Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Lens Review – X Mount
This is the third mount option for this lens, the first two being for L mount and E mount. Indicating increasing potential for offering further options, this full frame mirrorless lens design is now released in a Fuji X version. As Fujifilm cameras are APS-C crop sensor designs, the use of a full frame lens bodes well for something special in the way of even optical quality across the frame. So, armed with the new lens and the 26MP Fujifilm X-S10 body, let’s see how the new version of the lens works out in the technical tests and also in the location shoots. Included this time are some shots from another Ladies Rugby team, the local Leyland Warrioresses as they battle the Blackpool Belles. Interesting times!
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS – Handling and Features
The lens is inevitably fairly bulky, measuring around 199mm long and 86mm diameter. It weighs in at a reasonable 1201g, including the hood but excluding the caps. Weilding this for extended periods is manageable. There is a generously sized round lenshood supplied, and the bayonet fit for this is very smooth and absolutely secure. There is no tendency for it to work loose. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a conventional 67mm filter thread.
First up is a generously sized zoom ring, clearly marked at 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm and 400mm. Despite having to shift a fair amount of mass, this ring is very smooth in operation. If desired, the hood can be grasped and the barrel operated as a trombone action zoom. For use primarily when carrying to prevent unwanted lens extension, there is a small catch to lock the zoom at the 100mm position.
Continuing our tour of the lens features, there are a number of switches around the lens barrel. AF-L/AF controls the function of the AF Func button. Setting AF-L means AF Func will stop SF operation. Setting AF means focusing can be activated by pressing AF Func. This creates something akin to the “back button focus” of some other marques, in other words an alternative to controlling AF with the shutter release button.
The focus limiter switch offers full range, 6m to infinity and closest focus to 6m. This is intended to restrict the AF and prevent unnecessary “hunting” for the point of focus. In practice, the AF is swift enough to probably not need these options for most of our shooting.
The OS (Optical Stabilisation) switch offers Off plus two settings. Setting 1 is for general shooting and Setting 2 is for panning. These both need about 1 second to stabilise, so some action shooting may well be better undertaken with OS switched off. 4 stops advantage is claimed, and 4 stops was tested to be excatly right.
There is an electronic manual focus ring, activated from within the camera menus. AF is so effective that it is doubtful that most users would need to switch to MF except under rare circumstances. AF is driven by a smooth, fast and accurate stepping motor that is also extremely quiet. Focusing is down to 1.12m (3.67 feet) at 100mm and 1.6m (5.25 feet) for a maximum magnification of 1:4.1 at 400mm. This is as good as many shorter zooms and is very advantageous indeed, ideal for flower portraits and other small items.
Optical construction is 22 elements in 16 groups, including 1 FLD and 4 SLD elements. FLD glass exhibits many of the benefits of fluorite but is less expensive and therefore viable for use commercially in lenses. SLD elements are Super Low Dispersion, used to reduce aberrations. The diaphragm comprises 9 rounded blades, intended to improve bokeh, the smoothness of the out of focus areas in an image.
The mount is the usual high quality Sigma brass mount, and a modicum of moisture resistance is represented by a rubber mount seal. No other weather resistance is provided, but at least the area of the mount is protected.
Giving the lens a thorough outing at a Ladies’ Rugby League match, the AF was absolutely up to it and the lens behaved impeccably. It is manageable in terms of weight without a tripod or monopod. This is obviously a personal view, and if the lens does prove to be too heavy then an optional tripod foot can be used to enable prolonged mounted use and take the strain better than using the camera’s tripod mount. Subjectively, images from the lens are impressively crisp and sharp, so let’s now turn to the technical tests to see what they reveal.
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS – Performance
At 100mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/5 through to f/11, very good at f/16 and fair at f/22. The edges are excellent at f/5 and f/5.6, very good at f/8 and f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22.
At 200mm, central sharpness is excellent at f/5.6 and f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22 and f/26. The edges are excellent at f/5.6 and f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22 and f/26.
At 300mm, central sharpness is excellent at f/6.3 and f/8, very good at f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/.22 and f/29. The edges are very good at f/6.3, excellent at f/8, very good at f/11 and fair from f/16 to f/29.
At 400mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/6.3 to f/11, very good at f/16, fair at f/22 and soft at f/29. The edges are very good from f/6.3 to f/11, good at f/16, fair at f/22 and soft at f/29.
