Sigma 300-800 questions

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone here can help me. I’m picking up a Sigma 300-800 en route to Botswana this weekend, so I need to figure out what accessories I need for use with an Epic, but I don’t have the lens on hand.

The Epic will be on a Red QR Platform (Dovetail) with 19mm rods. I have a Universal Mount (old Red One version) that I’d like to use to support the lens, but I’m unsure of the vertical distance from the rods to the collar mount on the lens. I’ve scoured this forum, and found some useful images and information: it looks like the base of the tripod collar will be slightly lower than the base of the Epic. Can anyone confirm this and measure the difference?


Will my 18” rods be long enough? What is the distance from the back of the lens to the collar mount?


I’d like to pick up some 46mm ND filters to use in the lens’ internal filter tray. Any recommendations? Do all standard 46mm filters fit?


Any other tips/suggestions would be welcome.


Thanks!
Rob

 

[Will Keir]

300-800!!! Nice. Is this PL mount?

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Hi Will. Nope: Canon mount.

 

[Skip Hobbie]

With a riser plate on my epic to bring it up to standard height, which I believe is the same height as the QR plate you are talking about, the 300-800's handle just sits above even with the base. But I use Red's 19mm lens support and it's got plenty of vertical reach to support the lens.

I use 24" rods w this lens. Think 18" is a little too short for the lens.

Be be careful that the lens does not hold focus through its whole range. Still an amazing lens for wildlife.

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Skip, that's very helpful.

 

[Mark Toia]

You do have to make sure that RED have made it a compatible lens in the firmware for the aperture and AF to work.

Not all lenses are updated as yet.

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Mark. I've noticed a bunch of Redusers are using this lens, so I assumed at least the aperture will work. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

I'm back home. Lens is great! Really heavy and long, but well worth the hassle. Aperture and AF work, although the AF sounds quite noisy when seeking so I didn't use it (I hope this is normal).

I managed to rig support with my existing bits and pieces. Lens on a Red quick release dovetail, camera on a universal mount with a spacer. Worked fine, though I would not recommend this rig: there's a bit too much flex in the CF rods. I'm going to try with some longer steel rods and a second universal mount beneath the camera.

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Can anyone recommend a brand of ND filters for the rear tray in this lens?

Also, when using the Sigma polarising filter, how do you ensure it is oriented correctly? There does not appear to be a mark on the filter to indicate which side goes up (there is a mark on the lens ring that you use to rotate the filter once it's in, but there does not seem to be a simple way to ensure the filter itself is properly aligned with that ring).

 

[Peter Majtan]

Can anyone recommend a brand of ND filters for the rear tray in this lens?

Also, when using the Sigma polarising filter, how do you ensure it is oriented correctly? There does not appear to be a mark on the filter to indicate which side goes up (there is a mark on the lens ring that you use to rotate the filter once it's in, but there does not seem to be a simple way to ensure the filter itself is properly aligned with that ring).

With the Canon's 800 mm I use the clear gel holder insert and then just buy and cut the FUJIFILM ND gels...:

http://www.yodobashi.com/ec/category/index.html?cate=&word=fujifilm+nd&ginput=

Those sheets are 10x10 cm and you can easily cut them to any shape / size with scissors. I also use them on the 14mm f/2.8L mk.II which already has a slot for these gels...
Not sure where you can buy this overseas, but it should not be that hard to find. The clear MC filter / gel holder should have come with the Sigma. The Canon has both the drop-in screw-in filter holder where you can screw-in any (thin) 52 mm filter and then drop it into the lens - and also a gel-holder with clear glass - which holds the above gels (cut to shape) and then drops into the lens...
Hope that helps...

:sifone: Peter

PS: Nice setup and great shot!

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Peter. The lens does not have a gel holder. Just 46mm screw-on filters. I think I'll have to order a couple and test. Thankfully 46mm filters are not very expensive.

 

[Peter Majtan]

Thanks Peter. The lens does not have a gel holder. Just 46mm screw-on filters. I think I'll have to order a couple and test. Thankfully 46mm filters are not very expensive.

The BW slim versions are of decent quality and affordable directly from B&H...

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Peter, I'll give those a try.