5 comments about Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras.

1. The picture quality is good, the macro mode is great despite a really weird macro switch... It's hard to switch off the macro mode, you have to play with the zoom first (macro works only from 200 to 300).
   The lens is quite heavy but it's OK for such a zoom lens, autofocus is not the fastest especially in low light but works fine for the price!
   Be careful not to touch the AF hood when using it in AF or you'll be scared by the noise...
   A good lens overall.



2. When I manually focus the lens the picture is of very good quality but the auto focus does not work very well at any distance



3. I've owned this lens for about a year and use it on a *istDS. Used in good light, the focusing is quick and accurate. My pictures are sharp wide open or stopped down... doesn't matter. I just returned from a vacation where I took many bird pictures and I can't see how the definition in the feathers could be any better.
   
   No, it isn't an f/2.8 lens, so don't expect miracles in low light. Still, it does an acceptable job here, too. Macro function is good, but the switch can be difficult to move back out of macro mode.
   
   The size and weight are reasonable. It is well worth the weight, space and effort to take on multi day hikes in the deep woods. Been there - happy I had it. Zoom in on the big animals far away or close in on the bugs and flowers.
   
   I'm sure that there are slightly better lenses out there, but not for anywhere near this price. To me, it's easily worth twice what I paid for it. I'm extremely happy to have this lens in my bag! For the function and price, easily 5 stars.



4. This range just does not seem to have a really good lens on the market right now and hopefully one of the companies who makes K mount lenses will do something about the problem. If I had it to do again I would buy a fixed lens at 300 or 400 in a manual focus lens.



5. Great lense for the price. Works as advertised and I have no complaints about the sharpness or contrast. The macro works fine but with very limited depth of field.

No comments about Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras.

5 comments about Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC SLD ELD Aspherical Macro Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras.

1. If you're reading this, you've probably bought a Pentax camera like the K10D or K100D, or are thinking of doing so. Most likely, you were drawn to Pentax cameras because they offer a good price/performance ratio. You don't want to pay for the biggest names - you want a great camera with which you can take great photographs, on a reasonable budget.
   
   This lens is the perfect accompaniment to that philosophy. It is not the best in the world, but it is the best you can get for $400, and for some way above that. It covers the range required for walkabout photography, and is reasonable convenient for that purpose, despite the wide body required by a 2.8 lens system. It also feels good in your hand and looks great on the front of your camera.
   
   Buy this lens now (perhaps along with the Pentax DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED) and make some great pictures.



2. I bought this lens to replace the crappy kit lens I got with my Pentax *ist DL2, and I've gotta say, there's no comparison. Granted there's quite a price differance between the two lenses, but you get what you pay for, that's for sure. This is my new walkaround lens, you won't be dissappointed.



3. I have this lens for two weeks now and have taken more than 200 pictures with it using my Pentax k10d. My working lens so far has been the Pentax 28-105 f/3.2-4.5, so I opted for a wider angle. The choice was between the Pentax 16-50 f/2.8 or this Sigma 18-50 f/2.8. The cheaper price of the Sigma (60% of the Pentax) and relatively good reviews in magazines and on the net made me buy the Sigma.
   
   The first impression is a solidly build lens with quite a heavily dampened zoom ring. The protruding front element had some tiny bit of radial play, however the packaging was slightly damaged on the plane home. Nevertheless, this has no effect on the image quality. The lens is very very sharp. Side-by-side comparison with the Pentax 28-105 shows a dramatic boost in sharpness across the image. Focusing is good and quick, however I had a chance to play with the Pentax 16-50, which focuses quicker due to the HSM in the lens. Shots taken during fishing last weekend reveal the slight distortion of the lens at 18mm, which can be easily corrected in photoshop. However, there is some very slight wave-type distortion, which is nowhere near noticeable in real life but becomes apparent upon close scrutiny in Photoshop after I corrected the first-order barrel distortion. I should stress that the wave-type distortion is very very small. Out-of-focus bokeh is very pleasant for this lens at wide apertures. The colors are vibrant and better than the results I had with the Pentax 28-105. Vignetting is generally not an issue and is only slightly visible at wide-open apertures and can be corrected using Photoshop.
   
