Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG APO OS (Optical Stabilizer) HSM AutoFocus Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax AF Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I have have had this lens for about a month now and really do enjoy it. It gives me the reach and quality of photos that I need. I use this in with my Sigma 18-200mm and with two lens it covers all the ranges that i need. It can be heavy but you will get used to it pretty quick. I tend to hand hold most all of my shots, a tripod is recommended I do like that it came with a really nice case to carry it. In all this a a good priced lens that will give great photos.

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This ultra-telephoto zoom lens covers a telephoto range up to 500mm and allows photographers to bring the subject close and short perspective. Sigma's original OS (Optical Stabilizer) function offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower. It is ideal for sports, wildlife and landscape photography with handheld shooting. Three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction for chromatic aberration. This lens is equipped with a rear focus system that minimizes fluctuation of aberration caused by focusing.The super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting. High image quality is assured throughout the entire zoom range. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well asfull-time manual focusing capability.The addition of the (optional) 1.4x EX DG APO or 2x EX DG APO Tele Converters produce a 210-700mm F7-9 MF ultra-telephoto zoom lens or a 300-1000mm F10-13 MF ultra-telephoto zoom lens respectively. A removable tripod socket (TS-31) is included as a standard component.

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Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Sigma SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)There's nothing else this wide for use on a full-frame 35mm camera or digital such as the Canon 5D. It's so wide on a full-frame that you can almost see behind you (well not quite, but close to 180 degree field of view). It is not a fisheye, so straight lines stay straight. There is some minor vignetting at 12mm but less than the Canon 17-40 L-lens I had at 17mm. This lens is pushing the limits of physics so it is not as sharp as some lenses but it takes in so much more of the view and provides a crisp image all the way to the corners.
For use on a cropped sensor camera, such as the XT, 20D or 30D a better choice may be the Canon 10-22mm which is uber-sharp in the middle of the frame. The Canon, however, gives fuzzy images on the sides when wide open but sharpens up when stopped down to f8 or more. My third copy of the Sigma lens is less sharp than the Canon in the center of the frame but is sharper starting about halfway to the edge when both lenses are wide open. Near the edges of the frame the Canon gives a dark and mushy image when wide open at 12mm while the Sigma is only slightly less sharp than at the center - truly amazing!
Unfortunately, Sigma lenses are seemingly sold "as-is" with wide sample variations. The autofocus died on my first copy of the lens after less than 30 pictures. The second copy had poor optics with soft and fuzzy pictures even when manually focused. The third copy is sharp at 12mm, even wide open, all the way to the edges, but only if manually focused. At 12mm the lens autofocuses too far away when an object is close and too close for distant objects. At 24mm it autofocuses right on but is softer than at 12mm. I've decided to keep it since it is easy to manually focus. The depth of focus is large at 12mm. For objects further than a few meters away when using 12mm just set the lens to infinity and everything from a few feet to infinity is in focus even at the edges of the frame and in the corners. The lens has a 4-year warranty so I may send it in to Sigma for calibration later.
Pros: (1) Unique ultra-wide angle perspective on a full-frame camera. (2) A good copy will be optically sharp all the way across a full frame, even wide open. Further, there's virtually no purple chromatic aberation near the edges of dark objects with bright backgrounds. (3) Nice build quality with good finish and large smooth focus ring. (4) Straight lines stay straight so no defishing needed (defishing uses interpolation which lowers resolution away from the center). (5) Lens comes with a case and has a small built-in hood (serves mainly to protect the front element). (6) 4-year USA warranty if purchased from an authorized dealer like Amazon or B&H. Otherwise you get a 1-year International Warranty.
Cons: (1) Wide sample variation - getting a good copy takes luck or persistence while trying multiple copies. (2) The bulbous front element (this lens is nicknamed "Popeye") is exposed and no standard filter can be used for protection so be very careful. (3) Flares easily. The sun does not need to be in the picture just anywhere not behind you. This is a result of the ultra-wide design and not a fault of Sigma. (4) Photos sometimes come out too bright, giving the appearance of low contrast. Photoshop or other software easily fixes.


