Sigma 120-300 f2.8 DG HSM OS spends time in Mongolia and takes first place at the Naadam Festival

This is not your Dad’s Sigma lens. Long gone are the days of the rough coated plastic feeling Sigma lens that rolled off the production line to satisfy people’s needs for more lenses at an affordable price. This lens screams quality from the first view out of the box. The lens is finished in matte black and is dust and splash resistant. Then, when you realize that each lens is tested before it leaves the factory, not just the random sampling, you begin to truly understand that Sigma listened to what photographers wanted in a lens of this caliber and delivered tenfold.

Not only will the looks of this lens impress both you and anyone around you, but it performs beautifully in a range of situations, some that you would not think it would excel in. When I took the lens to Mongolia I had journalists, amateurs and police that lined the crowd all looking through the lens and taking photos… it created quite the spectacle… LOL

OK… now, let’s just get this out of the way… the lens is heavy… there is no other way to put it. It is 6.5lbs and is almost 12 inches long…  but this is a step into the realm of professional lenses that has now shown me through extensive use, produces professional results. The size of this lens can be attributed to the constant aperture of f2.8, and for the outdoor situations I was just in, was extremely appreciated.

 

For a week I used this lens on a monopod and hand held shooting a variety of photos in the sports category, I panned with the camera and I did some portrait photos. Each time I looked at the results, I was impressed.

Here is what I liked about the lens…

The 120-300mm has a focus limiter to offer an adjusted range of auto focusing, you can choose from 0 to 10meters, 10 meters to infinity and the full range of focus.  including a faster auto focus speed. You can also, as mentioned above, fine-tune this with the USB Dock to your precise specifications.

The image quality produced from this lens is really great. Though it is not the absolute sharpest lens I have ever shot with (that is reserved for the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 that I had in May), it performed beyond my expectations. I found a few sweet spots with the best aperture to use around f7.1, but nowhere was I disappointed with the lens.

Everywhere from f/2.8 through f/22 was sharp, with some minor abbreviations occurring at f/22. Generally though, the sharpness was consistent across the aperture range which, for me, is extremely impressive.

The USB dock took a stock lens from the shelf and allowed me to make micro adjustments, making this a custom lens for my style of shooting on my camera bodies.

The variable focal range… I truly appreciated the range when shooting action. Whether the 1.4 teleconverter was attached, or not, the ease at which you can go from 120mm to 300mm was appreciated.

For those of you who were waiting for Sigma to up their game, your wait has ended. The affordable professional lens for the sports shooter has landed… it is the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 and is now available in stores across North America.

I would recommend this lens to anyone that asks… if you don’t at least consider this lens you are doing yourself a disservice.

Mongolia ~ virtually untouched and waiting for you to experience it through your lens.

After the breakdown of communist regimes in Eastern Europe in late 1989, Mongolia had its Democratic Revolution in early 1990. This then led to a multi-party democratic system, a brand new constitution in 1992, followed by the transition to a market economy. A Democratic nation in Asia was born…

Democracy has given foreign investors enough confidence to stick with Mongolia during the hard times in the last 20 years. Attractive investment laws have lured some huge investors from the mining world but despite their progression, Mongolia still faces enormous economic and social challenges and remains one of the poorest countries in Asia.

Since the fall of communism, Mongolia has done just about everything in its power to open itself up to the world to show that what is truly unique about this gem of Asia. It is not often you can visit a country where ancient traditions survive and the unbridled nature is still mostly intact and extremely accessible.

Tourism, along with mining and cashmere, have become a key feature of the economy. Unfortunately the poor infrastructure and short travel season have kept vacation revenues small. But a growing network of ger camps that cater to travellers seeking ecotourism adventures is growing and gives hope for tourism dollars.

Without the presence of private property to restrict a traveller’s movement, Mongolia is a perfect destination for photographers, horse trekking, long-distance cycling and hiking, and especially for camping out under a sprawling mass of stars. With such minimal light pollution, one feels like they can reach out and touch stars that, until a visit here, they never knew existed.

