Field report: Ukyou uses the Sigma AF 100-300mm f/4 EX HSM APO

Got the chance to whip out the bad boy Sigma AF 100-300mm f/4 EX HSM APO for a some indoor sports shooting at the Japanese language Course Ramadan Sports event. In the end I was very happy with what I got from the lens. Shooting about 580 shots, I found that the lens was quite good, albeit not perfect.

An indoor Gym was the location. The constant aperture of F4 along the whole zoom range gives shots that were not possible by the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS. The fast focusing of the Sigma coupled with rather sharp images all along the focal length are reported in many reviews and I can clearly say that it is living up to the standard. I started shooting around 5 PM I found that I can get away with low ISO until it started to sunset till it became totally dark and I had to rely on the illumination of the hall which meant ISO 1600 all the way.

Thank you Mr. Peanuts for protecting personal information
100% crop, EOS 40D, ISO 400, 300 mm, F4, 1/500, DPP (sharpen 3)

100% crop, EOS 40D, ISO 1600, 260 mm, F4, 1/400, DPP (sharpen 3)

100% crop, EOS 40D, ISO 1600, 300 mm, F4, 1/250, DPP (sharpen 4)

Using the 40D, I was shooting at RAW, High burst, AI Focus with center focus point only. I got some good keepers from the technical side (good exposure and on focus), although not having shot sports that much meant that much of the artistic and talent side was clearly and disturbingly lacking.

My observations are:

1) F4 is not enough!!! Even at the ISO 1600 is it not possible to shoot at moment freezing shutter speeds or those fast enough to shoot without hand shake ruining the shots. Although I used a mono pod that was clearly not enough. What I would do for a 300mm F2.8!! Since I have no bodily organs to sell I think the only solution would be using a better body (the new EOS 7D with the reported great usable high ISO 3200 and 6400(!!) may solve some of the problems, at the expense of detail and IQ)

2) You need Image stabilization (IS)! Why oh why does this great lens not have IS , sob...

3) Shooting sports is HARD! You really have to know how to scan the play area and select just the right moment to switch to the viewfinder and start tracking. Mono pod tracking is tough. A gimbal head might have been easier.

4) Shoot one sport at a time (don't Jump between Badminton and Basketball like I did) and pick a sweet spot and STICK to it! It might limit creativity but surely will make the shoot more efficient.

5) The 40D AI Focus was OK. Not stellar, but OK!

I was an idiot and did not try other options for lenses (I had the 100 F2.8 Macro also) boooo!

* A word of caution, Sigma lenses are notorious for bad QC! Test any lens carefully before buying anything. I got the 10-20 with a weird problem :P

Canon, I love you! Please donate this to a poor Japanese language teacher :P