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The large angle of view of the Sigma 12-24 4.5/5.6 EX DG ASPH Zoom (122 degree super wide angle of view at 12mm along the diagonal axis) is ideal for shooting indoors as well as landscape photography. It has a variable angle of view from 122 degrees to 84.1 degrees.Four Special Low Dispertion (SLD) glass elements are provided for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. Two pieces of Glass Mold and one-piece Hybrid aspherical lenses offer excellent correction for distortion as well as all types of aberration.By effective arrangement of lens elements and advanced technology this lens has Super Compact dimensions of 100mm full-length, and 87mm Maximum Diameter. It is equipped with an Inner Focusing System that will keep the length of the lens unchanged, while controlling aberration.The models which are equipped with the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) System (only in Nikon, Canon and Sigma Camera Mounts) offer Full Time Manual Focusing. It has a minimum focusing distance of 28mm at all focal lengths. This lens is equipped with an integral Petal-Type Hood, to block out extraneous light.

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Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX RF HSM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I just recently got into photography as a retirement hobby and was fortunate to be able to acquire a Canon D60 within two days of ordering one from Kaimuki Camera Store in Honolulu.

To complete the Canon system I purchased Canon Lenses, the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM, EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM, Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.5-6 IS USM, and a Canon EF 35-350mm f/3.5-5.6L USM. I also got a Tamron 28-300mm UltraZoom XR f/3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical Macro, and my daughter got me the Sigma EX 50-500mm f/4-6.3 APO RF Zoom lens, along with the Sigma 2.0 teleconvertor lens, for my retirement party.
This Sigma 50-500 lens is like magic for me in that I've taken pictures of the city from my balcony and upon proccessing the images on my computer there are images that I didn't even know were there through my naked eye. I was amazed that I could read freeway signs that were easily over ten miles away.
Tonight my wife, daughter and I went out to shoot pictures of the full moon. We were all pleasantly surprised when we could see the details of the moon's surface, with the craters and other distinct features. By the way, I did have the Sigma 2X teleconvertor attached. If I'm not mistaken, along with the extra teleconvertor's 2X power, the magnification was also further enhanced by the inherent 1.6 mutiplier effect through the digital camera's characteristics.
All of the other reviewers are correct in their opinion of the 50-500's weight. It is heavy, and so far, I've gotten a lot of comments about the neat "retro" look with the crinkled black finish just as Bluegun opined. I also noticed that on several occassions people in front of me actually moved aside to give me room to shoot pictures at our Aloha Week events and once at a University of Hawaii sporting event. I guess the big tripod, and once, monopod monted Sigma zoom possibly gave me the look of a pro, which, of course, I'm far from.
I really like Sigma's locking feature so that the lens won't creep open when moving about. Also, when trying to manually focus the lens it is pretty tight, or sticky, as Bluegun has noted, however, I may be wrong, but I kind of like it tight rather than having it too loose. When I checked for comparisons in features/pricing this Sigma 50-500 is a definite bargain. I can't seem to find any comparable Canon lens with that range of the 50-500. The closest Canon has is not anywhere near Sigma's price points. Of course I pretty well believe that Canon's quality/price against Sigma's is definitly not comparing apples and apples. What Sigma has done, however, is help to make a big powerful lens that is affordable for just about anyone who can't affordably justify Canon's at the moment. Case in point - Sigma's 50-500 zoom has made it possible for my daughter to have the luxury of purchsing a good as well as impressive "big lens" for her daddy on her student's budget.

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Encompassing all popular focal lengths from the 50mm normal to 500mm ultratelephoto, the Sigma 50-500mm f4-f6.3 EX RF HSM hyperzoom lens gives you amazing versatility, plus a 10:1 zoom ratio, while its rear focus system ensures fast, convenient manual focus. The use of an apochromatic design, plus four optical elements composed of special low dispersion (SLD) glass, a seven-group zoom system, and multicoated optics combine to give you high-quality images.
This lens, featuring Sigma's silent hypersonic motor (HSM) focusing system, allows you to shoot pictures of your subject without the normal noise of an automatic focus system. In addition to its quiet, responsive AF function, you can also use the full-time manual focus at any time. The zoom lock mechanism helps reduce the "zoom creep" distortion that can occur when your lens is tilted up or down.
Sigma uses magnesium in the tripod mount to help reduce the weight of the lens (it's just over 65 ounces), yet still maintains the strength and rigidity necessary to support its weight. This model is dedicated to Canon AF SLR cameras.

