Sigma docking: I ordered a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It came with a free docking station. I watched videos on U-tube on how to use it. It sounded very complicated to me on how...

Tatertot13 Loc: Aptos, CA

I ordered a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It came with a free docking station. I watched videos on U-tube on how to use it. It sounded very complicated to me on how to calibrate the lens. Will I have to do this before using the lens? Can anyone give me an easy explanation on how to calibrate the lens. A couple of the videos said it could take over two hours to calibrate. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Leitz Loc: Solms

Tatertot13 wrote:

I ordered a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It came with a free docking station. I watched videos on U-tube on how to use it. It sounded very complicated to me on how to calibrate the lens. Will I have to do this before using the lens? Can anyone give me an easy explanation on how to calibrate the lens. A couple of the videos said it could take over two hours to calibrate. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You only need to calibrate if the autofocus is off. Follow the video instructions on how to calibrate.

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

Shoot the lens right out of the box with no problems.

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Buy a Nikon or Canon lens, you won't have to calibrate anything....

Tatertot13 wrote:

I ordered a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It came with a free docking station. I watched videos on U-tube on how to use it. It sounded very complicated to me on how to calibrate the lens. Will I have to do this before using the lens? Can anyone give me an easy explanation on how to calibrate the lens. A couple of the videos said it could take over two hours to calibrate. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Jim Bob

Tatertot13 wrote:

I ordered a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It came with a free docking station. I watched videos on U-tube on how to use it. It sounded very complicated to me on how to calibrate the lens. Will I have to do this before using the lens? Can anyone give me an easy explanation on how to calibrate the lens. A couple of the videos said it could take over two hours to calibrate. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

No. The included instructions are simple and easy to read. First you need to determine if the lens needs calibration. Go out and take some pictures and examine the results for focus.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

lone ranger wrote:

Buy a Nikon or Canon lens, you won't have to calibrate anything....

Untrue. You still have to check them. If this were true, then why do these cameras have microfocusing adjustments?

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Jim Bob wrote:

...Go out and take some pictures and examine the results for focus.

How exactly would you do this?

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

lone ranger wrote:

Buy a Nikon or Canon lens, you won't have to calibrate anything....

Not really accurate. Almost all lenses potentially could need some calibration due to manufacturing tolerance differences between bodies and lenses. That's why companies like Nikon and Canon include lens adjustment capabilities in all but their lower end bodies.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

mwsilvers wrote:

Not really accurate. Almost all lenses potentially could need some calibration due to manufacturing tolerance differences between bodies and lenses. That's why companies like Nikon and Canon include lens adjustment capabilities in all but their lower end bodies.

I suggest that you read my comment above.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

abc1234 wrote:

I suggest that you read my comment above.

Yep. I read your post. I just expanded on it a bit indicating its most often needed to adjust for manufacturing tolerance differences between lens and bodies. Just knowing the functionally exists does not explain why it would be needed.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

lone ranger wrote:

Buy a Nikon or Canon lens, you won't have to calibrate anything....

I wish that were true. I have had to calibrate a few. Not huge adjustments but to be perfect it did take a little.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

mwsilvers wrote:

Yep. I read your post. I just expanded on it a bit indicating its most often needed to adjust for manufacturing tolerance differences between lens and bodies. Just knowing the functionally exists does not explain why it would be needed.

Thanks for the response. I am procrastinating on doing it. I started but am not satisfied with the calibration photos. Too hard to see the focal plane. Sigma is very thorough and has four distances for four focal lengths.

lone ranger Loc: Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Amazing to me, in all my many years of photography, I"ve never had a problem with a Nikon prime or zoom lens, I guess the old adage, you get what you pay for, is oh so true......I"ve never believed in 3rd party lenses and never will.....

abc1234 wrote:

Thanks for the response. I am procrastinating on doing it. I started but am not satisfied with the calibration photos. Too hard to see the focal plane. Sigma is very thorough and has four distances for four focal lengths.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

lone ranger wrote:

Amazing to me, in all my many years of photography, I"ve never had a problem with a Nikon prime or zoom lens, I guess the old adage, you get what you pay for, is oh so true......I"ve never believed in 3rd party lenses and never will.....

Depends how you check the lens and what your standards are. The bottom line is do what you wish.

Jim Bob

abc1234 wrote:

How exactly would you do this?

Geesus. Are you telling me that you aren't familiar with downloading images on a computer, viewing them to determine whether they are in focus? Hmmm. Amazing.