Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8

Lately, I've been eyeing the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 a lot. I am really liking the range of its focal length. I use a 1.6x crop so to me, I think 50mm on the wide end is much more useful than one that starts at 70mm. I like to shoot street, but I find 70mm already too long (I own the older 70-210mm f/4) so I simply cannot walk around with it.

I was trying to research this lens, and I find that it has mostly decent reviews, despite a discouraging one http://www.the-digital-picture.com …X-DC-HSM-Lens-Review.aspx. But it seems this lens is not widely popular, and there is not lens sample archive for it either. I was wondering what you guys think on it?

There is a lens sample archive thread:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=332654

Isn't Sigma coming out/already came out with a new version of the lens?

Pairing this with my 18-50 f/2.8 would be a lethal combo...

Thanks!
For some reason it didn't show up when I searched.
Perhaps it doesn't like me

That's what I was thinking... seems to go great with 1x-5x mm lenses.
But with such a great focal length...Why is it though that this lens isn't popular?

Also, anyone know if the optics improved with the Mk II version of the lens?

17-50 and 50-150 is the crop sensors answer to
24-70 and 70-200 on a full frame

But a lot of people still use the FF combo on a crop, maybe one day they think they will have a 1.3x or a FF camera. I don't believe the 50-135/150 lenses work on full frame cameras. I think the site you mentioned always give sigma bad reviews regardless. There does appear to be more of a brand bias than the other sites on the web. Never read just one review though, try to read as many as you can.

From what I've read the sigma does vignette wide open at 150mm, but the resolution figures are pretty damn good. So I'd look at is as a 50-135 f/2.8 with a 150mm f/4 option.

I think Tokina have a very similar lens (50 - 135), albeit without the HSM motor, might be worth checking out. It looks like the Tokina has stunning resolution figures, but a noisier motor and more CA.

I really could not make up my mind between those two, but it looks like the 3x 70-200s have less drawbacks than the 2x 50-135/150s. I'm surprised canon are not in the 50-150 market, I don't think the 55-250 is fast enough to count..

The 50-150/50-135's are standard EF mounts, so they'll fit on a FF, just will vignette and not exactly be optimal.

I personally love these lenses, 70-200 is a bit too long for how I use it. That and the 70-200/2.8's are tanks, and the IS version is so expensive. Part of why I don't particularly want to go FF. Just add IS/OS to these 50-150/135's and I'll be a happy camper.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be looking at the Tammy at well then.

Has anyone owned both the Sigma 50-150mm as well as the Tamron 50-135mm and compared them?
Just wanted to hear your opinions. Thanks!

i have the 50-150 and love it, gets a little soft at 150,. but ive learned to just use up to 145mm without a problem.

johnny0415 wrote in post #6408040
I was trying to research this lens, and I find that it has mostly decent reviews, despite a discouraging one http://www.the-digital-picture.com …X-DC-HSM-Lens-Review.aspx.

Good source for info. I find they call it like it is. It's very complementary of Sigma's 150mm f/2.8 macro, for example, but adds, "You should know that there are some potential issues with third party lenses. Since Sigma reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF routines, there is always the possibility that a new body might not support an older third party lens. There are examples of this happening in the past. Sometimes a lens can be rechipped to be made compatible, sometimes not." Canon does not make a lens in the zoom range anf f/2.8 like you are looking for, but Tokina does. And, the couple of reviews I have seen for the Tokina rates it highly. I had a Tokina 17mm up until 2-3 years ago and always thought it to be a decent lens and it had a metal body, not plastic. Tokina does not seem to have the future compatibility issues Sigma sometimes has.

It doesn't surprise me that there may be focus issues. A lot of Sigmas lenses are a crapshoot when it comes to AF. My 150 macro is dead on accurate, but my 30 f/1.4...this is my third one. The first two front focused horrendously at long distances. The one I kept backfocuses at medium and close distances and is OK further out...the focus error on this one isn't nearly as bad, so I kept it and sent it to Sigma. It should be back this week, hopefully properly calibrated. My 24-60 is with it, and it front focuses at 60mm. Hopefully that will come back good too.

If Sigma would come out with an image stabilized version of this lens it would be great! I love the focal range of my older 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens but the IQ and older Is is not optimum!

johnny0415 wrote in post #6410798
Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be looking at the Tammy at well then.

Has anyone owned both the Sigma 50-150mm as well as the Tamron 50-135mm and compared them?
Just wanted to hear your opinions. Thanks!

It's actually a tokina 50-135

I had a 70-200/2.8 sigma, not the 50-150, but HSM is nice. silent and quick compared to the tokina. It used to be a deal killer for me, the lack of a silent fast motor. But I'm starting to accept I can't always have it, heh.

As for IQ, the tokina probably edges it out, but look through the image samples from users here.

turbodude wrote in post #6410974
i have the 50-150 and love it, gets a little soft at 150,. but ive learned to just use up to 145mm without a problem.

I disagree with this.. My Sigma 50-150mm F/2.8 is as sharp as a pin at all focal lengths.. Its probably my most used lens..

Check out this image shot at 150mm..

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

My thoughts on this lens , after 2 years of using it. AF is very fast, faster then my 100-300mm f/4 Ex. And I always felt the 100-300mm f/4 EX was as fast as Canons
70-200's. No focus problems !!!

Sharpness wide open- Well, it's not my sharpest, my new 150mm 2.8 EX Macro wins that But after that , I think I'll give it the edge over the others. But I flip-flop on this. I think it could be due to the distance from the subject. More controlled testing , by me, is needed. But really, this is nit-picking., it is very sharp wide open . I have no problems using it wide open.

Color and contrast is great. This lens has pop !

Since I have the 100-300mm EX , I don't use a tele-converter with the 50-150mm very often. But when I have, the 1.4 converter really doesn't affect it much at all , if any. With the 2x converter, it surprised me. Yes, it took an hit. but not as bad as I thought it would.

Vignetting, or CA is really a non- issue.

"Potential issues with third party lens " - Another non-issue for me. Nothing I lose sleep over. More of a ploy to dis Sigma lens.

Bottom line, it's a very good, fast, light weight zoom.

yogestee wrote in post #6413062
I disagree with this.. My Sigma 50-150mm F/2.8 is as sharp as a pin at all focal lengths.. Its probably my most used lens..

Check out this image shot at 150mm..

maybe ill send mine in for calibration

turbodude wrote in post #6413197
maybe ill send mine in for calibration

turbodude,, do you think the problem could be with your 40D/Sigma EX 50-150mm F/2.8 combination??

This lens is as sharp as a tack at all focal lengths with both my 20D and 350D.. Just a thought..