Sharpness overall hold very well to a very high standard as far as f/11, after which diffraction does, as expected, take its toll. A very satisfactory result that produces super images.
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (Fujifilm X Mount) MTF Charts
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How to read our MTF charts
The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.
For this review, the lens was tested on a X-S10 using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?.
CA (Chromatic Aberration) is very well controlled, and clearly the camera is contributing its fair share of this. So be it, as the result is virtually no colour fringing, something that very few years ago would not have been expected from a telephoto zoom lens.
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (Fujifilm X Mount) Chromatic Aberration Charts
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How to read our CA charts
Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens’ inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.
Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.
For this review, the lens was tested on a X-S10 using Imatest.
Distortion is equally well demolished, and the lens is virtually rectilinear. A small amount of pincushion distortion can be detected, measuring extremely low values of +0.01% at 100mm, +0.04% at 200mm and +0.05% at 300mm and 400mm.
Bokeh is very smooth and delivers lovely out of focus effects for portraiture and flower portraits, as we might well expect for such long focal lengths.
The lens is almost completely flare free. Some small artefacts can be induced with the most severe lighting, but we really have to work at it to do so.
Vignetting is impressively low and there is very little sign of corner darkening.
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| Aperture | 100mm | 200mm | 300mm | 400mm |
| f/1.4 | -0.5 | |||
| f/2 | -0.5 | -0.5 | ||
| f/2.8 | -0.9 | -0.7 | ||
| f/4 | -0.4 | -0.4 | -0.9 | -0.7 |
| f/5.6 | -0.4 | -0.4 | -0.9 | -0.7 |
| f/8 | -0.4 | -0.4 | -0.9 | -0.7 |
| f/11 | -0.4 | |||
| f/16 | -0.9 | -0.7 |
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (Fujifilm X Mount) Sample Photos
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Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (Fujifilm X Mount) Aperture range
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You can view additional images of the SIGMA AF 100-400mm on our equipment database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
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Value For Money
The Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens in Fuji X mount is priced around £899.
Alternatives for the Fuji X system include:
- [AMUK]Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR|fujifilm+150-600mm[/AMUK], £1899
- [AMUK]Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR|fujifilm+100-400mm[/AMUK], £1699
- [AMUK]Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD|tamron+150-500mm[/AMUK], £1399
This leaves the Sigm looking to be excellent VFM.
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS – Verdict
With great handling and excellent results, the very reasonable price is an added bonus. This is a fine lens that produces the results needed, won’t break the bank and is not overly heavy or bulky to handle easily. The lack of full dust and splash resistance is a pity, but that is about the only thing that is missing. It is an important feature though, and if it were to be addressed it would pull the desirability of this optic up a significant step.
The Fuji X fit version has been tweaked with the Fujifilm cameras in mind. There are extra button features, as described, and it has not just been a matter of adding a Fuji X mount to an existing design. Clearly, Fujifilm must be doing well to make the effort from Sigma worthwhile. There is of course strong competition there, as Fuji themselves offer some seriously good lenses.
The new Sigma lens offers the right performance at the right price and is Highly Recommended.
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS – Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Very well controlled CA
- Virtually no distortion
- Fast, accurate and quiet AF
- Modest vignetting
- Low flare
- Close focusing
- Moisture sealing of mount
- Well made
- Excellent price
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS – Cons
- No full weather sealing
[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=4.5|R_performance=4.5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Highly Recommended – A high quality tele zoom at a great price.|E_id=8011[/REVIEW_FOOTER]
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (Fujifilm X Mount) Specifications
| Manufacturer | Sigma | |
| General | ||
| Lens Mounts |
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| Lens | ||
| Focal Length | 100mm – 400mm | |
| Angle of View | No Data | |
| Max Aperture | f/5 – f/6.3 | |
| Min Aperture | No Data | |
| Filter Size | No Data | |
| Stabilised | Yes | |
| 35mm equivalent | No Data | |
| Internal focusing | No Data | |
| Maximum magnification | No Data | |
| Focusing | ||
| Min Focus | 112cm | |
| Construction | ||
| Blades | 9 | |
| Elements | 22 | |
| Groups | 16 | |
| Box Contents | ||
| Box Contents | No Data | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Weight | 1135g | |
| Height | No Data | |
Source: Photography News
Sigma AF 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Lens Review – X Mount
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