Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

by Sigma

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 3.3 x 3.2 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000E3WNVW
• Item model number: B000E3WNVW
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 16, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed exclusively for Minolta and Sony digital SLR cameras, the ultra-wide-angle 10-20mm offers a view from 102.4 to 63.8 degrees, making it ideal for landscape photography and other vast applications. The lens is distinguished by its three special low dispersion (SLD) glass elements, which effectively compensate for color aberration, and its aspherical lenses, which provide maximum correction for distortion and various aberrations. As a result, the lens produces an extremely high image quality throughout the entire zoom range. Other details include a minimum focusing distance of 9.4 inches at all focal lengths and an integral petal-type hood to block out extraneous light.

Lens Elements and Coating
The new multilayer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghost--a common problem with digital cameras--while also creating an optimal color balance throughout the entire zoom range. At the same time, the lens offers three SLD glass elements that effectively compensate for color aberration, along with a piece of glass mold and two hybrid aspherical lenses that offer excellent correction for distortion and all types of aberration.

Inner Focusing System
The lens incorporates an internal focusing system that eliminates front lens rotation, letting you use a petal-type hood to protect from additional glare.

Best Consumer Lens
The Sigma 10-20mm lens is so respected that it was named the best consumer lens in Europe (2006) by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), a collection of 31 publications from 12 countries. According to TIPA, the 10-20mm lens offers a versatile range of wide-angle focal lengths, a good optical performance, and a budget price, making it an excellent investment for owners of DSLRs with APS-C format sensors. Its sharpness remains constant throughout the zoom range, and its compact size makes it an ideal companion for shooting travel, landscapes, or architectural subjects.

• Lens construction: 14 elements in 10 groups
• Angle of view: 102.4 to 63.8 degrees
• Number of diaphragm blades: 6
• Minimum aperture: f/22
• Minimum focusing distance: 9.4 inches
• Maximum magnification: 1:6.7
• Filter size: 77mm
• Dimensions: 3.3 inches in diameter and 3.2 inches long
• Weight: 16.4 ounces

Product Description

10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC lens allows enjoyment of super wide-angle photography and it is a very powerful tool for indoor shooting and landscape photography with APS-C size image sensors of digital SLR cameras.Wide angle of view (102.4 ? at 10mm and 63.8 ? at 20mm) offers the photographer greater freedom of expression. Three SLD glass elements are employed for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. One piece of glass mold and two hybrid aspherical lenses, offer excellent correction for distortion, as well as all types of aberration.This lens is equipped with an inner focusing system. It has a minimum focusing distance of 24cm (9.4") at all focal lengths. The non-rotating lens barrel perfectly suits the petal shaped lens hood. A circular polarizing filter can also be used conveniently.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad lot? Auto-focus chronically back-focuses on a300, September 17, 2008

By 

Steve W. (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

After shooting about a hundred initial photos on my a300, I noticed that the images weren't as sharp as the high reviews led me to expect. Thinking my lens had sub-par optics, I ordered a replacement from Amazon. Same story with second copy. I then set up a shoot-off between my Sony 16-105 and the two Sigma copies. Shots were of an old picket fence and a fruit basket, at 16 and 20mm with f-stops at wide open, f8 and f22. Auto focus center-weighted. Distance 1 meter. During this test, I realized that the Sony was auto-focusing to one meter, while the Sigmas read just over a meter. I double checked my distance and then manually focused the Sigmas to 1m. Pics were great. When allowed to auto-focus, the Sigmas consistently read just past 1m. Reviewing my earlier shots which seemed soft revealed this back-focusing was the true culprit.

Lastly, I compared the Sony 16-105 to my Sigma 50mm 2.8 EX macro using the same process described above. The Sigma 50mm auto-focused perfectly and is easily the most detailed lens I have. I've also used other Sony lenses, as well as a Minolta 200mm 2.8, with no auto-focus issues. Given the solid reviews of the 10-20mm, I can only assume I fell victim to a bad lot. Amazon was great to work with and refunded my money. I'll wait a few months and order another. If that lens is good, I'll amend my review. Sorry for the long post, but since I'm dinging a well reviewed lens, I thought I should be specific.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No problems here, January 9, 2009

By 

M. Mowery (Owosso, mi United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This is a really w-i-d-e lens, made just for DSLRs. It can give you some great outdoor shots, and when you're trying to take in as much of a room as possible (like for insurance photos), the only thing wider is probably a fisheye. At a recent trip to the auto show it worked out pretty well; I was able to get right up to the concepts and fill the frame with the car rather than being forced to back up and include a lot of distractions. Some have reported problems with autofocus, but I've had no problems so far. A friend who ordered this lens several months before me was expecting the lens to have the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) feature, which it did not. Turns out there was an error in the item description. Sigma describes this feature as being available on SOME models, not all, so it might not hurt to call before you order.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unassuming lens wows when stopped down, September 9, 2008

By 

herzog - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I've had this lens for ~8 months now and couldn't be happier. Wide open this lens is a bit soft, but when stopped down to f/5.6 (f/8 is best) the beauty of this lens really starts to show. As far as extreme wide angles go this is the best bargain out there - anything better will run you $1400+ and need a full frame body to take advantage of it. I'm perfectly happy with my A100 and $450 10-20mm - this lens is small, relatively light, and focuses quickly (probably even faster for A700 users).

Combined with sony's super steady shot I feel comfortable handholding this lens full wide at shutter speeds as low as 1/5 so even though it's slow the wide focal length and sony's in-body IS make this lens great even in low light. Also when using sony's relatively new HVL-42AM flash (for fill) I've found this lens takes amazing outdoor portrait shots - perfect for isolating your subject when at a distance in dramatic nature scenes or emphasizing their presence in close up shots. All-in-all I can't recommend this lens enough - it's taken many of my favorite photos and it definitely doesn't hurt that it's a blast to use.