Old lenses (again!)

[DianeH]

I've been lurking and learning for some time and just decided to make my first post.

I have recently upgraded from compact digital cameras to the Canon 10D and bought with it a Sigma 50-500 EX zoom. I notice that some say the results from this lens are soft, and yet others say that the camera is the culprit.

Having had some fairly mixed results, I was offered the chance to try someone's Canon and Canon-compatible lenses on my camera to get some sort of comparison of results and I now have the lenses in my possession, although I haven't tried them yet as I've been reading all the ins and outs of older Sigma lenses causing the error 99. I wondered how this would affect my 10D if this were to happen. Is the problem easily rectifiable and will the camera suffer any long term effects?

I especially want to try the Sigma lens, but I'm pretty sure it will be one that needs re-chipping. It's a 75-300 APO and looks fairly ancient.

The other lens is an older Canon 70-210 USM. Will there be any problem with this lens that I should know about?

Many thanks in anticipation.

Diane.

[vvizard]

Welcome to the forum! All the lenses in the Canon-EF line should work fine I guess. Some older Sigma's have been reported to needing re-chipping before working, and I really don't want to try saying it will be fine to try it on, as I simply don't know..

I have a fairly new Sigma-lens, have had it for nearly 6months, and have seen the Error-99 problem only one time. Don't know if it was the Sigmas fault either. Anyway, I just turned off the cam, took off the lens, mounted the EF 50mm, and turned it on. Still got an Error-99, so I turned off the camera, took out the battery and reinserted it. Then it was operational again, and I have never encountered the error ever after.

[Guillermo Freige]

Canon lenses will work fine. Pre-2001 sigma lenses must be rechipped. Really old ones apparently can´t be rechipped.

[robertwgross]

It would be interesting to know when the Sigma cutoff date is. Pre-2001 means 2000 and older. I know my 2003 model has no problem.

Anybody have any Sigma (Canon mount) lenses that did or did not have a "digital compatibility" problem?

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

It would be interesting to know when the Sigma cutoff date is. Pre-2001 means 2000 and older. I know my 2003 model has no problem.

Anybody have any Sigma (Canon mount) lenses that did or did not have a "digital compatibility" problem?

---Bob Gross---

I've got a Sigma 70-200 EX that works very well with my 10D. I'm not sure of the date of manufacture though. I bought it used from another well-known forum member.

[Guillermo Freige]

Information quoted from Marius Strom's 300D FAQ:

According to the Sigma Germany website the following lenses if manufactured before 2001 may need to be sent in to be updated to be used with cameras such as the Canon 10D and 300D:

8mm F4 EX CIRCULAR FISHEYE
15mm F2.8 EX DIAGONAL FISHEYE
24-70mm F3.5-5.6 UC
28-70mm F2.8-4 UC
28-80mm F3.5-5.6 MINI ZOOM Makro
28-80mm F3.5-5.6 MINI ZOOM Makro ASPHERICAL HF
28-80mm F3.5-5.6 II MINI ZOOM Makro ASPHERICAL
28-105mm F4-5.6 UC II
28-105mm F2.8-4 ASPHERICAL
28-105mm F3.8-5.6 UC III ASPHERICAL IF
28-135mm F3.8-5.6 ASPHERICAL IF Makro
28-200mm F3.5-5.6 DL ASPHERICAL HYPERZOOM
28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DL ASPHERICAL IF HYPERZOOM
50mm F2.8 EX Makro
105mm F2.8 EX Makro
70-210mm F4-5.6 UC II
100-300mm F4.5-6.7 DL
135-400mm F4.5-5.6 APO ASPHERICAL RF
170-500mm F5-6.3 APO ASPHERICAL RF

Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro
This lens does not work with the camera except at wide-open aperture. Sigma Customer Service says that the non-EX version of this lens cannot be re-chipped.
marius

[Tom W]

Guillermo, that's a very useful list. thanks for posting it!

[DianeH]

Thanks for all your input.

Having the lens rechipped is not an option, as I've only borrowed them.

What I would like to know, before attaching it (the Sigma one, that is) to my camera, is will the camera be OK afterwards? It's fairly new and I don't want to do it any lasting damage.

I presume I'll be safe with the older Canon lens.

I really want to compare these lenses with my 50-500 Sigma, and preferably before the weekend as I need to get the lenses back to the person who kindly lent them to me.

[ron chappel]

Thanks for that list Guillermo!
It looks like it only covers current models though as there are a truckload of older ones not listed that i know for sure will not work

[Guillermo Freige]

Diane:
Try the "wideopen" trick. Just put the camera in Av mode and select the largest aperture. Probably it will work. Most old Sigma lenses work wideopen.
Regarding camera damage, I don´t think you could damage the camera, because is just a protocol problem (software) and not an incompatibility in the electrical mount.

[DianeH]

Many thanks for the advice.

I tried the Sigma lens first and as soon as I took the first picture, it never appeared in the monitor (as it normally does before saving to the CF card). I looked at the LCD screen and it said 'Error 02'. I panicked then, as I'd not heard of this one - only the error 99. Anyway, I turned the camera off and then on again, took another picture and everything was OK after that.

The Canon lens was fine as well and I managed to get some comparison shots with my Sigma 50-500.

The conclusion? I don't think my 'softish focus' photos are the fault of my lens, as all photos from all the lenses came out pretty much the same.

I've been out today to a local nature reserve and managed to get some good shots of some very mobile birds, which I'm very pleased about, as this was my main purpose for buying this camera and lens, although I did have to sharpen them a bit. This was even using the 1.4x converter as well. I guess it's just a question of keep trying!