Customer Reviews

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There's nothing else this wide for use on a full-frame 35mm camera or digital such as the Canon 5D. It's so wide on a full-frame that you can almost see behind you (well not quite, but close to 180 degree field of view). It is not a fisheye, so straight lines stay straight. There is some minor vignetting at 12mm but less than the Canon 17-40 L-lens I had at 17mm. This lens is pushing the limits of physics so it is not as sharp as some lenses but it takes in so much more of the view and provides a crisp image all the way to the corners.

For use on a cropped sensor camera, such as the XT, 20D or 30D a better choice may be the Canon 10-22mm which is uber-sharp in the middle of the frame. The Canon, however, gives fuzzy images on the sides when wide open but sharpens up when stopped down to f8 or more. My third copy of the Sigma lens is less sharp than the Canon in the center of the frame but is sharper starting about halfway to the edge when both lenses are wide open. Near the edges of the frame the Canon gives a dark and mushy image when wide open at 12mm while the Sigma is only slightly less sharp than at the center - truly amazing!

Unfortunately, Sigma lenses are seemingly sold "as-is" with wide sample variations. The autofocus died on my first copy of the lens after less than 30 pictures. The second copy had poor optics with soft and fuzzy pictures even when manually focused. The third copy is sharp at 12mm, even wide open, all the way to the edges, but only if manually focused. At 12mm the lens autofocuses too far away when an object is close and too close for distant objects. At 24mm it autofocuses right on but is softer than at 12mm. I've decided to keep it since it is easy to manually focus. The depth of focus is large at 12mm. For objects further than a few meters away when using 12mm just set the lens to infinity and everything from a few feet to infinity is in focus even at the edges of the frame and in the corners. The lens has a 4-year warranty so I may send it in to Sigma for calibration later.

Pros: (1) Unique ultra-wide angle perspective on a full-frame camera. (2) A good copy will be optically sharp all the way across a full frame, even wide open. Further, there's virtually no purple chromatic aberation near the edges of dark objects with bright backgrounds. (3) Nice build quality with good finish and large smooth focus ring. (4) Straight lines stay straight so no defishing needed (defishing uses interpolation which lowers resolution away from the center). (5) Lens comes with a case and has a small built-in hood (serves mainly to protect the front element). (6) 4-year USA warranty if purchased from an authorized dealer like Amazon or B&H. Otherwise you get a 1-year International Warranty.

Cons: (1) Wide sample variation - getting a good copy takes luck or persistence while trying multiple copies. (2) The bulbous front element (this lens is nicknamed "Popeye") is exposed and no standard filter can be used for protection so be very careful. (3) Flares easily. The sun does not need to be in the picture just anywhere not behind you. This is a result of the ultra-wide design and not a fault of Sigma. (4) Photos sometimes come out too bright, giving the appearance of low contrast. Photoshop or other software easily fixes.

I use this lens primarily for architectural work. It's rugged, fast focusing, and most important, distortion free (i.e., straight lines stay straight). Dramatic design, built for full frame use if (when) you decide it's time to go that way. It's also performed extremely well for landscapes....even some shots at weddings. My most frequently used lens. (Hint: on the APS-C format digital SLRS, you can leave the accessory ring on the lens - it provides additional flare resistance, and there is no vignetting.)

I bought this lens to service a new client that does virtual tours for hotels and resorts. Their lens requirements are 18mm for full frame digital cameras and 12mm for DX chip cameras, to shoot 360 degree VRs. I didn't want to invest the 1000.00 plus dollars for another Canon lens and Canon or anyone else for that matter doesn't make a lens with this range. The Sigma would allow me to use both my 1Ds Mk II and 20D to service this client and cost me half what anything Canon provides.

Having bought the lens mainly for Internet content, I wasn't going to be too critical about image quality from it, but I've been very surpised and pleased by it's performance. This lens has the least amount of barrel distortion of any wide angle zoom lens I've ever used. Even less than some primary lenses. To the point where it is essentally undetectable to the naked eye. It has less barrel distortion than my 1000.00+ 24-70mm f2.8L Canon lens! Operation is smooth, fast and constructions is first rate. I haven't done any critical sharpness comparisons yet, but I haven't noticed any problems from the images I've taken so far.

The lens has a very bulbous front element, so conventional filters and lens caps won't fit. But Sigma cleverly includes a high quality adapter ring with filter threads in one end that slides over the built in lens shade on the lens. A lens cap is also included that fits on the end of the ring to protect the front element while being stored. The ring vignettes at 12mm on a full frame camera, but does not on DX chip cameras. So on those cameras, conventional thread on filters can be used with by screwing them on to the end of the adapter ring. You could do also this on full frame cameras, at longer focal lengths. A gelatin filter holder is provided on the back of the lens, but I can only imagine this being useful with film cameras.

Overall, I'm very impressed and satisfied with this lens. I highly recommend it.

