Customer Reviews

Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently purchased the Nikon D200 camera. I had several nice zoom lenses but I did not have anything which would take macro close-up photos. I did some research and found good reviews for this lens. So I got it.

The lens is an excellent lens for close-up photos. I am not a professional photographer but I try really hard to get good sharp photos. This lens will do the job.

Since it is also also a 50mm lens I have used it as a normal lens. The only problem with that is that over the years many of us have been spoiled with zoom lenses. With a zoom lens you can stand in one spot and zoom the lens in or out to get closer or father from your subject. With just the 50mm capability of this lens you have to physically move in or out to get a closer shot or a wider shot. This is not necessarily a criticism, just a comment about how we have been spoiled by zoom lenses.

I do not believe you will be disappointed with this lens. The price is great for the quality.

Bought this lens to assist in Small Product Photography. Since depth of field is normally limited in Macro Photography, the ability of this lens to stop down to F45 was crucial. The result was fine detail and color reproduction to the point where I could see my finger prints on the bezels of the watches. Got to wear cotton gloves!

Don West Photography

I recently purchased a Sony A300 and was looking for an affordable lens for photographing plants and flowers close up as the kit lens that came with the camera is unsatisfactory for macro photography.

I chose the Sigma 50mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro and have found that I made a very good choice. I don't know all the technical in's and out's of a camera lens so I can't really discuss that topic.

But... the day I got my lens I mounted it up, put my camera on a tripod and took some killer macro shots of small plants. I may not know the tech stuff but I do know a great picture and this lens is helping me get them.

I'd highly recommend this lens.

I own a Nikon D200 and already have a 300 mm lens that will do "macro" which for me, isn't the kind of macro I like to do. A lot of professional photographers don't 'get it' as to why I would want a 1:1 ratio. I love this lens from the moment I tried it out. What convinced me to buy it was a lens review in PC Photo magazine (the most recent issue) that reviewed the Sigma, Nikon and Canon 50mm macro lenses. This one won hands down and I can easily see why. You can view some of my macro shots at my web album: [...]
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

This lens has been my primary shooting lens for the last three years on my Nikon D50. The only use left for my my kit lens "AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED" is as an 18mm wide angle. This Sigma 50mm f/2.8 prime lens is very sharp. I use it as a portrait lens on my cropped DX sensor camera (eq. 80mm on a full frame FX sensor). It also works great in low light. For portraits, I set f/5.6 if I am only 3-4 feet away. If I am 6-9 feet away I use f/4. You can try to use f/2.8 close-up but you are taking a chance, as the depth of field is so narrow that you might have the eyebrows sharply in focus and the nose and ears blurry. This lens is also very durable. On the negative side, focusing is not super-fast, but that didn't bother me, so I say go for it.

This has become my most used lens. It rarely leaves my camera unless I need a tele. I've used this for everything from 1:1 macros to taking photos at car shows. Great reviews from photo imaging sites. Great detail, color rendition, and bokeh. This is probably the most economical 1:1 macro you will find and it takes great images. Highly recommend. Not the focal length for insects, but great for still life or walk around photos.

I highly recommend this lens to anyone, and not just for it's macro capability which is amazingly sharp, but also as a super fine fixed focal length lens for portraits and general photography.This lens is tack sharp and very well made, frankly the only fault I can find is the screw in lens hood. The image quality on my Sony Alpha 200 is stunning, it blows the kit lens out of the water in sharpness, contrast and build quality.

Great glass.

The Sigma 50mm macro is a great all around lens, it makes you really think about the composition due to the fixed focal length. You just need to think about the depth of field a little to achieve the results that you are after. The color and sharpness are excellent. Close-up work is what this lens is all about and the results are super, I use it at work for documenting projects and some of our items are quite small (we do prototype machining) and this lens is excellent for this. Only problem is it does block the on camera flash if you go 1:1, problem is solved by using an off camera flash with the wireless control. Overall I highly recommend this lens.

I have a Canon EOS 30D that I've owned for about 2 years. I've been wanting a macro lens for a while, but have had a hard time justifying the cost... especially since I originally had my eye on Canon's 100mm macro. Then someone suggested this Sigma lens to me, and I noticed that all the reviews were incredible. I was nervous about going with a 3rd party lens, but the price was right and the reviews gave me confidence. And also, I preferred the 50mm focal point vs Canon's 100mm (makes it a more versatile lens, in my opinion).

So then this christmas my dad gave me money to buy the lens, and I've only had it a few days now but I am already in love! This lens is wonderful-- the look and feel are good, and it takes GORGEOUS photos both close-up and otherwise. I've simply been using manual focus for close-up shots, but I've been very surprised at how fast the AF is (with the limitor switch on). It really is almost instantaneous, which is awesome. I think even faster than my other lenses (Canon 50mm f/1,8, Canon 17-85mm).

I borrowed my friend's 100mm macro lens last year, and honestly I don't see a significant quality difference between the two (though I am also not a pro, so may not have a critical enough eye for that sort of thing). Basically, I am VERY happy with this lens, right out of the box. The photos are gorgeous, razor sharp at the focus points, beautiful bokeh elsewhere, colors are very pretty, etc etc etc. This is a great alternative to more expensive macros. I actually wonder if this will replace my "nifty fifty" as my favorite lens... we'll see. ; )

I absolutely love this lens. It's very easy to use and produces pictures with amazing quality. I have had nothing but crisp and clear photos. I love the focal distance; makes it easy to get in close! This is my first macro lens and I am thrilled that I chose this one!