It can be used with wide variety of subjects and it is an ideal large aperture standard zoom lens for digital SLR cameras featuring APS-C size image sensor. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9" (20cm) throughout the entire zoom range. Maximum magnification of 1:2.3 enables close-up photography like a macro lens. The new lens design and multi layer lens coating reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. This lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 at 17mm wide angle and yet it is compact, with an overall length of 82.5mm (3.2") and diameter 79mm (3.1"). It performs superbly even in relatively low light conditions indoors or at dusk. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which ensures fast AF speed as well as prevents the front of the lens rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. This lens is also equipped with Zoom Lock Switch that eliminates "Zoom Creep" during transportation.
It can be used with wide variety of subjects and it is an ideal large aperture standard zoom lens for digital SLR cameras featuring APS-C size image sensor. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9" (20cm) throughout the entire zoom range. Maximum magnification of 1:2.3 enables close-up photography like a macro lens. The new lens design and multi layer lens coating reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. This lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 at 17mm wide angle and yet it is compact, with an overall length of 82.5mm (3.2") and diameter 79mm (3.1"). It performs superbly even in relatively low light conditions indoors or at dusk. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which ensures fast AF speed as well as prevents the front of the lens rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. This lens is also equipped with Zoom Lock Switch that eliminates "Zoom Creep" during transportation.
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last seen 24 Oct 2026
The lowest price we last saw for Sigma 17-70mm DC Macro Lens F2.8-4.5 Sony Fit (UK Stock) was $157.62 at eBay.com.au (last seen 24 Oct 2026). Prices may have changed since.
The all-time low we recorded was $75.00 on 7 Feb 2026.
Prices last updated 24 Oct 2026.
Sigma 17-70mm DC Macro Lens F2.8-4.5 Sony Fit (UK Stock)
It can be used with wide variety of subjects and it is an ideal large aperture standard zoom lens for digital SLR cameras featuring APS-C size image sensor. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9" (20cm) throughout the entire zoom range. Maximum magnification of 1:2.3 enables close-up photography like a macro lens. The new lens design and multi layer lens coating reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. This lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 at 17mm wide angle and yet it is compact, with an overall length of 82.5mm (3.2") and diameter 79mm (3.1"). It performs superbly even in relatively low light conditions indoors or at dusk. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which ensures fast AF speed as well as prevents the front of the lens rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. This lens is also equipped with Zoom Lock Switch that eliminates "Zoom Creep" during transportation.
It can be used with wide variety of subjects and it is an ideal large aperture standard zoom lens for digital SLR cameras featuring APS-C size image sensor. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9" (20cm) throughout the entire zoom range. Maximum magnification of 1:2.3 enables close-up photography like a macro lens. The new lens design and multi layer lens coating reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. This lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 at 17mm wide angle and yet it is compact, with an overall length of 82.5mm (3.2") and diameter 79mm (3.1"). It performs superbly even in relatively low light conditions indoors or at dusk. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which ensures fast AF speed as well as prevents the front of the lens rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. This lens is also equipped with Zoom Lock Switch that eliminates "Zoom Creep" during transportation.
