Sigma 18-125mm DC

[goatee]

Hi - I am thinking of getting a Sigma 18-125mm DC lens to replace my current Canon 28-80 USM. Having read the mixed reviews on fredmiranda, it appears that I need to do Sigma's quality control when I get the lens to check I have a good un.

Can anybody recommend what range of shots I should do to test the lens? Are they do-able in the shop, if I stick my CF card in the digital prints machine for preview and zooming in (although I'd get it from jessops who offer a 30 day money back guarantee and excellent service, so I guess it wouldn't be a biggie if I have to take it back to swap it).

[LightRules]

It's a very good consumer-level lens. See these:

http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/sigma18125
http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/shootout
http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/4lenstest

Best wishes.

[goatee]

Thanks for the links fStopJojo - I'm pretty sure that the lens will be fine for my modest needs - it just seems that their quality control seems to be lacking from the mixed reports, and I was wondering what kind of shots I should be taking to check I don't have a duff one.

Cheers

goatee

[cfcRebel]

I'm planning to get one pretty soon. Hopefully a good copy. :)

[dave_bass5]

Im about to order a lens tomorrow.
Cant decide though between the sigma or canon ef 28-105 mk2 as they are both the same price in jessops. i would preffer the extra 20mm of the Sigma but have heard good things about the Canon

Dave.

[LightRules]

Optically the Sigma is just as good or better, and its range is MUCH better; this would be a no-brainer for me.

[dave_bass5]

Agreed and i have just seen your lens shoot out.
Its just to replace my kit lens until i can afford something much better. i find the 55mm a bit limiting
My other thought was a sigma 28-105 f/2.8-f/4 as its a bit faster but not as long in the zoom and its cheaper.
Im not fused about the wide angle being less than 28mm but want more zoom than the kit lens.


Dave.

[nitsch]

Im about to order a lens tomorrow.
Cant decide though between the sigma or canon ef 28-105 mk2 as they are both the same price in jessops. i would preffer the extra 20mm of the Sigma but have heard good things about the Canon

Dave.

Hi Dave,

I had the opportunity to try out both of these lenses together a few months back. The extra 20mm on the long end of the Sigma is nice but you'll love the extra 10mm on the wide end even more.

The Sigma is a nice lens, in terms of picture quality I would have to agree with fstopjojo, the Sigma is as good if not better than the Canon. Be aware though that it does suffer from noticeable vignetting when wide open (this can be fixed with the PTLens plugin for Photoshop though).

The thing that I really remember disliking about the Sigma was the noise of the focusing motor, it is pretty loud, but I guess you could learn to live with it. I would suggest trying it in the shop and making up your own mind.

I ended up getting a Canon 24-85mm 3.5-4.5 for my walk around lens and I like it a lot but sometimes want something slightly wider.

Hope some of this info helps. You can't make a wrong choice with those two lenses, they are both nice and I think you would be very happy with either of them. :D

[dave_bass5]

Hi Dave,

Be aware though that it does suffer from noticeable vignetting when wide open (this can be fixed with the PTLens plugin for Photoshop though).



thanks for the advice.
im still new to dSLR, when you say wide open do you mean at max apature and at both ends of the zoom?

thanks

Dave.

[nitsch]

Dave, I noticed vignetting at both ends of the zoom but its most pronounced at maximum aperture. If you stop down to say f8 its gone. There are various plugins which will correct vignetting during post processing so its not the end of the world.

[dave_bass5]

Thanks nitsch, i use PSCS2 so yes, its not a problem.

Dave.

[sjprg]

I can't speak for the Sigma 18-125, I decided to wait for the 18-200

Here are a few shots from it. Sure glad I waited.

http://www.pbase.com/sjprg/monterey_aquarium
http://www.pbase.com/sjprg/yosemite_june_2005

[MrChad]

VS. the 28-80mm EF you will love the Sigma.
My 28-105mm lives in the closet now that I have the Sigma.

[chenzhan]

Guys, I've got this lens and have had big trouble getting focused on telephoto side. No matter how many times I half-press to AF, it just doesn't work. Now I have to use MF in these case. Wide angle side seems to be fine.

[Hellashot]

Consider also the Sigma 24-135 f2.8-f4.5 If you REALLY need to have a 28mm effective focal length at your widest get what you suggested. If you can live with 38mm effective get the one I got. You wont find as wide appetures in the same focal range without paying Canon $700+

Guys, I've got this lens and have had big trouble getting focused on telephoto side. No matter how many times I half-press to AF, it just doesn't work. Now I have to use MF in these case. Wide angle side seems to be fine.

