Sigma EX zoom lens - 24 mm - 70 mm F/2.8

Advantages: Lightweight, Compact, Fast f2.8 Aperature throughout the zoom
Disadvantages: Slightly Soft at f2.8, but manageable

...I bought this lens as a replacement for the 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 stock lens that came with my camera, and it was worth every penny. The increase in image quality, sharpness and clarity of pictures has been amazing. No more fringing around the edges of bright distant objects. No barrel distortion at the very edges of the image. No plasticy cheap feel. This lens is brilliant, especially if you don't want to fork out the enormous prices for Vibration reduction or Image Stabilising Lenses. (My camera has this built in anyway so ha!). Having an aperature of f2.8 makes this brilliant for indoor work, as you don't have to use a flash, or push up the iso to noisy values to get sharp clear images. For example, at 50mm, i can shoot at 1/40sec on this lens at f2.8, my old stock lens would have had me shooting at 1/10sec, which in low... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Larege aperture, high quality glass, cheaper than Canon.
Disadvantages: It's still a big, pricey lens.

...Big f2.8 aperture lets in more light, allowing the use of faster shutter speeds to freeze movement, especially useful in action sports. Of course the best lens for me to have bought for my Canon system at the time would have been the Canon L series 70-200mm f2.8, but these lovely lenses are just too expensive for many amateurs (who have to pay for their own equipment, like me). The Sigma offering compares very favourably in reviews in the camera press. Optically, it is not too far behind the Canon lens, and price wise, I would say 2/3 of the price of the Canon lens, although Canon have recently introduced a version of the 70-200mm f2.8L with Image Stabilisation, and that is a very nice lens indeed ! I bought my Sigma through ebay, and paid £450 for a mint example, with the box, case, instructions etc. I had decided that I wanted... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Awesomely sharp. Wide Aperture gives great control. Great colour.
Disadvantages: A little fragile. Would prefer with Image Stabiliser.

...over a pound, but attached to any camera with two digits or less in its designation, it feels very right, and me marking it as "heavy" should not be seen as a bad sign. (In fact, the star ratings seemed a little odd, so you should focus on the "Excellent" rating. The included hood is massive, but cleverly designed, since the lens "reverse extends". The lens is longer when zoomed to 24mm, and shortens as the zoom length increases. It's a good design. The filter thread is the standard for L zooms at 77mm, so any filters you've bought for other zooms will fit. I own this and the longer 24-105 F/4 IS L, and they're both quite different lenses. The longer lens is a more versatile "travel" lens, whereas the 24-70 is perfect for indoor and outdoor portraits, at parties, weddings etc. I wouldn't be without it. Except I am, because I dropped... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful