3 comments about Sigma 20mm f/1.8 EX DF RF Aspherical Wide Angle Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. This is one of my all time favorite lenses. I usually just leave it mounted. It's fast max aperture and close focusing make it indispensable to me. Check it out--it focuses to within and inch of the front lens element!
   
   I've had one issue-it recently self destructed. The iris folded over itself. It's inside the four year warranty (and damn near the end I might add) so it's been fixed and is currently on the way back to me from sigma as I type this. I'm disappointed it failed, but considering the frame count and price, I can't really complain.
   
   I paid not much more than $300 for this lens new almost 4 years ago, and I'd gladly pay twice that for the shots this lens has gotten me. I've taken it out in the rain and snow and hail and the fact that it failed only recently attests to the build of this fine lens.
   
   Buy it while they still make it! I may buy a backup soon for this reason.



2. This lens is a great travel lens for dslr users who like to use fast primes. I am getting a D300 soon so I can not wait to have the high ISO options.



3. A 20mm f1.8 prime for $400.00? What was I thinking? At f1.8 the lens is unacceptably soft. Better at 2.8, but still not great. It's not until f4 that the Sigma matched the sharpness of my Nikon 17-55 f2.8 zoom. A full stop slower! This begs the question - what is the point of having this lens if it's soft until f4? Answer - no point at all. Sending it straight back.

1 comments about Sigma 28mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras.

1. Let me start by saying I'm not a hardcore fan of any particular brand. I like to gauge lenses by their individual merits, rather than discussing them as a brand.
   
   The Sigma 28mm f/1.8 EX is an excellent lens from an optical standpoint. On digital and film SLRs from Nikon, I was always quite impressed with the optical quality. Even wide-open at f/1.8, it is roughly as good as the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, which is somewhat low in contrast, but still resolves quite a bit of detail on the focal plane. Stopping down a stop or two, like with most lenses, really brings out the contrast and sharpness, and this lens delivered quite wonderfully, matching the famous 28/2.8 AIS Nikkor for sharpness both up-close and at infinity. Further, this lens allows closer focusing than the Nikkor, and possesses less apparent geometric distortion. As much as I love the AIS28, the Sigma is quite brilliant too.
   
   While very good at infinity, the lens shines for moderate closeups of objects like flowers. Although it says "macro" in the name, it only approaches 1:2.9 magnification, and the distance from the front element is quite small, so live insect photography will likely not be its forte. At this range, the lens also has a much smoother out-of-focus rendering wide-open than much of its competition (such as the 28/2 AIS Nikkor). If you like smooth boke (not everyone does, but many do), this can be a good lens for that effect.
   
   The biggest downsides are the size and the autofocus. Although it is high quality, the lens was simply too big for my taste. Compared to my 28/2.8 AIS, the Sigma is simply massive. In fact, it is about the same size as a 28/1.4 Nikkor, and uses larger (77mm) filters! This is a concern for people who like using filters like polarizers, which get much more expensive at large sizes. The second major issue is that the autofocus mechanism has proven unreliable, particularly on Canon versions of the lens. My Nikon experienced some focus inconsistency at midrange distances (better consistency up close). As I tend to manually focus, this was not too much of a problem, but for those who do depend on it heavily...this lens might cause frustration. Bear in mind, this is not the case for EVERY lens of this make; it is likely an issue with sample variation which has been pointed out for some time. Some people have great luck, some are not so lucky.
   
   As I prefer to manually focus and personally prefer smaller lenses, I opted instead for my AIS Nikkor, which has roughly equal optical quality in a much smaller package with inexpensive 52mm filters. However, I do miss my 28/1.8 Sigma and, were it a smaller, manual focus lens, I would likely be using it today.
   
   If you can get over the gargantuan size and if you can circumnavigate the sample-variation-related AF quirks, this lens is quite beautiful. I must give the designers kudos, even if it's not the perfect lens for me personally.

3 comments about Sigma 18-50mm F/3.5-5.6 DC Lens for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras.

1. Inexpensive entry-level short zoom. Good value for the money, especially if you don't have anything to cover this focal range. Build quality seems a half-notch above the standard Rebel XT kit lens.



2. I have used a number of Sigma lenses throughout the years and I have been quite satisfied. I have a 28 - 300mm lens that I used with my 35mm Canon A2e. A few years ago when I made the switch to digital, I called Sigma and for around $75, they converted the lens to work with my new digital equipment. I have 3 Sigma lenses that I use now. I have had the 18-50mm less than a year and it takes great photos, HOWEVER, when you twist the lens hood off and on the lens, it turns the focusing gear. Mine has stripped out and you can hear gears grinding as the camera tries to focus. Somehow it does still manage to focus but it is slower and quite noisy. I know it is only a matter of time before it stops working altogether. I have replaced this lens with another Sigma, but I chose a higher end model with internal focusing. The 18-50mm would be a great lens at a great price for the occasional user if much care is taken with the hood.



3. Ok lense while it lasted but AF was sketchy for a few weeks before it wouldn't work at all.

No comments about Sigma 28mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras.

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 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras.

No comments about Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Circular Fisheye Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.

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'm amazed at how inferior this lens is. It looks good. It feels good, and I like the focus clutch mechanism. The specs are great and just what I wanted for my EOS 10D: a wide, fast, fixed focal length lens. I had never bought a third party lens before.
   
   Images from this lens plagued with bad detail, poor contrast, and the out-of-focus areas are harsh and filled with unpleasant artifacts. I never think twice about bokeh, whether its bad or good, but this is bad. I kept waiting for something decent to show up but it didn't. The situation improves when then aperture is stopped down, but wide open this lens is abysmal (and wide open is what I got it for). Perhaps it is defective, but I doubt it.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

No comments about Sigma EX DG 82mm Multi-Coated UV Filter.