Camera Labs

I've not reached the upper echelons of f22 yet! I'm still wavering about the f8-f13 mark. All I can say is I've been pretty pleased with the results of my sigma 10-20. I know it has it's limitations but it was $600 as opposed to double/triple that for the Nikon model I'd have liked to have got instead. I think you win some/lose some with Sigma and the non-big brands. The two Sigma lenses I have, I'm very happy with.

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Nikon D700 | 20mm f2.8 | 28mm f2.8 | 50mm f1.8 | 70-300 f4-5.6 | SB800 | flickr | serial photography

Only if you need really extreme depth of field. For the pixel size of a typical cropped sensor DSLR an f-number larger than f/8 is likely to result in image softening due to diffraction.

CambridgeInColour has this article detailing diffraction issues and, if you check out their DoF calculator on this page, you can see that focussing at the hyperfocal distance, rather than at infinity, using a wide angle lens the depth of field at f/8 can easily run from infinity down to a distance smaller than the typical height of the camera if it's mounted on a tripod.

f/22 may be a good number for the large format film guys but the interaction of diffraction and DoF works differently for them than it does for DSLR users.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I certainly agree with this one. I did not buy Canon 10-22 simply because here in Oz the price is twice that of Sigma. I think my strong (they were meant to humorous rather than acrimonious) statements about Sigma probably carried a message that I did not want co convey. What I meant to say is: give me a prime and I move the world! (to paraphrase statement of that genius of the ancient world)

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Canon 7D f1.8 28mm/Canon f2.8 100mm USM macro/Canon f1.8 50mm/Sigma 10-20mm and lots of other stuff...
http://ksnausphoto.com

Hey, I will not be happy untill I can shoot at f64 with my 400D

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Canon 7D f1.8 28mm/Canon f2.8 100mm USM macro/Canon f1.8 50mm/Sigma 10-20mm and lots of other stuff...
http://ksnausphoto.com

Hi I have had this lens for twenty four hours now and first impressions are fantastic, great build quality and very nice in use, zoom and focus.
The super wide zoom will take getting used to but the very close focus makes it a joy.
The only initial downside for me is the speed of the lens especially at 20mm only f5.6. Out today in cloudy conditions showed this up when I wanted to bump up the aperture for seascapes.
I really hope this turns out to be a favourite for me I love it.
At the moment when you register your purchase you get a three year warranty, in the UK anyway
regards John

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Nikon D80, D40 and various lenses.

Are these with the sigma 10-20? also Thomas can you go to the canon section and check out my pictures with the sigma 10-20 i will do a better test when i have time.

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Canon 5D II, EF 24-105 f4 L IS, EF 16-35 2.8 L, EF 100 2.8 L IS Macro, EF 70-200 2.8 IS L II, Canon S90, Canon speedLight 580 EX II LowePro Sling Bag 302 AW, Photoshop CS5 Extended, Paint Shop Pro X3.

http://www.pbase.com/spartanwarrior

I've moved the posts regarding lens-sharpness the thread How to test lens-sharpness without studio equipment in the DSLR Tips section and added example images.
Althought perhaps at this time of the year it's hard for you to find bare trees in Greece

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Yes bare trees would of been perfect here a couple months ago;)

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Canon 5D II, EF 24-105 f4 L IS, EF 16-35 2.8 L, EF 100 2.8 L IS Macro, EF 70-200 2.8 IS L II, Canon S90, Canon speedLight 580 EX II LowePro Sling Bag 302 AW, Photoshop CS5 Extended, Paint Shop Pro X3.

http://www.pbase.com/spartanwarrior

hey, just quick question..i'm seriously considering buying this lens to complement my 18-55mm kit lens...but when you say that the '2nd copy" was much better, do u mean that you sent in the first copy b/c it wasn't working right, and the 2nd copy was better? or did Sigma make the 1st version of the lens, and it was distorted, and they came out with a 2nd lens which fixed all the kinks and problems?

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who needs friends when you have a Rebel?

La Familia: Canon REBEL Xsi * EF-S IS 18-55 * Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG * Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM * Canon 580EX II Speedlite E-TTL II * HOLGA 120CFN Medium Format Viewfinder * Velbon - El Carmagne 530
flickr

It's just the miserable quality control (QC) at Sigma, Avlis!
I gave the first copy back because it had a glaring decentering defect which you can see in my review of the first copy here.
There is no second version from Sigma.
Just be careful to buy your lens at a shop where you can give it back without a prohibitive restocking fee, should you initial testshots show a bad copy.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

how much will the new sigma 10-20mm f3.5, be? when it is released?

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who needs friends when you have a Rebel?

La Familia: Canon REBEL Xsi * EF-S IS 18-55 * Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG * Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM * Canon 580EX II Speedlite E-TTL II * HOLGA 120CFN Medium Format Viewfinder * Velbon - El Carmagne 530
flickr

FNG here...first post.

I have a 10-20 that I just adore using. I have run across on issue that at least one other person I know has had with this lens. The lens will lose it's AF to infinity. Mind did so out of the blue, I did not remember dropping it or anything close. Sigma was GREAT about fixing it right away though. And it came back even sharper than when it went it...my worry was it might come back not as sharp.

Even when the AF broke, shots focused manually had lost the original sharpness. So, great that it comes with a 4-yr warranty. And with my CC extending the warranty I ended up with a total of a 6yr warranty. Needless to say, I doubt I'll even part with it...unless of course the f/3.5 model is so sharp it hurts to look at the shots.

My fav use of this leetle fella is for night shots. In fact when i bought my 40D w/28-135 kit I also bought the 10-20...my first real shots were with the 10-20 that night and I was flat out amazed at the quality on the "$10 thrift shop special" tripod I had been using with my Sony DSC-S70 for about 9yrs...

Hi Thomas,

How can we identify if the Sigma 10-20mm lens we buy is a 2nd copy and not 1st? I saw one on B&H and want to know the same before buying it.

I read about Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 being launched this year in March, any idea about its price? or its availability? Will they discontinue the older model?

I will appreciate feedback from people who have genuine knowledge about my queries...


Regards

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I Own:
Nikon D300
Lenses from 10mm to 500mm
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Ah, perhaps I did not express myself clearly enough: it was my 1st copy and my 2nd copy, not something that has to do with manufacturer versions or serial numbers.
It's just that QC at Sigma is sloppy and some individual exemplars of a lens turn out to their full potential and some exemplars don't.
So in the end you have to test everything that you (want to) buy extensively and give it back if it does not live up to your expectations!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

With camera gear, it's always a good idea to try it out at the shop before you buy. That way, not only do you get to feel how your purchase handles on your camera you also get to check for defects. Trust me, finding defects before you hand money over is a much better experience than finding defects after. This is particularly true if you're buying over the internet.

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