fast, light and sharp (especially 5.6 and down).

Huge (82mm!) filter thread (bigger than it needs to be), manual to AF switch takes some getting used to (I love Sigma's HSM where you have full-time MF capabilities... so much more practical and fast!)

pretty good lens with a very nice range. I especially liked the 24mm end of things. Focusing was a bit noisy and sometimes a bit slow but most of the fast-focus wildlife work is done with longer lenses that this so it wasnt a problem. I used this primarily for landscape and candid shots and it worked great. For landscape when the lens was stopped down (especially when I hyperfocalater at f32) the lens gave gorgeous shots edge-to-edge. Wide open the was a little bit of softness at the corners but you really needed to look for it. Also if you used a UV filter and a polarizer then you started to vignette at the 24mm end of things... one sollution for it is to use the thin pro filters (expensive) or do what I did.. take the UV off and be mindful of having the cap on the lens when its not in use (the polarizer alone doesnt pose any problems). While the review may make it sound like a mediocre lens, I must say that I was very happy with the images I got from it... happy enough that after switching to Canon for digital I just purchased the 24-135 f/2.8

Sharpness. Color. Build quality.

Weight. Slow focus.

I received this lens in trade, and fully intended to sell it, since 24-70 isn't a focal length I use a lot. But then I took some shots with it and I was blown away by the quality of the photos. For the money, this lens is a steal. It equals the sharpness of Canon L lenses (although the focus isn't as fast) and it has excellent color, with no CA or distortion that I could see. Besides that, it's built like a tank and comes with a very nice hood. It is a bit on the heavy side, but for a lens that's the equal optically to the Canon 24-70L for about $900 less, I can forgive a bit of weight.

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-105 Sigma 24-60

SHARP, COLOR REPRODUCTION and 2.8 very close to Canon 24-70/2.8

Lens hood could be biger

Sharp lens. But don't forget you can chance your f number. Dont use all the time 2.8 (smal field of sarpnes!).

Similar Products Used:

canon 24-70 / 2.8

SHARP SHARP SHARP..good colour ..no distortion..very well controlled flare...super Bokeh..weight--design..and MACRO function Halleluja!!

The Noise GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..When does Sigma come up w a HSM on it?? grrr..

Bargain of this decade.I have to write an review once more,as a pro im much demanding and try all the stuff on the market;this Lens from Sigma is the BEST for the being on the hole market in the range between 22-80 mm in the 2,8 league. I have compared it with friends and other photographers lenses from other brands and the only thing it lacks is the HSM motor;then it would be almost perfect.I didnt thought that the 24-70 L could be beaten But this One Does!in terms of sharpness is 99,8 % close to a L prime,im chokked and more than impressed. I have taken the lenses and made a side by side comparision on my beloved Slik tripod and this one was nr.1 in sharpness ,colour,distortion and balance. I have read is due to better front and back coatings.Man,i do hope Sigma Puts an HSM motor on this item! wauw* and boys it is also very strong too,i broke the front shade in two and glued it together and it still takes sharp photos and is as new.No differ-.Even weight is perfect. Congratulation Sigma,this lens is in the pro league (among them you also see the famed 70-200 2,8 from Sigma.!!!) BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT! The Sigma 24-70 Sigma DF DG Rules..

Customer Service

nope

Similar Products Used:

canon 28-80 2,8 -4 L,Canon 24-70 2,8 L(good too),Tamron 28-75 2,8 di xr,Tokina 28-80 2,8 ,Sigma 28-70 2,8 Nikon 35-70 2,8 (good too)

It's a faSt lens, not only on paper but also in practice. Together with AS, I rarely need to use a flash. 24 instead of the usual 28mm wide end.

It's a fat lens. Looks nice but can be bothersome. ADI doesn't seem to work, but TTL works just fine so no problem to me.

I can only confirm that this lens is already very good at f2.8 on my 7D, making my minolta f1.7 prime more or less useless. I am just an digital enthusiast, but though it worth investing in a good lens. I didn't want just any lens that would turn out worse and slower than my A1 , which still has a great lens. The lens is "large", looks like one is carrying a medium tele lens. I like the large focusring, the whole lens-body combination balances very well. I feel very little incentive to put any other lense on my camera, which is very easy since I don't have any others anymore. I use the A1 as my occasional tele lens and back-up camera (battery and CF card compatible with 7D). AF: though it would be much worse that the Canon USM, but I don't really notice any difference unless I would be comparing them side-by-side. So for non USM, SSM, etc. it's a fast focusser.