   Overall I am very happy with this lens and would buy it again. The cheap price is a major argument for this lens and also its sharpness. I find it is also a good lens to go with the sigma 10-20 without much overlap in zoom range. There are only minor points where it looses out such as the little slower focusing, therefore 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.



4. I was initially thinking about the Pentax 16-50mm, but changed my mind due to the QC problems they are having with it. I did my research and many, many users highly recommend this one. I took the chance and could not be happier. This lens is fast and the IQ is as good or better than most other lenses.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. We bought this lens for a wedding occasion and it performed great!
   The lens is very fast and very sharp. It is a little heavy and unbalances the k100D a little. I guess it would be a better fit for the k10 or k20. We love it and are amazed at the photographic opportunities that a faster lens provides. Spend the money... avoid the pentax version because it is not better optically according to many reviews.

5 comments about Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DG IF Macro Aspherical Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras.

1. I've done my research and to me this was the best deal. When comparing this lens to my old 100 mm from my Pentax K1000 i discovered there wasn't a significant difference at all. Maybe a very small amount of a difference but shouldn't a 100 mm be a little less then 200?? I'm not so sure i trust the rating. Other then that i honestly don't care, its a very pretty lens and i included a couple pics of the lens and one i took using the lens with my Pentax K10D.



2. I really like my copy of Sigma 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DG Macro. The image quality for the range of 50-200 is comparable to highly regarded Pentax DA 50-200. It is actually even better at 80-150, and 28mm is wide enough for most walk around activity.
   
   The Sigma 28-200 has faster/quieter AF than the DA-50-200, but it's little bit heavier and longer when fully extended. For the convinience of covering additional 28-50 and the IQ resulting as good/better than DA 50-200, I returned the DA 50-200.
   
   This product is one of the best deals out there for walk around lens. It's too bad this model has been discontinued and replaced by 18-200 DC model at alot higher price with lesser performance at long range, but you can still get Sigma 28-200 DG Macro while it's still available.
   
   happy shooting!



3. I really enjoyed this lens for a little over a year. Great range for the price. Unfortunately as of last month mold developed on the inside of the glass, a huge bummer. my only point of criticism is that the zoom lock broke within the first weeks, didn't affect the pictures but it was kinda a pain because i couldn't carry my camera on my shoulder (with the strap) without the lens completely hanging out. overall, for the price it was great, but i'm probably going with tamron for my next lens (shooting on a pentax k100).



4. this product did not with my camera, like it said. but it was very easy to send back.



5. Thankfully, I didn't get a faulty item, and it worked fine right out of the box, no focusing problems whatsoever. With the quality control issue out of the way, I can tell you that this lens has produced some fine photos, and I can whole heartedly say that I got more than my money's worth.
   
   Let's get the cons out of the way first. The zoom mechanism is a bit tight - but this has loosened considerably, now that I've taken more than 1,000 images in a variety of locations (I've taken this lens into the jungle and up to the summit of Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia). The zoom lock is something I rarely use (since it only locks at the 28mm position), and lens creep is definitely present (I don't mind, I keep my kit in a camera bag). With the lens fully extended, images get rather soft, but this lens has enough range on it that the useable range (with regard to image sharpness) is more than adequate.
   
   Now to the good points - this lens is CHEAP! Considering the range you get, this is really a bargain. It doesn't feel like it, though. This thing is built like a brick, and it's just as tough. It's on the heavy side, and I appreciate the choice of materials (the rubber texture is a plus). This once rolled off my lap and into sand. Yes, SAND. I was able to save it with a couple of stiff puffs and an earnest prayer. Colors are well rendered, and bokeh comes out lovely (given the right aperture and focal length mix - see photo).
   
   All in all, I think this was a good purchase. This was my first lens, and looking back, I think I couldn't have found a more empowering piece of glass considering its versatility, durability and price point.

5 comments about Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG IF Aspherical Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.

1. This is an excellent lens. I have used it extensively on the 1D, Rebel XT, and the 20D. The lens is acceptably sharp for many purposes at f/2.8, and EXTREMELY SHARP stopped down a bit to f/3.5 or f/4.0, at all focal lengths. I have compared it to the Canon 85mm f/1.8, the 50mm f/1.8, and the 35mm f/2.0, all renowned lenses. I find this lens very competitive with - and in some instances, superior to - all of them in sharpness, contrast, and color. Focusing is fast enough for most action purposes, impressive for a non-USM lens.
   