Why don't you return it for a replacement? Sigma usually has 4 year warranty on their lenses, not sure what it is on your lens.

[goatee]

Hmm, all these other options I hadn't considered! To be honest, I won't make *that* much use of the wider end of the lens, so maybe the Canon 24-85 or Sigma 24-135 would be better. . .

Most of my photos are portraits, the odd flower type shot (though not real macro), and ocassionally a landscape I want to capture. It's for those ocassional landscapes I was thinking of getting a lens that starts at 18mm, as I don't carry a tripod with me, though I guess if I shoot in RAW with manual exposure for a number of shots it wouldn't be too bad stitching them together.

Dave, I noticed vignetting at both ends of the zoom but its most pronounced at maximum aperture. If you stop down to say f8 its gone. There are various plugins which will correct vignetting during post processing so its not the end of the world.

Since a reasonable number of my shots are indoors, having to stop down to f8 would be a little limiting. How easy is it to correct the vignetting in Photoshop, and can it be done in PSE3? I'm on the learning curve of using it properly, after years of using cut / paste and tweaking brightness and contrast in Paint Shop Pro, and similar packages.

Thanks!

[dave_bass5]

Most of my photos are portraits, the odd flower type shot (though not real macro), and ocassionally a landscape I want to capture. It's for those ocassional landscapes I was thinking of getting a lens that starts at 18mm, as I don't carry a tripod with me, though I guess if I shoot in RAW with manual exposure for a number of shots it wouldn't be too bad stitching them together.

Im in the exact same situation and expecting to take the same type of shots. i have a 1 year old who has started walking so a lot of shots indoors although i have a 420ex that i can use.
The vigneting can be sorted out using ACR3.1 but i dont konw if you have that feature in PSE3 as it is a cut down version i believe.

going to get a lens today so ill let you know how i got on

Dave.

[goatee]

Im in the exact same situation and expecting to take the same type of shots. i have a 1 year old who has started walking so a lot of shots indoors although i have a 420ex that i can use.
The vigneting can be sorted out using ACR3.1 but i dont konw if you have that feature in PSE3 as it is a cut down version i believe.

going to get a lens today so ill let you know how i got on

Dave.

That's very funny, I also have a one year old, who also happens to have just started walking (although only a few steps at the time at the moment). I have a flash I can use (it's a Cobra 480AF not a 420EX), but it's not ideal - I'd rather be able to shoot with a wider aperture, and not need the flash.

I'd be very intrested to see how you get on with your lens (which one are you going to get?)

[dave_bass5]

Yeah, spooky.
Im going for the 18-125 i think because i cant spend more than £200. i see sigma do a 28-105 f/2.8 - f/4 for £159 but i havent read much about this lens.
The 28-200 is a bit out of my price range but i have been using an old 55-200 canon ef that causes err-99 on any setting but sports to get a feel for 200mm but i seem to get a bit of camera shake at that end of the zoom (its not a good lens anyway) so i think 125 will be enough.
My flat is quite small but i do tend to use the flash, bounced off the celing a lot but yes, it would be good no to have to use a flash

Dave.

[goatee]

Having used my 8(?) year old 28-80 USM lens on my 300D for a little while, I've found that 80 is just about long enough, but I fear that 28 is not wide enough. I'm not sure if 24 will be, but it takes the lens down from ~45mm to ~38mm which is better. In an ideal world there would be an 18-80 f2.8-f4 lens for around £150, but I don't see any major holes in any of the lens makers catalogues, which would suggest that they'll release one like that :(

[Gordon S.]

I know someone who is trying to sell me this lens for a very good price and it definitely seems like it would be a good replacement for my kit lens that would compliment my 70-210 nicely. My concern is a lot of my photography is of motorsports, upclose and personal type autocross events for the most part. How is this lens for focusing speed? The kit lens is fairly fast in this regard but my old clunker 210 definitely struggles.

[dave_bass5]

Ok, just got back from jessops with a sigma 18-125 DC.
Its heavier than the kit lens but looks good on the 350d.
Focus seems ok but i havent taken anything i would dare post here, will do some tonight.
The lens is noisy but its not a problem for me and it does seem slower than the kit but not by much
more to come latter

Dave.

[goatee]

Good luck with it dave - I love the smell of new plastic, and the polystyrene as you open a newly packaged gadget :) (although admittedly I buy mainly secondhand).Apparently the most common problem that they have is front focussing past 15 feet.

