5 comments about Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 EX DG IF Aspherical Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. Like some of the other reviews here, my copy was a bad one and I had to return it. Completely useless at 2.8f. Strangely enough, all the problems suddenly goes away and the lens tunrs tack sharp at f4. I bought this lens after I tried one of my friend's copy which had good sharpness at wide open through entire zoom range. I know this particular lens had same wide open sharpness problem during early production and was hence recalled in some counties like Korea and Japan. It makes me wonder whether we are receiving those recalled product or I was just unlucky with my copy.



2. love the product and am very pleased; the lens is one of my favorites. I have an excellent copy of the tamron 28-75 xr and this is just as good IMO. This lens matches my other sigma lenses, anal about that; and the build and function is prefect. A slight bito lens creep but the throw is only about an inch, so no hassle, (focusing great on the D300 and matches well) and a touch of flare in the sun, but nothing I cant handle, especailly considering the price I paid for this, I mean Im feeling forgiving. Sigma has my vote. I just ordered the 150 macro, and I got the 10-20 and the 15 fish, and also a 14 rectal. Oh and I got the 189$ 18-200 DC for the D70; fits nice, small and sharp, great for a beater kit.
   Amazon rocks too! Cameta camera is quick and responsive. Great team.



3. I purchased this lens to replace a Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX that was stolen along with my D50 . This is now my main normal zoom and on my D200 about 75% of the time. It sits nicely between my Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX D HSM.
   
   This is probably the sharpest zoom lens I've ever owned. It's sharper than all of the other third-party lenses I've owned in the 24/28-70/75/80mm f/2.8 range. I've owned several others from Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. This is by far the sharpest and is completely usable at f/2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. It is also much more compact and light weight than the other third party options. It's about the same length and weight as the 18-70mm kit lens, but with a 77mm thread size. This makes for a body+lens combo that is very compact and easy to handle while still having the benefit of an f/2.8 aperture.
   
   The one minor negative I've found with this lens is a slightly less-than-smooth bokeh at f/2.8. It's a very minor complaint and would not have come to my attention had it not been for some forum posters who are much more critical of bokeh than I usually am.
   
   All in all, this lens is a bargain. It is noticeably sharper than the other 3rd party options in the range an, at the same time, is more compact and lightweight while maintaining acceptable build quality. 24mm is noticably wider than the other 28-XXmm options and wide enough for everyday use if you have a wide or ultra-wide lens to round out your kit. For anyone looking for a budget f/2.8 normal zoom, this one is tough to beat.



4. I know that Sigma is not the best when it come to QC. The sample variations can be huge but if you get a good one they are very good. This lens is very good, reasonably sharp wide open and very sharp stopped down. CA's are controlled and I have had no focusing problems with my D200. For the money it is an excellent value.



5. So maybe I am very lucky. My copy of this lens is superb. Yes there is a difference in sharpness when shooting at 2.8 but it is still very sharp and once you go smaller than the 4's it is SHARPER than comparable nikon lenses.
   
   This lens is quiet, focuses fast and zooms smoothly on my D80. All three of these things are issues others have had but I do not have. Cameta has a good return policy so why not try it at this price? I am happy I decided to go for it and feel like it is one of the best deals in my bag. Please note: (I have several fast pro Nikon lenses I have compared this too when making my review, not just other 3rd party lenses)

4 comments about Sigma EX DG 55mm Multi-Coated UV Filter.

1. So far so good. Nothing to complain.Great quality, cheap price. The seller is also great(42nd street). Likely to purchase stuff again.



2. I wasn't looking to get a piece of this quality, simply to protect my lens, but this one is excellent. Go for it.



3. Great price compared to retail stores. Fit perfect and does the job. I purchased this mainly to protect the lens surface, plus I get UV filtering too.



4. That's great to but this product by the low price. The quality is very good.

5 comments about Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 EX DG IF Aspherical Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.

