- Incorporating Sigma’s original OS (Optical Stabilizer) function.
- Three SLD glass elements and a rear focus system provide optimum image quality throughout the entire zoom range.
- Super multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting.
- The minimum focusing distance of 150cm (59.1″) makes it useful for close-up photography.
- HSM ensures quiet and high-speed autofocus.
Product Description
This telephoto zoom lens incorporates Sigma`s original OS (Optical Stabilizer) function. It offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower. Three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction for chromatic aberration. This lens is equipped with the rear focus system that minimizes fluctuation of aberration caused by focusing. It provides optimum image quality throughout the entire zoom range. The super multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting. High image quality is assured throughout the entire zoom range. The minimum focusing distance of 150cm (59.1″) throughout the entire zoom range and has a maximum magnification of 1:4.2 make it useful for close-up photography. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focusing capability. The addition of the optical 1.4x EX DG APO or 2x EX DG APO Tele Converters produce a 168-560mm F6.3-8 MF ultra-telephoto zoom lens or a 240-800mm F9-11 MF ultra-telephoto zoom lens respectively.
Amazon.com Product Description
The Sigma 120-400mm telephoto zoom lens covers a telephoto range of up to 400mm, letting you bring almost any subject close for short-perspective shots. The lens employs Sigma’s original Optical Stabilizer (OS) function, which gives you access to shutter speeds approximately four stops slower without blurring the image. As a result, you can capture low-light, long-distance shots such as football plays, wildlife profiles, and landscape scenes without using a tripod for each photo. In addition, the lens incorporates a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for quick, high-speed autofocusing, along with a rear focus system that guarantees optimum image quality throughout the entire zoom range. And photographers will love the three special low dispersion (SLD) glass elements, which correct for chromatic aberration, and the super multilayer lens coating, which reduces flare and ghosting. Other details include a minimum focusing distance of 59.1 inches, a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.2, and support for optical 1.4x EX DG APO and 2x EX DG APO tele converters.
Specifications
- Focal length: 120-400mm
- Maximum aperture: f/4.5-5.6
- Lens construction: 21 elements in 15 groups
- Angle of view: 20.4 to 6.2 degrees
- Number of diaphragm blades: 9
- Minimum aperture: f/22
- Minimum focusing distance: 59.1 inches
- Maximum magnification: 1:4.2
- Filter size: 77mm
- Hood type: Bayonet
- Mount: Nikon
- Dimensions: 3.6 inches in diameter and 8 inches long
- Weight: 61.7 ounces
- Warranty: 1 year
Gaylon Wampler @ 7:45 am
I’m a professional photographer[...] and until now, have never owned anything but Canon or Nikon lenses. For years I specialized in sports photography and the lenses I most often used were a 400 f:2.8 and a 600 f:4. I moved on to other fields of specialty and decided I didn’t want to lug around that kind of weight and got rid of the big glass. Now, several years later, I decided I needed a long lens again, but in a decidedly smaller package. After trying an unnamed top manufacturer’s 80~400 lens and being unhappy with the quality of the image, I dared to try Sigma’s new 120~400. I ran the lens through the ringer and tested it under every situation I could think of and through it all, it has performed flawlessly! In fact, I was ready to accept a little less sharpness, so when I evaluated my results, I was thrilled. I highly recommend this lens and I have the utmost confidence in this beautiful package of glass.
Augurin @ 9:53 am
I’ve only found a few reviews of this lens online and virtually all of them criticize it for not being sharp enough when compared to top-of-the line lenses. Okay, that’s true. It isn’t as sharp as a lens twice or three times as expensive.
I’ve found it to be plenty sharp enough to take excellent pictures and at a price that I could afford to actually have it instead of just pining away after a more expensive lens.
The image stabilization is very effective, focus is quick and reliable, and the lens itself is well made and even nice looking. Yes, it’s a bit heavy, but not too heavy to shoot handheld, thanks to the image stabilization. The included tripod mount ring makes it an ideal combo for hiking when used with a monopod.
I’ve fallen in love with using this lens for candid portraits: you can shoot from far enough away that your subject doesn’t notice and “ham it up” or hide. It also is very nice for light macro work, since it focuses at about 60″, even at the maximum zoom. The full-time manual focus is also a feature you’ll never want to do without once you’ve tried it, and it’s a feature usually only found on much more expensive lenses.
The addition of a case, strap, and lens hood just increases the bang-for-the-buck.
My only complaint is that the zoom ring is very stiff when the lens is new, making it hard to zoom to max without taking the lens away from your eye. However, this is getting better with use.
Don Peake @ 12:21 pm
I was looking for a long lens with stablization, this suited my needs. I ordered it with Amazon.com. I was hoping it would come prior to my trip which I was taking on my motorcycle. It came, great service from the dealer. I took the lens on the trip, used it extensively and love the pictures taken with it. Yes, it is a heavy lens, but I handheld it for the shots I took as had no room for tripod. Shots are sharp. As were taken mainly in the bright sun, had no issues with shake. Used the OS sometimes mainly to try it out more than needed.
Overall love the lens and am happy with the purchase and would recommend the lens to anyone looking for a long lens.
L. Varagian @ 2:10 pm
This is better than Canon 100-400. And it is sharper also than 70-200 @200mm.
F8 very sharp at any distance at any range. Very good results handhold.
Go to Center spot auto focus by F8 and you’ll see. Fast and sharp.
You must try it. Excellent lens. And very good price.
bharada @ 4:54 pm
I bought this lens after returning a 150-500 for back and front focusing issues on a Nikon D700. Well, the 120-400 suffered from the same problems. My copy had bad back focus at 400mm. Using the D700’s AF Tune function I could compensate to get it to focus correctly at 400mm, but that introduced severe front focus issues from 120-250mm. Overall, I could get the 150-300mm range to focus well if I gave up on the 120mm and 400mm ends.
As with the 150-500 order, Amazon’s shipping department did a totally inadequate job of padding the shipping box. There wasn’t enough airbags in the box to prevent the Sigma box from sliding around let alone protect it on all sides. In all, my two Sigma lens orders received the same level of packaging attention as the book and DVD orders I’ve received over the years. This is a very bad situation for anyone interested in purchase precision optics from Amazon.