Last updated at 24/10/2026 06:38:03
Sigma 17-70mm F/2.8-4.5 Dc Macro Lens Sony A Mount From Japan
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originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
The Sigma 17-70mm Wide Angle Zoom, I use it for about most anything, though its 1:2 macro ratio is not all that practical unless you have a ring flash, though you can do some good 1:3 close-ups at close focus, at all zoom settings, with a shoe mount flash. Like its big brother (I am assuming) the Sigma 24-70mm wide angle zoom macro, another exceptionally good lens from Sigma, it is one lens that I would not want to be without because of its versatility and light weight . With the aspherical lens element, this lens provides exceptionally sharp images and though there are some issues as to its performance at wide open or full aperture by other reviewers, that should be expected. Very few lenses will perform flawlessly at such aperture settings, such as at f/2.8, so ... MoreThe Sigma 17-70mm Wide Angle Zoom, I use it for about most anything, though its 1:2 macro ratio is not all that practical unless you have a ring flash, though you can do some good 1:3 close-ups at close focus, at all zoom settings, with a shoe mount flash. Like its big brother (I am assuming) the Sigma 24-70mm wide angle zoom macro, another exceptionally good lens from Sigma, it is one lens that I would not want to be without because of its versatility and light weight . With the aspherical lens element, this lens provides exceptionally sharp images and though there are some issues as to its performance at wide open or full aperture by other reviewers, that should be expected. Very few lenses will perform flawlessly at such aperture settings, such as at f/2.8, so let that not deter you from purchasing this lens. Of all my Sigma lenses, I have yet to shoot below an f/5.6 aperture with any of them, flash or daylight. For a non-EX build, the lens is quite sturdy. The zoom ring and focusing are smooth with little or no lens creep as I can perceive, though there is a zoom lock if needed and in auto focus, you could not ask for a quieter or quicker auto lens focusing feature, the operation of such is barely perceptible to ones hearing. However, the IS is another story. Though the IS works very well, it is a bit clunky when not in use as the lens housing seems to rattle around inside the lens barrel but get used to it, for that is really not an issue with the lens as it has no effect on the lenses operation or its performance. You may even see the view shift a bit in the viewfinder and it may trick you into thinking there is something wrong with the lens, actually there is not, it is if anything an annoyance factor. Still this should not be a negative consideration when purchasing this lens unless you are a hard nosed perfectionist and if you are, I hope you have a fat bank account for that perfectionist lens. So what is great about it? Well most everything I would say. It is a performer, it's sharp, it's light, it's sturdy, easy to use, and a good all round lens, and also it's easy on your budget from B & H.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I've had the lens now for 1 week and I've put it thru some basic macro and non-macro shots in both low-light, ambient light and sunlight conditions. The lens has performed exceptional in all instances. Paired with my new Canon T4i camera I am getting amazing images in my opinion. Like the other Sigma lenses I've owned, this lens feels sturdy and very well built. The 72mm filter size means the filters are not too pricey. The official minimum focus distance is listed as 8.7 but as others have stated, that value must be from the sensor and not the lens for I am able to focus on objects 2 away from the lens (e.g. see the photo of the bug on the flower at the link above). Image quality seems outstanding. The first image at the link above (the cat with its tongue out) is ... MoreI've had the lens now for 1 week and I've put it thru some basic macro and non-macro shots in both low-light, ambient light and sunlight conditions. The lens has performed exceptional in all instances. Paired with my new Canon T4i camera I am getting amazing images in my opinion. Like the other Sigma lenses I've owned, this lens feels sturdy and very well built. The 72mm filter size means the filters are not too pricey. The official minimum focus distance is listed as 8.7 but as others have stated, that value must be from the sensor and not the lens for I am able to focus on objects 2 away from the lens (e.g. see the photo of the bug on the flower at the link above). Image quality seems outstanding. The first image at the link above (the cat with its tongue out) is resized down to 1600 pixels but is otherwise untouched. The detail at 70mm, f/8 and 400 ISO is outstanding in my opinion. Focusing is quite fast and accurate I have found. My previous Sigma lens was the 24-70mm F/2.8 lens (the non OS and HSM) version. It was an excellent lens as well but this is far better. The extra 7mm on the wide-angle end is nice and I