SIGMA AF APO TELE MACRO 300mm F4 HSM

A review and sample images of the Sigma AF APO TELE MACRO 400mm F5.6.

Gallery

The example photo was taken using a SIGMA SD10.

Review

The Sigma AF APO TELE MACRO 300mm F4 HSM is a telephoto lens released by Sigma in 1995.

The lens name is APO TELE MACRO HSM, where “APO” stands for “apochromatic correction” and reduces chromatic aberration, “TELE” for telephoto, “MACRO” for close-up photography, and “HSM” for ultrasonic motor.

In the 1990s, this 300mm F4 lens was a lower-light but cheaper lens than the 300mm F2.8 (300mm F2.8), which was the pinnacle of telephoto lenses available to amateurs, and was sold by camera manufacturers themselves as a lens for those who could not afford the 300mm F2.8.
In contrast, third-party Tokina and Tamron released 300mm F2.8 lenses at about the same price, but did not release 300mm F4 lenses. Sigma, a camera manufacturer, sold both 300mm F2.8 and 300mm F4 lenses.

The following are some representative 300mm F lenses. Nikon also released a 300mm F4 lens with a normal motor before it was equipped with an ultrasonic motor.

CANON EF 300mm F4L USM

NIKON AF-S 300mm F4

MINOLTA 300mm F4 APO G HS

SIGMA APO TELE MACRO 300mm F4 HSM

In the 2000s, the focal length and brightness of 300mm F4 were covered by zoom lenses.

Like the 400mm F5.6, this lens has been used since the Sigma SD10, and when cropped to the SD10 sensor size, it is multiplied by 1.7, resulting in a focal length of 510mm.

The lens uses internal focus, so the lens length does not change when in use.
The autofocus (AF) speed depends largely on the camera’s performance, so the evaluation varies depending on the camera, but as far as I used it with the SD10 and SD14, the early HSM (High Speed Motor / Canon calls it USM) installed in this lens is not instantaneous and fast. However, the advantage of the ultrasonic motor is that it drives the lens quietly and smoothly, which makes it a pleasant tool to use. This motor is said to break down often, but the lens I own has not had any problems even after more than 20 years, probably because of the frequency of use.

Since it is a fixed-focus lens, it has a focus ring, a shooting distance limit switch (three settings: no limit, infinity to 3m, 3m to 1.2m), and an AF/MF switch.
The hood is built-in, but even when pulled out, it is not very long, so the light blocking effect is not high.

You can’t expect the sharpness of modern lenses, but it shows a reasonable level of resolution and color, and you can get a relatively satisfying image with a pixel count of about the SD10. The sample photos are still, but in the shadows they produce a lot of blurry photos.

The minimum shooting distance is 1.2m, making this a telephoto lens that can get close to the subject, and its compact size makes it a useful lens for taking pictures of cats and wild birds in the countryside.

I purchased a Canon EF mount lens for this lens and converted it to a Sigma SA mount by myself. I used to post articles with detailed photos, but I don’t think there is any demand for them now, so I will leave a simple record of how to do it.

This modified lens allows AF shooting using the Sigma SA 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. The AF focusing accuracy will decrease, but it will be possible to capture the subject unless the lens is very fast. However, the image, which is already slightly lacking in sharpness, will become even worse, so it is not practical.

The work from this point onwards is not recommended for modification.
If you do the same work and end up with more junk lenses or other problems, we will not be responsible, so please carry out the work at your own risk.

Things to prepare

Sigma SA mount lens – Since you will only be using the mount, it is best to find a cheap lens.
Sigma EF mount lens – Since this will be the subject of the modification, there will be no warranty and you should be prepared to break it if you fail.
Soldering iron
Solder
Electric wire (thin)

Work

Remove the screw on the SA mount side from the Sigma SA mount lens and remove the mount.
Remove the soldered signal flex cable from the mount. (Be careful not to get burned as the soldering iron will melt the connection)
Remove the screws on the EF mount side from the Sigma EF mount lens and remove the mount.
Remove the soldered signal flex cable from the mount. (Be careful not to get burned as the soldering iron will melt the connection)
Connect the SA mount removed in steps 1 and 2 to the flex cable coming out of the original EF mount lens in the same order. It is difficult to directly attach the flex cable to the mount, so it is easier to connect the mount and flex cable with a thin wire. If you attach it from the end, there will be one extra terminal, but don’t worry about it.
When you’re done, push the cable into the lens, attach the SA mount to the lens and screw it in. The screw holes are perfectly positioned so it was no trouble at all.
Now you can replace the Sigma EF mount lens with a Sigma SA mount lens.
The remaining lens can be made into an EF mount lens, but there is a high possibility that the lens will not be recognized by Canon cameras due to the lens ROM problem*1, so I think it is a waste of time to do the work.

*1: In the past, there were companies that made firmware (ROM) for third-party lenses by reverse engineering without the official permission of the camera manufacturer. Since they could not tolerate freeloading on cameras, camera manufacturers would determine whether the firmware (ROM) installed on the lens attached to the camera was genuine or not, and third-party lenses with non-genuine firmware would not work properly.

Sigma’s EF mount and SA mount not only have the same flange back, but also almost the same electrical signal. Of course, there is a possibility that the motor will burn out or the lens will not function properly due to minor differences in operating voltage and minor differences in control specifications, but so far it has been working without any problems.

SA mount lenses are generally in low demand, so I still have them on hand without selling them. When I use them occasionally, they don’t have the sharpness of modern lenses, but I can enjoy the depiction of old telephoto lenses.

I also own this lens’s sister model, the AF APO TELE MACRO 300mm F4, so I will introduce it at some point.

Like the 40mm F5.6, there is little demand for SA mount lenses, so I still have them and didn’t sell them. When I use them occasionally, I can enjoy the depiction of an old telephoto lens, even though they don’t have the sharpness of modern lenses.

Specification

Items	APO TELE MACRO 300mm HSM	AF-S 300mm F4	EF 300mm F4L USM	MINOLTA 300mm F4 APO G HS
Sensor size	35mmフルサイズ	←	←	←
Focal length(mm)	300	←	←	←
Max aperture	4	←	←	←
Min aperture	32	←	←	←
Leaf blade	9	←	8	←
Lens Construction	10 elements in 7 groups	10 elements in 6 groups	8 elements in 7 groups	9 elements in 7 groups
Min distance(m)	1.2	1.45	2.5	←
Lens length(mm)	195(SA)	222.5(F)	213.5(EF)	220.5(A)
Max diameter(mm)	87	90	90	82+α
Filter Size(mm)	77	←	←	82(front) 42(rear)
Weight(g)	1,298(SA) Without tripod mount	1300(F) Without tripod mount	1,165(EF)	1,410(A)
accessories	Front cap Rear cap Case	←	←	Front cap Rear cap Hood Case
Release date	1995	2001	1991.12	1994
Lens mount	CANON EF SIGMA-SA NIKON-F（HSMなし）*1 PENTAX-K（HSMなし） SONY-A（HSMなし）	NIKON-F	CANON EF	SONY-A
Price(Yen/No-tax)		185,000円	149,000円