For comparison or have I already had the following objectives in possession, to which I now form my judgment:
- Canon EF 18-55mm F3.5-F5.6 IS (good for simple applications, but particularly in the vicinity deficient due to heavy distortion)
- Canon EF 50mm F1.8 (passable, partly really good, but in detail with some weaknesses)
- Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-F6.3 OS (good "Always top" -Kompromiss with strengths and weaknesses)
- Helios 44-2 f2.0 (manually with threaded adapter) (WOW - but manually)
- Tamron 60mm F2.0 Macro (good image quality, electronics and processing inferior / poor - is not clear with Hybrid autofocus the new Canons)
The reason for the acquisition was the desire for a macro lens with Image Stabilizer, ideally as average fixed focal length and the scale of 1: 1, and an open aperture as possible.
To narrow the selection included the end in addition to the Sigma 105mm for the time 580, - Euro - also still for around 250, - Euro, the 100mm counterpart of the L-series of Canon, which although was interesting because of the double stabilizer for swiveling and wobbling, but when testing the stabilizers not convinced and was sent off simple Sigma-Bar in the shade - And last, the Tamron 60mm F2.0 Macro, for about 300, - Euro, which although not stability but a large aperture, as well as a significantly lower price would have.
Note to Tamron:
The Tamron I made myself as compact spare with Macro for Canon EF 50mm F1.8 my recently also on. The lens, however, I find very annoying as it is still continuously ejected from the EOS 650D also to repair and complete exchange. (Video recordings from break preview mode switches to the viewfinder mode - always when focusing)
The reason is the communication protocol of the hybrid autofocus of newer Canon cameras. Tamron seems as real to have problems and the customer service from Tamron is very bad, because it always a abwimmelt only to an expensive service number and gives no answers!
Lack stability was the Tamron anyway through with the purchase of the first macro lens.
But now to the Sigma:
Processing / Height / Weight:
The processing is massive. The lens is made of plastic, but looks very robust.
The Sigma 105mm was my feeling after all the heaviest lenses, to look at the data also revealed that the sigma about 140 grams weighed more than the Canon counterpart and last but not least, it is also slightly larger.
Since my image quality is more important than size and weight, I did not care.
There's no denying that you have with such a lens to always carry something heavy, I do not really feel it but disturbing.
Features / Benefits:
The Sigma 105mm, unlike the Canon 100mm counterpart "just" a simple image stabilizer but it really has it all.
As noted the stability of the Canon fell through after a test because he did not particularly well compensated the wobbles. Especially with macros me would have been important that.
The stabilizer can be switched by a switch on 3 positions.
Apart from the option to turn it off, you can switch it on full, but on only vertical stabilization.
The latter function thus facilitates horizontal tracking of animals, objects or designs that move, for example, from left to right. Inadvertent wobbles up and down are thus well compensated and a jerky messy start the object tracking is missing.
The stabilizer is so far the best I've ever experienced in a lens. Even larger wobbles particularly at longer distances he compensated properly.
I would like to mention that is often chalked that stability would be heard loud /.
That's right so far, but you can hear the stability only when he just shuts down.
This happens even if the stability example is only switched on when shooting, or if you finished a video recording. Sometimes this occurs easily sawed noise, but this is not a defect and is also addressed in the manual.
During operation, you can hear when listening very carefully (ear next to the lens) only a real minimum piepsiges hum that is more reminiscent of a kind of silent ultrasound, is available throughout but inaudible.
Audible the stabilizer can also be when the stabilizer reaches the maximum of stabilization and strikes. One hears only a slight muffled "Plock".
Wen disturbing noises, which should provide the stability for continuous operation (at the expense of a lot of energy). One should not forget that the stabilization is floating through electromagnetism a ring with a lens. The need nunmal energy.
Conclusion for stability: quiet Proper setup and use, stabilized very impressive! Occasional audibility in conjunction with the very good stability are a very acceptable thing.
