Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Pentax and Samsung DSLR Cameras

by Sigma

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005RKSR
• Item model number: B00005RKSR
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 1, 2001

Product Description

Style: Pentax and Samsung DSLR Cameras

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sigma 432-109 24mm f1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Lens for SLR Cameras has a super multi-coating that reduces flare and ghosting that tends to occur when using digital SLR cameras. The Sigma EX DG is a large-aperture, wide-angle lens for close up photography.

This large-aperture wide-angle lens is equipped with macro focusing capability down to a minimum of 18 centimeters, or f1.8 aperture speed, which provides a reproduction ratio of 1:2.7. The use of two aspherical lens elements in a floating focus system minimizes distortion, spherical aberration and astigmatism, which provides high performance at all shooting distances, as well as superior peripheral brightness. This 24-millimeter lens has an angle of view of 84.1 degrees, which allows the capturing of high-quality images not only of your subject, but of the surrounding scenery. Not only does the advanced optical construction of this lens enable it to receive adequate peripheral brightness at open aperture, but the iris diaphragm has 9 diaphragm blades that allow it to obtain beautiful out-of-focus images in the foreground and background. For handling, this lens also incorporates a Dual-Focus (DF) mechanism that makes it easy to hold the lens, since the focusing ring does not rotate during auto-focus, yet it still provides adequate focusing torque for the focusing ring during manual focusing of the lens. This has the added benefit of allowing the use of a Petal-type hood, which is superior in its light-blocking effect.

The Sigma 432-109 macro lens is constructed with 10 elements in nine groups of diaphragm blades, and has a minimum aperture of f22. This lens allows filters that are 77-millimters in diameter, weighs 17.1 ounces, and measures 3.3 x 3.2 inches (Diameter x Length). This lens is compatible with Sigma, Canon, Nikon (D), Minolta (D), and Pentax cameras with corresponding AF mounts.

Product Description

Sigma 24mm f1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro is one of the EX Series lenses. This lens has a fast F1.8 maximum aperture with macro focusing capability of minimum focusing down to 18cm/7.1inches (reproduction ratio 1:2.7). The iris diaphragm has 9 diaphragm blades to obtain beautiful out of focus image. It incorporates the floating focus system and uses two aspherical lens elements for minimizing distortion and spherical aberration and astigmatism. Internal focus system eliminates front lens rotation, thus allowing the use of a Perfect Hood and the easy use of polarizing filters. The lens incorporates non-vignetting optical construction, in order to obtain adequate peripheral brightness even at open aperture. This is desirable for digital cameras. The lens also incorporates dual-focus mechanism. It is easy to hold the lens, since focusing ring does not rotate during auto-focus, and yet it provides adequate focusing torque of the focusing ring during manual focusing of the lens. The lens materials used in this lens are lead and arsenic free ecological glass.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great quality but a little heavy and big., March 7, 2007

By 

Matt "Custom" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Large Aperture Wide Angle Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I wanted a wide angle prime lens that I could take to parties where the shooting distance is always about the same and I could get higher quality pictures than with zoom lenses. Since this lens is fast, f/1.8, it focuses very quickly even in low light. It doesn't have an ultrasonic focusing mechanism, but focus speed is very fast and it has a clutch focusing ring so I can hold the lens and not interfere with the rotation of the focusing ring. The body feels very tight and well put together. The texture and feel are perfect. Picture quality is extremely good. The colors are natural and it's very sharp at 1.8 and is even better at 2.0 and above. Macro is excellent and since it has 9 curved aperature blades, the bokeh looks very pleasing. There is almost no distortion or abberation and focus is accurate. So even though this lens is a bit bigger and heavier than I would like in a prime lens like this, the benefits of brighter viewfinder (due to f/1.8), extemely sharp pictures and very good build quality makes it worthwhile purchase (especially for the price).

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast and sharp, April 2, 2007

By 

M. Olson "olsons36" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Let's face it - Sigma lenses are just NOT built like the great mid grade Zuiko lenses from Olympus that we know and love. Okay? Now that we've got that out of the way let me be clear: I love this lens. It's fast, it's as wide as an old "standard" lens that we all knew and loved back in the days of film SLRs and it's plenty sharp. I'd rate the sharpness about the same as my Zuiko 14-54mm but not as sharp as my 11-22 DZ or the 50-200 DZ (the best lens I've ever owned) and from what I've seen so far it's sharp at maximum aperture from edge to edge.

