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Sigma 10-20 mm. superwide zoom lens - how good?

Aplmac

By Aplmac,
in Photo & Camera Discussions

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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Tell him you need to test it for pin-cushioning and barrel distortion

(Dave's words ring in your ears) - against a brightly-lit outdoor brick wall, in daylight.

 

That test (to see if you got a lemon) is vital

and so most unfortunately it has to come out the box and wrapping one more time.

Great shame really.

 

 

Meanwhile I did a few test shots myself on a local beach.

 

 

Accra-004.jpg

 

 

Accra-006.jpg

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FinelyCruising

FinelyCruising

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All right...I will tell him I need additional testing. I will tell him I have to go to Barbados to meet with a test instructor who has experience with this lens. I will print out your photos in biggie size and hand them over to him and say SEE....I have to make sure my pictures look like these.

 

How's that sound for a good idea.:D

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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All right...I will tell him I need additional testing.

 

I will tell him I have to go to Barbados to meet with a test instructor

who has experience with this lens. ===> Oh that should go down well!

Don't forget your swimsuit. :)

 

I will print out your photos in biggie size and hand them over to him and say...

SEE?....I have to make sure my pictures look like these.

 

How's that sound for a good idea.:D ===> You GO girl!

That sounds like a plausible plan. :cool:

 

This final test might help.

 

 

Accra-013.jpg

 

This last one is absolutely full-frame, no cropping at all

 

 

_______________________________

get the big picture at URL..

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=6241&limit=recent

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  • 2 weeks later...
CronoDL

CronoDL

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Yes, keep the camera back(and thus the 'film plane' -these days the sensor plane)

as close to true vertical as possible.

 

Don't point it up or down too much.

 

You'll soon see the results and figure out for yourself

just how much crazy distortion is acceptable for the purpose you have in mind

but for things you'd want to(normally) reproduce in faithful,understandable detail -like the ship's atrium-

try to keep the camera back "flat" as you put it -vertical.

 

I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree with that, for the most part. In my opinion, the beauty of superwides is not that they necessarily let you take in a wider angle of view, but that they let you creatively exaggerate and/or emphasize distance. And for me, I might as well not use it if I can't point that thing up or down; it's usually pointed down to take in more foreground subject and create a feeling of distance, a sense of scale, and a feeling of "being there."

 

Of course, the "weird" straight lines are just converging lines and perspective distortion, not lens distortion, which we see in real life. If you look up at a skyscraper (without camera), the base will seem much wider than the top, and it will look like the lines are going to merge. It's natural.

 

What I do agree with is that if you're doing any type of architectural shots, where you will probably want parallel lines to look parallel. For those, you'll need to point that thing straight, or you can use photoshop to fix the perspective distortion.

 

I'm not saying that it's wrong to keep your lens pointed straight forward, but doing so exclusively limits creativity and possibilities.

 

Here's one shot of mine from Oct, though not cruise related, unfortunately! Not the best shot there is, but I'm just trying to demonstrate what I've said above. And yes, the trees on the left were actually leaning to one side a bit.

 

th_dlamcc01.jpg

 

And yes, this was shot with the Sigma 10-20, on a Sony A700. It's a great lens, and definitely a great value compared to Nikon's offering. Vignetting is an issue at all apertures and focal lengths with the Sigma, though it's an easy fix. But that's about the only issue with the lens; it's great.

 

The photos in the links below are not mine, but demonstrate better what I'm trying to say. Those shots would not have been possible if the lens had just been pointed straight forward. They show a great sense of scale and really shows what a superwide is about.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/youngmers/3098837472/

 

pez

 

As discussed by others, there are definitely sample variations with the lens, and a common issue is bad focusing. My first copy had severe backfocus, and had to be sent in to Sigma. This is easy to test for - if your intended someone is not what's in focus, that's a problem (though it could be the camera too.) You can test for barrel and pincushioning, but that's a characteristic of the lens, and not a product of sample variation.

 

But as always, the most important thing is to have fun when taking pictures! Happy holidays everyone!

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FinelyCruising

FinelyCruising

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If I see a good boxing day sale, I may have to succumb. The question is Sigma, or fork over the extra for Canon...:confused:

 

I have been right where you are. :eek: If they were priced the same do you have an impression on what you are finding in your research so far? That might help you decide between the two if cost were not an issue.

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Scrappytraveller

Scrappytraveller

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I've read various posts about Sigma lenses needing to be exchanged and I don't seem to find the same magnitude of problems with the Canon.

Quality wise, seems the Canon might be slightly better but not sure it's a big enough difference that I'd notice.

And I'll admit that I'm just a bit of a Canon snob. :D All the lenses I've bought so far have been Canon.

It will come down to where I buy it. If I order it online from the U.S., I'll likely go with Canon, to hopefully avoid returns. If I find a great deal here in Montreal on the Sigma, I may give it a try as long as there's a good return policy. I'm still debating. The price is high here ($730 for the Canon) and now that our dollar has dropped down again, the benefit of ordering from the U.S. is minimal unless there's a great sale.