[dave_bass5]

Apparently the most common problem that they have is front focussing past 15 feet.

thanks, thats put my mind at rest ;)
im already over paranoid as i have been reading about the problems this lens has or could have.
One thing ill have to get used to is because of the longer focal lenght ill have to keep an eye on the shutter speed. im so used to zooming all the way in with my kit lens and still shooting handheld in doors.
there does seem to be more distortion at 18mm but its nothing PSCS2 cant sort out

dave.

[goatee]

you're right dave - there are so many 'horror' stories on the forums about new equipment being duff, or camera sensors being coated in dust - in 12 years of photography, having bought 3 slrs, 5 lenses, and a good few p&s digital compacts - most of which were secondhand, I've never had a problem with anything I've bought. Maybe that's also due to the fact that I always buy my secondhand gear from Jessops, who are really good, and offer a 12 month warantee even on secondhand equipement.

[dave_bass5]

Agree about Jessops. thats why i didnt mind paying £30 more over 7dayshop. at least i can take it back within the first 30days without any hassle.
I must admit when i got my 350d i read so many front/rear focus problems that i was convinced i had a dud because most of my shots were soft. i have since learnt it was me and not the camera but i guess ill start all over again now till the 30 days run out and then ill stop worring.

Dave.

[goatee]

Hehe, well good luck with it. I don't need a wide angle till August, so will probably try to pick one up secondhand next month some time (they have one listed at the moment, but if I phone up for information / price on it, I'll ask them to send it to my local shop, and then I'll have to try it, and then it will be too late, and I'll have bought it, even though I can't really afford it at the moment)

[goatee]

How is this lens for focusing speed? The kit lens is fairly fast in this regard but my old clunker 210 definitely struggles.

Gordon, I'd have thought that the Canon USM ones will be noticeably faster than this one - my experience with Canon non USM and other Sigmas would suggest that it'll be a similar speed to a non USM Canon.

[dave_bass5]

well ive done a few test shots and im taking the lens back.
The vignetting is bad and i cant get as sharp as the kit lens.
Ill get a replacement if Jessops dont have a canon ef 28-105 usm mk2
might give it a day or so but so far not impressed

dave.

[goatee]

sorry to hear that dave - good reason to have bought from Jessops!

[buze]

I got my 18-200 and 18-40 from Jessop too. They let you take your body, shoot around with the lens etc, so you can check for obvious defects immediately before buying...

The 18-200 is great BTW, I strongly suggest you try one, the reports I've seen have put it systematicaly ahead of the 18-125...

[dave_bass5]

I did take my camera with me and it looked ok. its seemd to focus ok but im not sure its as sharp as the kit lens.
I also need to adjust to the longer zoom as with the kit lens camera shake was never a problem
Its just that at home i took a few pics that i had taken before with the kit lens and they didnt look as good. also my 420ex didnt seem to like the lens at the longer focal length (not a fault of the lens though)
It may be me and i need to get used to the lens so ill do a bit more shooting this morning.
How much did you pay for the 18-200. i cant see it in jessops catalouge.

Dave.

[buze]

They aligned on the typical net price, I think £260. I just printed a couple of pages from other vendors from the net, and went to see them with that. After a call they aligned the price, no question asked.
BTW I do have a gallery of tests from the 18-200 (http://galleries.oomz.net/pub/350d/18-200-sigma/)
Since then I took hundreds of shots, and I'm very very happy with that lens. At 200mm you need to watch for the shutter speed, but otherwise it works great.

[dave_bass5]

I ended up with a canon ef-28-105 f/3.5-f/4.5 for £189.
had to try 3 before i found a good ( i hope) one. first had a very stiff zoom, second was better but was stiff to get off the camera and the third was better alround but had chinese writing in pencil on the les case. it rubbed off so hopefully it was a quality control mark and so should be ok

Dave.

[csnudelman]

I know someone who recently got the lens to shoot weddings and loves it. Well, he loves the range on his 20D.

[goatee]

buze - does the f6.3 prove to be restricting at times? I guess that for higher speed stuff, pushing up the ISO will make it a little noisy, but then for low light, or high speed sports, extra grain / noise can look the part.

dave - it will be good to hear how you get on with this lens. To be honest I've never thought of asking to try out more than one lens to find a good one - my current 28-80 gets quite stiff zooming through 50mm, but I've just learnt to live with it.