1. I just purchased the Sigma 24-60mm lens.I sent it back to get a nikon lens. I took over 200 test photos with this lens and the kit nikon 18-55mm lens. I was expecting the Sigma to win hands down. Most pictures with the Sigma at F/2.8 where unusable. They where very soft with poor resolution: all pictures taken on tripod with timer release. I was able
   to get some good photos at F/8 and higher. I had my hopes up for the Sigma, since it appeared to be well built and had the macro capability that I was looking for. My advice is test the lens before you put down your hard earned cash.I would think that if you bought a lens for the fast F/2.8 stop: you want good pictures at that F/stop. It is not very feasible to be forced to take pictures at f/8.0 or greater to get good pictures. I also bought a Sigma 50mm Macro and it is sharp through out the F/stop range. I did not have the time or desire to fight with Sigma USA about how unsharp an image is before it becomes worthless. I will in the future hand test any lens, before I buy a non-Nikon lens.



2. Got this len from Cameta through Amazon. Perfect transaction, good communication quick shipping well packed.
   
   The lens was bad. It was soft on left side and 2.8 was full of flare it improved stopped down but was not right.The focus also was very noisy. Cameta accepted a return and promptly shipped another. The the next lens is probably as good as this lens gets although some claim exceptional performance equal to pro OEM.
   
   I have no issues with its auto focus. The focus is accurate. It makes more noise than my 18-70 AFS lens but less than my 28-200 D series and about the same volume as my 28-105D while the sound is different. It has a nice sound to it unlike my first copy where there was a raggedy uncertainty about it. It is quite fast and accurate. Not being a church shooter the sound of a servo motor/drive is OK by me. It really makes the focus confirmation beep superfulous. When the motor stops you know you are there. My AFS lens always makes me wonder if it did anything as I keep the beep set to off.
   
   At the F2.8 aperature the image files it produces have some things going on. They are not as sharp and exhibit underexposure by about 1/2 to maybe 1 F stop. They sharpen up and the exposure is correct at F3.5 and sharper still at F4.The sharpness gets better as you stop down to about F11. The 2.8 image looks like a vignete both in sharpness and exposure it is much darker at the edges. I am guessing that Sigma wanted it this way for portraits. As my family ages I am maybe not so interested in needle sharp representations. With this lens if I use F 2.8 it will soften some of the experience lines and I sort of like a portrait to be darker on the edges. If there is a perfect person ie, a kid then I can just stop down to F4 and it sharpens up nicely. The test I shot on a raggedy anne doll show that there is not much difference in depth of field between 2.8 and 4 at the point of focus. The raggedy anne is about the size of a newborn baby. Both eyes would not be in focus at 2.8 or 4 with the subject turned about 30 degrees from dead straight mug shot. My point is that maybe to much is made of 2.8 for shooting where the real benifit is maybe better autofocus in low light.
   
   The rendering of color is a little different than my Nikkors. It seems to have a little colder rendition when outside but the same indoors if that makes any sence. I had heard of a warmer cast with Sigma lens but this lens does not exhibit that trait.
   
   Well it is not a Nikkor 24-70 but I did'nt expect it to be for $$$ against$$$$ and like most lens it is a compromise. The build quality seems very high, fit and finish are nice and it has some heft to it indicating more metal than plastic in its construction. It comes with petal hood and very nice case with belt loops and camera strap loops. 1 year international and 3 year USA for total 4 years. You pay postage both ways.
   
   Worth noting is this is a full frame lens. I am using it on a D200 DX format so your results on full frame or a 6 megapixel dx format cam may be worse or better! Hope this is helpful, Dennis



3. This lens is Sigma's hidden little secret. My version is extremely sharp, even at F/2.8 and has no focusing issues. It is extremely well made and comes with a lens hood and a case - both of which more expensive Canon lenses don't come with in the box.
   
   Focusing speed is very reasonable and accurate, it has no trouble in low light like some less-expensive lenses. Build quality is amazing. Metal construction, smooth rotation on both the focus and zoom rings, even a zoom-creep lock to help with storage. I have used this on both a Full Frame 35mm camera and a Canon 1.6x Digital SLR and it has worked perfectly
   
   The negatives - inconsistent quality control - some get great lenses, others aren't, although Sigma will happily fix and return the lens within a week or so. 77mm filters are also a pain, especially since they could have used 72mm filters which are less expensive.
   
   Overall, I'd recommend the lens, and is a GREAT step up from the standard lens that comes with the camera.



4. I love this lens. Bought it to replace my EF-S 17-85 for the kind of shooting I do. I highly recomment this lens as an upgrade to the Canon kit lens on the Rebel XT/XTi, it's great for indoor shooting.
   
