Presenting impressive reach in a relatively compact design, the Leica L-mount 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens, from Sigma, is a versatile telephoto zoom mixing a hand-holdable design with apt optical performance. A series of low dispersion glass elements are used to achieve high clarity and color accuracy throughout the zoom range, and to suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing. Complementing the optics is intuitive handling, in which a stepping motor delivers fast, near-silent autofocus performance along with fine-tuned manual focus control. Additionally, four stop-effective optical image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting and this 100-400mm is also compatible with the optional TS-111 Tripod Socket for steady shooting atop a tripod or monopod.
Presenting impressive reach in a relatively compact design, the Leica L-mount 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens, from Sigma, is a versatile telephoto zoom mixing a hand-holdable design with apt optical performance. A series of low dispersion glass elements are used to achieve high clarity and color accuracy throughout the zoom range, and to suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing. Complementing the optics is intuitive handling, in which a stepping motor delivers fast, near-silent autofocus performance along with fine-tuned manual focus control. Additionally, four stop-effective optical image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting and this 100-400mm is also compatible with the optional TS-111 Tripod Socket for steady shooting atop a tripod or monopod.
Presenting impressive reach in a relatively compact design, the Leica L-mount 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens, from Sigma, is a versatile telephoto zoom mixing a hand-holdable design with apt optical performance. A series of low dispersion glass elements are used to achieve high clarity and color accuracy throughout the zoom range, and to suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing. Complementing the optics is intuitive handling, in which a stepping motor delivers fast, near-silent autofocus performance along with fine-tuned manual focus control. Additionally, four stop-effective optical image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting and this 100-400mm is also compatible with the optional TS-111 Tripod Socket for steady shooting atop a tripod or monopod.
Presenting impressive reach in a relatively compact design, the Leica L-mount 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens, from Sigma, is a versatile telephoto zoom mixing a hand-holdable design with apt optical performance. A series of low dispersion glass elements are used to achieve high clarity and color accuracy throughout the zoom range, and to suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringing. Complementing the optics is intuitive handling, in which a stepping motor delivers fast, near-silent autofocus performance along with fine-tuned manual focus control. Additionally, four stop-effective optical image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting and this 100-400mm is also compatible with the optional TS-111 Tripod Socket for steady shooting atop a tripod or monopod.
Last updated at 08/23/2026 14:22:33
100-400mm F-5.6.3 DG DN OS L-Mount
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Sigma AF 100-400mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS 020 Contemporary Lens Leica L-mount #607
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 Dg Dn Os Contemporary For L Mount [top Mint]
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 Dg Dn Os Contemporary For L Mount [top Mint]
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary for L Mount [Top Mint] #2931694A
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Sigma Contemporary 100-400mm F5-6.3 Dg Dn Os For Leica Lmount[near
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Sigma Contemporary 100-400mm F5-6.3 Dg Dn Os For Leica Lmount[near
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Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS / C Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens - Leica L
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Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 Dg Dn Os Leica L Mount Telephoto Lens From
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Sigma Contemporary 100–400mm F5–6.3 Dg Dn Os Zoom Lens For Leica L
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originally posted on lensrentals.com
As a first time lens renter, I didn't know what to expect. Bottom line is that the experience exceed my expectations.The website helped me narrow down potential lenses for my (ancient) Sony NEX-6, and provide clues to what I needed to do to update the camera software and the settings to use on the 55-400mm zoom lens. A quick search on lens specs on the web enabled addition of more info, including a printout of lens-specific button-by-button information.The online rental process was fast, clear and easy, and the lend arrived in solid packaging with clear return instructions.The lens was in pristine condition and performed faultlessly on an Alaska Land-Cruise junket. I was able to capture photos from whales to brown bears to eagle to glacier faces which would have ... MoreAs a first time lens renter, I didn't know what to expect. Bottom line is that the experience exceed my expectations.The website helped me narrow down potential lenses for my (ancient) Sony NEX-6, and provide clues to what I needed to do to update the camera software and the settings to use on the 55-400mm zoom lens. A quick search on lens specs on the web enabled addition of more info, including a printout of lens-specific button-by-button information.The online rental process was fast, clear and easy, and the lend arrived in solid packaging with clear return instructions.The lens was in pristine condition and performed faultlessly on an Alaska Land-Cruise junket. I was able to capture photos from whales to brown bears to eagle to glacier faces which would have been otherwise impossible. Money well spent imho.Return and feedback during the return process was similarly faultless. I would definitely enjoy meeting whoever authorized the "order arrival" package, including information on the relationship between the included length of spare packing tape and cats!
