Sigma 105mm 2.8 D EX Macro Lens for Nikon

[rhall54]

I have a D200 and was looking at purchasing this lens. I found one online for 345.00 with free shipping. It was kept in a case as a demo model.

Is this a good price for this lens? Most of the sites I have looked at are selling these for like 480, but I just want to make sure before I dish out that kind of money.

Thanks so much for any input!!

 

[sauce839]

I've heard the lens motor is noisy and the auto focus is a bit slow, but other than that, I've heard the optics are great.

There was also a concern that some review brought up on that the motor wore out after 15 months. I was looking at the same lense as a thought of trying macro. Still deciding.

 

[NickRummy]

You weren't in a bid war on a used one that ended a couple hours ago on ebay were you? haha! I thought I was going to win it at the last second but someone bumped it up to $310 and for that price I'll just buy new.

I've been looking to buy one for the last couple weeks. I've read a lot of great reviews for the price.

Keep me posted on if you get one because I also have a D200 and I'm very interested in this setup.

 

[JerryPH]

I've heard the lens motor is noisy and the auto focus is a bit slow, but other than that, I've heard the optics are great.

There was also a concern that some review brought up on that the motor wore out after 15 months. I was looking at the same lense as a thought of trying macro. Still deciding.

I own this lens. Yes, the motor is a little noisy, NO big deal. The autofocus is LIGHTNING fast. The optics are the equal of the best that Nikkor offers... I've had both 105 Nikkor and Sigma on my camera (D200 at the time) the same afternoon.

I paid the lowest full retail price for mine, so it was new in the box.

The shot was taken hands free and rushed... I am not comfortable disturbing a bee at work... lol

One simm of a memory module... at 50% magnification. I was talking a picture of a memory chip leaned against a small car model.

It is sharp, fast, excellent as a portrait lens (more usable on my D700 than my D200) and an excellent macro lens.

Note, the last pic is not a shot of the Sigma 105mm, just a shot that I used to show you the setup of the memory chip. That lens is the Sigma 18-50 DC EX HSM F/2.8 macro in action and the minimum focus distances for maximum zoom (1:1 with the Sigma 105 and 1:3 with the 18-50).

The favorite part of this lens for me is not the sharpness (though it is VERY sharp), but the quality of the bokeh (background blur)... very pleasing!