Most travellers come for Naadam, the two-day summer sports festival that brought me there earlier this month. The Naadam festival is held in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar during the National Holiday from July 11 – 13. Naadam begins with an elaborate ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horse riders, and musicians dressed in traditional ware. After the ceremony, the competitions begin.

Naadam is believed to have existed for centuries in one fashion or another. Its origin in the activities, such as military parades and sporting competitions such as archery, horse riding and wrestling originated in the beginning of the 13th century when the Yuan Dynasty was established.

As early as 1206, Genghis Khan held big gatherings on the grassland in order to inspect his army and to maintain and allocate the properties. The chief leaders of all the tribes were assembled, and the gatherings were held as a sign of solidarity and hope for an abundant harvest.

I brought a group here to spend 8 days in Mongolia. We are currently visiting numerous areas in the countryside and thoroughly enjoying the sights and the people before we head back to enjoy the Naadam festival. With special passes to allow us down on the floor where the athletes are, we are sure to capture some spectacular images.

But Mongolia’s unique charm will always lie in the countryside where, rather than being a spectator to the wrestling, you may find yourself in a vast expansive land, void of travellers, in the awe of an untouched landscape. One cannot help but feel humbled!

Outside the villages nomad families still roam and their relentless sense of hospitality can at times be nothing short of overwhelming. And it is genuine… and as uncomfortable as it may make some people, the generosity and decent human spirit is refreshing for someone like me that has travelled to many parts of this world.

Think of Mongolia as an Ice Cream Sunday made up of everything you want a photographic adventure… “Mix together the vast landscapes of one of the greatest deserts on earth with the dramatic gorges and sparkling fresh water lakes of Khövsgöl, apply the topping of the snow-capped mountains of Bayan-Olgi and sprinkle the ger tents and nomads with the odd cry of a Golden Eagle and you have a recipe that you will not ever forget. “

I am sorry you couldn’t make it this July for the 2013 Naadam festival… but I am headed back in 2014. Jim Zuckerman and I will be leading a group of photographer’s on a workshop to witness the Golden Eagle Festival and the Gobi Desert… Please join us on our Photography Workshop on September 30, 2014. To learn more please click here.

Step Back In Time and Capture History Thru the Lens

Since the fall of communism, Mongolia has done just about everything in its power to open itself up to the world. While the old traditions survive and the wild nature is still mostly intact, Mongolia has also reached out to the West for economic and cultural ties.

Mix up the vast landscapes of the Gobi, the snow capped mountains of Bayan-Ölgi and the dramatic gorges and sparkling lakes of Khövsgöl. Sprinkle in the felt homes of the nomad and the cry of an eagle. Add Buddhist temples, mysterious ruins, abundant wildlife and legendary hospitality. Then top it all off with a conqueror who started with nothing and ended up changing history.

Most travellers come for Naadam, the two-day summer sports festival that brings Ulaanbaatar to a standstill. Naadam (Mongolian: Наадам, lit. "games") is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the midsummer holidays. Women have started participating in the archery and girls in the horse-racing games, but not in Mongolian wrestling.

In 2010, Naadam was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

But Mongolia’s unique charm will always lie in the countryside where, in addition to being a spectator to the wrestling with special media passes and access to the athletes at ground level or capturing the raw power of the Golden Eagle, masterfully guided by their owners, you will also find yourself outside of the games bearing witness to some of the oldest monasteries known to man and in the surrounding villages. It’s easy to meet nomad families whose relentless sense of hospitality can at times be nothing short of overwhelming.

As a travel destination, Mongolia is a special place for people who enjoy the outdoors and adventure. Heading out on the vast plains, riding horses and camping with nomad families, it offers the chance to step back in time to a simpler age and way of life. It is an invigorating and exhilarating place to visit, and remains one of the last unspoiled travel destinations in Asia.

 

Join me in Mongolia for one of two trips...

 

Naadam Festival in July of 2013 (only two spots left for this trip to Mongolia)

 

Golden Eagle Festival with Jim Zuckerman in September of 2014 (only 3 spots left for this trip to Mongolia)