am not concerned about not having F/2.8 thru the entire zoom range. The truth is that I prefer to shoot at F/4 to F/8 for best sharpness results anyway. Also, at the close distances I am shooting at F/2.8 starts blurring too soon from the focal point. In addition, the high ISO quality of the images produced by the T4i allows me to shoot closer to F/8 in low-light conditions and not only get clean images but sharp images as well. The following image was shot at iso6400 (F/4 and 70mm) in a room with the curtains closed. Light was not good but I was still able to capture a good image. I definitely like the zoom lock but have found that the zoom is not loose and the lens does not zoom out if pointed down as I have noticed with other lenses. I would definitely recommend this lens and am VERY happy with it so far.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I bought this instead of the 17-85mm Canon lens because it's a full step faster at any point in the zoom range, and for low-light use that's important to me. After taking it on a hiking trip last weekend (not the intended primary use, but a good test still) I now have enough pictures to give it an adequate review. Physical: When indoors the focus has a noticeable noise, but when outdoors it's not an issue at all. It's slower focusing than the Canons with USM that are the same age, so I wouldn't use it for sports, but for other stuff it's perfectly adequate. There is a bit of gravity zoom if you're looking straight down and let go, but for storage there is the zoom lock switch to lock it at 17mm. I was somewhat disappointed to find that when you have the (included) ... MoreI bought this instead of the 17-85mm Canon lens because it's a full step faster at any point in the zoom range, and for low-light use that's important to me. After taking it on a hiking trip last weekend (not the intended primary use, but a good test still) I now have enough pictures to give it an adequate review. Physical: When indoors the focus has a noticeable noise, but when outdoors it's not an issue at all. It's slower focusing than the Canons with USM that are the same age, so I wouldn't use it for sports, but for other stuff it's perfectly adequate. There is a bit of gravity zoom if you're looking straight down and let go, but for storage there is the zoom lock switch to lock it at 17mm. I was somewhat disappointed to find that when you have the (included) lens hood on backwards for storage, the focus ring is covered, so if you're going to have the hood with you and it's not needed, you still need to keep it attached the right way. A friend was taking pictures next to me with the EF 28-135mm and that's got the focus ring behind the zoom ring, so he didn't have that concern. Image: It's not the EF-S 60mm Macro that I had in the bag with it, but it's noticeably better than the 18-55 IS kit lens. Pincushion is very apparent at 17mm, less so as you zoom. Checking and unchecking the lens corrections box in Lightroom demonstrates that very visibly (and the equivalent options in the Canon software). I didn't notice bad CA, but outdoor shots wouldn't show it well anyway. No complaints about the stabilization - it seemed to work fine, even though there were some strange instructions in the manual about never connecting the lens with the switch on and waiting 30 seconds or something to enable it (which I read after attaching the lens and taking a few test pictures with it on). I was able to get some very nice pictures of the campfire at night, and the focus dot was showing up to verify even though I was in manual mode, which is better than other lenses in low light. When taking pictures of other people around the fire with the flash I had to go into full manual mode instead of my usual aperture priority so the shutter speed wouldn't be a full second, but that may be the fault of the Rebel XS body not properly flash compensating instead of the lens. Overall: I'm happy with the purchase and the money I saved vs. the Canon offering, which will let me upgrade from the XS to the 60D that much sooner. It has replaced the EF 28-135mm as the carry around lens on my camera (which was intended to replace the 18-55 kit but I missed the wide angle). Don't be fooled by the Macro designation, it's really not a macro lens, but I knew that before buying it.
| General | |
| Length | 8.3 cm |
| Diameter | 7.9 cm |
| Weight | 455 g |
| Lens System |
Sigma 17-70mm F/2.8-4.5 Dc Macro Lens Sony A Mount From Japan
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