   I also compared this lens to my Canon 28-135mm USM Image Stabilizer lens. I found the Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 to be significantly superior in image quality. I sold the 28-135 IS. This Sigma is virtually always on one of my digital SLR's.
   
   A significant note - INFORMATION AND PICS I HAVE SEEN INDICATE THAT THIS LENS IS SUPERIOR IN IMAGE QUALITY TO THE MORE EXPENSIVE SIGMA 24-70MM F/2.8. I WOULD RECOMMEND SAVING SOME MONEY, GETTING THE CHEAPER LENS, AND GETTING BETTER PICTURES OUT OF IT.
   
   I HAVE USED A LOT OF SIGMA AND CANON LENSES ON MY DIGITAL SLR'S, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST, BAR NONE.



2. This lens is a little heavy on the xti (compared to the 35mm and 50mm primes I normally shoot with). It feels very well made and can focus very close. I think it is a great lens for the money and it performs well.



3. Purchased to take pictures of High School basketball games and very pleased with the sharp, crisp stop-action pictures.



4. This lens is an amazing piece of glass at a remarkably affordable price. While I will readily admit a preference for Canon's signature lenses, especially the IS line, this lens is very tack sharp and shows little or no blur with small jitters. For a closer range lens this is a perfect economical choice for those who want to take better portraits.



5. I am a amateur photographer, but was encountering situations where I needed a lens of this focal length which could accommodate less available light. My Canon kit lens only goes down to f5.6, and I had heard it was in general a poor quality lens. Well if it is, that makes this Sigma lens nothing but junk.
   
   After receiving the lens, I noticed most pictures were very soft, almost out of focus. So a ran a number of controlled tests against my Canon kit lens, using both Auto focus and Manual focus with the Sigma lens (on a tripod, of course). In all cases, the Canon lens produced MUCH sharper pictures. How could this be, I asked myself.
   
   So I sent the pics and an explanation, along with the lens, to Sigma for repair / adjustment. Two weeks later they returned the lens indicating they had adjusted the AF, and tested the lens, and all was now OK.
   
   I beg to differ. I ran more tests, and guess what! The Canon lens wins again. Needless to say, if you want sharp pictures, forget this lens. You'll probably pay twice as much for the similar Canon lens, but you'll probably get pictures twice as nice.

2 comments about Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras.

1. I wanted a wide angle prime lens that I could take to parties where the shooting distance is always about the same and I could get higher quality pictures than with zoom lenses. Since this lens is fast, f/1.8, it focuses very quickly even in low light. It doesn't have an ultrasonic focusing mechanism, but focus speed is very fast and it has a clutch focusing ring so I can hold the lens and not interfere with the rotation of the focusing ring. The body feels very tight and well put together. The texture and feel are perfect. Picture quality is extremely good. The colors are natural and it's very sharp at 1.8 and is even better at 2.0 and above. Macro is excellent and since it has 9 curved aperature blades, the bokeh looks very pleasing. There is almost no distortion or abberation and focus is accurate. So even though this lens is a bit bigger and heavier than I would like in a prime lens like this, the benefits of brighter viewfinder (due to f/1.8), extemely sharp pictures and very good build quality makes it worthwhile purchase (especially for the price).



2. Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
   
   
   I have tested this lens on 3 different Canon bodies (two 20d, one xti). Lens front focus a lot. Period.
   
   I am currently returning this lens to amazon for an exchange. I will not return a lens to factory to have it re-calibrated. I have heard people returning it to factory 2 or 3 times and lens still come back bad. It is sad and I am just furious over Sigma's QA. How is it possible they miss such bad copy?? Do they not test lens anymore? Why can't they create a department specifically dedicated to testing every single lens that gets shipped? (read below regarding condom testing). Is this difficult to implement? No. Will Sigma win more customers if they do? Yes. Here's the plan: Setup a few workstations, mount the camera on a fixed post in such a way that it's not ever movable, tether camera to computer, shoot in jpg, and view image either via AI / MTF score so there's a threshold to either reject or accept.
   
