Sigma VS Canon

[maytay20]

So I am looking into a upgrading my lens. I was looking stuff up and found some articles about Sigma lenses. I wanted some opinions though. What do you think should I stick with Canon lenses or Could I get fast glass from Sigma?? I have a Quantaray lens that I have got some good pictures with but I have also found stuff online that says Qauntaray is mainly Sigma's leftovers. I was also considering a $700. L lens. Do you think Sigma has anything that is anywhere near L glass??

 

[Overread]

I think this is very much a lens by lens thing in comparision. Sigma can make some wonderful lenses which can be as good as L class but I think you really need to specify which lenses you are thinking of.

 

[maytay20]

Sorry didn't realize I posted it in the wrong spot. :blushing::lmao:
Well right now I need a good wide angle for large group shots and I also wanted a better 50mm for portraits. Right now I have 18-55mm kits lens, 35-80mm kit lens, 55-200mm and 28-135mm. Now I just recently bought the 28-135 lens but I have been having focus issues with it. If there is a group photo it tends to focus on one and the rest are blurry. I realize this may be my fault so I have been doing experimenting trying to see if it is me what I am doing wrong. I have got some really good results with my 55-200 but you have to be so far away with that one if you have a group of people it is sometimes hard to be far enough away. So I was looking into Sigma but I don't know much about them or how to tell if they are like canon were you know a L lens is better than some of the other lenses.

 

[Overread]

eh? how so?

edit - just came to me that all canon L lenses are environmentally sealed whilst sigma high quality leses may not be (I am not certain if there are any that are sealed). Thus if rain, heavy dust and other such things are a real consideration then canon might be better (but a good cover should be used anyway)

 

[Mystwalker]

I think Sigma and Tamron has some lens with IQ close to "L".

I do not think they can come close to "L" in term of quality though.

 

[Big Mike]

The top end Sigma lenses are pretty good...and they are a great value. Some of the good ones are the 18-50mm F2.8, 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8, 30mm F1.4 etc.

When you compare them to Canon L lenses, they fall a bit short...just how much is up for debate but most will agree that it's hard to beat L lenses.
When you compare the price, you might find that the Sigma lens is close to half the price of the top end Canon. So it comes down to whether or not, that extra quality of the Canon is worth the extra money. For many people, it is...for many others, it's not.

 

[maytay20]

eh? how so?

edit - just came to me that all canon L lenses are environmentally sealed whilst sigma high quality leses may not be (I am not certain if there are any that are sealed). Thus if rain, heavy dust and other such things are a real consideration then canon might be better (but a good cover should be used anyway)

Hmm This will be a big consideration saying I do a lot of shooting outside. Of course I try not to expose it to dust / rain but sometimes it happens. Then here is another question are there any good covers for while that camera is in use that doesnt cover up the light sensor?? So far the few I have seen covers it up wouldn't that mess up settings if I were in tv or av mode.

 

[Overread]

http://www.optech-online.co.uk/prdrainsleeve.htm

a cover I have found - cheap and its out in the US and UK - they also have some pro covers lower down the list, but they would seem to inhibit the ability to maual focus and zoom - but would work great for a prime (or tele being used as a prime) if you were only autofocusing

 

[Big Mike]

edit - just came to me that all canon L lenses are environmentally sealed whilst sigma high quality leses may not be (I am not certain if there are any that are sealed). Thus if rain, heavy dust and other such things are a real consideration then canon might be better (but a good cover should be used anyway)

Not all L lenses are totally weather sealed, but many are.

Then here is another question are there any good covers for while that camera is in use that doesnt cover up the light sensor?? So far the few I have seen covers it up wouldn't that mess up settings if I were in tv or av mode.

The camera gets it's readings from light that comes in through the lens.

 

[Village Idiot]

Now I just recently bought the 28-135 lens but I have been having focus issues with it. If there is a group photo it tends to focus on one and the rest are blurry. I realize this may be my fault so I have been doing experimenting trying to see if it is me what I am doing wrong.

You're not having any focusing issues. It's DOF issues caused by using an aperture that's too wide.

A photography book would probably benefit you more than a new lens at this point.

 

[keith204]

I can't speak for all Sigma lenses, but I own (for sale) the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. It's a truly remarkable lens. The quality actually feels great, the zoom ring feels good, the optics are SHARP.

 

[Antithesis]

I had the Sigma 70-200 and the build quality was nearly on par with L glass. It was very nicely built, but I think I may have gotten a poor copy because f2.8 @ 200 was very, very soft. I think the quality control policies at Sigma are quite a bit lower than Canon, and there are a lot of bad copies floating around. I think this is the case with most 3rd party lenses. In many cases, IQ can be just as good between 3rd party lenses and the big manufacturers. It's a matter of preference, and there are also lenses that are simply not made by 3rd parties (i.e. 1.2L's and a lot of Canons F4 glass).

As far as wide angle's are concerned, if you are looking at DX or APS-C lenses, the sigma 10-20 can be pretty good but I would highly recommend the tokina 12-24 F4. It's very sharp, pretty cheap and built as good or even better than top-end pro glass.

 

[JIP]

I can't speak for all Sigma lenses, but I own (for sale) the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. It's a truly remarkable lens. The quality actually feels great, the zoom ring feels good, the optics are SHARP.

I think your sig should tell anyone why you have a Sigma for sale. I think generally after-market lenses are an acceptable substitue when you cannot afford a name brand lens but i you can afford L glass get it. Do not think that in a direct comparison an a Sigma lens is going to stand up in quality to an L lens.

 

[maytay20]

You're not having any focusing issues. It's DOF issues caused by using an aperture that's too wide.

A photography book would probably benefit you more than a new lens at this point.

I have invested in some books. This is also one of the reasons I am here I am trying to learn.
I work, am a mom, a wife, we just moved into a new house and I help DH with a DJ business. I am doing the best I can to learn. I am not going out to buy tons of lenses but when I do have the money for them I want to make a well informed decision. I thank you for letting me know what I am messing up it just confused me because it doesnt happen with my other lenses, just that one.

 

[JIP]

I have invested in some books. This is also one of the reasons I am here I am trying to learn.
I work, am a mom, a wife, we just moved into a new house and I help DH with a DJ business. I am doing the best I can to learn. I am not going out to buy tons of lenses but when I do have the money for them I want to make a well informed decision. I thank you for letting me know what I am messing up it just confused me because it doesnt happen with my other lenses, just that one.

Honestly I think if you need to maximize your investment in your lenses the best thing to do is save or do what you have to and go for the L lenses right off. Some people will go for a cheaper Sigma in the beginning and mabye consider going for a better lens later but I guess that's a position for people with the flexible money to do something like that.