- Tamron 28-75mm 1:2.8
- Canon EF 50mm 1:2.5 Compact-Macro
- Canon EF 28mm 1:2.8
- Tamron 17-50mm 1:2.8
- Canon EF 24mm 1:2.8
- Konica Hexar AF
- Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM
- Minolta MC W.Rokkor - NL 21mm 1:2.8
- Canon BG-ED3 Battery Grip
- Canon 10D
- Sigma EF-500 DG Super EO ETTL
- Minolta Dimage Scan Elite II
- Sears 55mm 1:1.4
- Minolta X-370
- Canon EF 28-90mm 1:4-5.6 III
- Canon 400D (Rebel XTi)
Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM
Date:
3/12/2011 Sigma is an anomaly. At least if you look at their present and past offerings of camera gear. Some of their gear seems well made, well priced, and filling a niche in the market. My experiences with their Sigma EF-500 DG Super EO ETTL flashes and 30mm 1.4 lens have been overwhelmingly positive. At the opposite end of the spectrum lies a large number of under performing built-to-a-price-point gear that seems designed for the first time photographer. The good news is that this 12-24mm ultra wide angle zoom lives in the high rent neighborhood of Sigma's product range.
Impressive build quality. The heft reminds the user of camera gear from a generation (or two?) ago. The focus and zoom mechanisms feel precise and reasonably well damped for an autofocus lens. The short built in lens hood is metal and built to take a beating. Which is good. Because it did.
But before getting too far into the bicycle incident, I need to profess that this lens brings out the child in photographers. Although this rectilinear lens does it's job and keeps straight lines straight, we still get to utilize the perspective distortion it creates to have fun. And at 12mm, even on a crop sensor body, it provides a good amount of perspective distortion. This lens was not used for a project. When I borrowed it from it's owner I had no need for an ultra wide. I just wanted to goof around. And that goal was accomplished.
The owner of this lens has used it extensively for years. It was not babied and showed signs of being knocked around a bit. Most of those signs were on the lens hood. It has been doing it's job. But that didn't make me less cautious about using borrowed gear. When I took possession I immediately noticed just how bulbous that front lens element is. The front element is almost asking for trouble. To compound matters, the original lens cap had gone missing long ago. I decided to take a cautionary step. An older lens case was chopped up and the lens case lid became a friction fit lens cap for the Sigma while it was in my care.
I normally prefer to append a UV filter for lens protection but that is not a reasonable option for this lens. Any filter will cause vignetting if attached to the front of the lens hood. And there is no provision for fitting inside as the lens element itself protrudes nearly to the end of the lens hood. A rear gel filter holder is designed into this lens and requires lens removal for filter access.
Initially the slow maximum aperture seemed like it would be a problem. And I suppose if I had the task of photographing interiors handheld or people then that might have been true. But I had so much more fun shooting scenery outside that it was never an issue. One pitfall I did not investigate but was pre-warned about was the flash shadow that can be created by the lens hood. Now you've been pre-warned.
After my ultra wide zoom fascination wore off it was time to make some real photos. The Sigma was mounted to my Canon 400D (Rebel XTi) body. The smallish Rebel body emphasized the Sigma 12-24mm size and weight. My daugher and I rode our bicycles down to the recently opened beach access at Chambers Bay properties. But not without incident.
Despite my familiarity with clipless pedals I tipped over at zero miles per hour. I was unhurt. The lens and body, which were riding in a camera bag inside my backpack, impacted lens first. The DIY lens hood was pushed onto the lens much tighter than usual. Apparently it took the brunt of the fall and transfered that impact to the metal lens barrel and not the front element. Neither (camera) body nor lens suffered. I believe that if I had fallen to the other side, and the plastic bodied Rebel had been asked to arrest the momentum of this 1 1/3 pound lens that this story would have ended differently. I felt pretty lucky. And foolish.
Despite taking it with me on the bicycle this lens isn't intended as a travel lens. It is intended as a photographic tool (or toy). It is a joy to use as it allows the user to explore the ultra wide lens arena but to also have some flexibility with its modest 2x zoom range. I'm sure a fixed focal length lens in this focal range can turn in sharper images. But I was pleased with the quality of the images given that this is a zoom lens in a challenging focal range. Flare was not generally an issue. But I did create some blue spots by photographing the setting sun.
What did I learn?
Ultra wide angle shooting is addictively fun and I was sad when the lens was returned to its owner.
A lens this size and weight fits a full size SLR better than it does the Digital Rebel size bodies.
Sigma can make high quality gear when they choose to.
And... When in doubt, clip out.
Image Gallery
Sunset Bridge
ISO 100, f:10, 1/125th, 12mm. Post process: Increase saturation, crop.
I guess this is what a Troll looks at every evening. At least when the sun isn't obscured by rain clouds.
Don't Look Into the Sun
ISO 100, f:14, 1/320th, 12mm. Post process: increase saturation, tone curve adjustment.
To my eye this image is all about shapes and colors. And I'm not referencing the tiny blue circles caused by lens flare.
