinting straight at me (although again, I think the body is the limiting factor here.) For almost every other situation, the focus will definitely keep up.

All in all, this is not an indoor lens by any means, but as an outdoor sports (or wildlife/nature) lens, it is awesome.

Blazing fast focusing!!, Saturday, 11 March 2006


Overall rating (weighted)		5.0
Sharpness		5.0
Build Quality		5.0
AF Speed		5.0
Value for Money		5.0

The HSM of this lens is faster than Nikon 80-200 on D70s (it hunt around 2 times when i tried to focus on my frd who was in blue/white stripes at opposite side of a tennis court walking to me) and Sigma 70-200 on 350D. How fast is that? I could say that it is as fast as the EF-S 18-55 kit lens! Do bear in mind, usually wide lenses focuses faster than tele.
Besides, the handling and build of this lens is good. Tripod mount made of metal. Holding the tripod ring and focusing ring feels great. I shaked this lens on intention, and hit it to a table... ( this is not my lens :P ) It works same well and not even a tiny scratch is done on the lens after all
However, it has some draw backs. 300mm focal length is a bit too long for me. F4.0 is a bit too narrow to use with 300mm indoor ... your photos may be blurred if you handheld them
Conclusion: It is a perfect lens (especially sports) if you use it under bright sunlight.