Sigma 300 mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO review - Build quality

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Sigma 300 mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO

29 January 2010

Arkadiusz Olech

3. Build quality

The first thing that undoubtedly sticks out is the huge front element with almost 11 centimeters in diameter. Then we start to be intrigued by a very interesting lens hood. In the folded position it is put on the lens and additionally covered by a fabric case which also protects the glass. When you put the case off, the hood can be attached in its normal position. The second interesting thing, quite understandable, taking into account huge dimensions of the front element, is the filter thread. In this class of lenses the filters are attached from the side of the mount and, in the case of the Sigma, they have to be 46 mm in diameter. What’s more, the Sigma comes with a polarizing filter included. Overall the accessory kit is rich - apart from the filter and the hood we also get a tripod adapter and a hard fabric case.

Sigma 300 mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO - Build quality

The lens’s barrel is made of a black and solid metal alloy, typical for the highest Sigma series, marked with the EX symbol. The manual focus ring is big, very comfortable and well-damped allowing very precise movements. Behind a clear distance scale we find another ring, much narrower this time, for turning the filters.

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What can we find inside? Sigma prepared for us a construction consisting of 11 elements in 9 groups. As it befits the APO symbol on the barrel, as many as two elements, the big front ones we must add, were made of low-dispersion ELD glass (Extraordinary Low Dispersion).