Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 HSM OS initial review

In my last post I discussed my brief experience with the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC blah de blah (insert lots of other abbreviated letters here). I also talked about why, in the end, I swapped it for the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 HSM OS.

In the previous post to that (see here) I wrote about why I was even getting a new lens in the first place, and about swapping back to Canon after using an Olympus micro four thirds system for the last two years. I had a wedding coming up, and just a week out from the big event, I was prompted (literally) to trade in all my gear and move back to a DSLR kit.

Of course the most important component of any camera system is.... the lens (shame on you if you said camera body). Shooting a wedding is a one-off event. So I wanted to know that the gear was going to stand up to the pressure of the day, and perform. The Canon 50D is a known entity - I've owned and used all the mid-range Canon DLSR's from the 10D upwards to the 50D, and used them on many weddings. And, of course, I took two 50D bodies with me on the wedding day, so that I would have back-up if one failed (it didn't).

The Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 however, isn't a lens I've ever used - and except for a couple of quick snaps in my lounge, I wasn't going to have time to really test it out before the wedding day. Scary stuff (and not something I advise to be honest).

Blue eyes. Sigma 17-50mm. 1/60th @ f2.8, ISO 1000

Well, I needn't have worried. The Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 HSM OS is a stellar lens. A fantastic piece of kit. If you can't tell already, I'm chuffed to bits with it as a lens, and I have a weddings worth of fabulous images to prove why.

You don't get a constant aperture f2.8 lens to shoot it at f8 all day, especially when light levels are low - so for most of the wedding day I shot the Sigma wide open at f2.8 (or there abouts). From the very first image the results were spectacular! Look at the image on the right, shot wide open at f2.8. The front eye (that I focused on and recomposed) is razor sharp and the background blur (bokeh) is smooth and creamy. This is one of the first images I took on the wedding day, and a quick check by magnifying the image on the rear lcd screen of the camera confirmed that the Sigma/Canon combination had nailed focus. I was very happy, and this one image gave me the confidence to shoot the Sigma wide-open for the rest of the day and not worry about sharpness.

I did get a few slightly unsharp shots mixed in with the rest during the day, but I'm quite happy to put that down completely to user-error and not the fault of the equipment, which worked flawlessly.

Make it Quick! 50D with Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS. 1/25th @ f8, ISO 1000

I did occasionally take the aperture off of f2.8, especially if there were large groups involved. The image of the bridal party isn't the greatest wedding image ever taken, but it was raining quite heavily and so we ran outside under a tree to take literally one quick shot.

What the photo does demonstrate is the Sigma's corner sharpness, at 17mm, with an f8 aperture. This is ideal landscape photography territory (I'm a landscape photographer first and foremost after all), and the result is very pleasing. Very good extreme corner edge sharpness, and very sharp overall - considering the shutter speed of only 1/25th sec! The OS (optical stabilisation) system is really proving its worth in this image, and is smooth and quiet in operation (unlike Tamron's noisy and clunky VC implementation). As with all wide angle zoom settings, there is some edge distortion, but this is to be expected and probably easily corrected for in post. Besides, the Sigma probably won't be my 'go to' landscape lens - I have the Canon 10-22mm ultra-wide for that (which, as an ultra-wide, also has a lot of distortion).

Jess. Sigma 17-50mm f2.8. 1/80th @ f2.8, ISO 200

What the Sigma will be used for, is as my general, all-purpose lens. And as a 17-50mm (27-80mm equivalent) this is where it excels. It was the only lens I used on the wedding day, going from 17mm wide angle for group and ceremony shots, to 50mm telephoto for portraits at the flick of a wrist. The autofocus is accurate and the HSM mechanism quick and deadly silent.

The body is manufactured from high quality polycarbonate plastic, with a metal lens mount and all-glass lens elements. These include two FD elements (similar to flourite) as well as Aspherical moulded lenses to correct for abberations - which they seem to do admirably. My copy is tightly constructed, with no obvious seems or joins, wobbles or creaks. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a slight 'rattle' from the lens if it is shaken (don't shake the lens) that comes from the OS system. This is normal, and is consistent with other Sigma products. I had a Sigma 60mm f2.8 OS telephoto for my Olympus micro four thirds that rattled like a baby's toy, but performance was excellent.