The Sigma 17-70mm Wide Angle Zoom, I use it for about most anything, though its 1:2 macro ratio is not all that practical unless you have a ring flash, though you can do some good 1:3 close-ups at close focus, at all zoom settings, with a shoe mount flash. Like its big brother (I am assuming) the Sigma 24-70mm wide angle zoom macro, another exceptionally good lens from Sigma, it is one lens that I would not want to be without because of its versatility and light weight . With the aspherical lens element, this lens provides exceptionally sharp images and though there are some issues as to its performance at wide open or full aperture by other reviewers, that should be expected. Very few lenses will perform flawlessly at such aperture settings, such as at f/2.8, so ... MoreThe Sigma 17-70mm Wide Angle Zoom, I use it for about most anything, though its 1:2 macro ratio is not all that practical unless you have a ring flash, though you can do some good 1:3 close-ups at close focus, at all zoom settings, with a shoe mount flash. Like its big brother (I am assuming) the Sigma 24-70mm wide angle zoom macro, another exceptionally good lens from Sigma, it is one lens that I would not want to be without because of its versatility and light weight . With the aspherical lens element, this lens provides exceptionally sharp images and though there are some issues as to its performance at wide open or full aperture by other reviewers, that should be expected. Very few lenses will perform flawlessly at such aperture settings, such as at f/2.8, so let that not deter you from purchasing this lens. Of all my Sigma lenses, I have yet to shoot below an f/5.6 aperture with any of them, flash or daylight. For a non-EX build, the lens is quite sturdy. The zoom ring and focusing are smooth with little or no lens creep as I can perceive, though there is a zoom lock if needed and in auto focus, you could not ask for a quieter or quicker auto lens focusing feature, the operation of such is barely perceptible to ones hearing. However, the IS is another story. Though the IS works very well, it is a bit clunky when not in use as the lens housing seems to rattle around inside the lens barrel but get used to it, for that is really not an issue with the lens as it has no effect on the lenses operation or its performance. You may even see the view shift a bit in the viewfinder and it may trick you into thinking there is something wrong with the lens, actually there is not, it is if anything an annoyance factor. Still this should not be a negative consideration when purchasing this lens unless you are a hard nosed perfectionist and if you are, I hope you have a fat bank account for that perfectionist lens. So what is great about it? Well most everything I would say. It is a performer, it's sharp, it's light, it's sturdy, easy to use, and a good all round lens, and also it's easy on your budget from B & H.
I've had the lens now for 1 week and I've put it thru some basic macro and non-macro shots in both low-light, ambient light and sunlight conditions. The lens has performed exceptional in all instances. Paired with my new Canon T4i camera I am getting amazing images in my opinion. Like the other Sigma lenses I've owned, this lens feels sturdy and very well built. The 72mm filter size means the filters are not too pricey. The official minimum focus distance is listed as 8.7 but as others have stated, that value must be from the sensor and not the lens for I am able to focus on objects 2 away from the lens (e.g. see the photo of the bug on the flower at the link above). Image quality seems outstanding. The first image at the link above (the cat with its tongue out) is ... MoreI've had the lens now for 1 week and I've put it thru some basic macro and non-macro shots in both low-light, ambient light and sunlight conditions. The lens has performed exceptional in all instances. Paired with my new Canon T4i camera I am getting amazing images in my opinion. Like the other Sigma lenses I've owned, this lens feels sturdy and very well built. The 72mm filter size means the filters are not too pricey. The official minimum focus distance is listed as 8.7 but as others have stated, that value must be from the sensor and not the lens for I am able to focus on objects 2 away from the lens (e.g. see the photo of the bug on the flower at the link above). Image quality seems outstanding. The first image at the link above (the cat with its tongue out) is resized down to 1600 pixels but is otherwise untouched. The detail at 70mm, f/8 and 400 ISO is outstanding in my opinion. Focusing is quite fast and accurate I have found. My previous Sigma lens was the 24-70mm F/2.8 lens (the non OS and HSM) version. It was an excellent lens as well but this is far better. The extra 7mm on the wide-angle end is nice and I am not concerned about not having F/2.8 thru the entire zoom range. The truth is that I prefer to shoot at F/4 to F/8 for best sharpness results anyway. Also, at the close distances I am shooting at F/2.8 starts blurring too soon from the focal point. In addition, the high ISO quality of the images produced by the T4i allows me to shoot closer to F/8 in low-light conditions and not only get clean images but sharp images as well. The following image was shot at iso6400 (F/4 and 70mm) in a room with the curtains closed. Light was not good but I was still able to capture a good image. I definitely like the zoom lock but have found that the zoom is not loose and the lens does not zoom out if pointed down as I have noticed with other lenses. I would definitely recommend this lens and am VERY happy with it so far.
