Below are full size crops of the center of the shot at both f/2.8 and f/4.0 to give an idea of full resolution sharpness on a D800. Even wide open it performs quite well which was nice to see. The image below is straight out of camera shot wide open. When the Sigma 150mm nails focus, it is quite sharp at all apertures. My complaints really only extend to using the Sigma 150mm as a portrait lens, at portrait range. When shooting at macro range the bokeh is the mushy smear of color that you'd expect from a macro lens focusing extremely close. My only real complaint about the bokeh is that it can be a bit jittery at times, and not as soft as I'd expect from a telephoto lens at f/2.8. One thing, however, that I’m quite fond of about with this lens is that it does offer a similar subtle “swirling” that is present in images created with Canon’s 135mm f/2.0 (very subtle, unlike, say, certain Helios lenses, which are known for more extreme swirling). Personally, I’m quite fond of how it renders the bokeh but the limitation to how soft the bokeh can become keeps it from achieving the sweet, glorious, buttery bokeh that a 70-200 f/2.8 (at 200mm) or a 135mm f/2.0 can create. I’d argue the bokeh that the Sigma 150mm macro creates is mediocre at best. I’ve also had mixed results with the accuracy of the autofocus, I wouldn’t call it bad, but I’d say it misses more often than I’d like for a lens that retails for more than a thousand dollars. While it still can focus in low light, the lens often finds itself whirring back and forth in search of its focus point. After using it for a more prolonged period, I’ve come to realize that the speed of the autofocus depends largely on optimal situations. It also has Sigma’s hypersonic motor (HSM) which makes the focusing almost silent. When I first purchased the Sigma 150mm, I remember being quite surprised by how fast it focused. Overall, it is built like any other professional lens that I’ve used. The lens shows no signs of loose bits or strange sounds. The focus ring is smooth and accurate with a very reasonable focus throw. I really don’t have any complaints about the build quality of this lens. However, despite a plastic body, the Sigma 150mm feels very sturdy in build, and personally, I’m glad that it doesn’t have a metal body to keep the weight down. Unlike the many of the new GV lenses, the EX series lenses have plastic casings with a gold ring similar to G series Nikkor lenses. The Sigma 150mm is part of the Sigma EX series lenses, which was their “pro” line before their Global Vision series was released. It is also fantastic as a portrait lens and makes for a killer lens to shoot product photography with. However, a lens like the Sigma 150mm excels at far more than what it optimally is designed for. Combined, these two factors make it handy for when trying to capture macro images of creatures that can be easily disturbed. Furthermore, it is one of few macro lenses that include optical stabilization. In a broader sense, though, the Sigma 150mm offers a bit more telephoto than your average macro lens which lets you shoot from farther away. In the simplest sense, it is a macro lens, so it's designed to take pictures of tiny stuff with exquisite detail. What Is The Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro Designed For? On a side note, Sigma, I’d like to take this moment to point out that there is a point where adding acronyms to the end of a lens name gets ridiculous, you have exceeded that point, in this case.
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