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

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(More customer reviews)I disagree with Jeff Kershaw's review for the older version of this lens (Sigma 70-300mm APO Super), in that it's very unfair to compare this lens to a L series lens, as those lens start at over $500 due to it's very specific high-grade optics manufacturing process. To compare this lens to a lens that starts at over 4X the price is like comparing a Honda Civic to a Porsche. Like the civic, this Sigma lens is well rounded, good for beginner and consumer SLR photographers, and maybe some "pro-sumer" on a tight budget, or even students. For the price, this lens is a bargain, as I've been doing a lot of research before buying this lens (price range in the $130-225 for telephoto). What I liked most about this is the APO lenses, which prevent reflection inside the lens which creates "ghosting" (inverted light ghostly shadow that appers on your image) which is usually apparent in nightshots. During the day APO lenses decrease those "purple fuzzies" (chromatic aberration) you see against high contrast (like a bird's wing against the sky). Granted this lens is no Porsche like the Canon L series, but for the price range, may hit the spot for some folks. I mainly use this camera for macro photography and taking photos of the Empire state building from my roof, which is 24 blocks away. This lens is definitely better quality than the Canon 75-300 USM III f/4-5.6 which is usually considered the benchmark for this price range telephoto.
Also note that there are different versions of these lenses (despite close naming), so be careful about what you buy. The is a APO DG version with Macro specifically made for digital SLRs which is what is listed here (the "official" name of this lens is: 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro), and a non APO version of this lens which is a bit cheaper (but not worth it at all). Also there's ones listed as APO II which is the "older" version, which I don't know the quality of, but know that it is older than the model listed here.
Summary: If you're on a tight budget this is as good as it gets in this price bracket. The next tier where there's significant gains in lens imaging doesn't even start until you start spending in $600-1800 range.

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Telephoto zoom lenses with tele-macro function and optimised for digital SLR camerasThe performance telephoto zoom lens is capable of shooting with a maximum magnification of 1:2 at the focal length of 300 mm. It's the ideal lens for portraits, sports photography, nature photography, and other types of photography that frequently use the telephoto range.SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glassThis lens has two SLD glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group, the lens has excellent correction of chromatic aberration through the entire zoom range. This new DG lens is capable of macro photography with a 1:2 maximum magnification at the focal length of 300 mm. The new multi layer lens coating reduces flare and ghost, which is a common problem with digital cameras and also creates an optimum colour balance Macro shooting with maximum magnification 1:2High optical performance is demonstrated throughout the entire zoom range. It also has a switch that converts the lens to macro photography at focal lengths between 200mm and 300mm with a minimum focusing distance of 95cm (37.4 inches). In normal mode the minimum focusing distance is 150cm (59.1 inches) at all zoom settings. Maximum magnification between 200mm and 300mm is 1:2.9 to 1:2.

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Sigma 28-200 f/3.5-5.6 Compact Hyper Zoom Aspherical Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not sure why, but this lens is incredibly dark. I need to have major amounts of light to use it; the built in flash is not sufficient to light a nearby subject. I will very likely retire this lens in favor of one i can actually use.
So why not 1 star? I'm not sure if for some reason i'm missing something obvious... usually sigma rocks.

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The high-performance Sigma 28-200mm F3.5-5.6 Compact Hyper Zoom Aspherical lens is ideal for travel and action photography due to the wide range of focal lengthsfrom 28mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto. Features 2 aspherical lenses for excellent correction for all types of aberration, as well as delivering high image quality throughout the zoom range. At the 200m telephoto setting, the lens is capable of macro photography with a 1:3:8 maximum magnification. The minimum focusing distance is 48cm at all zoom settings. For use with Canon cameras.

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Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG IF Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG IF Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR CamerasI am a pro shooter work for several papers and celebrities as well and I take this everywhere.
This is the best lens for the price. I have used this lens on my 1Ds & 30D and performed remarkably. I also Had the same one when I was a Nikon shooter in fact I only had one glass that was not Nikon and this was it. I have never worried about it failing on me at all and it covers the full frame digitals as well as the 1.6x factor. It is sharp as a tack in all ranges for me that is even better than my 28-70 2.8 L series lens from Canon. It is Rough and can take a beating, so if you are looking for a lens that does not cost an arm and a leg and will perform in all conditions this is the one for you in Nikon or Canon.

