Any thought on this Sigma 70-300mm lens?

[totalmajor]

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=203339541&listingid=2063691&dcaid=17902
There's the link to it.

It's $200, given a 8.4 userrating and a 6 lensplay rating.

I think it's pretty good because it's super wide zoom, macro, and telephoto zoom.

I'm not looking for something crazy, but I would still like a high quality lens.

If you can find something higher quality for up to $400, with the same features, I'd be interested in that as well.

Thanks,
Peter

 

[Rachelsne]

I have it, and I like it, although only had it and my DSLR for less than a month. got mine on adorama, think it was a bit less than that too. APO is worth the extra (so Im told)

I shoot with a canon 30d, and have taken some nice close up shots and some not bad distance shots. Im glad I went with it.

Photo 1 people at about 50 meters away
Photo 2 A bug
Photo 3 A bird at about 3 meters away

Plus my other attempts with this lens

Hope that helps

 

[evo5gsr]

I think it's pretty good because it's super wide zoom

Where did you hear this?


And you might wanna check out the Tamron LI LD version of that lens. It's about $50 cheaper.

 

[Jon0807]

Nice shots Rachel. Nice sharpness. But I've read that the focus is somewhat slow and sometimes tends to search too much. How is the focus for you?

 

[evo5gsr]

Nice shots Rachel. Nice sharpness. But I've read that the focus is somewhat slow and sometimes tends to search too much. How is the focus for you?

Focusing can sometimes be a little bit sluggish, but hey, it is only $200.

 

[Sontizzle]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._70_300mm_f_4_5_6_DG_Macro.html#goto_itemInfo

139 bucks its not the apo tho

 

[Rachelsne]

Being that Im still new and haven't had a whole lot of experience, I have not had the chance to compare it to an equivalent lens made by some one else.

however sometimes I suppose you could say it searches for the focus point, especially if its something small and off in the distance.

I bought the lens because it was cheaper than others and good had good reveiws on the web sites tat sell the lens. I wanted something that may work for portraits, things far away and close ups, it does all of those to a nice standard (in my un-trained eyes).

 

[Rachelsne]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._70_300mm_f_4_5_6_DG_Macro.html#goto_itemInfo

139 bucks

careful though, that doesnt have APO (the thing that keeps [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]aberration to a minimum[/FONT])

 

[evo5gsr]

careful though, that doesnt have APO (the thing that keeps [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]aberration to a minimum[/FONT])

I like how you didn't include the part where he/she says that it's not APO when you quoted him/her.

 

[Rogan]

ive been wondering, what IS APO?

 

[evo5gsr]

ive been wondering, what IS APO?

Short for "apochromatic," meaning (almost) no chromatic aberrations.

 

[Rogan]

no idea wht that means either

what does it do

 

[evo5gsr]

no idea wht that means either

what does it do

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration

 

[totalmajor]

yeah I don't want to go any cheaper than $200 because I know the quality of lenses goes down as price goes down.

Is the tamron lens just as good quality?

Thanks for all the feedback though, I appreciate it.

 

[Overread]

The tamron has been recommended by others when compared to the sigma - so I think it is comparable.
As for the APO vs non APO, I use the cheaper nonAPO and it can get good shots, but its very soft at 300mm and does not like longer ranges. The APO version though I have seen is a much better lens - and as the price difference is so small make the commitment of getting a slightly better lens. (though I have read that the nonAPO is a passable lens on a film camera, it does not like digital as much - most probably as the digital increases effective focal length of lens )