Lens finder
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO
Full frame sized imageLenses that create APS-C sized image are designed for digital only. They cannot be used on cameras that have image sensor larger than the APS-C format. These lenses are not suitable for film cameras either. No Ultrasonic AFLenses with ultrasonic focusing mechanism tend to be quiter and faster than traditionally focusing lenses. One or more Low Dispersion lens element is usedLow Dispersion lens elements help to reduce chromatic aberration. Not stabilizedImage stabilization helps to reduce blur caused by hand shake, especially at high focal length or in low light situations. Image stabilization can give 1 to 3 stop advantage over none stabilized lens, based on the reciprocal rule. Metal mountCheaper lenses are usually equipped with plastic mount, while more expensive, professional lenses have metal mount. In general, metal mounts are more durable, and a good thing to have when lenses are changed a lot. When a camera is used mainly with one lens, the material of the lens mount is not that important. No Internal FocusingInternally focusing lenses don't change their size while setting focus. The front lens is fixedThe fixed front lens is not rotating during zoom and/or focusing. This allows the photographer to use petal shaped lens hood. Fixed front lenses also make the use of polarization filters a lot easier. No drop-in filter supportDrop-in filters are used in those lenses where either the front lens is too large, or the field of view doesn't permit the use of traditional filters at the front of the lens. Usually bright tele and ultra-wide angle lenses support this filter type. |
|
|
Large-aperture zoom starting from 24 mm and realizing a maximum aperture F-value of 2.8. Aspheric lenses and SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass are used to realize good correction of chromatic aberration and high-quality images. The minimum focusing distance is 40 cm, over the zoom range and macro photography with a maximum magnification of 1:3,8 also is possible. As the front element does not rotate at the time of focusing, a petal-type hood excellent fo blocking out extraneous lihgt can be attached.
|
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO Specification
| Available mount(s) | Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony / Minolta A, Sigma |
| Application(s) | Portrait, Closeup, Landscape, Interiors, Architecture |
| Category(s) | Standard zoom |
| Multiplier | 1× |
| Stabilizer | no |
| Focal length | 24 - 70 mm (2.9× zoom) |
| Lens construction | 14 elements in 13 groups |
| Angle of view |
35mm: 84.1-34.3° digital: 54.8-20.2° |
| Number of blades | 9 |
| Maximum aperture | wide: f/2.8 tele: f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | wide: f/32 tele: N/A |
| Minimum focusing distance | 40 cm |
| Magnification | 0.26× |
| Filter size | 82 mm |
| Size | ∅ 88.7 × 115.5 mm |
| Weight | 715 g |
| Notes |
|
| AF speed | 0.3 sec. (from close up to infinity) |
| AF sound | |
| Internal focusing | no |
| Internal zoom | N/A |
| Fix front lens | yes |
| Mount type | metal |
| Weather sealed | N/A |
| Drop in filter | no |
| Ultrasonic AF | no |
| APS-C sized circle | no |
| Low dispersion lens element | yes |
| Hard case | N/A |
| Soft case | N/A |
| Lens hood |
LH875-02 printable lens hood |
| Tripod adapter | N/A |
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO Reviews
Other reviews
- Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO review at www.the-digital-picture.com (English)
- Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO review at www.tawbaware.com (English)
- Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO review at www.ephotozine.com (English)
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO Owner Reviews
Most useful owner reviews from Amazon
Professional Quality Optics
Mar 23, 2006
I have owned and used this lens professionally for over a year now and after a minor focus issue that was resolved very quickly by Sigma's excellent service department I have to say this is the sharpest 24-70 lens I have used. I also have experience with the canon 24-70L lens which retails for just over a grand and the Sigma is sharper throughout the whole range(even at 2.8). The only negative thing I have to say about this lens is the noisy autofocus (Canon's USM is much quieter). But it is still reasonably fast to AF. This is definately the best lens for the money in this zoom range and is without a doubt the best optically. Canon's build quality and weather sealing are definately superior to the Sigma so if that is an issue, you may want to go with the Canon.
