Photo with my wide angle lens

[Skychurch]

Greetings,

I hope this is the correct section to post this. I bought a new Rebel XT and with it, got a Sigma 10-20mm lens for wide angle photography. I was just taking photos in my back yard to check out the new lens basically to see if it was a good lens. When I first brought it up in Windows Picture Viewer, I thought I was going to send the lens back because it was very blurry. I then opened it up in IrfanView and it looked a lot better.

Would someone be so kind as to look at this photo for me and tell me what you think as far as image clarity? This is my first wide angle and I decided on the Sigma 10-20mm lens over the Canon 10-22mm because of many of the reviews I read but am willing to return this lens and buy the Canon if it is truly a better lens.

http://www.mckiel.us/images/11.jpg

The image is right out of the camera with no modifications to size or sharpness.

Thanks much, I appreciate it.

Jim

Camera: Canon Rebel Xt
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm

[Radtech1]

Looks pretty fair to me.

With such a wide lens, you are not going to get perfect sharpness in the corners. Unless you are willing to spend BIG money. For the price of the sigma, I would say that you are fine.

Rad

[Skychurch]

Hmmm, that's what I was afraid of. I guess I was hoping that for almost $500 it would more than fair.

It looked to me like it was a little blurry on the right so I began thinking that maybe I got a bad copy like some I've heard about in reviews.

Since this is my first wide angle, I'm not sure. I don't have anything to compare it to.

Jim

[Radtech1]

It looked to me like it was a little blurry on the right...


And it is.

But don't forget that the hedge is a lot closer than it looks. It might be in front of the depth of focus. What technique did you use?

Rad

[Skychurch]

I didn't really use much of a technique. I put the camera on a tripod, plugged in a remote so as to not induce any camera shake, set the camera for Aperture Priority, set the aperture to 8.0, lens on 10mm and let her rip.

I tried a few with f/16 but it looked worse.

Jim

[Radtech1]

Well, f/8.

Hmm, at 10mm it should have a pretty decently encompassing dof. I guess that the lack of sharpness on the right (and left, too - look at the plant hanger) is just part of the lens.

Rad

[Rhinotherunt]

Hmmm... My copy is sharp corner to corner and has a HUGE DOF even wide open. Did you focus to infinity? Take a few more shots. If you continue send it to Sigma to get it fixed.

[fivefish]

Wide angle lenses give better results at it's widest aperture. Try again.

But also agree with Rhino, they should have a huge DOF and sharp corner to corner. Yours is behaving weirdly for a wide angle lens.

I do have a Canon 10-22 and I like it.

[Skychurch]

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.

I did have the focus set to infinity. The strange thing is, I printed it out on photo paper with my ink jet printer and it looks fine. Not sure what to do.

Jim

[Hellashot]

For $550 you could have gotten the Sigma 12-24 EX. You might do better testing against a flatter object with less depth if you are trying to test sharpness. Your building and bushes go so deep in the image that your DOF is tested too much.

[Skychurch]

I tried it again at f/5.6. Does this seem to be better?

I put both photographs here ...
http://www.mckiel.us/images/

My 7 day trial ends today so I have to decide. Thanks for all the inupt.

Thanks, Jim

[scott1120]

I tried it again at f/5.6. Does this seem to be better?

I put both photographs here ...
http://www.mckiel.us/images/

My 7 day trial ends today so I have to decide. Thanks for all the inupt.

Thanks, Jim

It is still not sharp on the corners, although the plant hanger looks better. The birds and wire don't even look sharp.

[fivefish]

The 5.6 looks better than the f8.

But really, knowing how my Canon 10-22mm looks, I'd return your lens.

[Skychurch]

Thanks for the input. I decided to return the lens. As soon as I get my refund, I'm getting the Canon. Who has the best price on the Canon 10-22mm?

Jim

[Rhinotherunt]

Knowing how my Sigma 10-20 looks you need to loose that copy.

Link to image I took with the lens on my 300D:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4822140&size=lg

[Skychurch]

Wow, nice photo! Hopefully, when I get the Canon 10-22mm it will be as sharp. I returned the Sigma today.

Jim

[form]

After checking mine, it looks about the same as the original poster's....which is better than my first one. But clearly it doesn't even come close to Rhinotherunt's...which is really irritating me right now, because I paid good money for it, plus for the shipping back to get the original one replaced.

*Edit* At f/9, with considerable front focusing, the corners improve on mine...but I don't think that they're as good as Rhinotherunt's even after some sharpening.

[Rhinotherunt]

After checking mine, it looks about the same as the original poster's....which is better than my first one. But clearly it doesn't even come close to Rhinotherunt's...which is really irritating me right now, because I paid good money for it, plus for the shipping back to get the original one replaced.

*Edit* At f/9, with considerable front focusing, the corners improve on mine...but I don't think that they're as good as Rhinotherunt's even after some sharpening.

The real kicker... NO USM or SMART SHARPEN (I like to keep the fidelity of the original "noise" seems to add to the image). Shot raw, three bracketed shots. The original shots were much sharper. I just did some blending together.

*Edit* Also this is the sole reason I buy from a local Mom and Pop store. They will let me try the lens out before purchasing.

[Skychurch]

*Edit* Also this is the sole reason I buy from a local Mom and Pop store. They will let me try the lens out before purchasing.

I wish I had a local Mom and Pop store. All there is around here is Ritz Camera and they have given me bad advise in the past so I won't go there anymore.

Actually, I did call them about getting the Sigma and they told me it would a pre-paid special order. No one seemed to have it in stock and no one wanted to help me out. Forget that place.

Jim

[Rhinotherunt]

I wish I had a local Mom and Pop store. All there is around here is Ritz Camera and they have given me bad advise in the past so I won't go there anymore.

Actually, I did call them about getting the Sigma and they told me it would a pre-paid special order. No one seemed to have it in stock and no one wanted to help me out. Forget that place.

Jim

Ritz is a JOKE! Bummer bout not having a Mom and Pop store.

[form]

Local mom and pop store wants $700+ for the Sigma 10-20.

[Rhinotherunt]

Local mom and pop store wants $700+ for the Sigma 10-20.

DANG!!! That is CRAZY! Do you shoot non profit venues? I shoot images for various hospitals and churches. My local mom and pop gives me discouts for doing so...