Whats the real difference?

[flake]

It's very easy to reccomend the OEM version, it's a known quantity and a good performer, however the reviews are showing that the Sigma is as good a performer as makes no real difference. If you have oodles of cash then buy the Nikon, but if you want the best performance on a more modest budget the Sigma is an excellent performer. Check out the review http://translate.google.com/translat...3.html&prev=_t this is fantastic review, if you can manage to decipher what on earth the Google translator means let me know! My favourite is saying the Sigma is a coke head ! Most of it is fully and easily understandable though.

[browndog 2]

I have just asked Jacobs to get me a sigma 24-70 to have a look .......should arrive next Tuesday

Have a look at this review http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...ct/1236/cat/31

David

[OldBoy]

Originally Posted by gdallas

Hmmm, I must admit i am royaly confused now!

Dilema, i have already a cheap Sigma 18-50mm f3.5-5.6, whcih i picked up new for about £69 couple of years ago from jessops. i do like what it produces, but im going to be getting a better cam so i wanted a betterbit of glass. therefore i was liking the look of the new sigma 18-50mm f2.8, i think this would be a good upgrade?

Then again, im still drooling over the 24-70mm, but from what it sounds like here, i have no need for the more expensive model as i dont have a full frame cam. That said, i was looking foreward to the HSM offered in the newer 24-70. this feature is available in the 18-50!

Hmmm, decisions decisions!

You may change your camera over the next few years, a good lens will last you a lifetime. Have a look at the Nikon 85mm F1.8 which is ideal for indoor portrait work. If you go to Jacobs you can hire a lens and if you decide to buy it they will knock off the hire charge from the price of the lens.

[flake]

Originally Posted by browndog 2

I have just asked Jacobs to get me a sigma 24-70 to have a look .......should arrive next Tuesday

Have a look at this review http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...ct/1236/cat/31

David

Have a good look but don't buy it from them as they're the most expensive on Camera Price buster, with Bristol Cameras selling it for £710 (against £790).

This lens is still very new and it's still expensive, at this price I wonder if it is cheap enough to make it a real alternative to the OEM offerings (£930 Canon, £1150 Nikon (ouch that's gone up a bit!))

If you are a Canon user a new 24 -70mm f/2.8 L with image stabi[I]z[I]ation is expected to be released soon, no one expects it will be for a similar price but there might be some old ones going cheap !

[KeithT]

Well, I have just purchased the Sigma 50. 1.4 EX DG for my 5d. Even a year ago you wouldn't have seen me buying any third party gear. But cash is paramount these days. I have to say that Sigma's EX series are every bit as Good build quality, and better in some cases, like the 50 1.4, than Canon originals. I think the EX series will give Canon's L series a run for their money.

[ImageArcade]

Keith; I was in exactly the same position as you. The Sigma 50 1.4 EX... represented the first third party lens I'd ever bought. But just like you I've been mighty impressed with it. Well worth some consideration for the OP in my view, although the versatility of a good zoom can't be ignored of course!

ImageArcade - Photography By Steve Ayres

[KeithT]

It's nice to know someone else has it and likes it. I also have the 24-105 L and that is a cracker, though a bit big for candid stuff to weild around. The 50 is better for that and has some lovely bokeh.

[flake]

Sigma has just released a new 17 - 70mm DC f/2.8 - 4 with Optical Stabilisation, it was a nice lens without and quite popular too, but with the OS I imagine it's going to be a great seller for them.

[KeithT]

Flake, it's nice to have image stabilisation with the heavier lenses. Like auto focus, I don't know what I'd do without it these days.

I have heard that the 50 EX DG has issues with front and back focus. My copy doesn't seem to have this, but I printed off a focus chart and will run a couple of tests sometime today, and get it calibrated if need be. You can download the PDF file and print the simple chart from here if you want to test your own lenses for this anomaly: http://focustestchart.com/chart.html
Just scroll to the bottom of the page to get the file, or give the whole article a read first.