Recently the state of the entry in the full-frame world with the purchase of a Canon 6D and thus the question whether or not with kit lens. After the test images 1: 1 have compared to digital-picture.com was clear: The Sigma will be there.
Even though I already own some Sigma lenses, I know but the reputation of Sigma and am therefore still always skeptical and test the lenses in detail. However far I had always been lucky and have caught good copies.
This was my first objective of the new Sigma Global Vision line.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Damn that thing is heavy! For those who prefer lightweight luggage, should think twice about buying this lens. For me personally it is important that the camera with the lens is well in hand. At the 6D, the lens is slightly top-heavy but not unbalanced.
The body consists of a lot of solid metal, while driving out the tube is made of high quality plastic. Like it very much, so the weight distribution fits well with the lens. Also very nice: The tube is tight enough to not come out of itself - even with gentle agitation while the lens facing down. That made me think of my Canon EF-S 15-85 always very annoyed - especially when shooting up or down as well as when worn on Slinggurt where this lens extends like by itself - not an issue at Sigma ..
The supplied lens hood fits perfectly: No Game, very rich engagement. Properly done well the lens cap is much better located compared to older models of Sigma and now can be gripped from the outside and the inside and even looks good.
Zoom and Focus Ring: Absolutely Perfect! Zero game runs properly juicy. Rather of the more common hard type as smoothly (and the tube remains in it), but just as I love it. This gives an absolute sense of precision and control. The zoom ring is sufficient a rotation of about 60 degrees from 24 mm to 105 mm. The focus ring from stop to stop about 90 degrees, which I almost find something much already, but good - this is the Focus adjust fine. Many complain that the focus ring sits behind the zoom ring. I am already used to the Sigma 70-200 2.8 and find the perfect sense. In general, works rather with AF and zoom, then can hold the lens but quiet because it attacks you earlier - not to neglect even with fully extended tube in my opinion. The narrow width I find fine. If required to be always wide enough to bedienenbar well, but in 95% of cases, I use just yet the AF.
FOCUS
At the Canon 6D, the focus was tested respectively at maximum aperture f / 4, f / 8 at 24 mm, 50 mm and 105 mm, once each at different distances and different light conditions (ISO 100 and ISO 6400) course immmer with tripod , In addition, each exposure were each tested once starting from the focus ring on the Minimum focusing distance and even at infinity.
Result: The focus fits perfectly. I can say neither trends nor to back-front focus and certainly not randomly changing focus.
MIDDLE OF FIELD
One word: knackscharf! Simply amazing! Whether full aperture or stopped down, whether 24mm or 105mm. Razor-sharp picture quality, which can compete with fixed focal lengths. Clearly the best lens I own so far.
Feather
Let's make no mistake about it: A zoom lens is a zoom lens and remains here and the boundaries now come yet for prime lens on the light. If the lens is therefore bad? Not at all!
The Randschäerfe is impressive already at full aperture from 24 mm. At 50 mm and full aperture the lens holds despite Zoom loose with a fixed focal length. From 70 mm but the sharpness drop begins and at 105 mm the difference compared to 50 mm in 1: 1 cut-evident - at normal viewing sharpness waste is barely visible. Again: There is a zoom lens with a relatively high zoom range. Taking this into account and considering that the edge sharpness in the range of 24mm to 70mm is very good - what more could you want?
I recommend here the direct comparison to the Canon EF 24-105 digital-picture.com. The local, significantly better results of the Sigma 24-105 I can understand with my copy.
CHROMATIC aberrations
Chromatic aberrations are not an issue until about 50 mm. At higher focal lengths with open aperture but visible. For me personally relatively unimportant since Lightroom here automatically makes the profiler excellent work during the import. Unfortunately Adobe is currently shipping (as of 02/02/2014) of no standard profile for this lens and you have to even create a profile.
UPDATE: Lightroom 5.4 is here and brings a profile for this lens.
Vignetting:
At maximum aperture and 24mm can be seen clearly with a full-frame sensor, a vignetting. If the problem you are to fade to f / 8 done. Thanks to RAW, the profile correction Lightroom and particularly since I personally Vignetierung often in post-processing even adding too insignificant for me.
OTHER
Whether a maximum open aperture of f / 4 extends to the lens to miss the kind of label, you can argue about it. For me would have been more appropriate Contemporary: The aperture and the focal length range can be rather on general purpose as a fair-weather Always plan close. The lens is more workhorse as an artist. You fulfilled your task very reliable, but with little character. On the other hand creates the lens is to create a gorgeous bokeh. Whether at open aperture or f / 9: Lights are always almost circular. So far I could see the shape of the fins immediately at any aperture setting.
Also everyone must decide for himself whether he can live with a maximum aperture of f / 4 or not but invest more money on an f / 2.8 zoom. However, the Image Stabilizer of Sigma doing an excellent job, so the disadvantage compared to an unstabilized f / 2.8 is small.
Sigma also offers interesting USPs. Firstly, there is the USB dock which allows you to adjust the focus (unfortunately now refers Sigma with focus problems but also like it). Secondly, currently offers only Sigma to a bayonet change. So it is not necessarily obliged event of a system switch to buy new lenses, but can be converted for example from Canon to Nikon lens from Sigma.
Users of Crop-format cameras (APS-C) should be aware that the initial focal length of 24 mm to APS-C (equivalent to about 38 mm with a crop factor of 1.6) is no longer in wide angle. At my old 550D I had the Canon 15-85, which on APS-C a comparable zoom range covering as the Sigma 24-105 on full frame. For APS-C I would therefore recommend the Canon 15-85 rather than the Sigma 24-105 as a universal lens. However, if you can do without wide-angle shots, you can take advantage of with this lens the sweet spot even at higher focal lengths ideal, reducing the resulting edge blur there, reaching a total of field where the Canon 15-85 can not keep up.
CONCLUSION:
Type (weight means): 5/5
Focus (weighting: high): 5/5
Center sharpness (weighting: high): 5/5
Feather (weighting: high): 4.5 / 5
Chromatic aberrations (weighting: low): 4/5
Vignetting (weighting: low): 4/5
Overall impression: 5/5
Canon must be worried - with the in the tooths Canon 24-105 mm has to be clearly beaten Canon. Sigma is to Canon and the entire competition hard to make life on the right track gold - and this at a good price. The Sigma 24-105 is yet another proof that the new Global Vision line of Sigma reaches the Canon L-level loose.
UPDATE 20/03/2014:
As will be discussed at the Sigma 24-105 mm DPReview appears on the Canon 6D to have a problem, which I can understand, unfortunately. Is activated on the camera GPS and allowed the Canon 6D are with the Sigma lens until it goes into standby, the camera hangs up. Only the removal of the battery will help then. Whether the problem is now at Canon or Sigma is unknown. Anyway such problems with third-party manufacturers are never excludable.
UPDATE 14/08/2014:
Especially if you are traveling on vacation, I miss the GPS yet again. Therefore, I turned to the SIGMA Service, who advised me to a firmware update. Lens returned, with free firmware update received back a week later and the GPS problem on the Canon 6D is solved. I can not reproduce it. Who has a SIGMA USB Dock should be able to do this without sending the lens.
UPDATE 01/23/2015:
Since December last year, there were an increasing number of bottlenecks in the delivery. Now on Canon Rumors rumor was published, the Sigma has ceased production of this lens. The reasons why this happens after about a year you can probably only speculate.
UPDATE 2/9/2015: Amazon has again a few copies in stock which gives hope that the cessation of production was really just a rumor. At B & H, however, no copies for all mounts are still available.