-NB
Good for the money, pros back away.
May 7, 2006
I've used this lens a couple of years now. It's a good value but not up to professional standards.
Pros:
Very good in low light/no flash situations.
Focuses well in low light, better if you catch and edge in the focus box.
The 24-70 range is good for general indoor photography.
Cons:
The image is not crisp at f2.8 but is ok at 3.5 getting better with higher f-stops.
The lens is heavy, almost to the point it should have it's own tripod mount.
Two stage manual focus, difficult to switch between manual and auto.
The lens is solid, but mine is cracked at the base from a minor 25" to 30" fall (from a pew) onto carpet with camera attached. I didn't flinch when it fell, I didn't think it hit hard enough to do too much. I've dropped cameras from a ladder before with no damaged. The plastic around the base is now cracked. I had to loosen the base ring and pop the plastic back into place. The lens still works and I'll keep using it for candid shots.
The image quality is "good" but does not compare to other 2.8 lenses I've used. For the price, however, it's a great deal.
Some Pros, Some Cons
Oct 14, 2005
After using my stock kit lens, 18-55, for months, I decided I really needed a new lens to replace the kit lens.
I chose this over the Tamron 28-75 and the Canon 17-85.
This lens has been proven to hang right with the $1300 Canon 24-70 L in terms of sharpness.
On with the review:
PROS: Extremely sharp above f/2.8, pretty decent in low light situations, very solid and rugged build quality, comes with a carrying case and hood, very good price
CONS: little on the heavy side (weighs as much as my 70-200 f/4), very loud AF, focusing is a little on the slow side, 2 step manual focus, 82mm filter size ($$$)
Overall, this has been a decent lens for me, but I actually have it up for sale now to move on.
Rev
Great f2.8 for the price!
Feb 8, 2007
Disclaimer: used it for 4 months+, on Canon Rebel XT 350D and Canon 430 film camera, I am an ameteur shooter.
Pro:
Full time MF.
constant 2.8.
Great contrast and color, consistent with my other Sigmas,
nice weight, fit and finish.
Neutral:
OK AF speed indoor and outdoor
f2.8 isn't fast enough in many indoor situations with moving subjects. I have to use flash with it.
Con:
Arrived with severe front-focus problem. Fixed under warranty.
Zoom could be smoother.
AF whines a bit, but tolerable;
Border not as sharp as center.
Sharp only after stop down. But usable wide open for me
Conclusion:
Probably not pro grade, but for the build quality at this price, it's a winner! (I deducted 1 star because of the less than perfect IQ.)
Update:
This claims to be a macro lens without HSM, so the so-so AF speed is excused. Got a very shallow DOF wide open. So IQ can be very low if AF is not spot on wide open. This is not a great low light lens as I thought it would be. But with good light, the IQ is excellent with fantastic color and contrast. Considering the price, it's not a bad deal really.
Quality Lens if you get a good copy
Feb 15, 2008
Out of the box I don't think I would have gave this lens one star. The focus was terrible, I couldn't get a sharp image out of the lens to save my life. To be honest i read alot of reviews beforehand and almost anticipated on sending it back for calibration. Anyhow, I sent it back to sigma for calibration, 2 weeks later I have the lens back and it's consistently sharp! It's not "L" quality glass (as some claim)....but for for the $700 savings this lens is worth it's price in gold!
To sum it up, buy this lens but plan on sending it back to sigma for calibration. I do wish they would get a handle on quality!
Just buy it
May 28, 2008
I had read quite a few reviews of this lens before buying it for my D300. Some were great and others not so great. I picked it up to use as a portrait lens for location shoots. I haven't experienced any problems whatsoever. Some say it's soft at f2.8. Not mine. Tack sharp at all focal lengths. Some say the Autofocus is noisy(loud.) Not mine. Or maybe I'm just not that picky. If noisy means you can hear it then...yeah it can be noisy. Some say that the autofocus hunts. Not mine. In fact this lens focuses so fast I was amazed. Color rendition is good. Contrast is good. Bokeh is nice and smooth.
