Shots from my Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro

[madmaca]

Recently dived headfirst into the wallet-eating D-SLR chasm, and bought a friend's Canon EOS-10D. Then on the advice of others (I still don't entirely know what I am doing with all this lens business) I got a Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro lens. Here are a few from that (and my first "proper" shots using a D-SLR...)

The first set I "accidentally" took on ISO800 (DOH!) but they came out quite well:

Macro Mode 1:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 190mm
Exposure Time: 1/1000s
Aperture: f/11.0
ISO: 800

Macro Mode 2:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 190mm
Exposure Time: 1/1000s
Aperture: f/11.0
ISO: 800

Macro Mode 3:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 190mm
Exposure Time: 1/1500s
Aperture: f/16.0
ISO: 800

More to follow....

 

[madmaca]

Normal Shot (no zoom, no macro):

EXIF:
Focal Length: 70mm
Exposure Time: 1/500s
Aperture: f/11.0
ISO: 800

Zoom 1:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 263mm
Exposure Time: 1/750s
Aperture: f/9.5
ISO: 800

Zoom 2:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 263mm
Exposure Time: 1/750s
Aperture: f/9.5
ISO: 800

Zoom 3:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 190mm
Exposure Time: 1/500s
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 800

More to follow....

 

[madmaca]

Zoom 4:

EXIF:
Focal Length: 190mm
Exposure Time: 1/500s
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 800

For the first shots with the lens I am VERY happy with them. The more professional amongst you will no doubt spot things my untrained eye is yet to learn - any comments would be much appreciated.

I shall be talking a lot more hopefully this weekend. The hardest thing I'm finding at the moment is keeping the camera still! I miss the OIS system of the Panasonic FZ3 . I need to learn some Ninja slow breathing techniques I reckon

Then this is one I more recently:

EXIF:
Shutter Speed: 1/60sec.
Lens Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 190mm
ISO: 400

Next project: Get myself a monopod and go to MotoGP at Donnington this Sunday

 

[madmaca]

As cheap 300mm lens go the Sigma 70-300 APO DG is king of the hill.

I like the pure drops pic, came out very well. Afraid the flower shots don't do anything for me.

I've recently come to the world of DSLR from an FZ3 as well and had a Canon 75-300 before changing to a Canon 70-300 IS USM (which I hope to change to a 100-400 L before Goodwood, touch wood!). As long as you stick to the rule of using one over the focal length as the shutter speed you should be fine with IS e.g. at 250mm use 1/250 or higher. IS is nice but you can still do good motorsport shots without it.

OT: I play BF2 on the 50klicks every so often, good servers especially the city maps one.

Thansk for the comments.

I'll remember that tip about the shutter speed and focal length

OT: Glad you like the servers - sign up to the forums (we have a photocomp too )

 

[madmaca]

Looks like you are having great fun with that camera and lens!

You might want to think about the backgroudn of the shots a bit more - like the shadow in the dog pics.

Thanks

I was so keen to fire some shots off with the lens I was running around the garden snapping anything and everything - too excited to think about composition at the time. Fortunately I calmed down later hence the Pure Drops pic

 

[madmaca]

Great shots! I have the version before the lens you have and i've always been quite impressed with it. Keep up the good work!!

EDIT: That one of the water drop is amzing

Thanks

Is that the non-DG version? I saw that online but in the end got the DG from a high street store (as they didn't have the older one). The assistant also tried to sell me a Tokina 70-300mm (but I hadn't read any reviews about that), and the Canon 70-300mm USM (but that didn't have the Macro facility), so I picked the Sigma by process of elimination