Are Sigma lenses good?

[trojanshawn]

Specifically is this Sigma lens any good??

https://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/le...05&navigator=2

I want a lens that gives me a large focal range at a decent price and it seems like this lens handles the zoom of both of the lenses I have. I really only use my camera, Canon Digital Rebel XT, when traveling so having multiple lenses isn't ideal, but I would rather have two lenses of good quality than one of bad.

Any help on this lens or suggestions on other lenses is much appreciated.

[drg]

Welcome to Photography Review!

I'd skip this lens for a variety of reasons including it doesn't perform very well. It is a nice combination of length, weight, etc. but the imagery doesn't hold up.

The Sigma lens I'd recommend is the 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS which should sell 'on the street' for less than $500. The number is subject to enormouse change these days I'll have to admit. The Optical Stabilization makes up for the slower lens speed and is wider at the short end which you'll probably find more valuable than the long end. 300mm really requires a tripod to use or an incredibly stabile shooting rest.

Sigma makes good lenses, bad lenses, and couple of really great lenses. Most of their low end, entry level enses are not very satisfactory for other than casual photography. There are some exceptions. They do offer one of the better manufacturer warranties (as long as you buy from an authorized dealer!!) available in the United States.

One plus not often noted is that all their models have metal mounts and not just plastic.

Any more questions, please feel free to ask!!

[trojanshawn]

Thanks so much for the help!! I'll definitely look into this lens. Are there any Canon's that are similar to this that I should look into as well? Also, if I end up purchasing the Sigma, do I need to buy anything to make it fit into my Canon or are the connections pretty standard? As you can tell, I'm a bit of a newbie!

Thanks!!

[Photo-John]

If image quality is your top priority, then two lenses is usually better than one. Longer zooms require more optical compromises and you can usually tell the difference.

I'm working on finishing up a detailed review of the Tamron 28-300mm XR Di VC lens right now. Keep your eyes open for that review.

[rovowen]

You should wait on Photo-John's review on the Tamron 28-300 VC. I got it on loan for one day at the zoo. At first was not overly impressed with the lens, but then looked at the exif and realized I was using 1/4 second shutter speed on a lot of the photos, being hand held.
Also you might look at the Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS, seems to be getting fair reviews especially for the cost.
Sigma, Tamron and Tokina makes lens that fix Canon cameras. Just have to make sure when you purchase a lens that it will fix your brand of camera.

[Photo-John]

I finished the Tamron AF28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 VC review a couple of days ago. It's a very detailed review with lots of sample images. The AF28-300mm VC lens is Tamron's first 'Vibration Compensation" image-stabilized lens. The VC system works great and the zoom range is huge. I also got a press release (not posted yet) from them last night that they are working on an 18-270mm XR Di II VC lens. That's a wider, smaller VC lens, made specifically for APS-C sensor DSLRs like your Canon EOS XT.

Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC Lens Review >>

I also agree with DRG about the Sigma lens he recommends. Sigma doesn't make all great lenses. But their best stuff is excellent, as you can see by checking the user reviews for lenses on this site.

Zoom Lens User Reviews >>

[photophorous]

If image quality is important to you, I think you'll be better off with two lenses. I've been reading a lot about the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and it has received great reviews. You could get that one and then add the Canon 55-200 IS, and I think you'd have a much better combo than any 18-200 lens. Image quality will be better, especially distortion, and the f/2.8 lens will let you shoot in lower light and use shallow DOF. IS doesn't help if your subjects are moving, but a faster lens does.

Disclaimer: I have not used any of these lenses. I've only been reading about them.

Paul

[fx101]

I've had good experiences with only two sigma lenses, and one of those is the discontinued 14mm (although the Nikon blows it away). The other is the 15-30mm, which I bought at an airport since I left my wide angle at home. It's so good I use it almost every day.

For your use, you might want to check out the 18-200 OS. Granted, it's not as good as the Nikon, but it's around $200 cheaper so it's worth a look.

[trojanshawn]

Thanks for all your help!! I'm definitely going to look into the Tamron and the Sigma lenses you guys suggested.

I definitely want good quality shots, but portability and travel ease is also a big factor. It looks like this is the best of both worlds. Again thanks for all your help!!!