Sigma
Lenses
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Sigma Lenses |
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The Sigma website is http://www.sigmaphoto.com/. Sigma is by far the largest and most successful of the Third Party lens manufacturers. They began much like Samyang is trying today, making lenses for brand names such as Spiratone, Vivitar, Accura, Cambron and others, while making a name for themselves. It's yet to be seen if Samyang will be as successful, but Sigma arose to the top and is today the primary Third Party lens supplier to the customers of the world's SLR camera giants of Nikon, Canon, Minolta, and Pentax, as well as others.
Sigma's reputation largely lies in the wide and ultra-wide lens market for both prime and zoom lenses. However, they are making serious inroads to the normal and long zoom, and long telephoto portions of the market. I own a few Sigma lenses and plan on acquiring more. Those I own, plan on buying or find highly interesting follow.
14mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical HSM AF: Lens construction is 14 elements in 10 groups. It has a weight of 23.3 ounces and uses rear slip-in gelatin filters. A very respectable ultra-wideangle lens.
20mm f/1.8 EX Aspherical AF: This is a very fast wideangle lens. Nikon's fastest 20mm is f/2.8. It will also focus as close as 7.9 inches, giving a macro ratio of 1:4. Lens construction is 13 elements in 11 groups. It has a weight of 18.3 ounces and uses 82mm filters.
24mm f/1.8 EX Aspherical Macro AF: This 24mm has a lens constrution of 10 elements in 9 groups. Its weight is 17.1 ounces and takes 77mm filters. It has a macro close focus of 7.1 inches, giving a macro ratio of 1:2.7
28mm f/1.8 EX Aspherical Macro AF: Lens construction is 10 elements in 9 groups for this fast wideangle lens. It takes 77mm filters and weighs 16.9 ounces. Close focus is 7.9 inches, and magnification is 1:2.9. A very economical fast wideangle lens that has gotten good reviews. This lens has now become part of my photo gear.
105mm f/2.8 EX Macro AF: I bought this lens and it works and delivers beautifully. It has a good reputation and is about half the price of the Nikon 105mm Micro. Lens construction is 10 elements in 9groups, with a weight of 15.9 ounces. It takes 58mm filters and gives a macro ratio of 1:1 at 4.7 inches.
180mm f/3.5 EX APO HSM Macro AF: At a lesser cost that the Nikon 105mm Micro, this 180mm macro lens will give a macro ratio of 1:1 at an extended working distance of 9.05 inches. Lens construction is 13 elements in 10 groups. It weighs 34.7 ounces and takes 72mm filters.
300mm f/2.8 EX APO HSM AF: A fast 300mm telephoto with a construction of 12 elements in 10 groups. It has a weight of 84.7 ounces and uses rear 46mm filters.
300mm f/4 APO TeleMacro AF: This is a nice telephoto with a 1:3 macro ability. Lens construction is 10 elements in 7 groups. It has a weight of 47.3 ounces and uses 77mm filters.
500mm f/4 Mirror MF: This is an astounding speed for a mirror lens. It is 8 1/2 inches long and 6 1/4 inches in diameter. It only focused down to 50 feet but the lens was supplied with an extension tube which allowed close focus of 10 feet. Long out of production, this is a very rare lens. It was made in T-Mount, so can be used on nearly any 35mm SLR ever made.
600mm f/8 Mirror MF: This is Sigma's current mirror lens. It has a construction of 7 elements in 4 groups, weighs 29.3 ounces and uses 30.5 rear and 95mm front filters. It's one of the best mirror lenses available.
800mm f/5.6 EX APO HSM AF: A very expensive telephoto. Lens construction is 13 elements in 10 groups. Weight is 10 pounds, 7.2 ounces. Filter size is 46mm that goes in the rear of the lens.