At 77mm, the front element is rather large, which unfortunately means big $$ for filters. But I already had a 77mm UV for the Canon 10-22mm, and the camera store threw in a 77mm Polariser to make up the price difference with the Tamron I had purchased, so I've come away with the filters I need anyway.

Trav & Jess, Rapahoe. Canon 50D with Sigma 17-50mm f2.8. 1/200th @ f3.5, ISO 200. Canon 430EX III flash

Am I happy with how the Canon 50D and Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 performed on the wedding day? I think you can tell that I am. The Sigma is a fantastic lens - sharp, well balanced, with excellent colour rendition and contrast (no warm colour cast that I can detect), and sharp - did I mention sharp? I think I did 😉 In fact, on some of the close-up bridal portraits I thought that it was actually too sharp! So much so that I applied some skin softening in post to reduce the effect. Now that's sharp.

I'm aware that people talk about copy variance with third-party lenses. Some Sigma's (and Tokina's and Tamron's) have been known to suffer from back or front focusing issues so that images don't come out sharply focused on the intended area. I must have a good copy, because I'm not seeing any focusing issues that would cause me concern. It also seems that maybe Sigma have 'uped' their quality control game over the years? Their 'Art' series lenses are getting amazing reviews - for build quality and IQ, although so they should, since they come at a premium.

The next lens I'm actually interested in is the Sigma 50mm f1.4 HSM DG. Again, it gets great reviews for sharpness and build quality - even surpassing the Canon 50mm f1.4. We have one of  these where I work, so I can feel a 50mm lens comparison test coming on...

Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC Mini Review

Last post I mentioned my somewhat brief experience with the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC lens (or the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 XR Di II VC LD IF lens to give it its full and proper title - whew!). Although I only had it for a few hours, and returned it due to some internal lens element issues (some fungal blooming was developing), it was long enough to take some test images and formulate some opinions of the lens in general. Opinions I'm going to share here... 😀

First, let me repeat that last sentence. 'Opinions' I'm going to share here. These are just my opinions, from my admittedly brief time with this lens. Of course a few hours with a lens isn't enough time to give an in-depth review (hence the 'mini review' in the title of this post). But it's also more than enough time for me to formulate an opinion on any piece of gear, one way or the other. Oh, and spoiler alert - I would have returned the lens even if it didn't have fungus issues.

Initially though, I have to admit to being impressed by the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC. At 570g it's a fairly hefty and substantial piece of kit, and certainly has a 'presence' to it. It looks the business, and the fit and finish is of a reasonably high quality. Nothing wobbled or creaked on my second-hand copy, even though it looked as if it had a reasonable amount of use.
There is a lot of plastic involved in the lenses construction, but it has a metal lens mount, and the plastic feels extremely dense and solid. As mentioned, it really does feel very substantial in the hand (and on the camera).

Unfortunately, this also happens to be my first grumble with this lens. I actually think it's a bit too hefty. Yes, seriously. Maybe I've been a bit spoilt using mirrorless over the last two years, but even the all-metal constructed M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro I was trading in for this lens only weighs 382g. I also think that some of the issue I had was because it seems to be a very back-heavy lens. A lot of the weight felt as if it was concentrated at the mount-end (rear), making it a very unbalanced lens. Attached to the Canon 50D body, the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC gave me the impression that it was placing a lot of strain on the cameras bayonet lens mount. I'm sure this isn't an issue - I haven't heard of any camera mounts being destroyed by the tamron. But it's certainly the feeling I got when I used this lens, and I can't say I've ever felt that way with a lens before - ever.

Pruning. Canon 50D with Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC. 1/320th @ f3.5, ISO 100. (at 17mm)

The other annoyance I noticed straight away with the lens was to do with the VC (vibration control). It makes a very audible 'clunk' sound as the vibration control kicks in - which is very annoying. The VC works - no doubt - it's just quite noisy, and quite noticeable while it's doing it! I don't know if this is the same with all Tamron's VC lenses, but it was certainly the case with this lens.

