Opticallimits

At least it's not the plastic mount (with which nothing is wrong per se, just not on the long lenses).

Dave, thanks for pointing out to Dustin Abbott's review: I only had read a few preliminary findings by him.

 

So... too bad the 100-400 doesn't have and can't fit a tripod collar...  :unsure:

 

 

Second, I was intrigued by one of Dustin's test photos, with a butterfly. Either he has got larger butterflies than I have, or... Actually, I'm using the 150-600mm also for flowers, but only the larger ones, or resort to "environmental" portraits. In other words, the max. reproduction ratio of the 150-600mm is not high (1:5 according to the specs). So I checked the 100-400mm: it's 1:3.8. Better, actually. Also considering that the 100-400mm is sharp wide open, while the 150-600mm requires a bit of stopping down for max. sharpness, the new lens is better suited for flowers and larger critters with a smooth bokeh. 

 

In any case, being Sigma able to reproduce the IQ of a monster such as the Canon 100-400mm at one third of the price, I think it's a remarkable landmark for Sigma, also considering that it's the n-th excellent lens in the latest years. This definitely consecrates Sigma in the olympus of high rank lens manufacturers. Given that they also confirmed that they are working on more native E/FE mount lenses, I'm definitely happy.

Tripod collars in this price class are not worth the plastic they're made off...

 

Except Tamron 150-600 G2, all other 150-600 (including Nikon 200-500) have close to useless collars - none of them covers the center of mass, and only the sports version of the Sigma allows to adapt a long enough foot as expensive accessory.

 

All I wanna say: It's not loss at all to have no collar. The lesn is very well baalnced and ideal for free hand use. If you feel better to use a tripod, go for this accessory:

 

* duplicated comment deleted *

Name of the depicted accessory?

Oh, that's a easy to remember Chinese marketing expression:

 

MENGS® L200 Lens Rails For 1/4" Camera Screw Telephoto Zoom Lens Bracket With Solid Aluminium Compatible With Arca Swiss Stand

 

:wacko: 

 

and here's the shortcut

Interesting. It could also work as a macro focusing rail...

Yes. I ordered it because I tried to evaluate the shutter vibration with two collared Nikon lenses (70-200 and 300). The lens barrels on bothmade of plastic at the place where the original (and again expensive) genuine collar is attached. That made quite a jump (around 2mm at 4 m distance and yes, there is a difference between no mirror-up and active mirror-up).

 

I ordered a couple of other things at Mengs / gumptrade and thought, for little more than 30 $ (collar was around 180) I give it a try. But they have also (cheaply designed and made) macro rails with geared rails. If you're very serious about macro rail, I'd recommend Novoflex first but the Mengs junk versions work as well. Just less smooth.

"Junk/less smooth", that's the problem.  Let us know when the thing arrives, and how it feels.

maybe I was not clear: I already have this thing since two years. It's alright to use it, but

• my Tamron G2 has a better collar and I like it's Arca rail very much. Also, the lens is just light enough for handheld shots - for tripod, I use a Gimbal, a levelling ball and a Gitzo Series 4.
  
• my Nikkor 300 PF-E is a bit too short and the diameter is too small to fit (although the lenshood does fit)
  
• It's useful for landscape-oriented shots - that's a downside to the collars (but Mengs also offers various copies of standard collars)
  
• I don't know the genuine part of that lens bracket, but the Chinese made a nice copy of it.
  

The macro rail sold by Mengs for around 20$ as a "panorama tilt rail" (2 macro tails combined) is nothing for high-precision stacking or smooth opartion - but occassionally used, it's okay.