12-24mm f/3.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical AF: Equipped with 4 pcs SLD glass elements and 3 pcs Aspherical lenses for producing a high level of optical performance. Construction is 16 elements in 12 groups. It is internal focusing and has an angle of view of 122.0 - 84.1 degrees. Minimum focus is 11 inches at all focal lengths. Weight is 21.6 ounces. It uses rear insert-type gelatin filters. Produced with digital SLRs in mind, the 12-24mm will produce full frame images on 35mm cameras, unlike some of it's competition.
15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical AF: Construction is 17 elements in 13 groups. Angle of view ranges from 110 degrees to 71.6 degrees. It has a weight of 21.8 ounces and is a very fine lens.
20-40mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical AF: A fast wide-angle with a construction of 17 elements in 13 groups. Weight is 20.9 ounces and it takes 82mm filters.
24-135mm f/2.8-4.5 Aspherical IF AF: Although over a 5x zoom (which usually aren't that good), I own and have found, this to be a very good lens, which many could find to be a very good "all purpose" lens on both film and digital SLRs. Construction is 16 elements in 15 groups. It has an angle of view of 84.1°-18.2°. Aperture range is f/2.8 to f/32. Weight is 18.8 ounces. It takes 77mm filters.
28-105mm f/2.8-4 Aspherical AF: This was my first Sigma lens. It has a construction of 12 elemts in 11 groups. It takes 72mm filters and weighs 14.3 ounces. I use it fairly often, but I wouldn't call it a great lens. The zoom also creeps if angled very far. Picture quality is better than just acceptable.
28-135mm f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical Macro AF: This macro zoom has a construction of 13 elements in 12 groups. Macro magnification is 1:2 at a close focus of 9.4 inches. Normal close focus is 19.7 inches. Filter size is 62mm and the weight of the lens is 14.5 ounces. I'm very interested in his lens because of its macro ability and lightness of weight.
28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Compact Aspherical Hyperzoom Macro AF: This is a compact zoom with great performance. It's better than former 28-200mm zooms by Sigma. Lens construction is 16 elements in 14 groups. It has an 8-blade diaphragm and weighs 13.4 ounces. Minimum focus is 18.9 inches at all focal lengths and will give a macro ratio of 1:3.8. I own this lens and love it. Very compact and lightweight, with great performance, it's a lens you can carry all day without needing a change or weighing you down.
28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Compact Aspherical hyperzoom AF: After experiencing the compact 28-200mm, I may consider buying this lens. It's a bit slow on the long side, but would make a great backup for my Nikkor 70-300mm. Lens construction is 17 elements in 15 groups. Weight is 19.8 ounces and it takes 67mm filters. From the reports and test I've seen, this lens performs even better than the 28-200mm compact.
70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO AF: This is a serious alternative to the Nikon 80-200mm constant aperture f/2.8 zoom. Photo quality is comparable, and Sigma's HyperSonic motor drive gives it an advantage to most buyers. Lens construction is 17 elements in 14 groups. Weight is 43 ounces, and it takes 77mm filters.
70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Zoom Macro Super AF: Lens construction is 14 elements in 10 groups. It has a weight of 20.6 ounces and takes 58mm filters. Normal close focus is 59.1 inches, with 37.4 being the macro close focus, giving a macro ratio of 1:2. This would also make a great backup for my Nikkor 70-300, with the addition of macro ability. However, in all other regards, the compact 28-300 gives equal or better performance.
135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical APO AF: This is one of the best of the 100-400mm range lenses offered by the various companies. This is a lens I'll probably acquire. Test show it better than the following 170-500mm. Lens construction is 13 elements in 11 groups. It has a weight of 42.7 ounces, but comes with a tripod collar. Filter size is 77mm.
170-500mm f/5-6.3 Aspherical APO AF: A good telephoto zoom of better than average performance. Not as good as the 135-400mm but reaches out further. If you need a 500mm it's well worth considering. Lens construction is 13 elements in 11 groups. It has a weight of 46.6 ounces and comes with a tripod collar. However, filter size is the hard to find 86C.