Will the Sigma 135-400mm APO autofocus on a Nikon D3100, and is it a good upgrade from the 55-200mm?
Asked 6/18/2012
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I’m an amateur using a Nikon D3100 with the Nikkor AF-S DX 55-200mm VR. I’m considering a used Sigma APO 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 AF because I want more reach for animals, sports, and general shooting.
I’m trying to understand how it would compare with my current Nikon lens besides focal length and vibration reduction. In particular:
- Will it autofocus correctly on a D3100?
- Could autofocus be slower or less accurate?
- Does the age of the lens affect image quality such as sharpness or color?
- Is handholding a 400mm lens without stabilization practical?
Has anyone used this Sigma lens on an entry-level Nikon body?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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Could it be slower or less accurate (auto-focus)?
Well, it won't autofocus on a D3100. Because it doesn't have a built-in focus motor ("AF-S" for Nikon, "HSM" for Sigma) it's manual focus only. This lens will autofocus with bodies that have an AF motor, such as the D7000 and D300S. The 3100 body does not have an AF motor built in, and so only autofocus with "AF-S" or "HSM" lenses with a motor in the lens.
This is an older lens, and has since been replaced by the 120-400, which does have HSM, so would focus on your D3100.
Could there be some difference in resulting image (colors, sharpness) because of lens age?
In general, older lenses perform less well than their modern equivalents. I haven't used this lens so I can't say if the performance would be disappointing, but if you search for some reviews I'm sure you can figure this out.
Can I have any problems shooting from hands without VR?
Many lenses don't have VR. You may need to rely on proper technique and/or support to get sharp photos, but that will depend upon the environment and subject.
Originally by user8473. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8473
14y ago
0
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The key issue is compatibility: that older Sigma 135-400mm AF does not have a built-in focus motor, so it will not autofocus on a Nikon D3100. On your camera it would be manual focus only.
That makes it a difficult choice for wildlife and sports, where fast autofocus matters. Older lenses can also lag behind newer designs in sharpness and overall performance, though exact image quality depends on the specific lens.
The lack of stabilization is another major drawback. Handholding at 400mm without VR/OS is very difficult and makes blur much more likely, especially on a DX body.
So compared with your 55-200mm VR, the Sigma gives you more reach, but you lose autofocus on the D3100 and lose stabilization. For practical use, a lens with a built-in motor and stabilization would be a better fit. Community suggestions included the Nikon 70-300 VR, Tamron 70-300 with stabilization, or a newer Sigma such as the 120-400 HSM.
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