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I love taking pictures. However, my photos don't pay any bills, so spending $2000+ on a Sony G/GM telephoto isn't in the cards, this is just an indulgent hobby for me. All the same, I appreciate the utility of telephoto lenses, particularly for zoos and aviation where getting closer is rarely an option. Sigma has answered that call with their newly-designed Sony E 100-400mm 5-6.3 DG DN OS telephoto lens. I had read about the previous iteration for Canon/Nikon and it got pretty great reviews, but I wasn't especially interested in adapting that lens to use on my Sony. I figure buying non-Sony lenses already puts autofocus at a disadvantage, why add adapters on top of that challenge. My patience was rewarded when this glass was announced. Autofocus is lightning fast, ... MoreI love taking pictures. However, my photos don't pay any bills, so spending $2000+ on a Sony G/GM telephoto isn't in the cards, this is just an indulgent hobby for me. All the same, I appreciate the utility of telephoto lenses, particularly for zoos and aviation where getting closer is rarely an option. Sigma has answered that call with their newly-designed Sony E 100-400mm 5-6.3 DG DN OS telephoto lens. I had read about the previous iteration for Canon/Nikon and it got pretty great reviews, but I wasn't especially interested in adapting that lens to use on my Sony. I figure buying non-Sony lenses already puts autofocus at a disadvantage, why add adapters on top of that challenge. My patience was rewarded when this glass was announced. Autofocus is lightning fast, even on fast-moving subjects like an aircraft.This lens, by full frame tele standards, is small but mighty. Weighing in at 2.5 pounds, and compact enough to fit easily in typical camera bags, it's a pleasure to shoot this lens handheld at the zoo all day. At 400mm, crop mode gets me a usable 600mm click - all for the lovingly used price of $749, I'm happy as a clam! This lens thrives in bright sunlight conditions, but I've also stopped it down to f/8-11 at night to take evening cityscapes and do landscape work - it does just fine. I also use this lens to take photos of interesting clouds for future sky replacements in Photoshop. I'm a little sad Sigma's teleconverters don't exist for the Sony mount, but I get a decent crop when needed - and since I don't do birding, I don't feel the need for 600mm that often.As far as zooms go, I'm a huge Tamron 28-200 fan, but when you need the 201-400mm for far-away subjects, and don't want to spend in the thousands for the Sony stuff, this Sigma is fantastic. I'm additionally very pleased that Sigma isn't requiring a USB dock for firmware updates, they're now done through the camera body, just like Tamron has done for their lenses.This lens probably doesn't fully match the brilliance of Sony's GM 100-400, but for the everyman without $2500, it's worth a real look!