Tree - Opawa. 50D with Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC. 1/250th @ f3.5 (at 17mm)

And finally (I did say this was a 'mini' review), we come to IQ (image quality). It's ok. Really - just ok. Centrally it's sharp from f2.8, but the corners are very soft, especially at 17mm. It also exhibits quite a high level of purple fringing, and stopping down doesn't really help in this regard. Purple fringing was clearly evident in areas of high contrast, even at f5.6.

There's obvious distortion at the edges at 17mm (look at the lean on the house at the edge of the frame), but I won't hold that against the lens - it's fairly common for standard zooms at the wide angle end.

Finishing on a positive - vignetting seems well controlled at the wide angles, wide open, and autofocusing was quick and responsive (albeit with a little noise from the focusing motor).

No, as I said at the beginning, I didn't do exhaustive tests. Don't need to. Wandering around a park on a Monday morning, taking 'snaps' of anything that took my fancy, at apertures that I would normally shoot at, tells me everything I need to know about the lenses image quality and performance. And for me, it was a lens I struggled to like and get along with. So I went back that morning and exchanged it for the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8. And I have to say, the performance is night and day different.

Outside Springfield - Canterbury. Canon 50D with Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS. 1/60th @ f11, ISO 100

I prefer everything about the Sigma, when compared to the Tamron. Ironically, at 565g, it's only 5g lighter than the Tamron - but it feels a lot lighter because it's a better balanced lens. The front element is even bigger (77mm vs 72mm) which would normally suggest a lens would be heavier, but the Sigma is a fraction lighter despite the bigger front. In operation the Sigma is quieter and faster, and has a much better (i.e. silent) image stabilisation system (Sigma call it OS - optical stabilisation). It's also considered a sharper lens that the Tamron, and while I can't confirm this with a side-by-side comparison, images I've taken with the Sigma have been crazy, insanely sharp. On par with the Canon 17-55mm f2.8 I owned once upon a time ago. And corner sharpness on the Sigma does seem significantly better than on the Tamron.

I'm not a Sigma fanboy, or a Tamron hater. When I walked out of the camera store with the Tamron I was a very excited and happy camper - until I actually used it. The Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC lens I used was an unbalanced, noisy beast that I didn't get along with (lens element issues aside). Images from it were just so-so, and I would have a hard time recommending the lens to anyone.

Ironically, when I was returning the lens the next day, a woman was purchasing a brand new Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC over a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 HSM OS. Apparently the Tamron was $100 cheaper. I would have paid the extra $100 bucks for the Sigma...   

And back to Canon again... again

I've been re-reading my blogposts from the last 10 years (yes, I really have been blogging for that long), and I think I've used the title of this particular post on at least three other occasions (apart from the extra 'again' at the end).

And yes, it's true. After about 2 years as an Olympus micro-four-thirds mirrorless user, I've once again moved camps and switched allegiances back to Canon DLSR's. "How come"? - I hear no one ask. Well, it's slightly bewildering to me as well, but let me explain as succinctly as I can....

I loved using my Olympus E-M1, and E-M5 II. They are truly outstanding cameras.I've extolled the virtues of said cameras on this blog (and in other guest posts) and will continue to do so. But, I have also written on this blog about my continued (and almost impossible to shake) love affair with the DLSR. And even though I've pretty much used them all, the one system I seem to keep coming back to, is Canon.

As the top dog in camera manufacturers (sales figures and Sony be damned), everyone loves to hate Canon. They have, as the saying goes, the furthest to fall. Yet in the same breath, almost everyone praises Canon's IQ and colour science. They just produce beautiful image files. Not to mention the ergonomics.

But I will - mention the ergonomics I mean. Because the ergonomics of a Canon enthusiast range to top end DLSR are exceptional. The large back control wheel and joystick combination on most of their cameras is ingenious. Best end user-experience bar none (IMHO). And this is where I think the Olympus E-M1 and E-M5 was let down a little - ergonomically. At least for me. Even with the grip attached, my E-M1 just didn't feel all that comfortable in the hand. Canon's DLSR's, however, certainly do (again, to me).

