Sigma is breaking new ground once again with the release of the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens. This is the first Sports-series lens built specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras and is also the longest DG DN lens currently available from Sigma. It’s an ultra-telephoto zoom built with refined optics, updated handling features, and a revised form factor that is lighter and smaller than the past SLR-intended versions of this same lens. As the first lens carrying the Sports moniker, this lens is a statement piece as Sigma sees its lineup transcending the fast and distinct primes the company is best known for; this is a super tele-zoom with the speed and optics required for sports and wildlife shooters.
You may be thinking “Sigma already has a 150-600mm lens. Wait, they already have two, and one of them is a sports lens… how’s this one different?” The key is in the DG DN suffix in the lens name, which indicates this lens has been built from the ground up specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras, namely those with Sony E and Leica L lens mounts. Beyond just some additional letters in a name, though, this lens has a new, more advanced optical configuration that caters to mirrorless designs and higher-resolution sensors and does so in a more compact package. It has a new autofocus system, too, and some updated handling aspects, including zoom torque adjustment and customizable function buttons for more intuitive control.
Regarding the optics, this new lens has a denser 25-element/15-group layout that includes six low-dispersion glass elements to suppress color fringing and chromatic aberrations through the zoom range. The glass has also been optimized to maintain sharpness at both ends of the zoom range, and the wide-angle end offers a close minimum focusing distance of 1.9' for more versatility. Sigma also states that bokeh quality was a major concern during the redesign of this lens, and smooth out-of-focus areas with natural compression are a hallmark of the new optical system. Additionally, flare and ghosting are also well-controlled due to a Super Multi-Layer Coating that promotes high-contrast, color-accurate rendering when working in strong light.
Beyond the optical improvements, one of the other noteworthy changes this lens brings is an updated autofocus system. Now catering to mirrorless cameras instead of SLRs, this lens’s focusing performance is quieter and smoother to suit photo and video recording needs. The AF system uses a stepping motor in conjunction with a magnetic sensor that helps accurately guide the focusing lens over greater distances to keep up with subject tracking at great working distances.
Also helping to achieve sharp imagery is an OS image-stabilization system that compensates for up to 4 stops of camera shake, making it easier to use this lens when shooting handheld. Two different stabilization modes can be selected on the lens barrel, and OS modes can be customized on the L-mount version of the lens, via the optional USB Dock. This USB dock also lets L-mount shooters create customized focusing range limits and assign other functions to the three AFL buttons on the lens barrel. Also unique to L-mount users, this lens is compatible with optional TC-1411 1.4x and TC-2011 2x teleconverters for extending the zoom reach even farther.
As a Sports-series lens, Sigma clearly intends for this lens to stand up to the tough conditions and fast-paced shooting environments you’d expect while photographing sports or other fast-moving subjects. As such, the lens features a dust- and splash-resistant barrel with rubber seals at the lens mount and around the focusing and zoom rings and the cover connection points. An oil- and water-repellent coating has also been applied to the front element to resist droplets and to make cleaning the lens easier.
In terms of handling, the lens has a dual-action zoom design, which lets you change the zoom position either by rotating the zoom ring or by push-pulling the barrel to the desired point. Zoom ring torque can also be adjusted to suit your handling preference or just to lock the ring in place to avoid unwanted creeping. The lens is built from Sigma’s distinct Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) materials and aluminum to present a lightweight-but-durable build, and it’s delivered with the removable Arca-type compatible TS-121 Tripod Socket for direct mounting on tripod heads.
The 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is Sigma’s first Sports lens and is a great example of borrowing from its older SLR designs and updating them for a more contemporary mirrorless workflow. Compared to the 150-600mm Sports lens designed for SLRs, this new DG DN lens is 1.6 lb lighter and more than an inch shorter—pretty impressive for a lens that also contains more sophisticated optics, faster AF performance, and still touts a durable, weather-sealed build.
What are your thoughts on Sigma’s first Sports-series lens? Do you have a need for a long-reaching telephoto zoom for your full-frame mirrorless system? Let us know your thoughts on this new, long lens in the Comments section, below.