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I am not a full time pro photographer, but I absolutely lovewildlife/sports photography and I'd say I'm an advanced enthusiast and extremely nerdy w my camera settings/pixel peeping. However, due to a back injury I cannot often carry around a 4lb lens. I shoot with the a9,and was disappointed when I realized this lens was probably the only 400mm lens Id be able to carry around due to the weight of the sony 200-600 and the 100-400gm/tele. I was definitely incorrect to think it wouldnt hold its on! This lens despite not being native or having the fastest aperture is incredibly sharp, renders gorgeous color, and the autofocus on the a9 is excellent. I have rented the 100-400 gm w the 1.4 x tele (its a great combo if you dont mind an extra lb of weight and the ... MoreI am not a full time pro photographer, but I absolutely lovewildlife/sports photography and I'd say I'm an advanced enthusiast and extremely nerdy w my camera settings/pixel peeping. However, due to a back injury I cannot often carry around a 4lb lens. I shoot with the a9,and was disappointed when I realized this lens was probably the only 400mm lens Id be able to carry around due to the weight of the sony 200-600 and the 100-400gm/tele. I was definitely incorrect to think it wouldnt hold its on! This lens despite not being native or having the fastest aperture is incredibly sharp, renders gorgeous color, and the autofocus on the a9 is excellent. I have rented the 100-400 gm w the 1.4 x tele (its a great combo if you dont mind an extra lb of weight and the teleconverter is a great one, doesnt diminish IQ very much), and I cannot say I was completely upset when i returned it and went back to this sigma.Sigma has always impressed me with their ART line, but, iwas quite wary about the contemporary, but, If you are consideringgetting into wildlife photography or you're an enthusiast thatappreciates great IQ, I do not think you will be disappointed with thislens. No, it isnt great once the sun starts to goes down, but, it holdsits own in the morning light and during the day. I really love it andits honestly good enough that I doubt whether I'll ever need to consider the 100-400 GM. This lens actually makes the GM feel veryoverpriced....I may get the 200-600mm with a monopod someday, but , this lens is so lightweight, I end up getting great shots with it simplybecause im willing to carry it around all the time. I really believe youcould do pro work with it if you used it under correct circumstanceswith lighting/could get close enough to your subjects.I would say the only downside is the autofocus isnt 10/10 on small fast moving /flying birds and I wouldnt want to take it out w a lot of rain/extreme weather. But, for herons/eagles/pelicans or anything large, it really does a great job.
| Focal Length | 100 to 400mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/5 to 6.3 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 to 29 |
| Lens Mount | Leica L |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
100-400mm F-5.6.3 DG DN OS L-Mount
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Sigma AF 100-400mm f5-6.3 DG DN OS 020 Contemporary Lens Leica L-mount #607
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 Dg Dn Os Contemporary For L Mount [top Mint]
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 Dg Dn Os Contemporary For L Mount [top Mint]
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Sigma 100-400mm F/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary for L Mount [Top Mint] #2931694A
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
As a first time lens renter, I didn't know what to expect. Bottom line is that the experience exceed my expectations.The website helped me narrow down potential lenses for my (ancient) Sony NEX-6, and provide clues to what I needed to do to update the camera software and the settings to use on the 55-400mm zoom lens. A quick search on lens specs on the web enabled addition of more info, including a printout of lens-specific button-by-button information.The online rental process was fast, clear and easy, and the lend arrived in solid packaging with clear return instructions.The lens was in pristine condition and performed faultlessly on an Alaska Land-Cruise junket. I was able to capture photos from whales to brown bears to eagle to glacier faces which would have ... MoreAs a first time lens renter, I didn't know what to expect. Bottom line is that the experience exceed my expectations.The website helped me narrow down potential lenses for my (ancient) Sony NEX-6, and provide clues to what I needed to do to update the camera software and the settings to use on the 55-400mm zoom lens. A quick search on lens specs on the web enabled addition of more info, including a printout of lens-specific button-by-button information.The online rental process was fast, clear and easy, and the lend arrived in solid packaging with clear return instructions.The lens was in pristine condition and performed faultlessly on an Alaska Land-Cruise junket. I was able to capture photos from whales to brown bears to eagle to glacier faces which would have been otherwise impossible. Money well spent imho.Return and feedback during the return process was similarly faultless. I would definitely enjoy meeting whoever authorized the "order arrival" package, including information on the relationship between the included length of spare packing tape and cats!