People raved about the Nikon 18-200vr so I bought one. It's soft and slow in my experience. It was "ok" on my D70 but its flaws were multiplied on my d300. So even with the good reviews of this lens I was really worried about buying it but the price made me give it a try. I'm so glad I did. I could easily slip into another good Sigma or halfway decent Nikon lens with the money I saved over going with the Nikon equivalent. It makes me wonder how their competitor to Nikon's 18-200vr stacks up.
My only "complaint" about this lens is that the zoom ring is small, stiff, and at the base of the lens. It's sometimes hard to get to and a bit backward from what I'm used to. A minor annoyance is that switching to manual focus is a 2 step process. The lens will stay in autofocus even after locking the clutch down as long as the camera is still in autofocus. Be careful with this because you could damage your camera's motor drive if you have a tight grip on your lens. You'll know the lens is set to manual when you try to focus and the focus ring turns on its own. I also found it odd that the lens is at it shortest when zoomed all the way in and longest when backed off to 24mm. Strange...maybe I'm missing something here but all my other zooms are the opposite.
It's big and bulky. I actually like this because I have big hands and find it easier to stabilize heavier equipment. And as dumb as it sounds...it looks good on the camera. Those out of "the-know" will judge you based on these types of things at times.
Nice big lens = professional right?
As long as you're a potential paying customer...um...yeah! Of course!
I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but I've heard some people complain about lens flare and that hood is useless to protect against it. I like lens flare and use it creatively in my own photography so it's not anything I would consider a minus. For me a lens hood is something I use to keep from bumping the end of my lens into stuff. I can see though how people could get annoyed if it's unexpected. But if you're getting unexpected flare in your shots you're not doing your job as a photographer and paying proper attention to your scene.
Update 6/17/2008
I've been shooting with this lens for a few weeks now and my above observations are accurate. However the lens flare issue is a bit more than I thought. I had a hard time getting the "touch of flair" I like in some backlit shots. It was more like "holy crap that's a lot of flair!" The hood does seem a bit useless but I tend to bump into stuff so it's good to protect the end of the lens. I'd still buy it and fully recommend it at 5 stars.
Excellent Indoor Lens
Jun 13, 2007
I shoot Nikon digital cameras (D70 and D80) and I shoot a lot of photos indoors. In many situations flash photography is not allowed or preferred by me, e.g. theater productions, museums, etc. This lens has become my primary lens for shooting indoors. It is fast, clear and it seems to work perfectly with my Nikon digital cameras. Of the four Nikon mount lenses that I use, this has become my favorite working lens and I would recommend it to any serious photographer who shoots Nikon digital cameras. It is a bit heavy but I think the advantages outweigh the extra weight.
Very good lens
Sep 5, 2007
I have been using this lens with my Nikon D50 for over 8 months and I have taken very nice pictures with it. It's solid, reliable, good resolution, constant 2.8 minimum aperture, comes with its own bag. However there are a few things I don't like: it's quite heavy, 24mm with DSLR is not wide enough for many landscape situations, there is a shadow when using the D50 built in flash, noisy with autofocus (but very smooth with manual focus), D50 AF light is partially hidden by the lens hood. Anyway a very good lens for this price.
Outstanding Lens
Sep 16, 2007
I use this lens on my Pentax K10D and it performs great. I took it with my on a trip to Antelope Canyon, AZ and it was fast enough that I didn't need a tripod to get beautiful photographs. As mention in a earlier review, if you use the built in flash on your camera and forget to remove the lens hood you will get a shadow at the top of your picture. The macro function produces equally amazing results as well. I would highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants a truly fast and versatile high quality lens. For the price and quality you cant beat it.
Great lens for the Money.
