cochese1's reviews

Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM APO

I had read many reviews before purchasing my copy of this lens. There are two versions of this lens out there. The ones with the matte finish reviewed here (and most other reviews) and the one with the smooth finish. I have the smooth finish. All the reviews mention extreme softness at the long end, most had front or back focus issues. These issues appear to have been fixed in the newer smooth versions. Mine is sharp almost all the way through it's range, has no front or back focus issues, and becomes sharp enough at 400 f7.1, and perfectly sharp at 400 f8. The focus is very fast, enough for BIF and accurate. This is not a low light lens, why try to use it as such. If you get the newer version it is a steal as they are going on ebay in mint condition for $400! My other lenses are a Sigma 17-50 f2.8 EX OS HSM and a 50-150 f2.8 EX OS HSM, I use all on my Canon 60D. Sigma makes very good lenses in their EX line and I love all of mine. All are very sharp and fast. I am an enthusiast and cannot justify paying 3-4 times as much for branded lenses for only marginal improvement in image quality.