I love taking pictures. However, my photos don't pay any bills, so spending $2000+ on a Sony G/GM telephoto isn't in the cards, this is just an indulgent hobby for me. All the same, I appreciate the utility of telephoto lenses, particularly for zoos and aviation where getting closer is rarely an option. Sigma has answered that call with their newly-designed Sony E 100-400mm 5-6.3 DG DN OS telephoto lens. I had read about the previous iteration for Canon/Nikon and it got pretty great reviews, but I wasn't especially interested in adapting that lens to use on my Sony. I figure buying non-Sony lenses already puts autofocus at a disadvantage, why add adapters on top of that challenge. My patience was rewarded when this glass was announced. Autofocus is lightning fast, ... MoreI love taking pictures. However, my photos don't pay any bills, so spending $2000+ on a Sony G/GM telephoto isn't in the cards, this is just an indulgent hobby for me. All the same, I appreciate the utility of telephoto lenses, particularly for zoos and aviation where getting closer is rarely an option. Sigma has answered that call with their newly-designed Sony E 100-400mm 5-6.3 DG DN OS telephoto lens. I had read about the previous iteration for Canon/Nikon and it got pretty great reviews, but I wasn't especially interested in adapting that lens to use on my Sony. I figure buying non-Sony lenses already puts autofocus at a disadvantage, why add adapters on top of that challenge. My patience was rewarded when this glass was announced. Autofocus is lightning fast, even on fast-moving subjects like an aircraft.This lens, by full frame tele standards, is small but mighty. Weighing in at 2.5 pounds, and compact enough to fit easily in typical camera bags, it's a pleasure to shoot this lens handheld at the zoo all day. At 400mm, crop mode gets me a usable 600mm click - all for the lovingly used price of $749, I'm happy as a clam! This lens thrives in bright sunlight conditions, but I've also stopped it down to f/8-11 at night to take evening cityscapes and do landscape work - it does just fine. I also use this lens to take photos of interesting clouds for future sky replacements in Photoshop. I'm a little sad Sigma's teleconverters don't exist for the Sony mount, but I get a decent crop when needed - and since I don't do birding, I don't feel the need for 600mm that often.As far as zooms go, I'm a huge Tamron 28-200 fan, but when you need the 201-400mm for far-away subjects, and don't want to spend in the thousands for the Sony stuff, this Sigma is fantastic. I'm additionally very pleased that Sigma isn't requiring a USB dock for firmware updates, they're now done through the camera body, just like Tamron has done for their lenses.This lens probably doesn't fully match the brilliance of Sony's GM 100-400, but for the everyman without $2500, it's worth a real look!
I am not a full time pro photographer, but I absolutely lovewildlife/sports photography and I'd say I'm an advanced enthusiast and extremely nerdy w my camera settings/pixel peeping. However, due to a back injury I cannot often carry around a 4lb lens. I shoot with the a9,and was disappointed when I realized this lens was probably the only 400mm lens Id be able to carry around due to the weight of the sony 200-600 and the 100-400gm/tele. I was definitely incorrect to think it wouldnt hold its on! This lens despite not being native or having the fastest aperture is incredibly sharp, renders gorgeous color, and the autofocus on the a9 is excellent. I have rented the 100-400 gm w the 1.4 x tele (its a great combo if you dont mind an extra lb of weight and the ... MoreI am not a full time pro photographer, but I absolutely lovewildlife/sports photography and I'd say I'm an advanced enthusiast and extremely nerdy w my camera settings/pixel peeping. However, due to a back injury I cannot often carry around a 4lb lens. I shoot with the a9,and was disappointed when I realized this lens was probably the only 400mm lens Id be able to carry around due to the weight of the sony 200-600 and the 100-400gm/tele. I was definitely incorrect to think it wouldnt hold its on! This lens despite not being native or having the fastest aperture is incredibly sharp, renders gorgeous color, and the autofocus on the a9 is excellent. I have rented the 100-400 gm w the 1.4 x tele (its a great combo if you dont mind an extra lb of weight and the teleconverter is a great one, doesnt diminish IQ very much), and I cannot say I was completely upset when i returned it and went back to this sigma.Sigma has always impressed me with their ART line, but, iwas quite wary about the contemporary, but, If you are consideringgetting into wildlife photography or you're an enthusiast thatappreciates great IQ, I do not think you will be disappointed with thislens. No, it isnt great once the sun starts to goes down, but, it holdsits own in the morning light and during the day. I really love it andits honestly good enough that I doubt whether I'll ever need to consider the 100-400 GM. This lens actually makes the GM feel veryoverpriced....I may get the 200-600mm with a monopod someday, but , this lens is so lightweight, I end up getting great shots with it simplybecause im willing to carry it around all the time. I really believe youcould do pro work with it if you used it under correct circumstanceswith lighting/could get close enough to your subjects.I would say the only downside is the autofocus isnt 10/10 on small fast moving /flying birds and I wouldnt want to take it out w a lot of rain/extreme weather. But, for herons/eagles/pelicans or anything large, it really does a great job.
