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kevindar
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Registered: May 6, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 353
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Review Date: Nov 16, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $500.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Range
Distortion generally well controlled.
Center sharpness is good
Good CA control
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Cons:
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Corners, never completely sharp
Slight decentering
No possiblity for filters
slightly flare prone
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using this lens on a 5D, and 5DII. Returned my copy to sigma for some decentering. Came back better, but not perfect. The corners are never sharp, even at f11-f16, but the rest of frame is very good. I look at it as an effective 14mm lens, as I have to crop the corners out if I want great sharpness for large print. Contrast is good. CA is surprisingly good. A little prone to flare, especially b/c of protruding front element.
It also makes for a very fun indoor video lens.
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 Nov 16, 2009
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BrentM
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Registered: Jul 19, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 13, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $428.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Build quality seems good. Picture quality good.
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Cons:
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I've only had the lens for a day and using with a 5D MKII, but I like it so far. I have a 17-40L, but I wanted something wider for a different perspective....I don't plan to use the lens except for at 12mm and it seems like a quality alternative to a 14mmL considering the price difference!
Here's a couple samples just for fun (first one cropped):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/automotomedia/4099160676/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/automotomedia/4101228040/
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Nov 13, 2009
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ellenmac
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Registered: Sep 1, 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 206
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Review Date: Nov 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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very sharp, lovely colors, strongly built,
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Cons:
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Cannot fit filters.
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I bought this lens as i wanted a wider angle for scenery.
I find when I do things right the pictures are very sharp and crisp, and that is what is important to me. The lens seems to be well made but a tad heavy for me.
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Nov 5, 2009
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fusionphoto
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Registered: Apr 16, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Oct 9, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Built quality good, focusing quick and precise,color are good.
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Cons:
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No yet.
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I must say I was a little worried about the reported QC issues and number of soft lenses out there. This lens quite expensive new here in UK and I don't think I would have bought it at that price but I came across this immaculate copy used for a very good price and I must say I am very pleased with the sharpness and overall quality of the lens on my 1Ds FF. 12mm is wide, really wide and will take a little getting used to but should be able to get some really funky images with this.
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Oct 9, 2009
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agnius
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Registered: Nov 10, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Sep 28, 2009
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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The widest lens on 35mm SLR system, useful range
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Cons:
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I had 2 different copies of the lens - one had a soft spot on the left edge, another soft spots on the right
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I got it from Amazon craving the ultra wide perspective. I loved the perspective, but the lens had soft spots that were just not acceptable. I contacted Sigma, and they advised to send in the lens and the camera. I did not have the luxury of time, so I returned the lens. Amazon gave me full credit for it, they stand behind the product they sell. Too bad, it could have been a much better experience.
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Sep 28, 2009
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recordproducti
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Registered: Jul 11, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 143
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Review Date: Aug 8, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Sharper than I expected, super wide on full frame that's great fun to play with. Less distortion than I'd expected.
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Cons:
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Flare can be ugly
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This was bought as my 16-35L just didn't seem wide enough on the 5DmkII for many shots. Wow! This is an amazing lens that impressed me for the lack of distortion (of course there is some but it's very good) and the lens is useable wide open though it really is best stopped down to f/8 and beyond. I think that f/22 is better than would be expected too.
Getting close up to objects is huge fun and it's brought some renewed wide angle creativity out of me. For the money it's superb. Yes, when I get the cash I probably will sell it and get the 14L mkII but that's a way off.
The things that have to be taken in to account are:
- It's a slow lens. Not really suitable for indoor situations without paying attention to lighting, ie, flash. Environmental indoor portraits are unlikely to be this lens' best features.
- The flare can be horrible. Care needs to be taken. Spot lights etc can be an issue and shooting with the sun anywhere in the frame can case problems.
For the money, it's a ten out of ten. Money aside, it's really a 7 or 8 when compared with some of the great glass out there. Creative abilities push my rating up again and give it an 8.5. Mind you, on that scale, the 85L is a 17+ :-)
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Aug 8, 2009
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exoprasta
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Registered: Jul 20, 2009
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 8, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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extremely wide, build quality, sharp!!!
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Cons:
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cannot accept any filter at front thread
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When I got my first full frame camera (5D) there is nothing else I was thinking then to get this lens because i've heard that it is the widest lens in the world!!
In my country, there is no returning policy, so you must be happy with your purchase after walking out the store's door, like it or not. I had to tell the salesman to take all the stocks she has in the warehouse and I tried it one by one, and I'm glad I did this. It was my third attempt from all 5 lenses that worked.
Generally, from f/4.5 - 8, i experience a light fall-off at the corners, but f/8 - upwards this symptom is gone and the image is tack sharp from corner to corner!!! The extremely wide angle is soooo exceptional and I am so loving this lens because of it.
I also own a canon 15mm fisheye and a 16-35mm II L, who are canon's state-of-the-art lenses for sharpness. But hey, you can only see the difference when magnify 100%. In other words, both the fisheye and 16-35 win over a slight margin only.
