Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM on XL2

[Andy Harding]

Hi I'm thinking of getting a sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM to use with my stills camera and XL2 and was wondering has anyone any experience with this lens for video work. The OS look really useful but wondering if will work onthe XL2??

cheers
Andy

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

I prefer working with a brighter viewfinder with f/2.8 lenses or faster, but the Sigma 120-400mm is a decent lens with good preformance and should work well on the XL2.

Just make sure that you use a very sturdy tripod/head combination and watch the 'wobbles' at extreme 400mm end, especially during breezy days. Locking up and using the remote control helps in some situations.

[Andy Harding]

Cheers Tony I've a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO HSM Lens Canon fit 2.8 already on it's way so I suppose on the XL2 that would be 500mm -1440 mm ? (I think you times by 7.2?).

But needed something in the 300-400 mm range for the stills I'm doing. So I suppose if I cannot get within the range of the 1440mm of the 70-200 I should really be flogged :-) I was just wondering if the OS (Optical Stabiliser) on the larger lens would still operate on the XL2?

[Alkim Un]

Originally Posted by Andy Harding

Cheers Tony I've a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO HSM Lens Canon fit 2.8 already on it's way so I suppose on the XL2 that would be 500mm -1440 mm ? (I think you times by 7.2?).

But needed something in the 300-400 mm range for the stills I'm doing. So I suppose if I cannot get within the range of the 1440mm of the 70-200 I should really be flogged :-) I was just wondering if the OS (Optical Stabiliser) on the larger lens would still operate on the XL2?

andy,

get 1.4x converter. then you can reach 300mm ~ means 2000 mm with xl2. beyond 2000 mm, too much atmospheric turbulance and vibration, and it is not practical. I ve used 100-400 with xl2. and at 2700mm, IS helps little or not - depends on situation. even vey little wind make the image unsteady. if you pan, IS is not practical. at 2700mm, the vibrations are sub mm level and IS cannot help.I dont think sigmas OS better or more sensitive then canon.

as andy says, get a sturdy tripod, instead of buying 120-400.also you need a mate box rod system or similar head in order to fix lens and xl2 body same time. anoter issue is; you get better optical performance with TC and 70-200 then 120-400.

hope this helps,

alkim.

[Andy Harding]

cheers for the info alkim.

[Steve Phillipps]

From what I've read the 120-400 is an OK lens but no better. The Sigma 120-300 f2.8 is really good, and the 100-300 f4 is also supposed to be excellent. I agree with Akim, that putting longer and longer focal lengths on is not neccessarily the best idea due to shake, haze etc. I think 300mm is long enough personally! With 35mm lenses on small chip cameras you're already working with a compromise and unless you go for the very best you may be less than satisfied.
Steve

[Steve Phillipps]

Oh, and with small chips you don't really want to go below about f5.6 or so or you start to get diffraction problems which soften the image too. So an f2.8 lens will help as you can stop it down a bit and still be safe.
Steve

[Andy Harding]

cheers Steve for the info.

[Gilles Debord]

Hi

Here is picture of the system attachement, XL2 to tripod head. The aluminium alloy plate is the more simple and more efficient (right image), i have to modify it to use quick attachement, like Novoflex MC.
The difficulty is to change the lens on the field (arround 20'). Atmosphéric turbulance are a really problem, for the other vibration you must have a heavy tripod with good fluid head and a rigid junction between the head and the video camera. 400 mm seems to be a little bit long, my opinion is that the best, is the 120/300 f2,8 Sigma (a little bit expensive). For the moment i use the 300 mm f 2,8 Tamron the video are crystal clear.
You can see footage on my web site with the 300 mm Tamron, the duck on the page (Ours video Europe) and many others (pics de magellan)


Gilles