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wolfbreath
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Registered: Feb 4, 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jan 3, 2019
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Performance at a low price
Super wide angle on a full frame camera, with relatively controlled distortion.
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Cons:
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Mechanics are wonky - AF/MF focus ring pops in and out a bit too easily
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This is a lens that has continued to surprise me over the last five years of ownership.
When compared to the alternatives, yes it is inferior in many ways. It has heavy vignetting, a bit soft at 1.8, and the AF/MF ring is not designed well.
It has bokeh for a wide angle lens, and shallow depth of field. To say its nice is up to the eye of the beholder. The bokeh balls are small and can be somewhat distracting, yet at other times the background can disappear into a creamy dreamlike wash. I have come to conclude that this is neither a feature nor an imperfection, but rather I would refer to it as the lens "character".
That's important to remember, because in the end, it's up to the user to manipulate it as they see fit. In my experience, it's quite useable but with a learning curve. I have come to embrace the lens character, as it matches the filter profiles you find on social media apps, without having to add more filters.
Adjust the aperture to f/4 - f/10 and it's very sharp. Great performance as with most other lenses.
In general I have no problems with CAs, ghosting, etc. It does have beautiful lens flare though.
It does not have stabilization but because it is an ultra wide angle, hand held video is not terrible (heavy though!).
Would I recommend it? For the low price of a used one, yes, but I know it's not for everyone and other options exist.
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 Jan 3, 2019
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Nozzleforward
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Registered: Jun 15, 2011
Location: United States
Posts: 906
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Review Date: Jul 21, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $200.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Build quality, cost, image quality, color rendition is great too.
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Cons:
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Bit heavy (comparable to L glass in weight), focus isn't real fast, 82mm filters are EXPENSIVE.
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This was my first real wide angle. I owned this lens for about two years, and many of my favorite shots were made with this lens. The build quality is fantastic, I would compare it to some of the L series lenses in build quality and weight (so it is a little on the heavy side). The autofocus isn't real fast, but it's not bad either. This focal legnth isn't really intended for tracking fast moving subjects anyway. I always found the image quality to be good, often times I was really quite impressed. The color rendition was always spot on too.
I have no complaints about this lens at all, I would suggest it to anyone looking for a fairly wide fast prime for a crop body.
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Jul 21, 2012
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markshelby
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Registered: Sep 28, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 718
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Review Date: May 21, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Good value for money; fast
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Cons:
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focus is noisy and slow, and switching between auto and manual is a hassle.
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If you want a fast wide angle lens and you don't want to spend $1500 then this lens is it. The autofocus is noisy and slow, and to switch between manual and autofocus you have to remember to push/pull the focus ring (which btw is prone to accidental pushes/pulls) as well as the normal on/off switch. And it's not my sharpest lens.
If I had the money I'd get the Canon 24mm f/1.4. But this lens gets the job done for a third the price, it's reasonably sharp and is pretty solid.
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May 21, 2012
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Oskar
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Registered: Mar 16, 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Mar 16, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Very good lens , I use it mainly for arcectichal projects for certain work where there is not time for the tilt shift set up, it , and for underwater work on a NIkon D3 in an Aquatica housing , I had one of the first production models and it reliable sturdy but has some drawbacks.but with a d3 at full iso and lens at full open you can shoot in a dark room and get an image .
At F16 landscapes are spot on , I use it on a D3X and that's where this lens shines and have award winning shots from it .
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Cons:
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Wide open sharpness is touch and go and I just can not get a sharp shot so shooting 5.6 up is pretty good.
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In a nutshell at f 16 up sharp as a tack , wide open not good
Put it on a D3x and it's a killer lens 20 mm is just righ for a cropped landscape to a panoramic format, for my jobs where I never know what to expect it is always in my kit.
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Mar 16, 2012
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jessi74
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Registered: Aug 22, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Nov 5, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Wide and fast.
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Cons:
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Wasn't sharp on DX. Giant 82mm filter. Getting pretty big. It went back to the store. Awkward MF clutch.
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Nov 5, 2011
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flowatrack2002
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Registered: Feb 12, 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 12, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $150.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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sharp, fast AF, build quality is good
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Cons:
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flare, loud AF
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I really like this lens, very good for landscapes, soft at f1.8 but sharp from f2.8 and it's excellent from f4.5 , at f5.6 has the same sharpness as the Sigma 10-20mm DC f4.5-5.6 at f9 so you can imagine how good is this lens. Little flare and CA but if you don't shoot right into the sun then you won't see it.
Overall a quality lens for a small price.
