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lightrules | profile | all galleries >> Lens Tests by LightRules >> Canon 300 F2.8 L IS USM v. Sigma 300 F2.8 EX DG HSM tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Canon 300 F2.8 L IS USM v. Sigma 300 F2.8 EX DG HSM

Posted Fri Dec 12 2008

Canon $4100 [B&H Photo as of Feb 5 2009]
Sigma $2999 [B&H Photo as of Feb 5 2009]

Summary: The L is truly a *world-class-leading* optic. Its ability to resolve detail wide open and deliver superlative contrast reproduction is *the best* I've seen. The EX puts in a good effort but just can't match the L in sharpness or contrast. I am still in *shock* with the *wide open* imaging quality of the L when THREE 1.4x Kenko Pro DG teleconverters were stacked onto it for an equivalent 1440mm FOV. Simply amazing. That said, the EX is still an *excellent lens* with robust build quality, fantastic handling, and "almost-as-fast" AF compared to the L (this surprised me -- the EX prime's AF is much quicker than the 120-300 EX I tested last year and its accuracy is better too). Both lenses take TCs well, both deliver beautiful bokeh (thanks to their rounded aperture blades), and both lenses exude much confidence in use. If you can locate a used copy of the EX (non-DG or DG), it would be a *terrific* value. But at day's end, the L is truly a *magnificent lens* and stands alone in its class (not even mentioning the perk of having IS).
The Lenses
The Lenses
Test 1
Test 1
Test 2
Test 2