From the start, I felt like the entire team was on a mission to make sure I had the perfect lenses for my trip to Alaska!I initially chose what I thought would work, but being a portrait photographer who uses primarily a 35 and 24-70, I had no clue what was going to give me the results I was after.So, I decided to call. And in that call I was educated in the nicest way and was able to swap my 1 lens rental for 2 at only $7 more! This allowed me to capture very wide landscapes and incredible close details of nature and WHALES!!!!When it came time for the lenses to arrive at my house, I totally forgot I had to sign for them and missed the delivery. It was a nightmare and I was running all over my city looking for them. Did the team say "oh well, you weren't ... MoreFrom the start, I felt like the entire team was on a mission to make sure I had the perfect lenses for my trip to Alaska!I initially chose what I thought would work, but being a portrait photographer who uses primarily a 35 and 24-70, I had no clue what was going to give me the results I was after.So, I decided to call. And in that call I was educated in the nicest way and was able to swap my 1 lens rental for 2 at only $7 more! This allowed me to capture very wide landscapes and incredible close details of nature and WHALES!!!!When it came time for the lenses to arrive at my house, I totally forgot I had to sign for them and missed the delivery. It was a nightmare and I was running all over my city looking for them. Did the team say "oh well, you weren't there"?.. NOPE!!! They were on the phones and emailing with UPS to locate where they were to ensure I would have them for my trip.. THE NEXT MORNING!!Shout out to Courtney, who took this as if it were her own personal rental. She was able to get in between a carrier pick up and ensure my lenses were held for customer pickup before they would have been shipped to a large city facility and in no way would have made my luggage.I know this story is all over the place and messy, but thats how it all felt in the moment and yet, LensRentals didn't give up on me.My trip was 11/10 because of their help and I will forever recommend this service to photographers who need a lens!!!!As far as the process, the easiest thing in the world and receive and return. Just make sure you're home to sign for the package ;)
Let me start with: this lens is a fantastic product that combines portability, weight, sharpness, value into a very attractive package. I purchased this tripod with collar. For me, the size-to-quality ratio of images this lens produces is fantastic. I shoot on the A7RIII and will shoot mostly telephoto timelapses as well as landscapes. The autofocus works well and I have shot sports with it successfully. It even produces adequate portraits at the 100mm end which are pleasant. Face detection works well. Minimum focus distance allows for some surprising macro-like shots without being a true macro lens. Flare is well controlled with included hood but even shooting straight into the sunset produces pleasing images.But it has a flaw. The OS has consistent microjitter ... MoreLet me start with: this lens is a fantastic product that combines portability, weight, sharpness, value into a very attractive package. I purchased this tripod with collar. For me, the size-to-quality ratio of images this lens produces is fantastic. I shoot on the A7RIII and will shoot mostly telephoto timelapses as well as landscapes. The autofocus works well and I have shot sports with it successfully. It even produces adequate portraits at the 100mm end which are pleasant. Face detection works well. Minimum focus distance allows for some surprising macro-like shots without being a true macro lens. Flare is well controlled with included hood but even shooting straight into the sunset produces pleasing images.But it has a flaw. The OS has consistent microjitter which compromises the sharpness of photos and 4k footage when OS is turned on. You might not notice it for 1080 footage or shooting on low megapixel cameras, but it nullifies the use of OS on high resolution models. Because of this, I shoot on a beefy tripod with OS turned off. To temper my criticism, the sharpness with OS turned off is fantastic!I am hopeful that version 2 of the firmware rectifies this problem. It appears that Sigma has to physically install the initial firmware themselves and still waiting to hear back from them about the process of how getting the firmware updated will work. Will update this review with new firmware when I get it!