Also, looking back on my previous blogposts, I always seem to come to a crucial decision over camera systems when wedding season is approaching. I might not be a wedding shooter anymore, but it seems that this trend has continued. Because I have a wedding coming up - next weekend in fact (as I write this), and here I am, changing back to Canon just before I have a wedding to shoot.

I was quite happy - and would have been quite happy, to shoot the wedding with my Olympus E-M1. I had no intention of changing a week out from the big day. Honest. So why did I, and what changed my mind?

Last weekend, my wife and I had to go to Christchurch for a medical appointment. I was planning a trip to Photo and Video in Merivale to check out (drool over) the new Olympus E-M1x. Simple enough. But, literally the night before we were due to head off, I woke up at 4am with one thought in my mind - 'trade in your Olympus gear for a Canon DLSR before the wedding'. Try as I might, I couldn't get this thought out of my head, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I honestly hadn't thought about anything other than checking out the new E-M1x prior to waking at 4am - but there it was, and it wouldn't go away.

I've written previously about how, as a Christian, I believe God often leads me with my photography. Whether you believe this or not, I do believe that he is interested in all aspects of our lives. As a creative God, I feel his presence most deeply when I'm outside being creative myself. And I also believe that if the Holy Spirit prompts you at 4am, then you would do well to listen.

I eventually got up a couple of hours later and had a workout on the exercise bike. While cycling on the spot, I looked up Photo and Video's website to see what they had available in their second hand department. I had decided that if I couldn't walk away with an almost identical Canon kit after trading in my Olympus gear, then I wasn't interested (I was listening to God's prompting, but I'm not stupid! 😇). Not surprisingly (sorry God), they had everything I wanted in stock (second-hand) if I could get the right price for my trade-in.

I decided on a Canon 50D body (I already have a very well-used one on permanent loan) with a Sigma 17-50mm HSM OS f2.8 lens and Canon 430EX II flash. This would basically give me like-for-like (roughly), and actually get me a more comprehensive kit because I already have a Canon 10-22mm EF-S, Canon 90-300mm f4.5/5.6 USM and BG-E2 vertical grip for the 50D.

As mentioned earlier, I love the ergonomics of the 50D. It's the last of the pro-sumer magnesium-alloy bodied XXD cameras (released in 2008). From the 60D onwards they've changed the materials and control wheel design slightly, and I like it less. So it's the 15MP, magnesium alloyed 50D for me!

The 50D at Photo & Video was in good condition, with a low shutter count (just over 9000 actuation's), at a great price. The Canon 430EX II speedlite was similarly in good condition at a good price - and even more importantly, it looked like they were going to offer me a great deal on my Olympus kit (in absolute mint condition). So, much to my surprise (and growing excitement), the deal was almost done! And now to the lens...

Again, I was adamant that I didn't want to loose out on the quality that I had, so a constant f2.8 mid-range zoom to replace the outstanding Olympus Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro was a must. Trouble is, these lenses don't tend to be cheap - even the third-party offerings. But the website indicated they had a couple of Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 lenses available, and a quick check of lens reviews for the Sigma on Youtube looked promising. To my surprise, however, the salesman helping me out with the deal (thanks Adam) reached in the case and pulled out a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC lens. I hadn't even considered a Tamron (it wasn't listed on their website), but what a beast! Attached to the 50D it's a monster of a lens - exceptionally well made, very heavy, and quite imposing. Almost - dare I say it - a little 'too' heavy? Yeah, I know - what did I expect. Isn't it what I wanted, after all? But I was coming from micro four thirds remember - and even I have my limits for weight in a camera 😳

Regardless, I was willing to take his advice, and so the deal was struck. An Olympus OM-D E-M1 with HLD-7 Grip and M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro (plus camera remote release, spare battery and accessory flash) traded in for a Canon 50D with Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 VC lens and Canon 430EX II flashgun. Good deal!

That night, back at the Hotel, I checked over my 'new' Canon kit and started to set up the 50D how I like to shoot (I may do a post on that another time?). Looking over the Tamron, I was still impressed/surprised at the weight of the lens, but on closer inspection I thought I could detect quite a few blemishes on the front lens element. Nothing a quick clean wouldn't fix - I thought. But... on even closer inspection, it appeared to me that there was the start of some fungal blooming on the inside of the front lens elements. Not good!

