After nearly 40 years of pioneering new and better ways to capture and portray the ordinary - and extraordinary - Sigma is still creating new avenues of expression with innovative... more...designs and enhancements.
Advantages: Good build quality and good value for money . Disadvantages: Sigma`s claims not met and a slow auto focus .
this lens, such as it having (SLD) special low dispertion and (ELD) extra low dispertion glass elements which help to provide excellent correction of colour aberrations as well as having super multi-layer lens coating to help prevent lens flare and image ghosting which are common problems with digital cameras that film cameras never had.
In my opinion however the final images shot with this lens still showed signs of ghosting and lens flare is still a problem in very bright light so these claims do not hold much water with me to be honest. It is however a very decent macro lens without these add ons and one that performs very well with natural light macro photography as well as flash using macroflashrings, if you attempt to use an on camera flash or a flash not designed for macro however then this lens just cannot produce the same type ...
Advantages: Optical quality. Build quality. Price. Disadvantages: Could come free with Cornflakes?
I purchased this lens after a great deal of research and seeking out 'actual' image files (full size ones) which had been taken using this lens specifically. These were viewed at 100% size in Adobe Photoshop to ascertain quality and compare to similar images from other lenses. In my opinion, this was the best lens of this sort of focal length that I could buy. Better even than the far more expensive Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L Macro.
One of the best macro lenses available is the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8. However, depending on your luck (Sigma's quality control isn't completely up to speed!), the actual sample you purchase may be either 'not quite' so good as the Canon 100/f2.8, 'just as' good or, if you're really lucky (in which case, bung a few quid on the Lotto!) even 'better' than the Canon 100/f2.8. In any case, if like me, you want to ...
Advantages: value for money (compared to pro level), build quality, Disadvantages: makes you think your a pro, but by its nature, proves you otherwise.
This sigma lens is often a favourite starting point for digital SLR users (single lens reflex) looking to upgrade the 'kit' package they bought on impulse in the January sales.
"I know, I've got a million pix of my children and cat, now I'll photograph flowers and insects with a macro lens, whatever that is".
Don't kid yourself; the whole idea of this lens is to get close-up and personel with your subject matter (insects and flowers being two of my favs). If your looking for a mid-sized telephoto lens just to add to your camera bag, go and by a mid-sized zoom lens. Macro photography is not for the faint-hearted. It requires patience, skill and an understanding beyond that of the family photo album. But the rewards are excellent.
With a good, solid build quality and good optics; it is worth buying if you can't afford a pro ...
Product Information for "Sigma macro flash adaptor ring" »
Manufacturer's product description
After nearly 40 years of pioneering new and better ways to capture and portray the ordinary - and extraordinary - Sigma is still creating new avenues of expression with innovative designs and enhancements.