This lens shows up on a lot of top 10 lists of nature photography / safari etc. It's also one of the most affordable at ~1k. So I bought it. I'd say unless your a birder or professional photographer, this should be plenty for your wildlife photography needs. Autofocus was reasonably quick. Zoom works great. Pictures were clear. I absolutely love this lens. It's also a fairly packable size for travel in comparison to other similar lenses that are much more expensive. During my recent safari there were very few instances where I couldn't reach what I was trying to capture. Would it be nice to be able to zoom in to 600? Yes. Is it worth spending an additional $2000 for that? NOPE. I ended up using this lens almost exclusively during my recent 5 day trip to kenya to ... MoreThis lens shows up on a lot of top 10 lists of nature photography / safari etc. It's also one of the most affordable at ~1k. So I bought it. I'd say unless your a birder or professional photographer, this should be plenty for your wildlife photography needs. Autofocus was reasonably quick. Zoom works great. Pictures were clear. I absolutely love this lens. It's also a fairly packable size for travel in comparison to other similar lenses that are much more expensive. During my recent safari there were very few instances where I couldn't reach what I was trying to capture. Would it be nice to be able to zoom in to 600? Yes. Is it worth spending an additional $2000 for that? NOPE. I ended up using this lens almost exclusively during my recent 5 day trip to kenya to shoot wildlife. I'm sure people who are more sophisticated than me, have different views about this, and why more expensive products are better. But I really felt this was sufficient. In fact I was incredibly grateful to have this over my stock lens which really could not reach what we needed to see. It was absolutely worth it and necessary to get the most of my photography during the trip. Otherwise, you might as well just use your phone.
It's no secret that Sigma lenes don't perform as fast at AF on Panasonic cameras as Panasonics own leses. However I promise that with a littler patience and tinkering you will be capturing some stunning wildlife photos.To get the most out of the lens you really want to master the controls on the side of it. Changing the AF distance from infinity to close or far focus will more often than not dictate if you make the shot.The Image Stabilisation modes are a bit redundant as only option 1 has proven useful to me. Finally, make sure set your cameras AF behaviour accordingly in camera.Once I had become comfortable with the above my experience with the lens greatly increased and I now regularly capture all sorts of wildlife photos that I love to show off on my ... MoreIt's no secret that Sigma lenes don't perform as fast at AF on Panasonic cameras as Panasonics own leses. However I promise that with a littler patience and tinkering you will be capturing some stunning wildlife photos.To get the most out of the lens you really want to master the controls on the side of it. Changing the AF distance from infinity to close or far focus will more often than not dictate if you make the shot.The Image Stabilisation modes are a bit redundant as only option 1 has proven useful to me. Finally, make sure set your cameras AF behaviour accordingly in camera.Once I had become comfortable with the above my experience with the lens greatly increased and I now regularly capture all sorts of wildlife photos that I love to show off on my social pages. I find f8 is the sweet spot for image quality but Panasonic cameras have great ISO performance to compensate.Tip: I also highly recommend shooting in both RAW and JPEG then turning on the in camera teleconverter. It crops the image by 1.5x which essentially makes the lense a 600mm on the long end. The catch is it also halves the megapixels. However as you've recorded both RAW and jpeg you will have both the cropped and uncropped images. Getting the crop right in cam has saved me a bunch of time and where I may want a deeper edit I have the RAW files.It's not the best telephoto lens in the world, there are faster lens, bigger lenses etc but it is a sensibly priced and practical alternative that once mastered will help you capture some incredible photos.
