Sigma 18-50/3.5-5.6 DC

[Snowman100]

I have recently purchased a D30 and found some of my lenses don't work well with this camera. I wanted to trade them in at Toronto's largest camera shop. One sales guy wanted me to pick up the new Sigma lens. I went back today and another one told me Sigma's don't work well with Canon cameras and to stay away from them. Can someone please help me out... I am financially challenged, but would like to use my camera. I have a Canon 50mm and a Canon 70-200. Should I be looking at something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

http://www.trsqr.net/photo/sigma18-50/

Thanks..

[Andy_T]

Snowman,

first of all welcome to the forum :D

You've come to the right place to ask the question .... but we might need some more information. You really should not buy a lens only on the suggestion of a camera salesman that might be primarily interested in his commission.

So here are the questions...
What focal length are you looking at?
What do you want to photograph?

From your interest in the Sigma 18-50 I assume that you want to have a wider angle lens ... how wide should it be?

What lenses exactly do you have at the moment?

I assume the 50/1.8 ... what about the 70-200?
Is it one of the 70-200 L lenses (e.g. the 70-200/4.0 or the 70-200/2.8 ) or is it a different model.

Best regards,
Andy

[Snowman100]

I just take pictures of the family and some scenes if I find something nice. My currently 80-200 the standard Canon 80-200 4.5-5.6 EF. I don't know if the 18-50 or 18-70 will be duplicating what my 50mm could do. I just wanted a little more flexibility when taking shots... Here is an example of a picture I took that I was space constained and couldn't move back anymore. I would have liked to get more into the picture..

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/akuna1966/IMG_0450a.jpg

[Andy_T]

Snowman,

do I read your gear list correctly that you have the Sigma 28-200?
Is 28 still not wide enough for you?

I've never used the Sigma 18-50, but as it is a consumer zoom lens I would not guess that it is up in image quality to the Canon 50/1.8. I would guess it gives 'ok' pictures, while the 50/1.8 as standard prime lens is hard to beat in image quality, even if it is sold cheaply.

If 28 mm is wide enough for you, you might look at the Canon 28/2.8, or at the Tamron 28-75/2.8 XR DI. Both are very nice lenses that would give you an image quality more comparable to the 50/1.8.

If this is not wide enough for you and you want to have very good image quality, then it really gets more expensive (eg. Canon 17-40/4.0 L or Tokina ATX Pro 17/3.5).

Best regards,
Andy