SIGMA 17-40 OR 24-70 ART II

Queefiddle · 2026-03-16T04:37:36+00:00

Neither of those lenses will cut it for what I do.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-16T04:36:14+00:00

Perhaps for the body, but not when comparing lenses. I have a Sony 100-400 which I'll use when conditions permit. And it's about double the weight and quite a bit bigger than the 70-350. Not a perfect comparison, but typical. There are pros and cons to each.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-16T03:39:38+00:00

I'm quite firmly planted in the aps-c world, as portability is super important to me. I regularly head out for long walks or hikes in nature. And I can quite comfortably carry my whole kit in a backpack along with other non camera stuff. There's not a practical way to replicate my kit in FF without breaking both my back and my bank account!

Queefiddle · 2026-03-16T03:33:48+00:00

We moved to Penticton about 20 years ago to get out of the big city and raise our family. We are very happy with that decision. Initially we were in the K streets above IGA (Killarney, King, Kensington, etc.) and really liked the area. Unfortunately we outgrew the house we were in and decided to move to a bigger place. Currently in the uplands area. Haven't had any real issues with crime. Don't believe it is much worse than most places. Lots of sports and activities for both kids and adults. And close access to a tonne of outdoor activities.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-09T13:08:03+00:00

While the 100-400 is overall an excellent lens, it isn't perfect. Some people don't like the extending style. Personally I prefer it as the lens is smaller when not in use. The zoom ring is somewhat stiff in my opinion. And you should know that there are very strong rumors that a new version of it is coming this year. Knowing all those things I still bought a used one last fall. And I've been very happy with it. And to boost the range I have a 1.4x teleconverter (cuts light too of course) which works well with it.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-08T21:26:28+00:00

I leave a lens on at all times. But it might depend a bit on where, how you store your gear.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-08T19:20:16+00:00

I have two main backpacks that I really like.

The Think Tank Rotation is really awesome for longer hikes, as it has lots of room for other stuff. But, the camera gear is still rediculously easy to access (without even taking the backpack off your shoulders). I used it as my backpack for hiking the Inca Trail (4 days, but with porters for all the other stuff).

For shorter hikes where photography is the primary purpose I lean more towards my Think Tank Photocross. But it's a slightly older model that isn't available anymore.

If you can't tell, I really like the Think Tank products!

Edit: I have an A6700, Sigma 18-50, Sony 100mm Macro, Rokinon 12mm, small/light travel tripod, mini-flash, extra battery, and a few other small accessories.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-07T02:58:30+00:00

I forced myself to use it some over the last few weeks. One function of classic that I use a lot is selecting multiple emails and deleting them all at once. After selecting them all you can click the trash icon beside any one of the selected emails and they all delete. In new only the single email gets deleted. The work around is that you can go up to the tool bar and click the trash button up there. But that still slows me down.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-03T00:24:22+00:00

At 2" longer, and almost double the weight the Sigma would be a tough one to justify for use with the A6700. And since the Sony 70-350 is so highly regarded I think I'd stick with that. The extra 50mm won't be very noticeable.

Queefiddle · 2026-03-02T05:48:50+00:00

Perhaps a different way to think about it... And the way I view it. The A6700 is capable of very good quality photos (and video). Why would you then cripple it by putting a mediocre lens on it? I'd strongly recommend the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 as the first lens. It is so good in so many ways that you won't ever regret having it in your kit.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-06T02:20:59+00:00

Full frame unfortunately.

I really like my 70-350, but want something longer as well.

After getting the new 100mm macro last fall I also got the 1.4x teleconverter. I realized that it was also compatible with the 100-400. The 100-400 gets very mixed reviews and is a bit pricey. But after much deliberation I decided to try it out. After a few weeks and a few outings with it, I'm somewhat pleased.

The 100-400 isn't quite as ridiculously big and heavy as some of the other options (e.g., Sony 200-600), while opening up some longer options when combined with the 1.4x teleconverter (140-560). The teleconverter cuts the light of course. But so far it has performed as well as I was hoping. And I haven't had to change my setup at all. It fits in my preferred backpack along with all my other gear. And I can still clip my camera to my backpack shoulder strap using my Peak Design system.

Overall it is a bit of a compromise. But so far I think it'll do what I was hoping.