Long story short - I returned the lens the next day, and swapped it for the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 that I thought I would go for in the first place. The Sigma is in pristine condition, has an even bigger front lens element (77mm rather than the 72mm of the Tamron), but is, in fact, lighter than the Tamron - and apparently a little sharper if the online reviews are to be believed. I am much happier with the Sigma lens over the Tamron - fungal issues of the Tamron aside. The Sigma just seems to be a better match with the Canon 50D. Quick example; the Tamron lens doesn't 'talk' to the Canon 430EZ flash for distance information when zooming the flash head, whereas the Sigma does. Go figure?

So yes, I've made the switch back to Canon - again. And, as I've written quite a few times on this blog, I couldn't be happier. With the 50D body and grip, Sigma 17-50mm f2.8, Canon 10-22mm EF-S, Canon 90-300mm f4.5/5.6 USM and Canon 430EZ II Speedlite, I've got a comprehensive system for the wedding this weekend (it's a 'freebie' for friends). I've even got a little store credit at Photo & Video left over than I might put to good use soon if/when a fast prime (nifty 50?) turns up in their second-hand department. I'm already thinking about possible future lens purchases (fast prime, macro, fisheye). Good times 👍     

 

Sigma 50-500mm test shots

It's been typical spring weather here on the coast over the last few weeks - rain, rain and more rain!

But I managed to get one clear (although somewhat windy) day recently so I took the opportunity to go outside and grab a few test shots with the Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 EX APO.

I set the lens up on my sturdiest tripod - a Slik Pro700DX with Manfrotto three-way 141RC head, turned 'Steady Shot' off (recommended whenever the camera is tripod mounted), and attached a Sony A100 body to the lens. This set up definitely felt solid enough, even with the bit of wind that was blowing outside at the time.

Sigma 50-500mm at 50mm @ f8, Sony A100

Our back yard overlooks a paddock, and then across a road into another field. Horses are usually roaming around in this second field, so I used them as a 'subject' to test the 50-500mm range on. The first shot above is taken at 50mm (75mm fov on the A100), and as you can see, the horses are pretty small in the centre of the frame. In fact, it's pretty difficult to make them out.

Sigma 50-500mm at 200mm @ f8

The Sigma has markings for 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500mm - so I shot at all of these settings. The jump from 50 to 100mm isn't all that significant - so lets just go to 200mm as seen above. At 200mm the horses are definitely able to be seen - forming at least part of the overall composition. Contrast is good, and sharpness at f8 is acceptable to good.

Sigma 50-500mm at 300mm @ f8

Zooming in to 300mm places a little more emphasis on the horse as the main subject - while sharpness and contrast remain the same. The tripod was certainly solid enough, although I could see that the more I zoomed out with the lens, the less 'stable' the image appeared in the viewfinder. Above 300mm I'd hate to be hand-holding this lens that's for sure!

It was more of the same at 400mm, so let's just skip to the chase and have a look at the 500mm shot, shall we?

Sigma 50-500mm at 500mm @ f8

At a whopping 500mm (750mm fov on the A100), the horses are now the subject of the photo. And just look at how close we managed to get from where we started at 50mm! It's still 'reasonably' sharp, although I probably wouldn't print larger than 8x10 - and would apply a decent amount of sharpening to the file. I will also say that I noticed a decrease in contrast from 400 to 500mm - but this is easily adjusted in Photoshop to bring it back in line with the other focal lengths.

This was just a very quick focal length test, to get the feeling for the actual 'reach' of this lens. For a more in-the-field test I plan on taking the lens and a monopod down to a local lagoon and chase some birds around. Then I'll really get to see what this lens is capable of in a real-world shooting scenario.

Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 APO EX 'Bigma'

One of the less obvious reasons to buy into a particular system when you are choosing which DSLR to go for, is to consider what your friends may already have. If all your friends all shoot Nikon, and you buy the only Canon, then that limits you in terms of shared learning that you can participate in. But, much more importantly, it limits you in terms of the extra gear that you might have access to. If a friend buys that new 40mm pancake lens that you've heard so much about - or better still that strangely exotic 15mm fisheye, and you both use the same camera system, then some borrowing and lending of lenses can take place (so long as you trust they will take care of your gear). But if you are the only guy with the Nikon, then you're kinda stuck.