The manual focus system on this (and other Sigma lenses) is a bit odd and not as convenient as the Olympus system (you have to throw a switch and slide the barrel ring) but it works just fine and has excellent feel and sensitivity (much better than the focus-by-wire on the Zuikos) when you do use it. The autofocus is relatively slow and can hunt or just give up in poor light, but when it grabs a lock it is very accurate on my example and of course in good light it works fine. This lens is advertised as a macro and that is a true statement - it focuses very close and this is but one reason why it's a really wonderful walkabout lens. The bokeh wide open at maximum aperture is fantastic but is only so-so when stopped down - much like the mid-grade Zuiko digital lenses - and seems to be a curse of lenses in this price range.

The build quality is just fine and certainly better than the kit lenses that come with Olympus DSLRs in the box and unlike my Sigma 105mm macro lens it does not feature an annoying screw on lens shade but instead uses a tulip shade just like the ones you are used to using with your Olympus lenses. This lens is not weather sealed however, which one must bear in mind if they're used to the weather sealed Olympus lenses. Also, this lens takes a ridiculously large filter for the size of the lens (it's not a super wide angle lens so I really don't understand the overly large flange on the front of the lens barrel) so plan on your spending there - a top quality front filter and polarizer will easily set you back over a hundred bucks.

I have been very pleased with this lens and at the end of the day that's what counts. Olympus does not offer a lens like this and the similar Leica lens (not yet available at the time of writing) will undoubtedly be much more expensive, so with that in mind you've got this lens and the somewhat similar Sigma 30mm lens to chose from if you want a fast prime lens. I chose this one because of the focal length and the macro capability. I've been very pleasantly surprised.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WAY better than I expected!, October 2, 2008

By 

Technology Guru "Educating the unwashed masse... (Beaverton, Oregon) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Let me put the light gathering abilities of the Sigma 24mm F/1.8 lens in perspective.

The Olympus 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens, at wide open aperture and set to a 24mm focal length, is an f/4.7 lens. Ouch. With the kit lens wide open and set to 24mm focal length, I need 1600 ISO to get a tripod shot of my kitchen at around 1/50th of a second. With the Sigma, I get the same shutter speed with the camera set to 200 ISO. At 1600 ISO, the Sigma shoots the same image at 1/400th of a second.

A tripod mounted test on an illuminated indoor target shoots 1/320th of a second at f/5 with the kit lens, while the Sigma shoots the same scene at 1/400th of a second. Another test of another target, this time at F16, has the kit lens at 1/60th of a second, the Sigma at 1/80th. I believe the Sigma has superior lens coatings and more light reaches the image sensor.

The 4/3rds mount version of this lens does not have an aperture ring. I was a little disappointed, having hopes I would be able to turn the ring in aperture priority instead of the knob on the camera. Having owned a series of film SLR's going back to the 70's, I still catch myself trying to twist a ring that isn't there!

There are a few things to consider...

1. Because the sigma is a full frame lens with a four thirds mount, its much heavier than a purpose-built 4/3rds lens. But I must say, it looks good on the front of my E-510, like what one would expect an expensive lens on a high end DSLR to look like. The lens hood is flat black, adding to the appearance.

2. It focuses fast IF you remember to disengage the manual focus ring. The user guide says you MAY damage the motor in the *camera* if you leave the manual focus ring engaged in auto focus. However, since our motor is in the lens, I'm not sure if this applies. The instructions don't even reference a 4/3rds mount.

3. This lens comes with a one year international warranty, automatically upgraded to FOUR by Sigma for USA purchasers of the lens from an authorized USA Sigma dealer. The extended warranty is not transferable, which is something to keep in mind if you buy the lens used.

4. On a full frame camera, this would be a wide angle lens and therefore takes a 77mm filter.

Overall, I'm very happy with this lens. Photographs, even at f/1.8, are sharp and clear. Having such a fast lens has opened up whole new areas of photography for me to explore, and the fact I no longer have to use anything over 400 ISO for existing light photographs has made a quantum leap in the quality of my photographs.

The biggest negative to the Sigma 24mm f/1.8 is I now despise the aperture of my kit lenses!

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