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Sigma provides the new ultra-wide angle zoom lens from 15mm and this lens is the first of its kind in the world. It can be useful for images of landscapes, large buildings, group photographs or even more. The perspective that changes with the angle-of-view gives picture an extraordinary feeling. Delicate compositions can be adjusted by lens zooming and this is helpful for close-up photography. Provides deep depth of field with its short focal length for amazing photographic expressions. This is an ultra-wide zoom lens that covers a large wide-angle range from 15 mm to 30 mm. With a minimum focusing distance of 30 cm (11.8 inches) throughout the entire zoom range, it is an ideal lens for Digital SLR Cameras. It incorporates hybrid aspherical lens in the front lens group to minimize distortion and astigmatism, and molded glass aspherical lens in the rear lens group to minimize spherical aberration. Minimization of the distortion is a most important issue for zoom lens, but Sigma has succeeded, to provide image quality with minimal distortion by employing aspherical lenses. This lens incorporates an internal focusing system, which eliminates front lens rotation. Since focusing do not change its overall length, this lens is easy to hold and use. Also it is allowing the use of a Petal-type Hood. The lens also incorporates Dual-Focus (DF) mechanism. It is easy to hold the lens, since the focusing ring does not rotate during auto-focus, yet it provides adequate focusing torque of the focusing ring during manual focusing of the lens.

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Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO HSM IF Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I had a Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro and it was working quite well for me but I longed for a little more working distance. When Sigma came out with the 150mm f2.8 Macro, I tried researching it but couldn't find much info because it was such a new lens, I found the MTF charts on the Sigma Website and it was amazing. This lens was very close to the performance of the Sigma 180mm macro and Canon's famed 180mm f3.5 L. So I went ahead and bought it. It was a little pricy but I thought I could always return it if I didn't like it.
My first impressions taking the lens out of the box was very positive. It was quite compact for the focal length and was very well made. It balanced quite well on my 20D. I never liked Sigma's EX finish but I could live with it. The EX finish looks cheap to me,particularly the golden ring, and the EX badge, but it's better than Sigma's old design. The only thing I like about the EX finish is that it seems very durable. Even after heavy use there are no marks or scratches on the lens body and every time I wipe the lens body with a damp tissue, it just looks like brand new. The focus ring is nicely ribbed and wide but it didn't have the kind of damping Canon L lenses have, so it felt a little loose. The tripod ring is made of the same material as the lens body itself, but it didn't feel as smooth as the Canon's L like the 70-200 2.8IS and the 300mm f4 IS. One advantage Sigma's tripod rings have over Canon is you don't have to take it off the tripod to remove the lens. You just pull a knob and the ring opens allowing you to remove the lens. This is good if you have it all set on the tripod and want to quickly remove it for some hand held shots.
As far as it's optical performance is concerned, it's an absolute gem. When I review the pictures from this lens, all worries and niggles about price, finish etc dissapear and I'm glad I own it. I compared it against Canon's 135mm F2L which is one of Canon's sharpest lens,and this lens compares very favourably against it. In fact it is just as sharp as the 135mm at comparable apertures. But the 135mm is a stop faster and has faster focussing but that's a whole different story.
In short the lens is everything one can expect out of a macro. Excellent build, very sharp, good colors, excellent bokeh (out of focus areas). What else would one want? The focussing is slow, but it's a macro lens and that's how macro lenses are. The minimum aperture is 22 which may deter some, but I don't shoot slower than 22 anyway because of diffraction limitations.
This lens is just perfect for it's intended purpose. Needless to say, I sold my Canon 100mm in a jiffy.

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Super Multi Coating reduces flare and ghosting that tends to occur when using digital SLR cameras.Super compact and lightweight, large aperture telephoto lens with life-size macro capability.This large aperture telephoto macro lens enables you to shoot up to 1:1 life size close-ups. Its large F2.8 aperture makes it an ideal lens for digital SLR as well as film SLR cameras. Two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements control various color aberrations and assure high image quality. Super Multi Coating gives superb color performance whilst cutting down flare and ghost. Its compact, yet advanced, construction has an overall length of Length 137mm (5.4in.), maximum diameter of 79.6mm (3.1in.), filter size of 72mm and weight of 895gr/31.6ounces

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Quantaray - Telephoto lens - 500 mm - f/8.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for an inexpensive 500mm or 1000mm lens to use occasionally or just for fun, this one is a good choice.
If you have been drooling for a long lens and are thinking about this one over a 300mm with autofocus, then you are making a horrible choice!
This lens does exactly what it says, which is why I got one and am happy with it. Some things you should know before buying:
1. The 'T-Ring' adapter is a MUST or it won't attach to your camera.
2. It is COMPLETELY MANUAL!!! NO autofocus, manual apeture, manual focal length adjustment... And you can't use it on your camera unless you put the camera in MANUAL mode. You cannot use it with a preset setting like landscape, portrait, auto, action, etc. So if you are not comfortable and confident in setting your own shutter speed, apeture setting, and focusing by hand, this is not for you.
3. You MUST use this lens with a tripod. MUST! If you try to hand-hold the lens (even with a quick shutter) in 1000mm mode the loss of quality due to vibration will be about the same as if you were using a cropped image from a 200mm-300mm lens. If you don't want to use a tripod, spend your money on a 300mm lens with autofocus. You'll get a better picture AND a wider field of view.
4. Also because of vibration noise with any lens this size, if your camera has a remote or cord shutter, use it. If not, set your camera to take multiple shots. That way you won't have to live with the shaky first shot.
5. The field of view is only 5 degrees and the minimum focal length is measured in meters! Neither fact is bad, but something you should consider before you buy.
Since my primary use is to photograph birds from a distance when birdwatching, it works well for me for the money. If you want to take close-up snaps of you kid in center field making a running catch during a ballgame, don't even think about it!