I bought this instead of the 17-85mm Canon lens because it's a full step faster at any point in the zoom range, and for low-light use that's important to me. After taking it on a hiking trip last weekend (not the intended primary use, but a good test still) I now have enough pictures to give it an adequate review. Physical: When indoors the focus has a noticeable noise, but when outdoors it's not an issue at all. It's slower focusing than the Canons with USM that are the same age, so I wouldn't use it for sports, but for other stuff it's perfectly adequate. There is a bit of gravity zoom if you're looking straight down and let go, but for storage there is the zoom lock switch to lock it at 17mm. I was somewhat disappointed to find that when you have the (included) ... MoreI bought this instead of the 17-85mm Canon lens because it's a full step faster at any point in the zoom range, and for low-light use that's important to me. After taking it on a hiking trip last weekend (not the intended primary use, but a good test still) I now have enough pictures to give it an adequate review. Physical: When indoors the focus has a noticeable noise, but when outdoors it's not an issue at all. It's slower focusing than the Canons with USM that are the same age, so I wouldn't use it for sports, but for other stuff it's perfectly adequate. There is a bit of gravity zoom if you're looking straight down and let go, but for storage there is the zoom lock switch to lock it at 17mm. I was somewhat disappointed to find that when you have the (included) lens hood on backwards for storage, the focus ring is covered, so if you're going to have the hood with you and it's not needed, you still need to keep it attached the right way. A friend was taking pictures next to me with the EF 28-135mm and that's got the focus ring behind the zoom ring, so he didn't have that concern. Image: It's not the EF-S 60mm Macro that I had in the bag with it, but it's noticeably better than the 18-55 IS kit lens. Pincushion is very apparent at 17mm, less so as you zoom. Checking and unchecking the lens corrections box in Lightroom demonstrates that very visibly (and the equivalent options in the Canon software). I didn't notice bad CA, but outdoor shots wouldn't show it well anyway. No complaints about the stabilization - it seemed to work fine, even though there were some strange instructions in the manual about never connecting the lens with the switch on and waiting 30 seconds or something to enable it (which I read after attaching the lens and taking a few test pictures with it on). I was able to get some very nice pictures of the campfire at night, and the focus dot was showing up to verify even though I was in manual mode, which is better than other lenses in low light. When taking pictures of other people around the fire with the flash I had to go into full manual mode instead of my usual aperture priority so the shutter speed wouldn't be a full second, but that may be the fault of the Rebel XS body not properly flash compensating instead of the lens. Overall: I'm happy with the purchase and the money I saved vs. the Canon offering, which will let me upgrade from the XS to the 60D that much sooner. It has replaced the EF 28-135mm as the carry around lens on my camera (which was intended to replace the 18-55 kit but I missed the wide angle). Don't be fooled by the Macro designation, it's really not a macro lens, but I knew that before buying it.
If you consider the new Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.0 OS Macro HSM lens, let me please offer a comment from my recent experience using it for street photography. At the wider end, the lens shows major barrel distortion requiring correction in post-processing -- the only shortcoming I've noticed so far; otherwise, I would have rated this lens with five stars. The reach to 70mm (112mm on a cropped sensor camera) serves well for street photography. IQ I find ranging from very good to excellent. Three headshots I took with this lens in soft outdoor lighting and converted to black-and-white I now count as among my best photos. The image tonality appears with a peculiar creamy look to it, which I find pleasing, while the colors appear definite and slightly saturated. Evidently, ... MoreIf you consider the new Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.0 OS Macro HSM lens, let me please offer a comment from my recent experience using it for street photography. At the wider end, the lens shows major barrel distortion requiring correction in post-processing -- the only shortcoming I've noticed so far; otherwise, I would have rated this lens with five stars. The reach to 70mm (112mm on a cropped sensor camera) serves well for street photography. IQ I find ranging from very good to excellent. Three headshots I took with this lens in soft outdoor lighting and converted to black-and-white I now count as among my best photos. The image tonality appears with a peculiar creamy look to it, which I find pleasing, while the colors appear definite and slightly saturated. Evidently, Sigma has discovered how a lens may better control for highlight capture, or so my limited experience with this lens tells me (using it on the Canon XSi). But I should add that I shoot using manual exposure for best results in the camera. The OS engages far quicker than the IS on my Canon EF-S 17-55mm lens. The focus mechanism functions smoothly and quietly. I like the compact size, and the lens lock button for preventing lens creep. The lens has a nice heft to it, and feels balanced on my XSi. I haven't yet tried the lens for macro shots. Finally, the price seemed right, too, at well under the MSRP. So far, I can recommend this lens.
