Sigma’s super-size telezoom
Posted on Jun 11, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
A unique 300-600mm lens will bring joy to Sony, Panasonic and Leica mirrorless owners
Sigma’s mission to build high-quality lenses offering something different to other manufacturers continues with this monster of a telephoto zoom – at a surprisingly low price considering its speed and technology.
The 300-600mm f/4 DG OS Sports lens fits Sony E and L-Mount mirrorless cameras and offers the image quality to rival prime lenses, making it ideal for sports or wildlife. Costing £5899/$5999, it’s a bargain compared to Sony’s G Master 600mm f/4 prime at £11,999/$12,998. Sony’s closest alternative lens is the £1459/$1998 200-600mm, but its variable f/5.6-6.3 aperture makes it much slower and smaller. L-Mount brands Leica and Panasonic offer nothing remotely similar, while Canon’s RF 600mm f/4 prime costs £14,178/$12,999.
With a constant f/4 aperture, the beefy Sigma 300-600mm delivers fast, precise AF via its High-response Linear Actuator (HLA) and 5.5 stops of optical stabilisation. It also boasts a magnesium alloy body, thermal insulation paint and customisable function control ring.
Weighing 3970g/8.75lb and measuring 470mm/18.5in long with a 167mm/6.6in diameter, it’s slightly heavier than Sony’s 600mm f/4 prime (3040g/6.7lb) yet nearly the same size, despite being a zoom.
The optical construction of 28 elements in 21 groups is designed to bring the centre of gravity towards the camera to improve the front-heavy weight balance.
Seeing as the lens is designed to be used outdoors, weather proofing extends to the mount joints, manual focus ring, zoom ring, custom switches, control switches and exterior joints, which are all dust and splash resistant. The front element features a water- and oil-repellent coating, too.
The tripod socket’s rotating mechanism uses bearings for smooth rotation with an optional click/de-click mechanism for each 90° angle. The tripod socket foot is compatible with Arca-Swiss clamps, but can easily be removed and replaced with different-fit tripod sockets.
There is a drop-in holder for standard 40.5mm filters, but Sigma has developed a new drop-in circular polarising filter and variable ND filter that can be adjusted by up to seven stops while inside the lens.
Sigma’s optic features a function ring with two selectable modes. In Focus Preset mode, turning the function ring left or right instantly shifts the focus to a pre-registered position.
Option two is Power Focus, which adjusts focus at a constant speed – ideal for video, allowing for smooth focus shifts during shooting and minimal movement when handheld. The focusing speed has two adjustable levels.
The lens boasts AFL buttons in four different locations, a focus mode switch, a focus limiter switch, a two-position stabilisation mode switch, as well as a custom mode switch. The L-Mount version of the lens is also compatible with 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.
This article was first published in the May/June 2025 issue of Pro Moviemaker