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CL) U)500MM F/8 PRESET W/1000MM ADPT

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Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi, I just wanted to give this lens a fair review. As the other reviewer mentioned, if you use it with an APS-C sensor digital slr, you won't see a whole lot of distortion. It's no different from the Canon brand fisheye on a camera like that. But, if you use it with film, or with a larger sensor size camera, full-frame if possible, it's really quite a beautiful, sharp, and very fish-eyed lens. On a Canon 5D it performed really well for me. I just wanted to say that on the right camera, it's really quite a lens.

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The Sigma 15mm f2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras is a digitally optimized diagonal fisheye auto-focus lens. It is equipped with the latest in multi-layer coating technology that reduces both flare and ghosting. By taking advantage of both the distortion specific to fisheye lenses and the minimum shooting distance of 5.9 inches, the photographer can shoot error-free creative images.By offering a 180 degree field of view, this fisheye lens can be used to create amazing image expressions that cannot be seen with the human eye, such as exaggerated perspective and distortion.The minimum shooting distance and large depth of field allow close up photography that covers the objects surrounding the photographic subject. The lens is supplied with a gelatin filter holder at the rear, allowing the use of gelatin filters.

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Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM APO IF Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an awesome lens and is a real must-have for birdwatching and other nature photography. The zoom range is extremely flexible and the f-stop reasonably fast, but keep in mind that this is a very, very specialized lens. First of all, yes, it is gigantic! This is not something you'll be carrying around day-to-day. It can be very challenging to get sharp pictures at focal lengths beyond 400mm or so. You MUST MUST MUST use a sturdy, high-end tripod and gimbal head. This will also preclude the "downward fall" described in another review. The lens alone is very heavy, and once you toss in a sturdy tripod you're talking 25+ pounds of equipment at a minimum; this is really going to limit your mobility and affect the way you shoot. It takes a lot of forethought to use this lens, but I prefer to think of that as an advantage.
When used properly, this lens has fantastic image quality -- very sharp, excellent contrast. When I say sharp, I am talking L-series sharp, even wide open. The HSM focus speed is fast, perhaps slightly slower than Canon's USM but not appreciably so. The only thing it's really missing is image stabilization (or optical stabilization, as Sigma calls it), which would really help out on those long shots. This is a minor limitation, though, to a great lens. If you have the discipline to learn how to use this lens properly (and if you can afford it!), you'll reap some great rewards.

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The Sigma APO 300-800mm f5.6 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras provides a constant fast maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range and is optimized for digital SLR cameras. By continuously varying the angle of view from 8.2 degrees to 3.1 degrees, the lens takes a lot of the footwork out of picture composition.The multi-layer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras, and it also creates an optimum color balance. Two Extra Low Dispersion (ELD) glass elements in the front lens elements reduce chromatic aberration to a minimum and also ensure sharp, quality images of high contrast. The lens' Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) provide silent, high-speed and precise auto-focusing with full time manual focus override. The lens also features a drop-in 46 millimeter filter holder in the rear part of the lens barrel, which can be rotated to facilitate the use of filters, including a polarizing filter. Since focusing and zooming do not change its overall length, this lens is easy to hold and use. In addition, since the front of the lens does not rotate, a circular polarizing filter can be easily attached and used. This lens accepts both 1.4x and 2x APO EX Tele-Converters (sold separately).