Many people use this as an argument for buying a Canon camera, since 'most' of the entry-level DSLR purchases are in the Canon system. Oddly enough, my decision to move to the Sony range (apart from being taken with the incredible technology they are coming out with in their camera bodies) is due to my being able to 'borrow' a whole swag of Sony/Minolta/Zeiss lenses from a friend.

Case in point: I haven't even bought the camera body yet, and the other day as I was talking to him (Hi Stew), he said that he had something for me. And oh boy, did he ever...

Sigma 50-500mm f4/6.3 APO EX lens. Nicknamed the 'BIGMA' for obvious reasons.

From the back of his car he produced this 'bad boy' - the Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 APO EX lens - a massive (both in weight and size) 10x zoom lens. Stew told me he hardly ever used it, and it was mine if I was interested.

I'm not much of a super-telephoto shooter myself. I don't shoot a lot of sports or action, and I am definitely no bird or wildlife photographer. But, I do shoot sports occasionally - and really enjoy it. And whenever I do I always have to beg, steal or borrow a lens to do the job.

Well now, with the Sigma 50-500mm in my arsenal, I don't have to borrow anymore. Attached to an APS-C sensor camera like the Sony A200, this 50-500mm monster becomes a 75-750mm MEGA-monster! 750 freakin millimeters!

Of course that comes with its own unique set of problems. First - it's a relatively slow lens at the top end at f6.3. I'd prefer if it were f5.6, but we are talking 750mm, with an 86mm front element. It's big and heavy enough as it is, without doubling the front of the element to let in twice the amount of light! So I'll live with f6.3 and probably only shoot with it on sunny days.

Second - because it is still big and relatively heavy, with a telescopic zoom that stretches from here to eternity, it's a fairly unstable lens - hence the tripod collar. At the very least, I will only use this lens attached to a monopod, although it could probably benefit from my most solid, stable (and heavy) tripod. Sigma have bought out a newer (more expensive) version of this lens with OS for Canon and Nikon, and you'd have to say that a lens of this size and magnification could really use it.

But of course, with the Sony cameras, Image Stabilisation (Steady Shot) is built right into the camera (thank you Sony), so I don't need the OS version (which they don't make for Sony anyway). Even so, I will still limit this lens to monopod/tripod only use.

Internet reviews suggest that this lens is actually a surprisingly good performer - even wide open - and pretty sharp all over stopped down to f8. The lens Stew gave me is in pretty good nick, although I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. What I did notice, however, was that the tripod collar didn't allow for rotation into a portrait orientation - it seemed 'glued' into place. A quick check on the web revealed that this 'sticking' is a common problem. And sure enough, with a little CRC and careful (but firm) elbow grease, I managed to get the collar moving again. On some models the collar can come off completely - while on other models it can't. Alas, mine is in the later category. But I managed to wedge some q-tips soaked in Isopropyl Alcohol in the gap where the mount unscrews to release the locking pressure, and move them around the lens barrel to pick up the 'gunk'. Moves pretty freely now.

I'm looking forward to taking this lens out for a spin. In about a month we have some motorcycle street racing here in Greymouth. I can see some serious telephoto zoom action happening about then...

Sigma 10-20mm f4/5.6 EX DC HSM Ultra Wide angle

I'm determined to get out and about as much as I can this summer with the D90 and I'm looking forward to the many fantastic shots we'll take together. Weddings aside, it's the landscape images I'm most excited about taking, and a large part of this is having the Sigma 10-20mm f4/5.6 ultra-wide angle lens in my kit.

The weather has been miserable lately, but we finally got a fine day on Sunday, so I went out late afternoon to one of my favorite coastal beaches to try the 10-20mm out.

9 Mile Beach - Nikon D90 with Sigma 10-20mm @ f8

I must confess I've never really been an ultra-wide fan, although I have previously owned a Sigma 15-30mm (the one with bulbous front element and built-in hood) that I really enjoyed using. It was a sharp and fun lens to use, and restored my faith in Sigma lenses after having a couple of disappointing prior experiences.