May 3, 2008
I looked long and hard for a wide angle zoom for my Nikon D80 and after a lot of searching I decided on the Sigma 24-70. I have had it for a few weeks and I have take over 600 photos with it. The constant 2.8 is a nice plus but I found the images to be slightly soft and it's the reason I gave it 4 stars. The lens is sharp anywhere past 2.8 so its not much of and issue. When using the pop up flash with the lens hood on it does leave a shadow at the bottom of the image, but the way I see it if your going to buy a lens of this caliber you should dedicated flash anyway. The lens is huge at the front it's 82mm and it is quite heavy but it's a nice compliment to my D80 with a battery grip. I have not found the autofocus to be loud or inaccurate. Filters aren't cheap but you want to protect your investment. I am a passionate amature photog and I really like the way this lens looks, it looks really impressive on your camera and draws alot of attention. I compared the images my freind took with his new Nikon N wide angle zoom that he paid $1700 for and could not see enough of a difference to justify the price. The build quality is excellent and I am really glad I purchased this lens. For the price and build quality its really hard to beat.
The best general portrait zoom lens!
Jul 6, 2006
I've used a number of lenses in the 28-70mm f2.8 class from Tokina, Tamron, Sigma, Pentax and Nikon. I can honestly say this is my favorite lens in that class.
I shoot with Pentax, Nikon, and Fuji cameras and the Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 DG lens is the only lens that I bought two of (one for my Nikon /Fuji cameras and one for my Pentax cameras).
I wouldn't call it the best lens in the world, but if I had to choose only one zoom lens to cover the 24-70mm focal lengths then this lens would be the one I choose.
Best glass for the money!
Mar 17, 2008
I went through a second copy to find a good performer, but for the result I'm getting on my k10d, it was well worth the trouble. My first copy was bit soft at longer end and it wasn't what was expected from the review I was going by on the canon mount provided below. The exchange process was painless via amazon, as usual.
BTW, I've also tried Simga 18-50 f/2.8 EX DG and I've returned it in favor of Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 EX DG.
Once I got the second copy, it has been pleasure using the lens. I'll just point out the highlights:
Pros:
1) Excellent optical quality, no issues with CA or distortions at all focal length.
2) Image Quality at f/2.8 is very good and outstanding at stop down and peaks at f/5.6 in all focal length. If you're into sharp images this lens will deliver.
3) AF is relatively fast and not too loud.
4) 24-70 is still a great range for indoor use even with 1.5x crop factor.
Cons:
1) it's big and heavy.
2) related to size, better to use external flash due to shadow with built-in flash with lens fully extended/at the widest end.
All in all, this is the lens I use for indoors most of the time, however it performs even better with full sunlight at outdoors. If you don't mind the bulky size or the extra weight, this lens will be one of the best glass you can buy in the range of 24-70mm on a pentax mount. If I ever make a switch/or add canon/nikon body, then this is the lens I'll buy again for the other body.
[...]
Good lens but a bit bulky
Oct 23, 2008
This is a great fast lens but in the end I opted for the Tamron 28-75/2.8 which, while not as wide, is just much easier to manage.
My two samples were also slightly flawed but perhaps I just got unlucky because otherwise the lens is very well regarded.
Very cost effective lens
May 9, 2008
I have had this lens for a month now. For the first 3 weeks, it did not leave the camera. I have to say it does a superb job for the price. For me, it is wide enough at 24mm even on a trip to NYC. It did well during the day, but shined at night when the city comes alive. Also, this lens does perform well in lowlight situations, not as well as the Minolta 50mm f/1.7, but well enough to warrant not having to change lenses.
The downside for some may be the weight. It is quite heavy, but I had no problem using it as a walkaround. Also, at 82mm, filters will be quite expensive. Outside of those 2 issues, the lens is excellent.
Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 lens
Jul 2, 2008
It's an excellent lens in all respects but it is quite heavy to the point where I find myself using it as a specialty lens rather than as one I use regularly
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO Sample Photos
Canon EOS-400D + Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG MACRO Accessories
82 mm Filters
82 mm Polarizer Filters
- Digital Concepts 82mm Circular Polarizing Filter 13.68 USD
- 82MM Multi-Coated UV FD FLD PL Polarizer HD FILTER KIT 28.89 USD
- Zeikos 82mm 3-Piece (UV Haze / CPL Circular Polarizing / FLD Fluorescent Correction) Digital Multi-Coated Glass Filter Kit with Case 29.95 USD
- 3 Piece Filter Kit UV, FD, CPL 82mm Filters w/ Hard Case for Panasonic AGHVX200 + MORE Camcorders 42.95 USD
- Sunpak 82mm Circular Polarizer Filter 50.83 USD
- Adorama 82mm Linear Polarizer Glass Filter 45.00 USD
- Digital Concepts 82mm High Resolution 3-piece Filter Set (UV, Fluorescent, Polarizer) For Specific Sigma Lenses (Models Specified In Description) + DB ROTH Microfiber Cleaning Cloth 45.99 USD
- Digital Concepts 82mm High Resolution 3-piece Filter Set (UV, Fluorescent, Polarizer) For Specific Canon Lenses (Models Specified In Description) + DB ROTH Microfiber Cleaning Cloth 45.99 USD
- Tiffen 82mm Circular Polarizer 53.90 USD
- Adorama 82mm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter 59.95 USD
82 mm UV Filters
- UV 82MM FILTER UV BLACK Protection Filter SAKAR 7.03 USD
- UV 82MM FILTER UV BLACK Protection Filter MERKURY 9.95 USD
- Zeikos Precision Photographic 82mm Professional Glass UV Filter 9.99 USD
- Sunpak 82mm Ultra Violet (UV) Filter 10.99 USD
- Tiffen 82mm UV Protection Filter 0.00
- Opteka 82mm High Definition² UV (0) Ultra Violet Haze Multi-Coated Glass Filter 14.95 USD
- 82mm Coated Ultra-Violet Filter 17.99 USD
- HD 82MM UV PL FLD HD FILTER KIT FOR PANASONIC AG-HVX200 23.69 USD
- 82MM Multi-Coated UV FD FLD PL Polarizer HD FILTER KIT 28.89 USD
- Zeikos 82mm 3-Piece (UV Haze / CPL Circular Polarizing / FLD Fluorescent Correction) Digital Multi-Coated Glass Filter Kit with Case 29.95 USD
82 mm Skylight Filters
- B + W 82mm KR -1.5 ( Skylight 1A ) Warming & Protection Filter for Analog & Digital Photography 68.76 USD
- B + W 82mm Slim-line for Wide angle lenses Skylight KR 1.5 Filter 74.95 USD
- Heliopan 82mm Skylight Filter (KR 1.5) #708215 103.00 USD
- B + W 82mm Skylight 1A Multi Coated (2C) Glass Filter (KR1.5) 113.30 USD
- B+W B & W 82mm EW Filter for Wide-Angle Lenses KR-1.5 Skylight 1A Filter For Color Film 161.50 USD
82 mm Lens Caps
- Center pinch 82mm snap-on lens cap with keeper 4.95 USD
- Mennon Pro Center Pinch 82mm Snap-On Lens Cap with Leash 5.95 USD
- B + W Slip-On Lens Cap for Filters, Size 82mm (85mm Outside Diameter) 7.20 USD
- Mennon White balance lens cap 82mm 9.95 USD
- Tamron FLC82 82mm Front Lens Cap 10.95 USD
- Sigma LCF-82 II Accessory 82mm Front Lens Cap 12.75 USD
- Adorama 82mm Metal Screw-on Lens Cap 13.95 USD
- B&W Slip-On Lens Cap #305 For Slim-Line filter size 82mm to 85mm OD 14.40 USD