I have had this lens in & out of my cart so many times in the last few months. While searching for a long lens that can be easily carried I was looking at this, the Tamron 150-500mm and the native Sony 100-400mm. I kept thinking the Sony had to be massively better considering the price difference. Then when this went on sale I decided to buy it. Glad I did! Build is far better than I expected. AF is fast and on the money. And most of all the image quality is down right excellent. I don’t doubt the Sony version is still probably a bit better. But I think we are splitting hairs looking for differences. My only regret is not buying it sooner.
I recently purchased a Leica SL2-S and want a telephoto for use during a wildlife photo shoot I am planning for Yellowstone and the Tetons next winter. The 100-400 focal length seemed appropriate, especially if coupled with a 1.4x teleconverter. I narrowed my search down to two lenses, both of which appeared very similar – the Leica 100-400 f/5-6.3 Vario-Elmar-SL and the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS in L mount. I researched both lenses extensivelybut could not come to a definitive conclusion based on available information, so I bought both lenses in order to compare them and draw my own conclusions.Although the configuration of lens elements appearsidentical in both lenses, the lenses appear somewhat different when laid side by side. The Sigma appears ... MoreI recently purchased a Leica SL2-S and want a telephoto for use during a wildlife photo shoot I am planning for Yellowstone and the Tetons next winter. The 100-400 focal length seemed appropriate, especially if coupled with a 1.4x teleconverter. I narrowed my search down to two lenses, both of which appeared very similar – the Leica 100-400 f/5-6.3 Vario-Elmar-SL and the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS in L mount. I researched both lenses extensivelybut could not come to a definitive conclusion based on available information, so I bought both lenses in order to compare them and draw my own conclusions.Although the configuration of lens elements appearsidentical in both lenses, the lenses appear somewhat different when laid side by side. The Sigma appears narrower and its front lens cap is definitely narrower. It is also considerably – and perhaps meaningfully – lighter due to its composite construction. The Sigma’s lens hood is plastic, which I prefer. The Sigma does not include a tripod mount, which I feel is an essential accessoryfor any 400mm lens. And the Sigma is far less expensive than the Leica lens.The Leica lens very much retains the look and feel of thecurrent SL line of lenses. It is entirely metal, including the lens hood and included trip mount, which also makes it considerably heavier than the Sigma.The zoom ring on both lenses functions smoothly and both feel terrific.Based solely on how the lenses look and feel, I’d say they’re about the same. The Sigma is lighter while the Leica feels more substantial. In my opinion, it’s purely a matter of personal preference as to which lens one might prefer based solely on theirphysical characteristics.I shot a series of photographs at different focal lengths,varying distances and in different lighting conditions in order to compare the two lenses.Both lenses have built-in automatic focus motors (which I understand take over focusing from the in-camera focus system). I noticed that a few of the shots I took with the Sigma were not focused quite as well as with the Leica. A small but noticeable difference from my perspective. Advantage Leica.In terms of image depth and coloration the Leica alsodemonstrated a slight advantage; colors seem a bit more saturated.Under 200% magnification the Leica also provided slightlybetter image sharpness. With lens information not shown in Lightroom, I was able to identify the Leica as sharperin almost every case. Again, a small but noticeable difference from my perspective.For these reasons I decided to keep the Leica, but came awaywith great respect for the Sigma. At its price point it’s unbeatable, a truly excellent lens by any standard. Both work superbly with the SL2-S.
I wanted a reasonably priced zoom lens for my Lumix S5II. I use it mostly to shoot deer and other smaller wildlife so I’m not necessarily using this for a birding lens. What can I say? Sigma knocked it out of the park. This lens is super sharp from around f8 to f16, and is acceptably sharp wide open as well. I really love that this is lightweight and I can shoot handheld. Paired with the Lumix exceptional stabilization in body I’m getting great shots without a tripod. If you’re looking for an alternative to the 100 to 400 for Sony or you need a great zoom lens for an L camera, don’t hesitate buy this one.
| Focal Length | 100 to 400mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/5 to 6.3 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 to 29 |
| Lens Mount | Leica L |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