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FinelyCruising

FinelyCruising

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Reliability is important. I agree 100% and I worried about these reports of Sigma rejects and I understand the Canon snob mentality, I surely do!:D

 

One of the good things about this particular thread is the opportunity for you to see what you are getting with the Sigma, and use that as a tool for you to evaluate what you want to use as a base line. For me, I used some of the test photos of each lens with photozone results and coupled that with the feedback and insight presented here.

 

I hope you take your time and make a decision that you feel confident with no matter how long that takes. I was very sure I wanted the Canon for over a year before I finally pulled the trigger a few weeks ago and decided on the Sigma...afterall.

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pierces Great Review Rare

pierces

Posted
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I've read various posts about Sigma lenses needing to be exchanged and I don't seem to find the same magnitude of problems with the Canon.

Quality wise, seems the Canon might be slightly better but not sure it's a big enough difference that I'd notice.

And I'll admit that I'm just a bit of a Canon snob. :D All the lenses I've bought so far have been Canon.

It will come down to where I buy it. If I order it online from the U.S., I'll likely go with Canon, to hopefully avoid returns. If I find a great deal here in Montreal on the Sigma, I may give it a try as long as there's a good return policy. I'm still debating. The price is high here ($730 for the Canon) and now that our dollar has dropped down again, the benefit of ordering from the U.S. is minimal unless there's a great sale.

 

Sigma's reliability isn't a real issue. When the 10-20 first came out, there was a lot of babble about "bad copies" but once production had been going for a while, the reports faded to "occasional".

 

I have a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX DG for my Sony and Minolta DSLRs and the build and performance is stellar. Their EX series (the 10-20 is one) have exceptional build and great optics. I admit that my next lens purchase will be a Sony/Zeiss, but I don't regret my 70-200 at all.

 

No company is without their design and production foibles...ask and owner of an early $4500 Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III how well the autofocus worked!:D Canon goofed, but like any reputable manufacturer, they fixed the problem and took care of their customers. Sigma does the same.

 

If the Canon 10-22 is whar you want, go for it. My Sigma isn't as good as the Sony offering that costs 2x, but I will guarantee that the difference in the pictures I get out of it aren't .5x as good! To be fair, if I had the extra $1000 handy at the time, my brand loyalty and love for Minolta or Sony/Zeiss lenses would have won out. But the Sigma is still an excellent lens and again, no regrets.

 

Dave

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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Sigma's reliability isn't a real issue.

When the 10-20 first came out, there was a lot of babble about "bad copies"

but once production had been going for a while, the reports faded to "occasional".

And one would assume that by now (2008 production line)

they woulda got their quality control act seriously together

 

 

When did the Sigma 10-20 come out?

Last year 2007... when? :confused:

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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It was announced in February 2005.

Okay! Thanks for that info.

 

Presumably then, the lemons woulda been produced

during years like 2005, '06 ..and maybe a few in '07.

By now they must have realized the error of their ways

and corrected assembly procedures to eliminate further lemons?

 

 

Glad I bought mine in 2008 but when was it made?

My serial number is 2219907

Does the 07 bit at the end mean it was made in 2007?

Maybe those last three numbers..907 means September 2007?

 

Very often serial numbers 'mean something' date-wise

Anyone know/understand the coding?

 

 

What's the serial number on your Sigma 10-20 lens?

...particularly owners on early lenses that had to go back to Sigma to be corrected?

When did you buy your 10-20?

 

Can we make a connection between numbers and manufacturing dates?

503413221_Sigma--10-20mm_lens.jpg.4243c0a3bc7fc3d16c4e252da46b4569.jpg

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pierces Great Review Rare

pierces

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It doesn't look like the serial number contains any coding. my lens ends with an "01" and the model wasn't released until 2005. It starts with a "5", but that would put your back to 2002.

 

In some announcements about compatibility, they state "lenses with a serial number prior to..." which seems to indicate a sequential numbering scheme.

 

Dave

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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In some announcements about compatibility, they state "lenses with a serial number prior to..."

which seems to indicate a sequential numbering scheme.

Not quite sure where I'd find such specific announcements

but I did come across a webpage with general information on the Sigma 10-20 mm.

which ppl might like to peruse..

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?navigator=6

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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I can tell you mine Tomorrow.:D
I have a feeling I know which prezzie Someone's going to open, first thing in the morning!

 

Beady eyes have been checking on a certain square box positioned in a safe place under the tree

away from where the kids or the dog might chew on it, out of harm's way...

 

 

If you haven't already

acquire and thread-on a 77 mm. dia. protection(UV) filter as soon as possible

to protect that big front element and its delicate coatings.

879643801_Sigma10-20--111_big.jpg.2b78aef38d6d9b662f274522235f1f2b.jpg

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