Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

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Archive 2005 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Scott Sewell
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p.2 #1 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

The Big Bad wrote:
The sigma 24-70 doesnt look to bad but you can see what the extra $800 or so buys you in the 24-70L, (aside from USM, weather sealing etc)

Don't mean to pick on ya, Jeff, but what am I missing here? Where's the $800 difference in these images? They look pretty close, to me. Certainly not an $800 difference!

Aug 05, 2005 at 02:57 PM

JCDoss
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p.2 #2 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

I'm still waiting on a Sigma EX lens of this quality and range to sport an HSM focus motor.

Aug 05, 2005 at 03:09 PM

gfiksel
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p.2 #3 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

20Dshooter wrote:
gfiksel wrote:
The top line of Sigma images at 24 mm - the shot at f/5.6 is much less sharper than at f/4 and the sharpest is at f/2.8

Is the order reversed?

I looked at the originals, but, no. These are the corect order.

BTW, f/4 looks sharper to me. 5.6 is probably an AF error.

Well, the top Canon also looks sharper at f/2.8 than at f/4. Whether it's a focusing error or handhold blur - there is not much confidence in the results.

That's the main problem with tests - they either have to be done carefully or not done at all. If I can't compare shots taken with the same lens how can I compare shots taken with different lenses?

Aug 05, 2005 at 03:53 PM

maxim_me
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p.2 #4 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

JCDoss wrote:
I'm still waiting on a Sigma EX lens of this quality and range to sport an HSM focus motor.

like some poster said, the speed difference is minimal between
L USM and the non HSM ,,,, in fact , a friend of mine who had the L
was surprised about the speed on the Sigma
So you dont really feel the difference
but back to back test, yes, there is that slight difference
but doesnt stop you from doing what you want..................
that's why you bought the lens in the first place, right ?

Aug 05, 2005 at 04:11 PM

JCDoss
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p.2 #5 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

maxim_me wrote:
JCDoss wrote:
I'm still waiting on a Sigma EX lens of this quality and range to sport an HSM focus motor.

like some poster said, the speed difference is minimal between

It's not the speed I care about. Full-time manual focus means a lot.

Aug 05, 2005 at 04:18 PM

Sam Bennett
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p.2 #6 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

gfiksel wrote:
That's the main problem with tests - they either have to be done carefully or not done at all. If I can't compare shots taken with the same lens how can I compare shots taken with different lenses?

Absolutely. Which is why I take all of this stuff with a heavy grain of salt. Ultimately, I've learned you can't trust any of these kinds of tests unless A) you do it yourself or B) it's done by someone with a proven track record for setting up tests effectively.

Aug 05, 2005 at 04:24 PM

KPieper
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p.2 #7 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

The sigma 24-70 certainly looks like a good lens. This may seem silly, but the one thing that keeps me from getting one is the 82mm filter size! I just hate having to buy another polarizer. I realize that I can still buy the lens and a nice polarizer and still be way under what the canon costs. Why did the need to make it so big?

Aug 05, 2005 at 04:27 PM

marco_g
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p.2 #8 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Neither one of the two lenses looks significantly better or worse in these examples.
However, I think, if you do a test like this, the subject should contain some primary colors, it should be in a stable environment, and it should be done from a tripod (mirror lock, remote release etc.), otherwise many of the differences could be accredited to any of these factors.

Aug 05, 2005 at 05:35 PM

Clayphish
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p.2 #9 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

I want to see corner sharpness, because I have a feeling thats where the game is. Only until then will I say anything about the sigma's performance vs the Canon.

Aug 05, 2005 at 07:01 PM

aparmley
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p.2 #10 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

I was kinda curious what was going on with the soft focus of the bricks on the right in some of these images. I have highlighted those areas with a red arrow... I don't know if this lmage link will work...

Ok it works wooohooo! First time I got that bad boy to work! Anywho. You can see where my arrows are pointing, note those locations and go back to the original and see if you can also see the soft focus/lack of sharpnes in those bricks as well...

Aug 05, 2005 at 09:40 PM

ishmaiel
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p.2 #11 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Clayphish wrote:
I want to see corner sharpness, because I have a feeling thats where the game is. Only until then will I say anything about the sigma's performance vs the Canon.

This will only matter on a full-frame camera. Otherwise, you're imaging through the center of the lens and cannot investigate the usual suspects that hide in the corners.

That being said, if the center of an image through one lens is significantly worse than on the other, it doesn't matter what the corners are like.