   What are these lens CEO thinking??? This comment goes out to all lens manufacturers. I can't wait until there's a lens manufacturer that will implement the above test and take the industry by storm. In fact, scribe the employee id onto the parts on the product line so that they figure out who is the culprit and dispense disciplinary action. I paid 1 day over night DHL to have this lens rushed to me because of all the excitement, but boy was I disappointed. I can only hope the next copy will be up to factory spec.
   
   Also note that customers do zoom into the image. So testing must be done at 1:1 viewing. Whether I zoom in or out, the picture is just a low quality fuzz. I am a wedding photographer and I have many lens, canon and tamron, and I do know how to test lens. I think the MTF threshold idea is brilliant and the employee ID on the parts is critical to getting high quality products. Actually, Employee ID to whoever assemble that part / lens. Companies should form a division to accept returned lens, take apart, and find the culprit, and trace employee id. This is long over due... how is it acceptable to have such poor quality control?
   
   I'd like to know:
   a) Where are the QA managers?
   b) Do companies only care to mass produce and sample test once a while?
   
   c) *** How long does it take to build a lens compared to electronically test a lens? If every condom is tested electronically, then why can't lens be tested. A quality condom is less than 1 dollar each!! Somebody got to be held responsible for these poor quality lens. If the above review is true that it's sharp, then the lens design is sound, so the issue is QA.

5 comments about Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG Aspherical Large Aperture Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. Hey guys & gals--listen up! I have bought dozens of lenses for both Canon and Nikon and ran tests for detail comparison. One of the things that pro publications look for in an image is how the image detail is at 100%. This lens on front of my Nikon D-200 is a detail weapon and outshines any of the Nikon lenses 10 to 1. In fact the detail was so sharp at 100% from edge to edge that I was fooled thinking it was scaled only to 50% so I scaled it
   out to 200% and it still looked good. WOW! Try doing that with the new 18-200 VR! That lens was a dog and I sold it on E-bay and refuse to buy any more Nikon lenses.They are overpriced junk!!! Some of these Sigma lenses (like this one for less than a hundred bucks) is a digital dream--especially if your camera has more than 10 megapixels. The other thing that pro printing looks for is excellent dynamic range and no blown out colors. I couldn't believe the color reproduction on this lens.It
   was so.............................accurate. Maybe this lens is a freak
   I don't know if they are all like this but this one will stay on my Nikon for almost everything I take. Anyone out there with Nikons ought to order this lens just for the price savings alone.



2. This is a wonderful lens. We use it to take pictures of our martial arts class on a Nikon D80. Overall a great setup for indoor, close up action



3. Edit: The picture was updated to show the correct lens.
   
   The lens pictured is a Sigma 28-70mm EX (pro-grade) f/2.8. The lens you receive is the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 as said in the description. I needed to use the Amazon A-Z guarantee to get a refund for this lens from 47th street photo. FYI, 47th St. delivers fast but they do not honor their return policy, so if you order from them, I hope you get what you expect!



4. I use a Nikon 18-200 zoom lens, and wanted something for closer work, but not too expensive. A friend recommended this lens. The photos I took were excellent, and were a close match to my Nikon lens. I cannot believe that it only sells for less than 80.00. A GREAT bargain!!!!!!



5. first of all, the lens is not the one in the first picture, and it hasnt a golden ring, ( that was a reason why I decided to buy this one as I thought hey it has a golden ring so it is one of the good lenses).
   
   the quality is good, not really a sharp lens, but has a good aperture and wide/zoom capabilities for a great price, so if quality for you is a must, I wouldnt recomend this, but if price is a major factor so yes this one is for you.

5 comments about Sigma 20mm f/1.8 EX DG RF Aspherical Wide Angle Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.

1. I have used this lens extensively with the 1D and the Rebel XT. Results have been excellent. My suspicion is that the previous reviewer got a defective or damaged copy of the lens. It is incredibly sharp, even at f1.8, which I did not expect - generally you expect a lens to be a bit soft wide open, especially 1.8. The degree of sharpness of this lens is quite surprising.
   
   I have used, for example, both the Canon 50mm f1.8 and the Canon 35mm f2.0, both of which are deservedly renowned for their sharpness and contrast. I find this lens to be sharper than either of them wide open. The lens provides images which have excellent color saturation and contrast. Of course, at f1.8, depth of field is razor thin, by design, which is great for bokeh or out of focus background, but which also requires care concerning the desired focal point being in focus. Speaking of bokeh, I find it to be very attractive compared to any other lens I have used.
   