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Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I must admit I did not buy this monster of a lens - it came to me the old fashion way (no it wasn't stolen) my parents purchased it for me - they have more disposable income than I. Well after having had it for a little while, there are a few things I have learned: 1. Don't unleash this beast around other photographers or anyone else for that matter unless you are a total camera snob and are trying to compensate for certain inadequacies. 2. Use a monster tripod - this beast weighs over 100 lbs.. 3. Let the lens come to ambient temperature before using. 4. Do not use it for photographing ANYTHING from the deck of your home in San Francisco - unless you want your neighbors phoning SFPD complaining that you are a voyeur - SFPD was impressed with my photos of the Palace of Fine Arts and Alcatraz. Now I wanted this lens for nature photography - this is what I do for fun. Unfortunately, I think the lens is much too large and heavy to be transported with any ease other than hiring a Sherpa.

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This ultra telephoto zoom lens offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at the 500mm focal length and F5.6 at the 1000mm. It covers widely-used focal lengths from 200mm to 500mm and has a large aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. This lens can be used to create amazing image expression with various types of photography such as astrophotography, portraits, wildlife, sports. SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass and three ELD (Extraordinary Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction for all type of aberrations. The super multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides high image quality from the extremely large aperture. The lens hood, designed exclusively for this lens, blocks out extraneous light. A 72mm filter can be inserted at the rear of the lens, and a circular polarizing filter can be used in situ thanks to the ingenious internal rotation mechanism. The dedicated Li-ion battery BP-21 is used to power the zooming and AF operation. This battery is built in the lens barrel. For the convenience of the photographer, focusing distances and focal lengths can be viewed on the lens' built-in LCD panel.

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Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular Fisheye Lens for Sigma SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I got mine about a month ago and am just back from 10 days in Italy, where I used this extensively.
Sharp, good flare control, lots of fun. The previous reviewer says something about the AF being slow-- which, while true, is only half the story. You're almost always going to be focusing at or near infinity, so it's actually very rare to have to wait. Because this lens has such wide depth of field, I actually usually keep it on manual focus and leave it near infinity.
Actually, the biggest challenge with this lens is composition-- it can be surprisingly hard to find a scene with interesting things in all directions. That said, this lens is *excellent* for inside buildings and crowded city streets. Be aware that outdoors, finding the correct exposure can be difficult for a number of reasons. I did significantly better in M (manual) mode than my camera was doing in A (aperture) mode. (reasons for difficulty include the dark corners in the frame which mess up the camera's metering in some modes, and the probability that the sun will be in the frame and/or there will be both very light and very dark areas in the frame)
This lens is excellent for making spherical panoramas, and for realllllly wide angle shots (I'm de-fishing a lot of my pictures with software).
(I use this lens with a Canon 10D)

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This circular fisheye lens produces circular images with an angle of view of 180° when attached to a full-frame digital or 35mm film SLR camera. It has a maximum aperture of F3.5, a minimum focusing distance of 13.5cm (5.5") and a maximum magnification of 1:4.6. The special fisheye design allows maximum creative expression. Sigma's super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting, a common problem with digital cameras. The new lens power layout reduces color aberrations. Providing excellent image quality for digital and film SLR cameras. This lens can be used for the scientific applications such as the solid angle measurements of cloud distribution over the sky, the vegetation distribution of the rain forest canopy, etc., due to the quantifiable angle/area relationship it produces. This lens has a gelatin filter holder at the rear, allowing the use of gelatin filters

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Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO HSM Large Aperture Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I've now been shooting sports with this lens for over a year and am absolutely in love with it. Have shot and sold thousands of super sharp publication quality images. I purchased this lens a year ago as an upgrade from my Canon 70-300. Wow!!! I could not believe the sharpness of the images I was now shooting. I shoot sports with a monopod from the sidelines particularly football and lacrosse. Now I am getting crystal clear helmeted faces at 50 yards. This lens is silky smooth and a dream upgrade. The lens collar is well marked and allows easy and smooth transition from horizontal to vertical. The zoom moves from 200 to 100mm with a quick flip of my finger as the action gets close. I've been shooting my kids sports for 15 years and am absolutely delighted with this lens but you better have a monopod because it's a big heavy hunk of glass and not a carry around vacation shooter. It also makes a great portrait lens when tripod mounted with the sharpest eyelashes I have ever shot with any lens.