   
   Pros:
   
   High image quality- near that of Canon "L" lenses such as the 24-70L
   Very sharp, lovely color.
   
   Constant f/2.8 aperture makes it perfect for a budget wedding lens, or for use indoors with no flash. I was able to shoot at a carnival at night handheld at ISO1600 and get a fast enough shutter speed.
   
   Nice Depth of field, Lovely bokeh (background blur).
   
   Built extremely well, does not feel cheap and the zoom is nice and tight. Nice finish to it, comes with a nice bag and lens hood.
   
   
   
   Cons:
   
   With a wide angle of 24mm, it is more suited for a full frame camera. With the Rebel series and 20D/30D/40D some may prefer a zoom lens with a wide angle of 17 or 18mm. I personally don't find this much of a problem, however, just take a few steps back. This lens is great for portraits.
   
   
   My suggestion- if you are a beginner photographer or on a budget and can not afford lenses that cost $400 such as the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, or $1000 on Canon's 17-55 f/2.8 IS or 24-70 f/2.8, then this is the lens for you!!



5. First, yes Sigma do have a reputation for QC issues. Mine include, as the focus locked up after about a week, requiring a trip to Sigma. Not a great start.
   
   However, since then I've been very happy with the lens. It handles great, has a reasonable range, good speed, and top quality build and optics. You really can get some great shots from this lens. If I had a chance to make the choice again, I'd still want this lens in my bag, despite the problems.

5 comments about Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.

1. This lens was everything what I waited ! Excellent sharpness and contrast, good finishing and a good price



2. I have employed my Rebel XT digital SLR into my dental office. I upgraded to the Rebel XTi (10 mpixels) for home. I purchased the Sigma ring flash with a Sigma macro lens for the Canon SLR family. If you look at the Lester Dine website this is basically what they sell for a few hundreds dollars more.
   
   I compared the ring flash and lens with the ones offered by Canon and felt that it was worth saving $300 by purchasing the Sigma combo.
   
   The macro lens/ring flash work well for dental purposes. After a little experimentation I discovered that I get the best images by using the aperature priority setting. All settings are used with ISO 400 speed. I set the aperature at 14-16 for intraoral shots. This gives the best depth of field. I also use the operatory light for intraoral shots. I set the aperature to 6 for full face shots.
   
   I use autofocus but set the ratio to 1:2 to 1:3 for intraoral shots. This keeps the autofocus from "hunting". I frame the shot by moving towards the subject. Once I get close to the image that I like I use the autofocus to get the final focus for the picture.



3. I just love working with this macro lens and my Canon digital SLR XTi. Perfect for my dental, intraoral photography needs.



4. Pros:
   Very good image quality
   Very solid build
   Very sharp when used with tripod
   Good price
   
   Cons:
   Extremely slow autofocus, AI servo mode is useless
   Extends front element during focusing
   Slight CA detected in some images
   Not very useful in handheld mode unless lighting is very good (full sunlight)



5. This is a very fun lens with great color and clarity. This stays on my camera 90% of the time and with f/2.8 it's still useful indoors. Although I think the lens I received may have been faulty the only problem is the auto focus. I've had this lens for only about 6 months and the AF is pretty much shot. It constantly searches no matter what light condition I'm in and it never comes out clear (when using AF). The auto focus also sticks halfway so I've got to give it the extra push, but to save the hassle it's just better to use manual focus from now on. Like I said, I think I've received a faulty lens, but I have read on quite a few Sigma reviews that their auto focus is not very dependable. I love this lens I just wish I could have the luxury of good auto focus like Canon's USM.

4 comments about Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG AF Lens for Canon EOS / EF.

1. I am an amature photographer, not professional. This lens works great and I am very happy with how it enables me to blur backgrounds.



2. Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG Aspherical Large Aperture Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras
   
   I was looking for a zoom lens for indoor sports shots. I didn't want to pay the big bucks of $750 to $1500. The Sigma fit the bill. At 2.8 it gives enough light for a decent shutter speed. The quality appears good as well. Although I have not blown pictures to 20x24, I can not tell the difference compared to expensive lens I have rented costing ten or fifteen times more. It also works well for indoor and flash photos. For my money, it does what I need.