   Its minimum distance focusing is also quite remarkable. I think it is rated at just under 8 inches, but I routinely focus at distances which seem a good bit closer than that. The lens works well as a macro for many applications, with a relatively strong multiplication factor.
   
   Of course, given the inherent light-gathering of a 20mm focal length lens, combined with a huge aperture of f1.8, this lens is outstanding for shooting indoors or in other low-light situations with natural light and no flash.
   
   Canon's nearest competitor to this lens is the 20mm f2.8, which is a full stop slower in terms of light collection. I consider this lens to be an extremely good value at the retail price, new. If you can get a good copy used on-line, it will be an incredible value. You may find that you never want to take the lens off the camera because of its versatility as a walkaround lens.
   
   This lens has been extremely well-reviewed, by and large, on lens forum sites. I encourage you to check those out. Most people rate the lens 5 out of 5. A distinct minority give it 1 out of 5. I suspect that they either have defective copies which may need repair, or they have inaccurate perceptions of the lens. Also, popular photography magazine online reviewed this lens, as well as the 24 f1.8 and the 28 f1.8, very highly.
   
   I would highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants a fast, sharp superwide angle lens.



2. I've had this lens for three years. It takes absolutely wonderful portraits. If you want to see someone as you have never seen them before, take a full frame portrait shot of them using a Canon 10D or 20D with this lens. Gorgeous.
   
   The lens rounds out such shots just slightly and really enhances facial features. The effect is almost like a very mild fisheye. I have used this to create some of the most compelling captures of the human range of facial expressions that I've ever taken.
   
   Highly recommended product. Stunning clarity. John Kahrs was wrong in his review. Either he had a defective lens or he has some sort of disability that kept him from using it correctly.
   
   This Sigma lens is an excellent value compared to similar Canon lenses, although both brands are of high quality, in my experience.



3. This lens is definitely not a Canon L-series lens so don't expect perfection with it. I bought this lens used mainly for the wide frame and incredibly low fstop and I'm very happy with it. It's a great lens for the money.
   
   I usually only travel with my Canon XTi/400D and Canon 50mm f/1.8 budget lens, but I've really needed a wider lens for getting everything I want in my frames. This lens is perfect as my walk around lens for any available light in night or day.
   
   For my travels where I can only take one backpack, I may be restricted to only taking the tiny 50mm f/1.8. But whenever possible, I will take this Sigma 20mm f/1.8 wherever I go.



4. This is my fifth Sigma lens, and I couldn't be happier with it. Because of it's f/1.8, don't expect much depth of field when shooting wide open. Especially in close ups, that's the trade off for low light capability. This lens has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me with indoor photography when a flash is inapppropriate (performances, candids, etc.). The wide angle is not so extreme that I have to deal with distortion at the edges, but in close ups it creates a different perspective on the subject, especially with faces. I also own a 10-20mm zoom which I use primarily for architectural shots, but this is my go-to lens for landscapes, group portraits and low light situations.



5. Tried three copies of this lens. Great specifications. Nothing else is this fast at this width and this price. The image is acceptably sharp wide open, but only just -- definitely nothing like Sigma 30mm 1.4, which beats this lens hands down in everything but the width.
   
   Good lens if you are a photojournalist and need to print small images at low resolution. Then pixel sharpness doesn't matter much. But if you are a pixel peeper, beware.
   
   The lens is well built, and looks great, but the motor is noisy and I assume eats up camera batteries.
   
   By far the worst thing about this lens is unpredictable focus, which I encountered on all three copies. None of the copies had any distinct front or back-focusing issues, when focusing on paper. Three out of five times they were spot on. Then they would back or front-focus with equal probability. And yes, I know all about the depth of field and this was not a factor in my tests. And my Sigma 1.4 does not behave like that. As this is an older lens, I think there may be some occasional issues of lens-camera communications that don't exist in the newer 1.4 30 mm.
   
   The bottom line is, I am keeping the first copy of the lens. With all the deficiencies this lens has, I couldn't find any other options at this price. I guess with this lens on, I will have to take more than one picture of everything to make sure I got the shot.
   