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Feb 12, 2011
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nycandre
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Registered: Apr 23, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 34
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Review Date: Sep 22, 2010
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Affordable, great quality glass and great quality images, large aperture, focuses well, not so heavy or obtrusive
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Cons:
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Not all that sharp in the corners, not so great bokeh wide open, does flare
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A little gem of a lens. Most reviews do pan it, and I noticed that none of the pros highlighted in Sigma's own gallery have any shot with it. They seem to like the 10-20 and 70-200. Maybe they suffer from the 'sharpness syndrome' malady. As for me, I find that it is sharp enough in the centre, does have issues with bokeh wide open, and flare in extreme situations - but then it focuses fast enough on my D700, is maneuverable and not that heavy, and most important gets the shot.
Pretty lady in red an black, street shot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5014622844/
Exif: 1/1250 f/5.6 ISO 800
This is about 1/2 crop from the original; more detail, unsharpened
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5016183451/
I's say this is plenty sharp.
Great for macros. But really busy bokeh, at least when shot at f2/0, an extreme case - Note the flower is very close, maybe a few inches - its diameter is about the size of two quarters
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5016914598/
Exif: f/2.0 1/2500 ISO 800
It does flare when shot right into the sun - Notice the cool small green sphere, totally an artifact of the lens. You probably won't get that with a Zeiss. Then again I sort of like that imperfect personality
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5016270909/
Exif: 1/640 f/5.6 ISO 800
Getting back to basics - it gets the shot !
Impromptu grab shot, barely had time to shoot from the hip, letting the autofocus work its thing. I'd say it did a great job - getting the shot is what it's all about in the end. And I 'd say it is plenty sharp enough.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5016863534/
Exif: 1/125 f/5.6 ISO 800
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Sep 22, 2010
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nycandre
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Registered: Apr 23, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 34
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Review Date: Sep 21, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $300.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Bright, sharp, focuses well, does the job
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Cons:
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bokeh wide open is busy some flare in certain cases tho not sure how it stacks up against other lenses (like Canon/ Nikon/ Zeiss )
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I don't get the negative reviews. Started shooting it and it is very sharp at least in the center area even wide open.
Rarely bothers me since I don't usually care for the borders being sharp anyway, but I can see how it could bother landscape photographers.
Pretty lady in red and black - street shot, minimal postprocessing.
D700 1/1250 f/5.6 ISO 800
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5014622844/
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Sep 21, 2010
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incdigital
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Registered: Aug 2, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 226
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Review Date: Apr 25, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $325.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Amazing sigma lens yet again! Sharp! Nice bokeh! Macro!
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Cons:
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Yellow Tint , Out of date focus motor
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It took awhile but I finally found a great copy of this lens. Its wide open sharpness rivals my 135L and 85L easily...which I never thought would be possible from a sigma lens. Great Buy!
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Apr 25, 2010
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CarusoPhoto
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Registered: Nov 30, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 54
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Review Date: Aug 18, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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focal length; wide aperture; build quality; sharpness; "fun" quotient
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Cons:
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big for a prime (though this may bother some, it doesn't necessarily bother me)
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I’ve grown very attached to the Sigma 20mm f/1.8. I held off a long time buying one because of the widely mixed reviews. However, the appeal of a 20mm prime that opens up to f/1.8 eventually wore down my resistance. Now that I own it, I am hooked.
I’m not a pixel peeper, but I do know when I like a lens or don’t like a lens. At various points I’ve had the Canon 24mm f/2.8 and the Canon 28mm f/2.8. From the first few photos I shot with each of them, I just knew I was going to be returning them--and, in fact, I did. They both went back. I’d heard great things about each lens, but I just felt that the performance from each of them simply didn’t make up for the fact that they only opend up to f/2.8. I compared the photos from these lenses to photos made with my f/2.8 zooms, and the zooms won each time.
With this baby, though, I get a nice, wide lens with a big aperture…and I like the photos I get from it. I find that my "keeper" ratio is higher with this lens than most others I own, save the 135 f/2L and the 85 f/1.8.
Perhaps I got lucky and got a “good” version of the lens right off the bat. All I know is that it is another prime lens that is spending a whole bunch of time in my bag.
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Aug 18, 2009
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dennisvillegas
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Registered: Jan 21, 2008
Location: Philippines
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 6, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Wow...wow! i never knew Sigma could be this good! This is cheap, rocking 1.8!, and can work in full-frame dslrs! I love the colors, the bokeh, the sharpness, and the build quality.
Great lens, a great bargain, too!
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Cons:
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None maybe should have HSM even if I have to pay a 100 dollars more.
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Superior lens, one of Sigma's underrated lens...Even works better if you work it with a full-frame such as the 5D or the D3.
I am very satisfied and will not hesitate to buy again.. Some rich hard to please fellows do not like it and would like to trash hundreds of dollars buying more expensive though not better lenses.