I wish it had been a prime 12mm, cos I never used it in other focal lengths....
no problem with autofocus since I usually manual focus for landscape photography...
Loving this lens for its Extremely-Ultra-Wide-Angle!!!
If this lens can accept filters, i would have rated 10!
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Aug 8, 2009
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kbdozz
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Registered: Jul 25, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jul 25, 2009
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Weight, Quality, Construction, Versatility
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Cons:
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Exposed front element - caution required not to damage.
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I purchased this lens just before a trip in 09/08 to Europe, Greece, and Egypt.
This lens was an incredible performer - especially when it came to photographing the interior of the new Library of Alexandria (Egypt).
Shooting on a 40D.
Pictures speak 1000 words so you can see examples of this lens's performance here: http://www.gekkoimages.com.au/portfolio.php?p=kbdozz
Virtually all the 'wide' shots are from the Sigma.
Highly recommended!
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Jul 25, 2009
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kbdozz
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Registered: Jul 25, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jul 25, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Weight, Quality, Construction, Versatility
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Cons:
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Exposed front element - caution required not to damage.
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Pictures speak 1000 words so you can see examples of this lens's performance here: http://www.gekkoimages.com.au/portfolio.php?p=kbdozz
Virtually all the 'wide' shots are from the Sigma.
Highly recommended!
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Jul 25, 2009
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Fulcrum
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Registered: May 23, 2008
Location: Finland
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jul 7, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Excellent colours, fast AF, really useful range on FF, really wide and fun
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Cons:
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Quality control gone haywire on the Sigma factory. My copy randomly spoils some shots by creating a soft band on the left side of the image.
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I use this lens with the 5Dmk2, and boy, this is WIDE. The lens is capable of producing jaw-dropping images when used properly. And the colours are almost perfect.
Center sharpness is really good, the corners suck a bit even on the 24mm end. ARR! *cursing*
(Some offtopic moaning: Why canīt the Canon owners get really good wideangle lenses with autofocus? It is so unfair that the Nikon people get tons of good wideangle lenses.
I have had a Tokina 11-16mm on a 400D, and that was sharp from corner to corner from f/4 onwards. Why hasnīt Canon improved the 17-40mm/4L and 16-35mm models yet?
There is the 24mm/1.4L II ofc., but it costs way too much)
I got mine used, so I was expecting this copy to be somehow faulty, and so it was.
My copy sometimes (randomly) produces a soft band on the left side of the image. I hate this on a lens costing this much. It makes the lens an untrusworthy tool. So far I have circumnavigated the problem by taking tons of pictures on each subject, so I get some good ones as well.
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Jul 7, 2009
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nureality
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Registered: Aug 20, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 18
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Review Date: May 27, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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12mm on FF is other-worldly
HSM w/ FTM is a first in the UWA market segment
Works on FF, 1.3x, and 1.6x flawlessly.
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Cons:
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Could be faster.
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Widest Lens available for film & FF. Incredibly sharp when stopped down / more than acceptable when used at wider aperature. Great color rendition, solid flare control. HSM is silent, quick, and very accurate, yet has some issues with low contrast subjects (but this lens is not alone in this department either); FTM of the HSM is a nice touch for a UWA, but generally unneccesary - still nice to have. Fit and finish is awesome, the size is great and its weight is a light. Zoom ring is very well damped, making zooming shots (flashzooms and simplezooms) a snap with very little wiggle or bias to the zoom streaks possible. Accepts filters from cokin and Lee 4"x4" systems well, but will vignette from 12-16mm or 17mm because of the hood being in place and the filter holders.
And to the guy asking about his little tunnel vision problem at 12mm, you have to take the lens cap cowl off - not just the lens cap.
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May 27, 2009
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Photograff
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Registered: Feb 11, 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Mar 30, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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very good sharpness on f11 and more, colors are vivid, super wide for FF!
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Cons:
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No front filters, flare
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I bought this lens a couple of months ago. I already have a lens Canon ef 24-105, and wanted to get a wider viewing angle, looking more towards the canon ef 17-40. I use the Sigma 12-24 f4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM with a Canon EOS 5D. I really like the angle, the sharpness of the F11 simply magnificent, but on the edges a bit mylit. Another drawback to obtain the correct exposure, I do Exposure bias value "-1.00" eV, do not even know what this could be related.
In general, the lens is very happy, because I filmed in mostly landscapes almost do not remove it from the camera. Also a bit confused by the inability to use the polarization filter in front of the lens, but at this angle obhora the sky, and so is dark and I like it :-)
This time I made a few very interesting photo, you'd think they were both on the technical performance and to sharpen , detail and color:
http://www.bfoto.ru/bfoto_ru_441.php - Canon EOS 5D, 1/250 s, f/11, ISO 100, -1.00 eV, 12 mm
http://www.bfoto.ru/bfoto_ru_442.php - panorama, Canon EOS 5D, 1/125 s, f/16, -1.00 eV, 12 mm
http://www.bfoto.ru/bfoto_ru_444.php -
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Mar 30, 2009
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