Packing a lightweight bag has always been a priority for me when planning a trip to a new destination, going on a long hike, or enjoying a day of shooting around town. It reduces the strain on my body, gives me more endurance to travel over longer distances with my gear, and generally allows me to enjoy my creative outings more. One of the lenses that enables that is the Sigma 100-400, f/5-6.3, DG DN OS Contemporary for Sony E.
When paired with my Sony Alpha A1, the Sigma 100-400 gives me the ultimate combination of weight savings, compact size, focal range, and image quality. Weighing in at a mere 2.5 lbs, the Sigma 100-400 is 1/2 lb. lighter than its native Sony counterpart. It also costs over 50% less. That’s an incredible design and value given the stellar performance of this excellent telephoto zoom lens.
Traveling with the lens
I recently took it with me on a 12 mile round-trip hike to the Dungeness Spit, the largest sand spit in the United States. The size and weight of the Sigma 100-400 allowed me to enjoy a convenient and accessible setup on that trip. My goal was to capture the wildlife that I encountered along the spit. I also wanted to shoot compressed telephoto landscapes of the New Dungeness Lighthouse located at the end of the hike. I was carrying my camera setup on my chest, using the Cotton Carrier G3. This would not have been possible with a bigger and heavier lens of this focal range. I was able to capture images that I would have normally missed because my lens was always within reach when a shot presented itself.
The Sigma 100-400 lens allowed me to create amazing images in a number of different scenarios that day. I captured seagulls, cresting orcas, fast flying bald eagles, and beautiful landscapes. The lens had no problem keeping up with every shooting scenario that I kept throwing at it. I was constantly switching between shooting various subjects, and using different focusing modes and frame rates. I had a very high hit rate, enjoyed having full autofocus functionality, and had a respectable 15 frames per second on my Sony A1.
The benefits of lightweight
Thinking back on that day, I’m still amazed that I had that much power quickly accessible on my chest. The Sigma 100-400 allowed me to stay in the moment, because I wasn’t being fatigued by carrying a heavy setup. The lens was lightweight, easy to carry, and was actually augmenting my creativity instead of hindering it. I was energized, inspired, and constantly searching for the next shot. I can’t imagine having the same experience if I was weighed down with a heavy bag, or having to constantly grab a big lens out of my backpack while hiking.
After carrying it for 12 miles, I can easily say that my Sigma 100-400 lens has become favorite lightweight telephoto zoom lens. There are other alternatives in its class that offer slightly better build quality, optics, and other features. Although, none of them can effortlessly hang from my chest while giving me excellent performance in such a small footprint. I’m always looking forward to taking the Sigma 100-400 lens with me on my adventures. I can’t recommend it enough to anyone looking for a compact telephoto that performs far above its weight class.
See below for more photos by Reza Malayeri shot with the Sigma 100-400 lens:
