Sigma 150mm

I love the Black Durgeon shot.....very tough subject to get close enough for that much detail....guess the extra working distance helped on this one?

Karl

I think it has a role for super macro. But on a cropped sensor camera, IMO, a 100mm or 105mm is a better general purpose macro lens. On full frame this is like a 100mm on a cropped sensor camera - so it is great!

Problems are: DOF less than with shorter lens at same subject magnification. Longer shooting distance means more backscatter and need for more powerful strobes. Aiming can be troublesome as small movements of the camera mean big changes to what is in the frame. Hard to house.

Positives. Longer working distance for super macro - makes lighting easier. Sharp and good AF performance (on my Nikon at least). Longer working distance for timid subjects. Internal focusing - makes housing it easier.

Alex

I love the Black Durgeon shot.....very tough subject to get close enough for that much detail....guess the extra working distance helped on this one?

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Thanks Karl. Definitely. Distance certainly keeps subjects natural. And the magnification certainly gets you shots that you would struggle to get with other lenses.

The problem was that I had loads of durgeon shots that have great lighting and posing of the fish - and rubbish composition and framing by the photographer. This is because such a long lens is hard to keep totally still when you are swimming - and small movements change exactly what is in the frame. This is certainly a lens that will encourage photographers to brace themselves against the seabed...

Alex

OK, just looked at the gallery. So my question is...do people want this lens for filling the frame from a longer distance with fish? creating full frame super macro? a bit of both i suppose...but of course that screws the idea of this diopter as i suppose that limits your focusing distance quite a bit.

Interesting to see Alex was working mostly on long distance subjects where James posted a super macro example...

I guess the fact Alex didn't have the diopter didn't help but...i have a similar moray with the 105 that is a lot more full frame...

INteresting...

And what is a Durgeon? Is that the Trigger? You silly Carribean people have got to start naming your fish properly...i'm getting confused these days...

Just for you Mike

Black Durgeon

(Melichthys niger) This variety of Trigger fish is found throughout the tropical zones, usually hovering above reefs. It tends to inhabit clear seaward reefs, from the reef front to deeper waters. The Black Durgeon grows to about 35 cm in length. To feed this fish grazes on bottom and drifting calcareous algae, crustaceans, sponges and small invertebrates, occasionally feeding on zooplankton.

Karl

Most of these are destined for the bin. So please don't judge my photography on the basis of these samples.

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Geez, Alex! I was thinking that I'd be proud to have taken most of those shots. Maybe I should hang around our bin and collect your throwaways instead of spending so much time underwater!

One of the keys to have nice images in your portfolio, Bruce, is to edit out the nearly nice ones.

I also wanted to show that the lens is capable of decent results. I just don't think that it would be as good on your 20D as it would be on your 1DS2.

Alex

Fantastic shots Alex!

Of course the macro shots are great, as I would expect from a photographer of your skill and a lens this long.

But what I'm really excited about are the fish portraits. Until now I had considered the 60mm as the perfect cropped sensor fish portrait lens. But to see you use this lens to get Black Dungouns (35cm as Karl reports) in the frame is interesting. This definately remindes me of your uw photography article on uw telephoto technique.

Any tips on lighting subjects like the triggerfish with a long lens and elimiating backscatter? Any other pointers? This looks like an excellent way to get natural undisturbed photos. Thanks for sharing.

for super macro, the longer working distance can come in very handy when using high power diopters.

the was the primary reason I got the Nikon 200.

Mike V, I would be more than happy to come to Yap and spend some time shooting.

as for tossing shots here is a quote I like

"If it is near perfect then that is not close enough, If it IS perfect then that's close enough!

It is not clear from the Sigma website:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_al...283&navigator=5

whether the tripod shoe is removable. Is it removable or can the lens fit into a port with it attached (SEACAM flat or macro port)?

Thanks

Tom

Yes, it's removable.

Cheers

James

Thank you James for that rather useful datum!

Tom