Samples from Sigma 150mm f/2.8 lifesize macro. The first 3 are JPEGs extracted from RAW files. They're not processed. Click on the thumbnails for the original versions.
Edited by saaketham on Mar 22, 2005 at 11:52 AM GMT
- AF is bad. Hunts often, especially in poor light and if the subject is small, etc. But a slight dollop of MF and the AF kicks in and makes things right. So, it's something I plan to live with
- Bokeh is very nice
- Pics are sharp
- Weight is noticeable, especially if upgrading from 100mm, but quite manageable, if you're shooting with a 70-200 f/4. I didn't have any problems with it, but then I'm a relatively big person :-)
- Worth the price!
Unlike you guys I have not found it to focus slower or hunt in lowered light. I'm on a 20D as I assumed you all are so whether or not that matters I have no idea. Indeed corner sharpness on this lens even wide open is perhaps the finest I've ever seen on ANY lens L or not. I have not yet seen ANY CA nor red fringing or any other artifacts so common in most lenses today. Overall I have not been as pleased with ANY lens I've owned yet. It is essentally "perfect"......they are going to have to pry this lens from my cold dead hands if it is to part from me.........
I had this lens also and it didn't hunt much, just a slow AF compared to average lenses like a 28-135 IS or something else in that class. I probably would have labeled the 150 EX as "hunter", but I tried the Sigma 180mm EX Macro first - now that's a very lost hunter And slow...
When taking true macro pictures of small objects like coins, insects, flowerers, etc., you'll want to MF anyway. The DOF is very thin and there are contrasty things everywhere. The odds of the AF locking onto the exact point you want are slim & none.
saaketham wrote:
Eric, excuse me for the ignorance, but what does FF stand for?
Full frame. The problem I have with many user comments is that it is difficult to determine what is meant by corner. As you know many lenses that are passable on 1.6x bodies are poor on the film/1Ds/1ds MK II. The 150/2.8 is very attractive due to the small size.
I had this lens awhile back. I used it on the 1D2 for a couple months and was quite pleased - I thought it looked BETTER on the 1D2 than the 20D. Before selling it, I did use it on a 1Ds, but only for a week or two. The shots looked very good. There were product shots, so the corners were usually empty, but still the shots looked very good. I Definitely miss the 150EX... Delta International sells them for $524 - I think you'd have a hard time finding a better value. I'd like to buy one again, but I'm saving for a 85L or 135L.
I also got mine from Delta and very happy with both them and the lens. I am really surprised to see several posters complaining of slow autofocus on this lens. I closely compared the 150 with both my 16-35 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L IS and believe me it focus locks every bit as fast without hunting in the same low light situations with a 20D. So I have NO explaiination why YOURS isn't as fast, but slow is one thing my copy of this lens is NOT........
traveler wrote:
So I have NO explaiination why YOURS isn't as fast, but slow is one thing my copy of this lens is NOT........
I'm comparing the focus performance with my experience with the Canon 100 macro, which is no speedbreaker when it comes to AF. Still, I might just be expecting too much. I love the image quality.
I think you'd have a hard time finding a better value. I'd like to buy one again, but I'm saving for a 85L or 135L.
Curious... why are you going for the 135L over the 150? Do you feel the images are better? Range seems like it would be pretty close, 135mm or 150mm.
There is quite a difference in price, and previously, someone posted images taken by both lenses, that seemed to demonstrate that they were either equivalent or very close in bokah/image quality.
And slow... 
The problem I have with many user comments is that it is difficult to determine what is meant by corner. As you know many lenses that are passable on 1.6x bodies are poor on the film/1Ds/1ds MK II. The 150/2.8 is very attractive due to the small size.
Delta International sells them for $524 - I think you'd have a hard time finding a better value. I'd like to buy one again, but I'm saving for a 85L or 135L.