Autofocus:
The autofocus is very quiet, fast and provides razor sharp.
Of course you can hear easily him, but he is no louder than other ultrasonic autofocus motors.
Autofocus can be restricted for certain applications ranges. You can choose from the lens using a switch:
Full focus area, 0.45m to infinity, and 0,312m-0,45m for macro shots.
This Sigma wanted to do it probably easier to get the focus on the desired motifs easily automatically.
Image quality / sharpness / blur:
- Portraits:
Amazingly I was surprised that in spite of the Portraits 2.8er panel so well.
The background gets a nice wattige background blur that looks very pleasant and the subject is in focus razor sharp. By that I had not really expected!
Focus and background separate in a way in which the other portrait lenses can not keep up with F2.0 I had previously, especially what concerns focus and blur.
The Bokeh could not be more beautiful.
- Macro:
At macro shooting, I like to use the manual focus, active stabilizer, and often very much like the smallest aperture (F22) in conjunction with the internal flash at 1 / 200SEK exposure.
The macros are very sharp with these settings and you really recognize anything.
Of course, at the opening of the aperture macro motif is blurred, which lies in the nature of extreme close-ups.
The lens does not cast a shadow flash at the 0,3m distance from the object. Only when using a magnifying glass on the lens and the associated reduced close range you will get problems with the shade by the flash. -> More on that later.
- Rest:
Otherwise, there is not to much to say. There is no lens for landscapes, but really meant and made more suitable for lightweight telephoto zoom shots, portraits and macros. A lens that still provides very good results even in bad light.
1: 1 macros are not enough? How about 2: 1 to about 50, - Euro? Or 3: 1 for 30, - Euro?
I immediately bought nor the Raynox DCR-250 achromatic close up lens (corrected magnifier) suitable for 52mm to 67mm filter thread on quick release bracket on Amazon for around 50 euros to do so.
This lens has approximately 8 diopters and leads to a scale of 2: 1 in this objective. At Tamron 60mm F2.0 Macro I manage so that only 1.7:. 1
The macros are engraved with the lens sharp and they must be installed quickly and easily, and to remove.
A little later I bought another achromatic close-up lens of Opteka with 10 diopters for 62mm thread from the United States for about 30, - € to do so.
With this lens and the additional clamping the Raynox, I received the incredible scale of exactly 3: 1, without any loss of quality. The sharpness was good!
Even with two auxiliary lenses and UV filters, there was no vignetting or edge distortion.
Now a few links
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Here the Raynox DCR-250 close-up lens:
www.Amazon.com/Raynox-DCR-250-Makro-Vorsatz/dp/B000A1SZ2Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391362233&sr=8-1&keywords=raynox+dcr+250
- Sample photos (links to Flickr photo community - no shopping or advertising page!)
Especially macros, partly I am unsure whether I have the photos shot with or without close-up lens Raynox and portraits of people I do not want reinsetzen here are but suffice to find on Google.
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Dragonfly + Raynox DRC 250 (Aperture F22 - 2: 1): [...]
Dragonfly (Aperture F14 - 1: 1): [...]
Stick insect (F16 - 1: 1): [...]
Spider + Raynox (F14): [...]
Spider + Raynox (F10): [...]
Spider + Raynox (F22 - 2: 1): [...]
Hummel (F6.3): [...]
Bee on flower (F4): [...]
Bee on flower (F3.5): [...]
Flower at medium (Portrait) distance (F2.8): [...]
Bee on flowers at about 50cm distance (F2.8): [...]
Butterfly (F14): [...]
Butterfly (F5.6): [...]
Butterfly (F5.6): [...]
Smaller leaves with seeds (F4 - 1: 1): [...]
Velcro plant at some distance (F2.8): [...]
Velcro plant (F10 - 1: 1): [...]
Giant Leaf in about 10 meters (F5): [...]
Water droplets on a large sheet (F6.3 - 1: 1): [...]
I hope this review was helpful for your buying decision.
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