3. First of all you can't expect this lens to be great. It is cheap and it's build cheap. However the best way to use this lens is in manual mode because you will have to set it at a high aperture F8-F22 outdoors. Indoors you have to use the flash for the high aperture settings. If you use this lens in automatic mode in the camera, you will get a very soft image, you have to learn the manual mode to get a decent picture with this lens. View the image samples from this lens



4. This is the first of 2 Sigma lenses that I have bought. They're extremely sturdy and well built. I probably won't buy any other brand now considering the value of the product.

3 comments about Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DG IF Macro Aspherical Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras.

1. This is an excellent lens, from the wide angle to the zoom it really gets the job done. Looks Great Feels Great works even better.



2. It sure beatd having to change lens from 28-100 and 75-300. I like it.



3. I got this lens, it very appealing to have 28-300 as I do not have to change any lens that often. It's great, the picture is very good. The zoom is amazing. The picture quality and the colors are very good. There is little stiffness when zooming but I think it will go away with use. I feel like the auto focus is a bit slow to get the right focus. But I haven't tried lens with that zoom power to really compare. I still use my 18-70 lens to capture people and wide range pictures. Finally, it's really great for this price.

5 comments about Sigma Micro-Fiber Lens Cleaning Cloth Keychain.

1. This is just a great idea. The clip is heavy plastic and the little pouch a strong and stretchy cloth. I just clip it onto the outside of my bag so I am not fumbling through pockets to clean off my lens. Great idea, great product, and the price is of course, just right.



2. In the past, while shooting sports, I'd get dust on the lense. That is when I would remember I need a cleaning cloth. Now the keychain cleaning cloth is attached to the camera and always ready for the unexpected and I don't have to remember a thing.



3. I've used this quite a lot to clean schmutz off my lens. I have kids...and it happens.



4. This is a good idea, but I find the cloth too small. It's also too difficult to push the cloth back into the little bag. And finally, I think clip attachment should be a little longer. I don't recommend this one for professional work. See my uploaded photo.



5. Great microfiber, premium quality. A few people complain of the size of the cloth, however I have not found this to be a problem when cleaning my glasses or camera lens. The only drawback is that when stuffed in the pouch, debris can easily fall in, meaning you need to be conscientious that this debris not remain on the cloth when you clean lens. This can easily be adverted, however, when you fluff the cloth out of the pouch, making any debris fall off the cloth. Overall, a good buy, and good price!

4 comments about Sigma APO Teleconverter 2x EX DG for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras.

1. i bought this item to extend my shooting range on my nikon d100 - the longest lens i have is a 300mm. the 2X converter didn't fit my nikkor 300mm, my tamron 28-80mm or my nikon 105.



2. I bought this converter to use with my Nikon ED AF Nikkor 80-200mm 1:2.8 D lens on my Nikon D80. It fits the lens, and seems to work, at least for metering and manual focus, but the resulting images aren't usable-- or at least aren't any more usable than without the converter. My test shoots have been with a sturdy tripod in broad daylight, around f8 and 1/640th (so, plenty of light). I varied the aperture from 11 down to 3.2 (changing the speed accordingly). In taking pictures of a still subject, where I have achieved excellent focus through the viewfinder, the resulting images are very noticeably out of focus.
   
   I played with focusing closer or farther, compared with dead on, and none of these produced an image that was clearly enough in focus to be worthwhile. If I compare the images taken without the teleconverter at 200mm with images taken with the converter (400mm), the result is a similar amount of clarity. In other words, if I crop and the 200mm photos and compare them to ones taken with the teleconverter, I've got just about the same clarity. So, the upshot is, don't get this teleconverter if you are looking to get closer and retain clarity in your images.



3. After reading the two reviews above, I was somewhat baffled. If you do any research on this product, you will find it clearly is made only for use with Sigma lenses, not Nikon lenses. The instruction manual that comes with the converter even lists which specific Sigma lenses to use. If you want a converter for Nikon lenses, buy the Nikon TC-20E (retails for more than twice the Sigma). Of course the quality of this product is poor when using a Nikon lens! I have a Sigma 70-200 zoom and it works beautifully; it is well worth the price.