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Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO HSM Large Aperture Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

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Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS (Optical Stabilizer) Zoom Lens for Sigma Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)We've been using this Sigma AF 18-200 lens for a couple of months now. Recently we compared the Sigma with Canon's 28-135mm image stabilized lens on a Canon 30D. We shot side by side photographs at 28mm & 135 mm both, set to ISO 100 with camera in Program mode. Our lenses were set to autofocus with image stabilization on.
The good news which I really didn't expect was to see both lenses produce images that were nearly identical-- I thought for sure Canon's optics would far surpass Sigma's. Color saturation, light exposure through the lens, and detail were indistinguishable. The autofocus worked equally well on both. Both weighed about the same and were about the same size. The Sigma has a 72mm diameter aperture which I liked (so does the Canon). Of course the Sigma is 18-200, and at this time Canon does not have a competing option in the same digital SLR lens class with image stabilization.
The only aspect of the Sigma that differed significantly from Canon's lens was the noise of Sigma's autofocus motor. Sigma produces noticeable motor noise, though it wasn't overly loud. Still if you were shooting in a spot where silence was critical such as a ceremony, it may become an issue but probably not. In comparison, the Canon autofocus motor is silent and fast every time.
Sigma places a locking mechanism on the lens barrel to eliminate any possibility of lens creep (lens extending when pointed down). I doubt this would be a problem with the Sigma anyway. The zoom ring is a little stiff, but not too stiff. The manual focus ring is designed to be used with AF set to off to avoid manipulating the motor when focusing.
The image stabilization works well allowing you to shoot lower light photos without a tripod. I was quite satisfied with Sigma's newest effort here.
I'd say this Sigma makes a great choice for amateur photographers like us looking for a single lens option on Canon digital SLR cameras. The only dissuading factor 'might' be the motor noise if you hope to match Canon's silent motor system. Until Canon produces the same class of lens at a competitive price, Sigma has this round sown up.
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UPDATE: "LENS CREEP" September 18, 2007
We did just notice the Sigma lens starting creep for the first time (extend while pointed down). So apparently while the zoom mechanism starts off stiff enough to hold the lens in position, over time it will loosen up enough to move on its own with gravity assisting. Still love the lens though.

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The Sigma 18-200mm high-zoom-ratio lens is designed exclusively for Sigma digital SLR cameras and is capable of covering a wide range of focal lengths, from wide-angle to telephoto. Two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements and two hybrid aspherical lenses correct for all types of aberrations, letting Sigma house the extended-range super-zoom lens in a compact and lightweight body that measures 70mm in diameter and 78.1mm long and weighs a mere 14.3 ounces. The new lens coating, meanwhile, reduces flare and ghost--a common problem shared by many digital cameras--while also creating an optimum color balance. Other details include a minimum focusing distance of 45cm (17.7) at all focal lengths, a high zoom ratio of 11:1, and a maximum magnification of 1:4.4.
The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system that prevents the front of the lens from rotating, making it particularly suitable for using circular polarizing filters and petal-shaped lens hoods. In addition, the overall length of the lens never changes during focusing, making the lens convenient to handle and easy to use. Finally, the lens's zoom lock switch eliminates "zoom creep" during transport--a convenient addition when traveling. The lens, which includes a metal mount, is backed by a one-year warranty.

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Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)I hesitated purchasing this lens for my Nikon D40X--probably looked at this listing six or seven times before making the purchase. Truthfully I was worried about how inexpensive it is. Now, I'm probably a pretty average amateur photographer in that the majority of my pictures are family stuff: kids' sporting events, vacations, birthdays, and the like. But that doesn't mean I'm willing to compromise on quality just to save some money, and I know that the Nikon 55-200 is a quality lens.
But, I purchased based on Michael Del Priore's review (his was the only review at the time)--I figured, at this price (especially when compared to the Nikon 55-200), why not give it a shot, and I'm glad I did.
This is an excellent lens. The auto focus motor is fast and doesn't chew up the battery (I was concerned about that, but I shot almost 170 pictures at my son's games two Saturdays ago and didn't use any more battery than the Nikon 35-70 lens that came with the camera). Like "cinderoo" I haven't had any stabilization issues to speak of either, even snapping away while following 12 year old boys run the length of a field. That may be more of an issue with macro photography, but I'd imagine most of the (admittedly limited) macro photography I'd do would probably be with a tripod anyway.
Now, no one would mistake me for a professional photographer, but I can tell you that when I pull up photos shot with my D40X and this Sigma lens on my 24" iMac and view them full screen they are *everything* I was looking for when I decided to move to an SLR camera.