I am a pretty serious amatuer photographer and I keep coming back to this lens. It's really well made lens and its survived much mistreatment without a problem. You're going to get lens flare problems that you won't get with a canon 16-35, but in tests I've done, its sharper at the edges than the 16.

If you take alot of landscape shots or are on vacation taking shots of landmarks and such, you'll love this lens.

This lens is quite extraordinary on a full frame camera like my Canon 5DmkII. Some like to think it's only great for landscape but I've had excellent results with it for portraits. Especially for fashion and really odd, but cool shots.

Highly recommended. It's also pretty darn sharp for a non prime lens.

-MigsVuitton.com/blog

I bought this lens because the Nikkor version was simply overpriced. I usually do not like Sigma products but I needed a super-wide angle lens and my choices were limited for my budget.

I thought I would be settling for something less, but WOW! Actually the lens produces good images for interior architecture work. There is some color fringing but you have to magnify extremely close to see it. The aberration is what you would expect from a lens of this type. All of the above are easily corrected in Photoshop.

Pro's : Sharp images, good color and quiet Auto-focus. Minimal aberrations for the money.

Con's: Front element is a "popeye" which is not favorable for filters

I think this lens, and probably most Sigma lenses, is maligned by many people because Sigma is known for poor quality control. Well, apparently I got lucky. I cannot believe how well this lens works on a 5D. People, if you've got a full-frame camera and you need to go ultrawide, THIS IS THE LENS YOU NEED. Mine focuses accurately and quietly, and I can't be happier! Furthermore, it's SHARP, and I mean SHARP, on a Canon 5D. Not sure how it'll play with crop bodies, and besides, there are plenty of wider options for crop bodies out there, but this is the widest SLR lens available to date on full-frame cameras.

I'm in love. What really puts me over the edge is the phenomenal CA control. I've had another ultrawide before (re: Canon 10-22), and sure, it was smaller, lighter, could accept regular filters, yaddayaddayadda, but at the end of the day, it simply didn't produce pictures I was happy with. The CA was just too awful. Anyway, this lens blows other ultrawides out of the water. It may not be quite as good as Canon's 16-35 2.8 L II, but it's darn close. It may be a much slower lens, but it sure is wide, sharp, free from CA's, and cheaper than any of the Canon-brand options of similar quality.

ALSO! I love the 4-year warranty! Canon's 1 yr can't hold a candle to that.

Summary: Got a full-frame camera? Got a need for an ultra-wide angle lens? You need this lens.

Use it on 5D, it blows away he Sigma 10-20 on my 40D, or the Tokina 11-16. The build of this lens is absolutely top notch. The lens cap is well thought out and perfectly made. The size and weight is very small for what it is. Comparing to this, the 17-40L is so 'lame'. I am no pro so I don't dig deep into corner sharpness and light fall-off, with the latter can be fixed during post process anyway. Shooting storm clouds with this lens is really dream-come-true for me! My Sigma 10-20 on the other hand, tends to over expose and wash-out its high light much more. Tokina 11-16 is better but not as good as this Sigma 12-24 on 5D. Maybe the full frame sensor help as well. No matter, the 5D - 12-24 combo rocks! And by the way, there is no competition on the full frame end with this lens. I've heard bad rap about this lens else where, maybe I am just lucky, my copy is fantastic!

I'm lucky in that this lens has apparently jumped in price since I purchased to when I'm getting around to this review.

My first experience with Sigma was a 28-300 I had on a camera ages ago. The barrel oil canned and picture quality was so-so. I needed this lens for performing interior and exterior home remodeling pictures as part of a contract job.

First impressions when unboxing. Wow. This is a different breed of lens than my first Sigma. The lens feels solid and well made. Has a nice carry case that comes with it, even though I don't use them.

My first day of playing with the lens was a cloudless day at a tree preservation high up on a hill. First couple of shots I noticed a lot of vignetting on the LCD. I realized then that the lens hood on the end of the lens slides off easily to expose, Popeye!

When not shooting with the hood, you have to be very wary of the sun angles, as you'll get immense flare from the intense curvature of the lens.

The lens takes some learning because of distortion and your physical relationships to your subject. Don't expect, as with any lens, to throw it on and start shooting keepers.

I've found far more uses for this lens that I originally anticipated. In addition to the interior photography, I've found it quite useful in providing a unique venue snapshot when shooting weddings. I will try to upload some customer photos from the lens.

This lens is fantastic... Takes brilliant photos, no fish-eye, incredibly wide, just what I wanted.

ONLY thing that seems an obvious mistake is that Sigma doesn't have a clear way to mount a CPL (circular polarizing lens) on this baby. I've had to search and search for 'workarounds'. Other complaint is that there doesn't seem to be anywhere I can get replacement parts (the lens-cap/hood assembly broke on mine and I can't seem to find a replacement).

Sigma, you're making a lens born for landscape... you MIGHT want to think about polarizing options, and not just rear-gel filters...