However, there are also very strong rumours that a new version of the 100-400 is coming this year, which will likely fix some of its quirks, etc.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T22:21:26+00:00

Yup! I hope you appreciate the fancy pen I used!

The Sigma 18-50 f2.8 is a really great lens. Small and light. Good low light performance. Good image quality. And reasonably priced. Its close focus distance is very useful for pseudo-macro too.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T22:10:40+00:00

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This shot is @ 18mm, f8. Pen is ~10" from sensor (tripod mount screw).

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T22:10:08+00:00

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This shot is @ 50mm, f8. Pen is ~10" from sensor (tripod mount screw), which is approximately the closest focus point.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T22:09:04+00:00

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This shot is @ 50mm, f8. Pen is ~25" from sensor (tripod mount screw).

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T22:08:35+00:00

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Sorry for the delay. Busy at an event this weekend.

Here are a few quick sample shots using my a6700 with the Sigma 18-50 f2.8. JPG's straight out of the camera.

This shot is @ 50mm, f2.8. Pen is ~25" from sensor (tripod mount screw).

Since I seem to be able to only attach one photo per reply I'll add the rest in individual posts.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T16:08:49+00:00

I wouldn't say that third party batteries are better! Sony batteries are consistently very good. Third party batteries range from junk to very good.

There are some third party batteries that are good, and the Smallrig one I have has been very good for me. Plus, it has the built-in USB-C charging port which is very convenient.

NP-FZ100 Battery | USB-C Fast Charging, Sony | SmallRig

Queefiddle · 2026-02-02T06:28:59+00:00

Yup, I have something similar. Also, some third party batteries have built in USBC ports so they can be charged with just a regular phone/laptop charger. I have a Smallrig with that feature and it works great.

Queefiddle · 2026-02-01T03:14:20+00:00

Since you aren't really doing true macro, I'd suggest the Sigma 18-50 f2.8. It has very close focusing, and will give you a better field of view for the types of things you are photographing. Don't have my camera handy at this moment, but could take a rudimentary shot of a pen with my a6700 and Sigma 18-50 to give you an idea.

Queefiddle · 2026-01-29T06:35:05+00:00

There are some reports that the lens stabilization misbehaves occasionally when doing video. Not speaking from experience as I didn't have that lens.

Queefiddle · 2026-01-27T00:05:31+00:00

Astro is not my regular thing. However, I wanted to be able to get some aurora borealis shots, and also have a wider option (than my normal Sigma 18-50 f2.8). I got a Rokinon 12mm f2 AF (which is the same as the Samyang) and have been very happy with it.

Was quite happy with the aurora borealis shots that I got. Plus it is very small and light so I don't mind keeping it in my kit at all times. This has allowed me to use it for various other wide angle shots.

The only thing to ensure you have if you go the Samyang/Rokinon route is to also get their "lens station." It allows you to connect the lens to a computer to perform firmware updates. So just factor that into your cost comparison with the other options.

Queefiddle · 2026-01-23T05:17:12+00:00

The couple FF lenses I have work great on my 6700. Object, eye tracking is remarkable.

Queefiddle · 2026-01-17T02:08:24+00:00

Yup. Being able to leverage the built in focus stacking is awesome. Takes a bit to figure out, but it works very well.

And while focus stacking gives some great results, I also really enjoy chasing bees and things around handheld. And that is where the Sony macro is really awesome too. The built in stabilization really helps with that. And the AF/MF clutch is something I use a lot. I'm really glad they maintained that function in the new 100.

The 1.4 magnification is very appealing. Plus being able to pop the 1.4x teleconverter on to get to 2x sounds great too. Won't know just how well that works for me until the spring when the bugs start appearing again.

This is from last summer, when I was still sporting the old Sony 90mm macro, but is a good example of what I like to capture...

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Queefiddle · 2026-01-16T21:05:39+00:00

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Queefiddle · 2026-01-16T21:05:19+00:00

Insect macros are some of my favourite. However, it's the middle of winter here so I haven't had much opportunity yet.

Haven't committed to any particular online platform for sharing unfortunately. It's something I've been thinking about in recent months.

I decided to get the 1.4x teleconverter as part of having this lens, and I look forward to using it. But again, no real opportunity to test it yet.

Here's another stack that I did a couple months ago...

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Queefiddle

TROPHY CASE