I am an advanced amateur photographer who's area of specialization is at nightclubs and parties. For several months I was on the market for a faster lens, with decent zoom range, image stabilization, snappy auto-focus, and better glass than the 18-55mm IS kit lens I was using prior. As much as I wanted to pull the trigger and get the Canon L-series 24-70mm f/2.8, I decided to opt for something a little less expensive: the newly released Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 OS. Upon doing some research of the Sigma I noticed that reviews were consistently positive across the board on the previous version of this lens (the one without image stabilization/OS), so expectations were high.I've had this lens for three weeks now and have already taken around 2500 shots with it. There is no ... MoreI am an advanced amateur photographer who's area of specialization is at nightclubs and parties. For several months I was on the market for a faster lens, with decent zoom range, image stabilization, snappy auto-focus, and better glass than the 18-55mm IS kit lens I was using prior. As much as I wanted to pull the trigger and get the Canon L-series 24-70mm f/2.8, I decided to opt for something a little less expensive: the newly released Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 OS. Upon doing some research of the Sigma I noticed that reviews were consistently positive across the board on the previous version of this lens (the one without image stabilization/OS), so expectations were high.I've had this lens for three weeks now and have already taken around 2500 shots with it. There is no question whatsoever that it's a significant step up from the kit lens. In terms of output quality, the difference in sharpness as well as color are remarkable. The saturation of the colors alone produced with this lens makes it worth the price tag. When taking shots at the widest angle, output is razor sharp even at f/3.2, and softens just a little at f/2.8. I really like it's build quality: it has a stiff rubbery feel, with a decent sized band for dialing in the manual focus. It's a bit heavier than your standard lens, but I expected this. After using it out a few times, I got used to it quickly. The mount is stainless steel. Overall I think it's physical build is solid and just feels better to work with than many of Canon's lower end plastic EF-S series lenses.One thing to point out: the auto focus. There's no question that it's fast, and this is based on me using it in very low light conditions 90% of the time. The auto focus occasionally misses and focuses on the wrong thing however. Occasionally meaning 2 or 3 out of every 100 pics I've taken thus far, and mainly with faster moving subjects. Kind of annoying, but is something I can live with. This Sigma comes with a hood, however as always, make sure you grab a UV or other filter to mount on it to protect it. I use this lens with a Canon 20D, and it slides right on and off with no problem. Gets 4 stars from me: Aside from the occasional auto-focus issue, the main reason I didn't give it 5 is because I've only used it for a couple weeks. If after a year or so it continues to provide the same output, I will change the rating to reflect this.I especially recommend this to someone who is looking to upgrade from a kit lens to something that is better quality, but isn't trying to break the bank.You can check out some samples of pics I've taken with the Sigma at@
Far starters I use DSLR's (Canon 60D) primarily for video. If there is a tricky situation for a photo I may take it out, but by no mean my primary tool for photos. With that being said, I've gone through many lenses for video and most have one or two issues holding them back. This lens has it all. the only thing I could ask for is a little more zoom. Here's what I needed and this lens had:1. Smooth and good travel on the focus ring (for video you don't want the ring to spin to little or focusing is touchy on the fly, or travel too far around or you'll have to reposition your hand mid focus.2. Stabilizer. Don't fool your self. You're hand aren't that steady. If you're not using a stabilizer, track, tripod etc the shakes can be seen.3. strong low light and good bokeh. ... MoreFar starters I use DSLR's (Canon 60D) primarily for video. If there is a tricky situation for a photo I may take it out, but by no mean my primary tool for photos. With that being said, I've gone through many lenses for video and most have one or two issues holding them back. This lens has it all. the only thing I could ask for is a little more zoom. Here's what I needed and this