Canon 7D with sigma 150mm problem

Ollie · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 11:28 AM

Hi all.

Just posting this to see if anyone else has had any problems with the Canon 7D when the Sigma 150mm lens is attached.

Three times in as many days the 7D shutter has stuck when the the Sigma 150mm lens has been attached. The camera just refuses to take any further photos until the battery has been removed and reinstalled. This appears to clear the problem and all is well again.

All other functions on the camera work apart from the lens won't focus and you can't release the shutter. All camera menus are accessible, in fact everything works apart from as mentioned the lens focussing and shutter release.

If you look through the viewfinder when this happens you just get a very dark out of focus image. Switching the camera off and giving it a few minutes before powering back up doesn't clear it either. I have also tried removing the lens and putting it back on and this doesn't work either. The only thing that clears this fault is removing the battery. I get no on screen error messages either.

I must add that I have had the Canon 580EX11 speedlite flash attached and switched on whenever this has happened. I might also add that this has never happened when I have had the Canon 400mm F5.6L lens attached despite taking thousands of photos with the 400mm.

I'm seriously considering going back to my 40D for macro work if this continues to happen.

Any thoughts or experience of this problem from anyone would be appreciated.

Brian Snail · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 03:55 PM

You should contact Sigma and explain the problem, The lens might need re-Chipping and as the 150mm is a fairly new model it should be free.

Ollie · #3 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 03:58 PM

Thanks Brian it's worth a try although I can't understand why 90% of the time it's ok. I would have thought if the lens needed re chipping it wouldn't have worked at all.

glsammy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 07:48 PM

Sorry to hear your having problems with this set up Roger.

At least it appears to be a Lens problem and not a camera fault.
I've not seen any other reports of problems with this set up, I'd have thought if there was a general compatibility problem someone else would have already posted about it. There's plenty of users using the 150mm with a 7D.
Have you tried it in manual focus mode? Perhaps it's something to do with the complicated AF settings? Not that that should cause this type of problem, but if you can eliminate as many settings as possible so much the better.
Try the 150mm with your 40D just to make sure the problem doesn't show itself in that set up,then you've got all the ammo you need to contact Sigma.
I'm about to order a 7D, I was planning to use it purely with my Bigma (for the time being!) with my 40D being used with the 150mm and the MP-E65.

Ollie · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 08:15 PM

Yes it does happen with the lens in manual focus mode Graham. I mainly use manual focus with the 150mm especially with damselflies.

Been looking on the net and can't find any issues with this set up.

Hoping to get out tomorrow so should be able to try the 150mm on the 40D although it's taken thousands of pictures with the 40D last year with no problems.

I still aren't convinced that the 7D is as good as the 40D for macro work anyway. It's a fact that it's a cracking set up with the Canon 400mm lens but the few images I have taken with the 7D and the 150mm just seem to lack that bit of punch somehow. Can't put my finger on it exactly but I'm not entirely satisfied with the results.

Anyway hopefully I should be able to try both the 40D and 7D with the 150mm tomorrow and make a decision from there.

glsammy · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

I still aren't convinced that the 7D is as good as the 40D for macro work anyway. It's a fact that it's a cracking set up with the Canon 400mm lens but the few images I have taken with the 7D and the 150mm just seem to lack that bit of punch somehow. Can't put my finger on it exactly but I'm not entirely satisfied with the results.

If you'd seen the results I got the other day when I used my 150mm for the first time this year you'd have probably thrown the camera and lens in the bin.

My excuse was I wasn't feeling well and shouldn't have tried, but the chance to get what I was after doesn't last for long so I had to have a go. I'd have been better staying at home. None of them were worth saving.

glsammy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2010, 10:38 PM

Roger, I've just sent you an email regarding this.

slimrbp · #8 (**permalink**) 12-05-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

I still aren't convinced that the 7D is as good as the 40D for macro work anyway. It's a fact that it's a cracking set up with the Canon 400mm lens but the few images I have taken with the 7D and the 150mm just seem to lack that bit of punch somehow. Can't put my finger on it exactly but I'm not entirely satisfied with the results.

Not sure about the lens issues but the lack of punch may be down to the metering the 7D uses a different type of metering to the 40D (If I understand it correctly it tries to take colour into account also) so may give different results in similar conditions.
Are you shooting jpeg or RAW? It might be the defualt processing of the jpg is slightly different, perhaps some experimentation with a RAW file in DPP to try out the various picture styles might be useful.

I went from a 40D to 7D and have been using it for macro with the Canon 100mm, MP-E65 and a recently acquired 100mm L and have been pleased with the results.

matt_xyz · #9 (**permalink**) 12-05-2010, 11:59 AM

sorry to hear you're having problems Roger. My 7D works fine with my Sigma 150, although I've not tried it with flash. I wonder if the flash is causing problems somehow?

Matt

glsammy · #10 (**permalink**) 12-05-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

sorry to hear you're having problems Roger. My 7D works fine with my Sigma 150, although I've not tried it with flash. I wonder if the flash is causing problems somehow?

Matt

Apparently it could well be the flash. I've found comments re various Canon DSLR's, from the 40D upwards that have had this problem when using the Canon flash gun.
Other users have had the same problem when using the MP-e65 as well as the Sigma 150mm, so the lens doesn't appear to be the cause of it.
It's weird that only a few users have this problem. There must be many hundreds if not thousands that have a Canon with a Canon flash and a macro lens.

My 7D will be with me tomorrow, I'll try it with my 150mm and my Sigma flash just to see how it performs.