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November 21, 2009

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Sigma-10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM AF

Sigma - 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM AF Review

Price (MSRP): $500
Type: Zoom Lens - Ultra-Wide
Submitted by: Craig from Olando, FL
Date Reviewed: 1/17/2009
Months Owned: 12 Months
Photos Taken: 501-999
Skill Level: Advanced amateur

What's Hot: Very wide and sharp enough. Nice build and quiet

What's Not:

Review: This is a great lens for specific super wide uses. I considered the various 12-24 superwides, but that extra 2mm at the wide end is really quite a lot. You're talking 20% additional wide angle here and you can really use that sometimes. Add that to the fact that this Sigma is pretty much the least expensive superwide lens out there and you've got a real bargain. I had owned the Tokina 12-24 and found the fringing just too annoying and it took way too long in post trying to fix them. I sold it and am now extremely happy with the Sigma. There are just a lot of times in the field where a superwide comes in handy and a fisheye is just too much. Both this Sigma and my Nikon 10.5 fisheye share my field bag. I don't care how people suggest de-fishing, it just doesn't replace the 10mm of a true wide angle like the Sigma. Finally this lens is just plain good enough. It might not be quite as sharp as the 10.5 fish, but it's not far behind. It's at least as sharp as Nikon's 12-24 which costs quite a bit more. So, if you want the ability to go 10mm with a true wide angle, this is the way. Remember, this lens is for APS-C sensors, so it will not work well on a full frame camera. I've tried it and it really doesn't. One last warning. You've got to learn this lens. To get naximum contrast you need to use the included butterfly lens hood, and there in lies an issue. At 10mm, if you don't have that hood alligned correctly, you'll see it in the image, so be careful to make sure it's locked correctly in place. You might think this is obvious, but I've missed it several times. I get back to the lab and find those pesky hood tabs showing in the diagonal corners ruining the shoot, or at least some of it. To finish, I would suggest this lens as a great tool in your kit if you learn how and why to use it. I think it's the best choice in the superwides for crop cameras. With Olympus it's really not a superwide having a maximum field of view similar to a 20mm, but that's the issue of a small crop sensor. Everyone else should enjoy it.

Overall Ratings
Overall quality
10
Ease of use
9
Fit and finish
9
Versatility
8
Legibility of exterior markings
10
Smoothness of zoom
10
Hoods and filters
8
Overall value
10
RATING SCALE: 1 = WORST 10 = BEST

User Reviews do not reflect the opinions of the editors of PopPhoto.com. User Reviews should be used for informational purposes only to help you make an informed choice, not as a definitive authority on what camera or lens is most appropriate for you. Please contact editor@popphoto.com with any problems regarding user review submissions.





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