Aug 05, 2005 at 10:15 PM

4x4rock
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p.2 #12 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

My sigma 24-70 is worst at @ 24mm f2.8 and gets better stop down. At 70mm f2.8 I can really tell the differences from 24mm f2.8.

Aug 05, 2005 at 11:27 PM

Clayphish
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p.2 #13 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

ishmaiel wrote:
Clayphish wrote:
I want to see corner sharpness, because I have a feeling thats where the game is. Only until then will I say anything about the sigma's performance vs the Canon.

This will only matter on a full-frame camera. Otherwise, you're imaging through the center of the lens and cannot investigate the usual suspects that hide in the corners.

That being said, if the center of an image through one lens is significantly worse than on the other, it doesn't matter what the corners are like.

I'm not so sure about that. Even if you're using a 1.6x camera you can see the weaknesses of a lens as you gradually move further away from the center. I've witnessed this with the Canon 50mm 1.8 when I compared it to the Takumar 50mm 1.4. In that test, even on my D60, did you see a major fall off in the corners of the frame. I can only imagine that it would be even worse on a full frame camera. I've also noticed this with the 20-35mm 2.8, and the 17-40 -- though its more understandable since they are wide angle zooms.

So when it comes to this test, I think seeing the corners is extremely important to dictate how well one performs, even if its not on a full frame camera.

Aug 06, 2005 at 12:06 AM

ishmaiel
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p.2 #14 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

I guess you are right. I was being too extreme when I said that corners didn't matter on a cropped FOV. I was giving both lenses the benefit of the doubt. If you're starting to see corner-type failings near the cropped center, then perhaps it's good you don't see the horrors of the edges

Aug 06, 2005 at 02:35 AM

Clayphish
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p.2 #15 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

ishmaiel wrote:
I guess you are right. I was being too extreme when I said that corners didn't matter on a cropped FOV. I was giving both lenses the benefit of the doubt. If you're starting to see corner-type failings near the cropped center, then perhaps it's good you don't see the horrors of the edges

Yea, its a bit startling when you see enough of it on a 1.6x camera, but you're totally right, full frame is the real test. I remember using a 17-40 on my film A2e, and boy I was suprised. Even through the viewfinder I could see the soft edges. It kind of makes 1.6x seem like a good thing, if you disregard the extra reach that is.

Aug 06, 2005 at 04:54 AM

20Dshooter
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p.2 #16 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Sam Bennett wrote:
gfiksel wrote:
That's the main problem with tests - they either have to be done carefully or not done at all. If I can't compare shots taken with the same lens how can I compare shots taken with different lenses?

Absolutely. Which is why I take all of this stuff with a heavy grain of salt. Ultimately, I've learned you can't trust any of these kinds of tests unless A) you do it yourself or B) it's done by someone with a proven track record for setting up tests effectively.

True. However, as I said originally, I never intended to provide scientific tests. They were done informally and quickly. That is why I slipped up, I guess, in the 24-70 tests. The EX f/5.6 shot is not sharp, and neither is the f/4 from the L. Probably focusing error. So, yeah, take it with some grains of salt, but I was trying to point out how close these lenses are to each other. The differences, if discernable, are slight, which is astonishing.

Aug 06, 2005 at 06:11 PM

20Dshooter
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p.2 #17 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Clayphish wrote:
I want to see corner sharpness, because I have a feeling thats where the game is. Only until then will I say anything about the sigma's performance vs the Canon.

The 20D corners, or full-frame? The 18-50 will vignette significantly on a 1DmkII - a 1Ds will be much worse. It is intended for a 1.6x crop, so the corners will likely not be as good as the 17-40.

Aug 06, 2005 at 06:15 PM

20Dshooter
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p.2 #18 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

Parmley, you are right. This was already noted. Probably a focusing error. Slight as it is, it is only visible in a 100% crop. Egg on my face!

I'll do a better job next time!

Aug 06, 2005 at 06:17 PM

AGeoJO
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p.2 #19 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

While you at it, would you use a sturdy tripod and a cable release, please...

Thanks,
Joshua

Aug 06, 2005 at 07:44 PM

20Dshooter
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p.2 #20 · Canon L vs Sigma EX shootout!

AGeoJO wrote:
While you at it, would you use a sturdy tripod and a cable release, please...

Thanks,
Joshua

I'll keep it in mind...

Aug 07, 2005 at 06:17 AM

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