AF Sigma 300 mm f/4 Apo

The lens construction is not as solid as the AF Nikkor ED 300/4 or EF Canon 300/4 L. The focusing ring is rather smooth, but I never had troubles with it.

This Sigma lens has a floating elements design which employs two super low-dispersion (SLD) elements and allows to focus at 1.2 m. The resulting reproduction ratio, R, is 1:3. The correspondingly large working distance (WD ~ 80 cm at the near limit) makes this lens an invaluable tool for shooting shy animals. Its performance, in terms of WD, is much better than Micro-Nikkor AF-ED 200/4, whose WD at 1:2 is about 50 cm. The two insects' photographs below demonstrate how versatile the AF Sigma 300/4 is.

It also performs well with 1.4X teleconverters (R = 1:2.14 at 1.2 m). I use my Nikon TC-14 A and the overall performance wide open is not so convincing but better results are achieved by stopping down. The quality of this lens at full aperture is good. Nevertheless, in the entire focusing range higher quality results are achieved from f/5.6 onwards. The performance in close-up is impressive and an aperture setting between f/8 and f/11 produces the sharpest, professional quality images. With the Nikon PK-13 (27.5 mm) extension tube reproduction ratios in the 1:2.2 - 1:10 range are obtained. At infinity, vignetting and distorsion are very well corrected. In the near focus limit, the lens exhibits a slight pincushion distorsion.

In conclusion, due to the fact that this lens is sold cheap on the second-hand market and considering the added value of its close focus benefit, a used AF Sigma 300/4 is a real bargain and I highly recommend it.

Crowned crane (Balearica regulorum)

Dragonfly (Orthetrum cancellatum)

Damselfly (Lestes viridis)

Rana graeca

Meteora (Greece)

All images © Copyright Riccardo Polini