Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG HSM

[blonde]

alright guys,

i am in the market for a nice 70-200 lens and the final debate will be between the canon F4 and the sigma 70-200 2.8. i was actually all set on the sigma but i did some research on here and it seems like a lot of people are having issues with their copy. i see alot with focusing issues, wide opeen softness and even finish peeling off. now, i saw a bunch of threads with people posting some fantastic images with the sigma but i did not see alot of them post pics of the lens wide open. if the lens is rreally soft at 2.8, why not go for the canon f4?

i am asking people that own the sigma to post images on this thread of wide open shots. again, i really do want this lens but if it is almost unusable at 2.8 than i might as well go for the lighter, sharper canon.

[Col_M]

Mine will be delivered tomorrow, so weather permitting i should have some pics, i'm trying to think where i can go and there will ba a 100% chance i'll see a duck

[In2Photos]

Originally Posted by Col_M

Mine will be delivered tomorrow, so weather permitting i should have some pics, i'm trying to think where i can go and there will ba a 100% chance i'll see a duck

Well here lately it seems that the duck shot can be taken while sitting at your desk. Just pull up a duck on the screen and snap away.

[blonde]

haha,

lets open we can get alot of wide open images of this lens first (ducks can work as long as it was shot wide open)

[freeflydrew]

Here's one... 1/320, 1600 iso, f/2.8, 200 mm (low light):

[05Xrunner]

I just got my 70-200 f4L sat and went to the zoo yesterday.
I am blown away with the image quality.
These are all shot in jpeg and right out of the camera NO post process. I just used AV mode and had it on f4 all day

[GSH]

Originally Posted by blonde

i am in the market for a nice 70-200 lens and the final debate will be between the canon F4 and the sigma 70-200 2.8. i was actually all set on the sigma but i did some research on here and it seems like a lot of people are having issues with their copy. i see alot with focusing issues, wide opeen softness and even finish peeling off. now.

Define " A lot"...

5,10,15, 20....out of how many sales? I'm pretty much certain that the users who are happy with their particular lens (i don't use the term "copy") just get out there and use it, as opposed to pixel-peeping on a net forum and moaning about it.

As for "Lens tests" on printed focus sheets....err ok, if that's what floats your boat, but i never saw a Photographer sell a shot of a bar code to a magazine

The nature of sites like this (as good as POTN is) means that those with issues will always shout loudest. I've seen countless posts about problems with assorted Canon L's but very few people are diverted from L fever by those posts, are they?

Now, my 70-200 focusses fast enough to track Race cars & Military Jets, does not need a re-spray and if you want examples of how it performs wide open, here you go...

1# 70mm, 1/1600th @ f2.8.Centre Focus point was on the second girl in the line. This was a large, Fine JPEG straight from the camera using the parameter settings for the 20D suggested on the Sports Illustrated site.

Click!

2#. 103mm, 1/320th @ f2.8 in very poor light on a cold January day...

Click!

And now something stopped down a little. This was shot at Silverstone Circuit (Luffield Corner) and any of the Motorsports crowd on here will tell you 200mm is too short for there...so it's cropped quite a bit to make up for the lack of focal length. IMHO it's still pretty good...

200mm, 1/320th @ f5.6. Hand-held.

Click!

Now, just to give an example of the focus speed. I was heading for the car-park at Silverstone when these 2 cars were approaching...it was a "grabbed" shot and the camera locked on quick enough...

Click!

Hope that helps

[blonde]

thats exactaly what i was looking for!!!! that is why i posted this thread, so i can tak to owners who are happy with their lenses.

any chance you will be selling your copy ?

[Jonn]

Hope you don't mind 05xRunner, but i had a go at doing some PP to your shots

[GSH]

Originally Posted by blonde

any chance you will be selling your copy ?

Ooh let me think about that...

Errm, no. Sorry

[mbellot]

Just keep in mind that no lens maker is perfect.

My 70-200 IS came with a defective IS unit.


I also think you need to be careful when looking at wide open sharpness. If the lens was handheld and the shutter was below ~ 1/500 you might be seeing some camera shake or movement in focus.

[blonde]

Originally Posted by mbellot

Just keep in mind that no lens maker is perfect.

My 70-200 IS came with a defective IS unit.


I also think you need to be careful when looking at wide open sharpness. If the lens was handheld and the shutter was below ~ 1/500 you might be seeing some camera shake or movement in focus.

understood. i am looking for 2.8 in good lighting. i will never fault a lens if it was used in such slow shutter as to produce shake, that is the owners fault.

[subtle_spectre]

Okay friends...I did some more testing on the new Sigma 70-200 follwing this morning's round. My results are in my original thread: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...1&postcount=21

[GSH]

Originally Posted by blonde

understood. i am looking for 2.8 in good lighting. i will never fault a lens if it was used in such slow shutter as to produce shake, that is the owners fault.

Ooh how about...Summer's day, 1/1600th @ f2.8...(Not wife / Girlfriend safe)

Click!

[blonde]

GSH, please do not post anymore unless you are willing to sell me your lens

j/k of course, those photos are fantastic!!!

scott, that is indeed strange... aree you sure your new 1d is setup right as far as the af focus go?