Does anyone own or know anything about a 20mm 2.8 lens by Sigma? I know there's a f1.8 out there but someone is selling a 2.8 locally and I can't find anything about it...
Thanks!
trenchmonkey wrote:
Sure it's not a 20-40 f2.8 Don't think Sigma made a 20 prime other than the 1.8 version.
Seller swears it's a 2.8, Canon mount, 20mm prime. I'm sufficiently confused and intrigued that I'm going to go see for myself. Maybe he's confused and it is the 1.8. He says he bought it new locally about a year ago...
Well, as suspected, it was the 1.8 lens and at a very fair price, basically BNIB, one year old and only used for a handful of shots. Despite the mixed reviews, test shots on my 7D so far are very pleasing, and though AF is a bit noisy, it's also accurate and relatively quick. I haven't downloaded any shots yet but shooting wide open looks promising too. According to Sigma, the minimum focusing distance is less than 8". Hmmm...is this a sleeper? Guess I'll find out as I bought the damn thing!
Tomorrow, I might take it to work and try on the 5Dii to see how it fares. Thanks for the input trenchmonkey and Ian D!
I've had this lens for 7 years and find that my copy is excellent, even wide open. One aspect I like is the very close focussing abilty, combined with a wide ange on my 5d. Really interesting results.
Bryan Carnathan wasn't as lucky... even though the FL/max. aperture combination sure looks tempting on paper. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sigma-20mm-f-1.8-EX-DG-Lens-Review.aspx
Looks like it has a "classic" sharpness profile: quite soft all over wide open and only improving gradually. Probably has its uses though but a good candidate for Sigma to update.
Jan 19, 2012 at 03:21 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
I have owned two copies of the Sigma 20/1,8 lens. For it's price it's a rather decent lens. A little bit soft wide open but otherwise it's an ok lens. And you can't find another lens that fast and with that price
Lars Johnsson wrote:
So how good is the 16-35 II (which I also own) at f 1,8
That's not the point. If the photos of the 2x/1.8 wide open are unusable (unsellable) what's the use of having this lens? I wish I could have any of the lenses for my own fun but that time has passed. Besides, the AF is probably stone age - I've had my fill of screwdrivers and buzzy motors, thanks.
Maybe Carnathan had a poor sample but his results (seen in the standard tests) are alarmingly soft. I remember having something that was as soft - a KM 18-70 kit lens that showed something similar at one setting - and I'm glad I gave it away.
If only Sigma had updated it instead of releasing half-arsed lenses for mirrorless and ultra-expensive cameras that nobody is going to buy... fast wides are all the rage now, they're stupid not to get onto this bandwagon.
Jan 19, 2012 at 03:48 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Snopchenko wrote:
That's not the point. If the photos of the 2x/1.8 wide open are unusable (unsellable) what's the use of having this lens? I wish I could have any of the lenses for my own fun but that time has passed. Besides, the AF is probably stone age - I've had my fill of screwdrivers and buzzy motors, thanks.
Maybe Carnathan had a poor sample but his results (seen in the standard tests) are alarmingly soft. I remember having something that was as soft - a KM 18-70 kit lens that showed something similar at one setting - and I'm glad I gave it away.
If only Sigma had updated it instead of releasing half-arsed lenses for mirrorless and ultra-expensive cameras that nobody is going to buy... fast wides are all the rage now, they're stupid not to get onto this bandwagon....Show more →
But the photo's wide open or close to wide open is not unusable. Have you used or owned the lens? I have owned two copies and none of those where unusable. And I used the lens for five years
Jan 19, 2012 at 07:51 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Snopchenko wrote:
That's not the point. If the photos of the 2x/1.8 wide open are unusable (unsellable) what's the use of having this lens? I wish I could have any of the lenses for my own fun but that time has passed. Besides, the AF is probably stone age - I've had my fill of screwdrivers and buzzy motors, thanks.
Maybe Carnathan had a poor sample but his results (seen in the standard tests) are alarmingly soft. I remember having something that was as soft - a KM 18-70 kit lens that showed something similar at one setting - and I'm glad I gave it away.
If only Sigma had updated it instead of releasing half-arsed lenses for mirrorless and ultra-expensive cameras that nobody is going to buy... fast wides are all the rage now, they're stupid not to get onto this bandwagon....Show more →
As reported before the 24 f/1.8 photos are far from unusable wide open and in fact are quite sharp. You haven't even tried one 20/24/28 I bet but always discredit them. Show me a 20/24 this fast, and this cheap with the same IQ.
I've had limited time to play with this lens but I will try to find some time later tonight to post a couple of test shots. Early indications are what you'd expect, decent centre sharpness wide open and improvements across the frame stopped down but I should qualify everything by saying I'm NOT a pixel peeper kinda guy and generally enjoy a shallow DOF so I enjoy the results wide open or close to it. I did have a chance to test this on a 5Dii at work and again, decent results. I'll check the card in my 7D but I'm pretty sure I have some comparison shots taken with the Sigma and a Canon 16-35 II at 20mm. If I can find 'em, I will post 'em. Glad the debate is friendly, lol! I also just realized that this might be the worst or most inaccurate title for a thread ever as there is/was no such thing as a Sigma 20mm 2.8! Stay tuned...
-Cam
Pixel Perfect wrote:
As reported before the 24 f/1.8 photos are far from unusable wide open and in fact are quite sharp. You haven't even tried one 20/24/28 I bet but always discredit them. Show me a 20/24 this fast, and this cheap with the same IQ.
All right, I don't want to sound like a pretentious d*ck. I'm really itching to give this a try sometime but they're difficult to find and I don't want to buy blind without using this lens for a while - especially since I imagine it'd be pretty difficult to get rid of it if it turns out to be substandard. Nobody I know has any of these lenses unfortunately.
Don't think Sigma made a 20 prime other than the 1.8 version. 
Besides, the AF is probably stone age - I've had my fill of screwdrivers and buzzy motors, thanks.