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The Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG Macro Lens for Minolta Digital SLR Cameras is a telephoto lens that offers excellent cost performance and is optimized for use with digital SLR cameras. Capable of macro photography, this lens has a 1:2 maximum close-up magnification at the 300 millimeter focal length. It's the ideal high performance lens for portraits, sports photography, nature photography, and other types of photography that frequently use the telephoto range. The lens features a switch for changeover to macro photography at focal lengths between 200 millimeters and 300 millimeters, with a maximum close-up magnification from 1:2.9 to 1:2. The multi-layer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras, and it also creates an optimum color balance through the entire zoom range. The minimum focusing distance is 59 inches at all zoom settings. The lens features a switch for changeover to macro photography at focal lengths between 200 millimeters and 300 millimeters with a maximum close-up magnification. Without changing the distance between camera and subject, you can change the shooting magnification.

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Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG AF Lens for Canon EOS / EF Review

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(More customer reviews)Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG Aspherical Large Aperture Zoom Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras
I was looking for a zoom lens for indoor sports shots. I didn't want to pay the big bucks of $750 to $1500. The Sigma fit the bill. At 2.8 it gives enough light for a decent shutter speed. The quality appears good as well. Although I have not blown pictures to 20x24, I can not tell the difference compared to expensive lens I have rented costing ten or fifteen times more. It also works well for indoor and flash photos. For my money, it does what I need.

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Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, bear in mind that I purchased this Sigma fisheye to replace Nikon's 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye. While I was happy with the Nikon's optical performance, I was disappointed with the AF design. Nikon's lens relies on the AF motor in the camera, which makes for noisy AF. In addition, this design precludes full-time manual focus touch-up. And finally, the lack of an in-lens focus motor precludes AF on the existing D40/D40x and new D60, as well as future Nikon DSLRs lacking an in-camera focus motor.
In any event, when Sigma announced their fisheye lens a few months ago, I decided that I would purchase one. And I am very happy with it! The HSM provides autofocus performance as fast as the Nikon (at least on my Nikon D300 DSLR), while being eerily quiet.
As for the optical quality, it appears to be virtually identical to Nikon's, which is to say excellent. Both lenses are slightly soft wide-open (i.e. at f/2.8), but sharpen considerably when close down one f-stop. Indeed, both lenses are almost as sharp at f/4 as they are at f/5.6.
Besides the built-in autofocus motor, another difference between Nikon and Sigma's fisheye lenses is the field-of-view (FOV). Sigma's lens is 0.5mm wider, and provides a small -- but definitely noticeable -- increase in the angle of view.
So, it all comes down to this:
* Do you currently own a D40/D40x/D60, or plan to purchase one?
* Do you prefer super-quiet AF to the noisy mechanical variety?
* Do you prefer a better-built lens?
The one advantage that Nikon's lens has is size/weight. While arguably not as durable and well-built as the Sigma, it is lighter and more compact. If this is important to you, then you may prefer the Nikon. (See the comparison photos I posted to see what I mean.)
As for Cons, there is one. Sigma's lens is, unfortunately, not weather-sealed. I was hoping that Sigma would at least utilize a gasket around the lens mount, but that is not the case. As such, I recommend against using this lens in rain/drizzle -- or in a super-humid environment. (It is important to note that Nikon's fisheye lens is not weather-sealed either, and also lacks a lens mount gasket.)
Apart from the one aforementioned complaint, I highly recommend the Sigma 10mm fisheye lens. It provides all of the performance/quality of Nikon's fisheye lens, while providing fast and quiet autofocus to owners of ALL Nikon DSLR's, including the D40/D40x/D60. You will not be disappointed!

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Designed for use with Canon digital SLR cameras equipped with APS-C size image sensors, the Sigma 10mm f/2.8 fisheye lens offers a uniquely exaggerated and distorted close-up perspective that's perfect for arty, off-kilter shots. This Canon version offers an impressive 167-degree diagonal angle of view, along with a minimum focusing distance of 5.3 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.3. As a result, subjects can sit as close as 0.7 inches from the lens's front element, making the lens ideal for extreme close-up shots and photos with a large depth of field. The lens also includes a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) that provides fast and quiet autofocusing, with a full-time manual focus override via a simple twist of the focus ring. And thanks to the lens's integral hood and super multilayer coating, you can easily block out extraneous light while minimizing flare and ghosting. Supplied with a gelatin filter holder at the rear, the 10mm lens carries Sigma's one-year warranty.
Specifications
Focal length: 10mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Lens construction: 12 elements in 7 groups
Angle of view: 167 degrees
Number of diaphragm blades: 7
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 5.3 inches
Maximum magnification: 1:3.3
Filter type: Insertion-type gelatin filter
Mount: Canon
Dimensions: 3 inches in diameter and 3.3 inches long
Weight: 16.8 ounces
Warranty: 1 year

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