I own a Nikon D5100 Camera with 18-55mm kit lens. And I am kind of amateur photographer, always keen to experiment and learn. I was not happy with the 18-55mm kit lens since getting an adequate depth of field was not possible with this lens.

Hunted for some cheap telephoto lens for Nikon for a couple of days. That is where I encountered Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO macro telephoto lens. Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO macro telephoto lens.

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I purchased the lens for around Rs. 8500 from Fort, Mumbai around 1 and half-year ago. According to the seller, the optic elements present in Sigma 70-30mm Telephoto Macro lens is better than Nikon 55-200mm. I had no idea what he meant at that point in time. Later on, I discovered what his words meant.

I am using the lens for the past 18 months and it has become my primary lens. The lens offers a good zoom and a decent depth of field.

The lens is recommended only for beginners and intermediates on choice. If you have a good budget go for Nikon 80-200m f2.8. This comes around Rs. 80k but it is a rocking lens.

So, here is my review for Sigma 70-300mm Telephoto Macro.

Price

I can say the lens is damn cheap. You get a telephoto macro lens so low on price. And this was the biggest reason for purchasing the lens. No other lens in this section comes this cheap.

Weight

The lens is pretty heavy if compared with Nikon 55-200mm. Sigma weighs around 500 grams whereas Nikon 55-200 lens weighs around 300 grams. Initially, I felt the weight but later on, I became used to it.

Auto-Focus noise

Sigma lens has built-in Auto-focus motor. The motor inside the lens makes krrrr krrrr noise while focussing. It seems funny but can be ignored 🙂

Sharpness

Sigma 70-300mm does not have VR (Vibration Reduction) mechanism inside the lens, unlike the Nikon 55-200mm lens. Though VR has pros and cons but it is good for shaky hands. And the VR is not recommended when the Camera is on Tripod. It does more harm than enhancing the photo.

Other than low light, I didn’t feel difficulty in focusing. Obtain the best results by using a Tripod. You will be surprised by the photo that this lens gives.

Lens is quite good in the 150-250 mm range. Beyond that, it requires some steadiness. If you are using it avoids the 250-300mm range when handheld.

Macro mode

Sigma 70-300mm has a Macro mode from 200mm to 300mm. There’s a switch on the lens to switch to macro mode. Frankly, I observed a very slight difference in sharpness in Macro mode.

In macro mode, it gives nice Depth of Field but focusing is slow. I love the telephoto mode and rarely use macro mode.

Filter size

Sigma 70-300mm requires a filter size of 58mm. The 18-55mm kit lens has 50mm filter size, fixed-length filters will not fit on Sigma lens ring.

Summary of Sigma AF 70-300mm

Sigma telephoto macro lens is good for beginners and tight on budget. The lens is worth more than its price. If you are thinking of having a second lens other than the 18-55mm wide-angle, go for it.

If you have been a user of this lens, I would love to know your feedback. I will try to fit it on this page. If you find the content needs correction just Email me at budgetyatri@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you 🙂

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