4. I got this 2x converter to match the Sigma 70/200 2.8 lens. I have shot around 100 pics with this set up and have been very pleased with the results. I have shot wildlife to school track meets.
   The only reason I couldn't give this converter a perfect mark is I can't use it with my other Nikon lens.

4 comments about Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras.

1. Mating perfectly with the excellent Sigma 50-500mm lens, this teleconverter increases focal length. The downside is that it decreases aperture by 1+ stop, and you lose the autofocus capabilities of the lens.



2. I have both a Sigma 50-500 (aka Bigma) and a Sigma 100-300 f/4. Prior to getting the latter, I was able to use the Bigma with my Kenko Pro 300 1.4X TC DG on my Nikon D70. However, the Kenko refuses to work with the 100-300 so I have to buy this Sigma TC which works extremely well with the 100-300. However, unlike the Kenko, I cannot retract the Bigma all the way with the Sigma TC which is why I only give the Sigma TC 4 stars.
   
   The 100-300 f/4 focuses as fast with or without the TC and I don't seem to lose image quality with the Sigma TC either. The EXIF info also correctly shows 420 mm was used. [...].



3. For the past year I have used mine on a regular basis with my Sigma 150 macro lens. This creates a 210 F4 macro that is amazing. It is not possible to tell, by looking at the pictures, which were taken with or without this TC. Buying this gives you a second lens of equal quality for a little bit of money.



4. Nice and easy to use, thin and affordable converter just take you're standard lens and add 1,4 to the f value and you got the number i.e 2,8 X 1,4 = 3,92 or f/4 so it is good for everyday use

5 comments about Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO HSM IF Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.

1. The lens is sharp and the extra reach is a plus especially out in the field.



2. I purchased this lens for macro nature photography, and is paired with either a Canon 20D or a Canon 1DS MK III. I chose this focal length because of the enhanced working distance over a 100 mm lens. The lens is tack sharp, and autofocus works well except for close macro work (where you would opt for manual focus anyway). I have used the lens with Kenko extension tubes, and it works flawlessly. It is every bit as good as Canon L glass at a much lower price. It includes a tripod collar and a very well-made cushioned lens case (not those ineffective pouches Canon uses!). What more can I say? It is a flawless piece of equipment.



3. I purchased this lens about a week ago. I have not had the opportunity to shoot many pictures with it but from the first time I tried it the Auto Focus failed to work with the shutter button. It does focus (fairly accurately) with the AF button on my Canon 40D. I contacted Sigma and after 4 days they had not given me an answer. I wrote again and the reply I got was that maybe because the 40D was a new Canon model the engineers had not taken some adjustments into account. They also said that it would take them about a week to get a reply from the engineers.
   With Canon I usually get a reply to my email within one day and the explanations to my questions are accurate and to the point.
   This is not a cheap lens but compared to a Canon L lens its very much less. I guess the poor service and the engineering flaw is the difference in price between a Sigma and a Canon L lens.



4. This lens is amazingly sharp, it is right up there with anything else on the market, including Canon's L lenses. It's one of the sharpest lenses I have ever owned in over 25 years shooting. It is well built, and includes a good lens shade and tripod collar.
   It is a macro lens, you need to keep that in mind. Macro lenses tend to be slow focusing. They also have very shallow depth of field at close distances. These are not valid criticisms of this lens, it's just the nature of macro lenses and macro photography. If you are doing macro photography you should be using manual focus at least 95% of the time. You will also need to use a tripod with this lens. If you hand-hold this lens for macro work, you'll never get the results it is capable of.
   Buy this lens, use it properly, and you'll be thrilled by what it can do.



5. This is a great Macro lens, if you take your time to learn how to use it.
   
   It's tack sharp, handles very well, construction quality is very high.
   
   I got a long macro lens because of the longer working distance and the more pleasing background blur you get. It's a bit harder to use, because DOF becomes narrower and any movements are magnified. With some practice, this became a non issue, and it's quickly become my favorite lens. The IQ is great( sharpness, contrast, bokeh, color). It feels well balanced on my 30D with battery grip and Canon twinlite flash. A bit on the heavy side, but well balanced.
   
   The only downside is AF speed. For macro and tight portraits this isn't an issue, as I use MF only for these shots, but this is a lens I would never use for sports or action photography( specially compared to my 135L). As this review is about the lens and it's intended use( macro), I give it a 5 star rating.