![]() ![]() The switch is a bit capricious at time (at least on my copy), and changing positions can be a tedious operation because the switch refuses to move. The T setting offers a high degree of resistance, so it’s very unlikely you’ll move the ring by mistake. The Sigma lens has a dedicated torque switch on the side to lock the zoom ring at 150mm, or choose two different levels of resistance: Tight or Smooth. To make it work, you need to hold the lens with your hand touching another part of its surface, which is not always comfortable. In other words, it could have done with a stronger mechanism. The execution is a bit disappointing unfortunately, because if you hold the lens with your hand on the zoom ring, which is the most natural position, you end up moving the ring up and down all the time while taking pictures. Tamron’s designers also added something very clever that they call Flex Zoom Lock mechanism: the zoom ring can be clutched forward to be locked in any position. When not in use, you can lock the zoom at 150mm with the dedicated switch. The arc of rotation is short at just 75˚, which means you can go from 150mm to 500mm and vice versa with a relatively small twist. That of the Tamron has more resistance which I don’t dislike to be honest, because there isn’t a lot of friction, and the ring has a better chance of staying in place when you set it. The Sony has the smoothest zoom ring but there is no option of locking it at any position. ![]() From left to right: Sony 200-600mm, Sigma 150-600mm and Tamron 150-500mmĪll three lenses are weather sealed and feel very well built. It remains shorter, albeit not by much, when extended to 500mm. The Tamron is the smallest and lightest of the three, and you come to really appreciate its more compact dimensions. When extended to 600mm however, it becomes a few centimetres longer than the Sony lens. The Sigma closely follows the Sony when it comes to weight and diameter, but it is 5cm shorter when retracted. It is also the only one with an internal zoom mechanism, which means that it doesn’t extend when zooming in. The Sony is the longest, largest and heaviest of the three. Let’s tackle dimensions and weight first. Special elements: 5 LD, 1 XLD, 2 hybrid aspherical elements.Lens configuration: 25 elements / 16 groups.Closest focusing distance: 60cm (W) – 71cm (T).Special elements: 4 FLD, 2 SLD elements.Lens configuration: 25 elements / 15 groups.Closest focusing distance: 58cm (W) – 280cm (T).Special elements: 1 Aspherical, 5 ED elements.Lens configuration: 24 elements / 17 groups.To know more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. If you buy something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. ![]() Within the article, there are affiliate links. We were not asked to write anything about these products, nor were we provided with any sort of compensation. Ethics statement: we rented the Sony and Tamron lenses, whereas the Sigma zoom was kindly provided by Sigma UK. ![]()
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