   Sigma, how about a newer APS-C version of this lens? Please?

1 comments about Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. I have this lens for about 2 months now and find it to be indespensible.
   The 180 degree field of view with the fisheye effect allows me to be very creative with my photography. A great investment in my lens collection.

5 comments about Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. do a little research and don't be fooled. Sigmas are generally a hit or miss thing for the lens quality. And worse off if you travel with the camera..seals are not at all reliable. Last but not least go ito a store and compare the drive noise on this unit to any other brand...very very noise...sorry i can not recommend them. Nikon, Tamron, Tokina...I personally prefer Nikon and Tokina...good luck



2. I got it because I intend to use it on both my film and my digital bodies. For ultra wide angles I'll use it with film (Nikon N-80) and for more conventional wide angle with my Nikon D-200. It's one of three lenses I'm taking with me on vacation to the mountain states. The others are a Nikkor 28mm - 85mm and a Nikkor 70mm - 300mm with 2X Tamron SP doubler. Since I don't yet have photoshop or similar I wanted to be able to take real wide shots without having to paste them together.



3. The Sigma 12-24 is an excellent ultrawide. It is very sharp with very little barrel or pincushion distortion. It is a true 12-24 fullframe with a film SLR (love it with my Nikon N80) or full frame digital slr, and effectively an 18-36 with an APS-sized sensor digital SLR. Excelleent ultrawide for architecture, landscapes etc. At 12mm though, it is so wide that you must be careful of distortion introduced by shooting off-level. This is not to say this particular lens is faulty and distorts, but would be true of any ultrawide lens with this wide degree of coverage. While I have heard much talk of supposed poor Sigma quality control, I have no qualms at all about this lens - It is sturdy, tough, smooth and has performed flawlessly for me for years.



4. Sigma has been much maligned by the Nikon-brand lens snobs, and not without good reason. The build quality and optical clarity of the average Nikon lens easily trounces the average Sigma.
   
   This particular Sigma lens has been in my bag since 2004 (three years now) and has performed flawlessly in dusty, humid, and rainy conditions. I can't say that about every Nikon lens I have owned.
   
   Don't get me wrong-- this is not a flawless lens. It is weather sealed enough, but I doubt it would survive being dunked in water the way some (but not many) Nikon lenses would. It focuses faster than many Nikon lenses, but slower than competing Silent Wave Motor Nikons. It is quieter than any non-SWM Nikons, and almost as quiet as SWM. It focuses as well as any Nikon f/4.5-5.6 lens in similar lighting conditions.
   
   Now for the flaws. It has more chromatic aberration than Nikon's 12-24mm DX and 14-24mm FX lenses. It isn't as sharp, especially near the edges. But if your maximum print size is 8x10 you'll likely never notice.
   
   UPSIDES: Even though it works at full frame (important for those of us that still shoot film as well as digital) it is much cheaper than Nikons 12-24 f/4.5-5.6 DX lens-- a lens that is only good for DX-sized sensor digital Nikons. It is less than 1/3 the price of the recently released FX (full-frame) 14-24mm f/2.8 Nikon lens.
   
   Granted, the professional Nikon 14-24mm lens is clearly the best of the bunch, but most of us can't afford that extravagance. When I bought this lens it was the only 12-24mm lens available, and given the offerings from Nikon and other third-party lens makers, I can't regret this purchase for one moment.
   
   While I'd like to own the new professional Nikon 14-28mm f/2.8 lens, that won't be in my budget in the foreseeable future. My buying advice: take your camera to a good local camera shop and try this lens (and its competitors) for yourself. I'm confident many of you will agree that the Sigma, while it is not the best lens, is good enough and the best compromise-- given the price.
   
   Cheers.



5. I've been using this lens for about 3 years now and wanted to upgrade so I read all good things about Tokina (since I could not afford the Nikon). I purchased the 12-24mm Tokina and returned it because of horrendous camera flare which the Sigma does not have. Granted there is "some" flare issues with most wide angle lenses but the Tokina was totally unacceptable. I didn't see any major differences in picture quality either. Both lenses must be used at F/8 for the best sharpness. I am keeping the Sigma and buying a Nikon D300 instead.