beamer01 Loc: West Palm Beach

Does anyone own or has had experience using this lens. I would like to know your opinion, is it good for sports and birding.. I would be mounting it on a 5D III Thank you...

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I have the current model of this lens, I also used to have the second generation of it. Its a great sports lens, probably better than anything else on the market. As for birding? Its over 6 pounds so that limits its hand held use. It would be a great focal length because of the F2.8 constant aperture and ability to accept teleconverters and maintain all auto functions, but prepare to have to use it with a monopod or tripod most of the time. Otherwise, as far as sharpness or autofocus speed goes, its as good as anything else on the market. Its unique as its the worlds ONLY 300mm F2.8 zoom lens, and its in its third generation of development!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/06/sigma-120-300-f2-8-os-sport-part-1-features-and-optics

Not as sharp as a prime at 300mm, but certainly respectable, and a bargain at $3000. If you are a sharpness nut, (like I am) then it won't satisfy you, get a 300mm prime - even a 300F4 will be as sharp or slightly sharper. If you accept slightly less than optimum results, and you find value in the zoom capability and the external dock for firmware updating and tweaking - neither of which are offered by any other company - then you'll be more than happy. I have quite a few pro sports shooter friends that use this lens on one body and a 400 2.8 on a second body and love them both.

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

I have the new sports version of this lens along with the 5d mkiii, I prefer using it on my cropped 7d and now on 7d mkii for even longer reach, I don't feel the need for a 400 2.8 prime. It is quite heavy, not easy to handle 8+ lbs. Very versatile lens that you can program for what you need.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I assume you've never shot with a 400 2.8 . . .

gawler Loc: rural south australia

I also have this lens beamer01
I use it some times for birding hand held , do agree with MT Shooter it is a bit heavy but I have been known to wander around the bush for 3 hours with it
I had to calibrate mine to the 5d mark 3 and there are no problems with the sharpness its fast to focus even with the sigma 1.4 convertor , will say I had no luck with 2x convertor all pics soft , don't know if MT Shooter has tried a 2x on his as it may well be my copy
oh all most forgot its built like a tank so can handle a few knocks and bumps
I also purchase the dock for it played a bit when I first got it but sadly its sat in the case since lol

beamer01 Loc: West Palm Beach

Thank you all for the responses I have received. I do prefer sharpness in a photo, but I like versatility. In photography I guess that is pretty much like "having your cake and eating it too". But to be honest price maybe the deciding factor. Again thank all of you for your help

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I did have noticeable softening on my original 120-300mm F2.8 when used with a 2X converter.
When I ordered my new Sports version of the lens I ordered it direct from Sigma and also ordered their new type DG 1.4x and 2X TC with it, and I requested they focus match both those converters to the lens, which they did for free. Now I use the 2X with the new lens and even at 300mm wide open its extremely sharp. Is it as sharp as my Nikon 600mm F4? In the middle, yes, at the corners no, but its still very good and much easier to handle at the games. With the matched 1.4X TC there is no loss of sharpness at all giving me a 168-420mm F4 lens. It was as good as my Nikon 200-400mm F4 which I quickly sold for over $1200 more than the new Sigma setup cost me.
I still have my original Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 OS also, its now in my rental inventory at the store and is a VERY popular rental for local sports photogs, even the newspaper guys come rent it for football and basketball championship events in the area.
Anyone who claims this is not a sharp lens obviously has no experience with it and is clearly jealous they spent double to get a fixed 300mm F2.8. A UHH'r asked me about sharpness when I got the new Sports model a couple years ago and wanted to see an example. I posted a quick hand-held grab of the stained glass church window across the street at 300mm F2.8 just to show him. When he wrote back after downloading the image he commented that he could clearly see 5 flies on the window frame! At 250 feet hand held, that's pretty amazing.

jr168

I did have the version that you are asking about. I found it to be very sharp but had issues with the focusing motor (seems to be a common problem with this lens). I now have the newer " S " version and am extremely happy with it. They included a focus limiter in this version and it really helps with focus speed. Initial focus is very quick, but I find that it does not track subjects moving toward you as well as the 70-200 or 300 primes. Teleconverters do make it react a touch slower and do soften the image a touch. With that being said, I still find it to be a great lens and well worth the money.

Ramled Loc: Victoria, British Columbia

I have this lens and am very happy with it. I use it on a Canon 6D and 7D and with the 2x Sigma extender find it sharp. As MT has stated, it is heavy, but that comes along with having a 2.8 lens at 300mm. I use this lens for sports and find it focuses very fast. I'm sure you will be happy with it, and it is awesome to have a 2.8 lens that reaches from 120 to 300mm.