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Nov 6, 2008
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Gi11ies
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Registered: Oct 3, 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 20
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Review Date: Oct 5, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp, cheap, has variety of uses, works fine on 5D
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Cons:
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Can be noisey, Sigma Clutch System
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One of my favourite lenses, works great on both 20D and 5D. Extremely sharp at F4 and above. I prefer the results from this lens for landscapes above my 17-40 L.
In low light situations without flash it is OK but not great, but gets acceptable results .... and can get shots otherwise you would not get with other lenses.
F1.8 to F2.8 - OK, F2.8 to F4 - Pretty Good, F4 + Very Good.
The Sigma Clutch System is a pest, and it can be pretty noisey if hunting for focus.
All in all, for the money I am not complaining, and highly recommend.
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Oct 5, 2008
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jmspears
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Aug 10, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 358
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Review Date: Feb 10, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $300.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Wide on a 5D!!!
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Cons:
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Soft at corners.
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Well worth the price!!!! I love the low light uses for this lens!
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Feb 10, 2008
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Mark Lijesen
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Registered: Oct 10, 2007
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 56
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Review Date: Oct 10, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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sharp images, build quality,
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Cons:
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filter size, colors are slightly off
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Picked up this lense second hand from a photgrapher I know. I wasn't too happy with the reviews I read on Canon's wide non-L primes, so I gave Sigma a shot.
I am pretty pleased with this lense and use it for group portraits and landscapes on my 300D. It's quite sharp @1.8 and sharp @2.8. I think that's not too bad for a wide lense (actually, Canon's 20 mm only starts @2.8). Build quality is fine, as to be expected on a Sigma EX. Some people complain about the AF/MF-switch. I can imagine why, but I got used to it within a week and it never bothered me since.
The close focus distance allows for fun perspective distortion pics.
As I like to shoot landscapes with a polarizing filter, I was not too pleased with the 82 mm filter size, and like most Sigma lenses, it gives a slightly yellowish result. Nothing that can't be fixed in postprocessing though.
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Oct 10, 2007
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simon_says
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Registered: May 22, 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 812
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Review Date: Sep 16, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Currently the only 20mm lens with a fast f/1.8 aperture - images are very usable at f/1.8, especially for small prints. It is full-frame compatible. Lens is well built and solid. Lens length does not change during focusing. The minimum focus distance is very close! That allows for some very dramatic shots. Wide aperture + close focusing = thin DOF! Amazing to get background blur with a wide angle lens!
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Cons:
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The lens is a bit soft at f/1.8, though not too bad (but that should be expected, considering the focal length and price). The focusing motor is quite loud. Too bad it doesn't have HSM (and hence no manual focus override). The 'clutch/switch' system for focus selection is clumsy (to switch between AF/MF there are two steps needed - very inconvenient). The lens also uses 82mm filters, so not too common.
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I picked up this lens after reading various things about it. There are many complaints about it being soft at f/1.8, etc. However, considering that it is a full-frame wide angle lens with a large f/1.8 aperture, I think it's hard to complain about it, given it's price point. At wide open aperture, I found the images to be acceptable for smaller sized prints.
The lens had a nice solid and weighty feel to it. It has a nice large focus ring, but the AF/MF switching mechanism is very dumb: you need to shift the ring position AND set the focus switch before being able to change focus modes - how annoying! (This lens would be much better with HSM). The focus motor is also a bit buzzy.
Surprisingly, I found this lens to be a lot of fun to use. Unusually, I ended up using this lens for close-up shots more than wide-angle shooting. The minimum focusing distance on this lens is crazy! You can literally get right into-the-face of the subject you're shooting. With a wide angle focal length and a wide aperture, you can get some cool looking close-up shots - and you get dramatic background blur too!
Sharpness isn't everything - this lens lets you get certain shots that you can't get otherwise. E.g. low light wide angle shots, close-up wide angle shots, etc. Maybe not the best for landscape, but otherwise it's still a very unique lens.
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Sep 16, 2007
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twoshadows
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Registered: Jul 10, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1461
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Review Date: Jul 24, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $410.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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useable f/1.8, insanely sharp by f/5.6, FF compatible, solid build
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Cons:
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No way to grip lens without constantly switching focus mechanism
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This lens is good at what it does. It is the only 20mm f/1.8 lens for dslr's on the market. Surprisingly, this lens ranks among my sharpest (135L, Sigma 180mm macro, 300mm f/4 L IS, 85 f/1.8) and is freakishly sharp at f/5.6. It is a good landscape lens and I use it for hdr's and panoramas as well. Also good for band pics in tight quarters.
Here's a link to comparative sharpness tests:
http://www.pbase.com/iangreyphotography/lenstests
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Jul 24, 2007
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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71
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237593
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Jan 3, 2019
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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87% of reviewers
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$326.75
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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8.27
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8.65
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7.7
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