The Sigma 10-20mm f4/5.6 EX lens is a solid, compact lens with a fast and quiet HSM focusing motor, which allows for full-time manual 'tweaking' of the focus, even when you remain in autofocus mode. Not that you really need to tweak the focus on an ultra-wide. Set it to f8 and just about everything from front to back will be in sharp focus (see above).

Same settings as above. Why change a winning formula :-)

The 'EX' designation means that this is one of Sigma's 'pro' series lenses, although it is specifically designed for the smaller APS-C sensored cameras like the D90. If I was ever to move up to full frame, I would have to sell the lens - but that's a long way off yet, and may never happen?

The lens is finished in the famous Sigma 'matt black crinkle' which also, famously, tends to wear off - although my lens shows no signs of that at the moment. I must admit I'm not a huge fan of this type of finish and I think in more recent models Sigma has moved away from this to a more traditional (harder wearing) finish.

Lots of detail and heaps of colour - that's what ultra-wides are made for!

Whether the finish eventually wears off or not is neither here nor there though - what really matters in a wide angle landscape lens is the colour, contrast and sharpness - and the Sigma has this in spades! The smallish petal type lens hood does a reasonable job of shading the 77mm glass frontage, although I would be careful (i.e. avoid) shooting directly into the sun. When zoomed all the way out to 10mm (the equivalent of 15mm in full frame!) you can still have the sun glaring into your view when it feels like it's behind you!

The huge field of view that this lens afford is what makes it such fun, but also what makes it rather tricky to use effectively. Tilt the lens down and horizons will start to bow, yet not alarmingly so. The lens is actually well designed to avoid any massive distortion - but you can make it happen if you really try (and if you like the effect). Focus was fast, snappy and silent on my D90 - and the large zoom ring turns smoothly and is a joy to use.

NOT taken with the Sigma 10-20mm. I just like the shot :-)

Sigma's 10-20mm f4/5.6 EX DC HSM is a fantastic lens and a great inclusion to any landscape photographers arsenal. Some may disregard this lens for its 'faster' (and more expensive) brother, the 10-20mm f3.5 - but why? Seriously, if you're looking at an ultra-wide angle lens to isolate your subject and blur out the background with a wide open aperture, then you're looking at the wrong lenses my friend. Yes, you will most likely be using these lenses in low light - but you should also be using them at around f8 anyway, and your camera should be on a tripod! Even if I had the f3.5 version, I wouldn't shoot with it wide open, that's just not what these lenses are for. At f8 to f11, both lenses will be practically identical - so save yourself some money and opt for the 'slower' f4/5.6 version. This is landscape photography, not portraiture.

I'm very happy with the lens, and with the first images I've taken with it. Hopefully, over the course of this summer, there'll be plenty more where that came from.

Sigma 10-20mm on its way.

What was I thinking!

Why would you try to make a DX prime lens kit? Three lenses was only going to give me the equivalent of a 35 to 70mm in traditional film photography terms - and I would never buy a 35-70mm lens in my wildest dreams! I repeat - "What was I thinking!?"

Well, I've come to my senses now, and have embraced all that is good and right and true about the humble zoom lens. Forget all this 24mm prime rubbish - I've gone and got myself a real wide angle lens for DX shooters - the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM!

Finally - a 'real' ultra-wide lens

On a D90 with the x1.5 crop factor, this 10-20mm lens will give the equivalent of a 15 to 30mm lens - that's seriously wide.

And being an EX lens means that it's well built, uses 3 aspherical lens elements and 3 SLD (special low dispersion) elements to correct for lens aberrations. The HSM (high speed motor) gives it quick and quiet auto focusing, and the front element doesn't rotate, making the use of filters easy.

See... this is the kind of stuff you need to have in today's lenses - the kind of whiz-bang techno stuff that helps you create sharp, colourful, contrasty images. Why fight it, when you can embrace it and use it to create the kind of images you only dreamed were possible in the 'good old days' of 24mm primes  :-)

Bother! I havn't even got the 24mm yet and I'm already thinking of selling it!

Well, as I said last post - it's all a learning curve. And even after 25 years in this game, I'm still learning.