Sigma 18-50

[samal]

I have Sigma 18-50 EX DC HSM Macro - I love it! my friend has an older version for his pentax and it's noticeably softer at f/2.8

I love mine - very nicely built, nice feel of zoom ring. Fast focus and quiet

 

[javig999]

The Sigma 24-70 EX MACRO (non HSM) has been great for me. Ended up picking it up in St. Martin on a cruise when I dropped my Tamron 28-75 (making it a 45-67!).

The auto focus is definitely faster than the Tamron for sure. I had feared focus issues but had no issues on the rest of the trip, and tested when I got home with no issues. I cant imagine what HSM is like!

As reported with most 3rd party lenses, it is a bit soft at 2.8. Clean by 4.0. Then again i do not pixel peep nor crop frequently. They just need to look good on my laptop for slideshows, and 2.8 on this lens is just fine for that purpose!

It is big (nearly as long as a Tamron 70-200!) and for this reason I do miss the Tamron 28-75. 82mm filters are expensive too.

Either way, I have no regrets.