Earlier this week, Sigma announced a super-telephoto zoom for E-mount and L-mount cameras: the 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports.
While Sigma has long offered a 60-600mm model for Nikon F-mount and Canon EF-mount cameras, the new lens will give Sony, Leica, Sigma, and even some Panasonic users the power to shoot at 60mm, 600mm, and anywhere in between without changing lenses. It also boasts an upgraded autofocus motor and enhanced image stabilization compared to the old DSLR model, which should only add to the lens’s appeal.
Superzooms tend to struggle with sharpness and other aberrations, especially at the end of their focal length ranges, though Sigma claims that the 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 “delivers high optical performance throughout the entire zoom range…mak[ing] it capable of capturing any scene in high definition.” And while we haven’t gotten our hands on the lens to test it ourselves, the sample images do look very impressive.
Sigma promises a lightning-fast AF motor, which is essential for the lens’s target audience: beginner and intermediate sports, wildlife, bird, and aviation photographers who don’t want to spend $6000+ on a pro-level lens, but who do need major reach. The 60-600mm zoom is uniquely versatile, too; you can photograph a subject from a significant distance, then zoom out and continue to shoot as it comes closer and closer. You can also use the lens to photograph a variety of bird and wildlife subjects, including distant and/or smaller animals, larger and/or less-skittish animals, and animals in wider scenes.
Even super-telephoto primes, while spectacular, don’t offer the same level of flexibility as the 60-600mm (and though they do come with several other benefits, including wide maximum apertures and breathtaking sharpness, they feature eye-watering price tags).
Don’t get me wrong: The Sigma 60-600mm does have weaknesses. It’s relatively big and bulky – at least compared to a standard telephoto lens – so you certainly won’t want to lug it around for casual photography. Plus, while the lens doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, its $2000 MSRP is far from affordable. And the f/4.5-6.3 variable maximum aperture isn’t ideal for low-light photography, though you can always use the lens’s image-stabilization function to maintain sharpness at slower shutter speeds if you’re handholding.
But at the end of the day, the 60-600mm will undoubtedly be a great buy for enthusiastic non-professionals who can’t afford higher-end options or prefer the flexibility offered by a well-made super-telephoto zoom.
The Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports won’t begin shipping until late February, but it’s currently available for preorder on Amazon and B&H.
Now over to you:
What do you think of Sigma’s new lens? Might you be interested in purchasing it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