Customer Service

Not used yet

Similar Products Used:

Friend's Canon 20D with 17-85 IS-USM

very sharp overall aperture. Better from f/4... excellent at f/8, f/11, f/16... Constant f/2.8: this lens deliver more brightness results at the same aperture than the 18-35...

heavy, big, it's most difficult to take people pictures with it because of its size... ;o)

I'm so disappointed when I read as much as differences between each review on 24-70 EX DF DG first version. I bought mine 2 years ago and I've got very good result in terms of sharpness, contrast and color scales. Maybe I've got a "good-one" model, but??? I use it on Fuji S2 pro... I use it on f90x too and it delivers great results! Whan I compare it with nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5, I don't see difference, really! Sometimes, the 24-70 gives best results.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

Nikon af 20mm f/2.8 D Nikon ais 50mm f/1.8 Sigma AFD 105mm f/2.8 EX

Excellent sharpness wide open, good edge to edge, nice colors/constrast, pleasing bokeh, almost no CA, great focal range, robust EX build, fast AF on 20D, good weight when balanced with BG-E2 and 20D.

Lacks HSM

This is a cracker of a lens. Having used the Canon 24-70L and the Tamron 28-75Di, I can say this new Sigma is absolutely a joy to shoot with. For plenty test shots and images, as well as some of my comments and FAQs, see my site: www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/2470

Customer Service

Excellent

Similar Products Used:

Canon 24-70L Tamron 28-75Di

Well built Fast Excellent optically. (is'nt this what its all about?)

82mm (big deal - get a reducing adapter) Slightly stiff focus - It improves. Weird MF/AF selection - This one does need a rethink

This lens is one of those exceptional and well priced items that come along once in a while. Let me explain. Up untill recently, I was using a Canon 28-70 F2.8L. Unfortunately it was subjected to a horrible and un-timley death. (do not leave them on the roof of you car and drive off!!!) At the insistance of a friend not to over look the Sigma, I purchased one, and I am VERY glad that I did, and happy to have saved a considerable ammount of money. The lens is fast enough for me, sharp and appears to be resonably well built. On direct comparison with the canon, it does have very slightly more edge distortion, but optically that is it!! Scince I am not in the habbit of photographing newspaper print at max apperture and at absolute minimum focus distances like others, I do not consider this a problem. I am so impressed, I will look at Sigma again, when it is time to replace my ageing 17-35mm Go out and buy. You will not be disappointed.

Customer Service

Responded to my questions within 1 hour. (Just general technical queries)

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-70 F2.8L Canon 28-80 F2.8 to 4L

Excelent optical performance. Solid construction.

To obtain manual focus you have to push the focus ring to the manual position as well as move the slider from AF to MF. Also the 20D flash autofocus problem as above.

The Sigma 24-70 f2.8 EX DG Macro is an excellent lens, improved over its predecessor by new coatings on the front and back glass. Optically it is very close to if not equal to Canon's 24-70 L. I use it with Canon's 20D, 300D and EOS 33 bodies. With the 300D and 33 autofocus is fast and accurate in all areas. On the 20D with separate flash there are problems in autofocus in low ambient light conditions. Sigma are finalizing development of a new chip to overcome this. I have found no problems with autofocus on the 20D without flash, although others have reported this. It is an excellent lens for portraits as well as landscape.

Customer Service

In the UK, Sigma's customer service is excellent and they will turn round a re-chip in a couple of days.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 12-24 Sigma 70-200 EX f2.8

sharp sharp sharp.. super colors..super contrast..good fast speed..rendition..super pro lens..cheap..and strong made..

it does Not work properly w the canon d20..grrr

This is so close to an L model from Canon ;(you can get as much as 97,6 % close( without to spend a fortune. Well,sadly as the former colleague wrote i have also noticed that it wont work with the new Canon D20 cameras!so thats why i have returned to my old D10 camera and Voila Boys ! now it works perfectly even up to Pro standard for only 400 bucks!i think its also perfect with the rest of the Canon cams ..1 d,30 d,60d,digi rebels an so on..but NOT the D20..grrr.. so the choice is easy..the SIGMA 24-70 is THE BEST lens out there for the time being..

Customer Service

well see

Similar Products Used:

canon 24-70 L ..28-70 L,tamron 28-75 di ,sigma 28-70 2,8 and more...*