lens had:1. Smooth and good travel on the focus ring (for video you don't want the ring to spin to little or focusing is touchy on the fly, or travel too far around or you'll have to reposition your hand mid focus.2. Stabilizer. Don't fool your self. You're hand aren't that steady. If you're not using a stabilizer, track, tripod etc the shakes can be seen.3. strong low light and good bokeh. Sort of interchangeable qualities but everyone likes a good bokeh in videos and you don't want to set up lighting for every shot.4. Locks just an added bonus (hint hint canon)5. Wide Angle with some zoom. I do travel videos and would love to have a portfolio of lens on me... and a sherpa to carry them.6. Durable. Most of the time the rigs just tossed in a backpack, unless I'm in transit in between cities countries etc. so needs to take a beating.Think that's it. A side note is; I've bought many canon products and their image quality is always top notch, but build quality stinks. 60D has yet to break, knock on wood, but I've had issues with just about everything else, video cameras, lenses ect. Almost went with a canon lens over this one, but both display models at B&H were busted (focus ring wouldn't always catch the internal mechanism and would slip), and the 18-135 kit lens would do this weird frame shift when focusing, making it useless for video (called canon specialist on this one and was told that normal for all lenses. Not true. Hope this helps. (FYI didn't proof read this review for spelling or grammar, so don't hate)
Very versatile focal range from wide to short telephoto. Not too big and heavy for all day photo trek. Matches nicely with cropped sensor APS-C DSLRs. Close focusing ability at maximum focal length of 70mm (which will be 105mm on an APS-C sensor). Not a true 1:1 dedicated Macro Lens but will do nicely in a pinch. Very well constructed, very sharp across the frame when stopped down to f/4.0 and beyond. The colors are wonderful and renders a nice background bokeh. Highly recommend.
I am not going to lie. There are plenty of examples that have front of back focusing issues. Mine was one of them, but since Sigma was in my city, I decided to drive out there to have them once over my lens. They adjusted the AF with my body. Then there was an issue of a squeal when it tried to AF. I wrote it off as an inherited trait, but after two days and nothing to do that day, I drove back to Sigma to point it out. He told me that the front had a minor dent in it. I may have hit a wall at a party, I am not sure, but they replaced the AF motor, the dented case holding the glass and adjusted the AF. ALL FOR FREE! While I was doing that they gave me a 30mm 1.4 to play with. Thats the equivelant of having a BMW 525 in for service and getting a M3 to drive while you ... MoreI am not going to lie. There are plenty of examples that have front of back focusing issues. Mine was one of them, but since Sigma was in my city, I decided to drive out there to have them once over my lens. They adjusted the AF with my body. Then there was an issue of a squeal when it tried to AF. I wrote it off as an inherited trait, but after two days and nothing to do that day, I drove back to Sigma to point it out. He told me that the front had a minor dent in it. I may have hit a wall at a party, I am not sure, but they replaced the AF motor, the dented case holding the glass and adjusted the AF. ALL FOR FREE! While I was doing that they gave me a 30mm 1.4 to play with. Thats the equivelant of having a BMW 525 in for service and getting a M3 to drive while you wait. All I know is that my Canon Nifty 50 is seeing it's last days and is up for sale after playing with the Sigma 30mm. I am SOOOOOOO impressed with Sigma customer service and shot a party that last night with the 17-70. Indoors under tunsgent light. HOLY F---! This is the lens to buy NOW! Now off to B&H to return some items and trade in my 50mm 1.8 for a 30mm 1.4 Sigma.
After extensive research on various forums, I decided to give this lens a shot. After I installed this on my 2Ti, the first impression I got was how heavy thing is. Compare to Canon 55-250mm and 18-135mm lenses which I also own, this is easier another 100g heavier. If you use this all day long, I would certainly invest in a better neck strap. Luckily construction seems solid. The lens focus fairly fast, accurately and build in OS does its job well. But compare to my nifty fifty (Canon 50mm F/1.8 II), the images I captured with this lens seem to be more washed out and not as sharp. I also had very soft borders on all of the images. I would place image quality close to Canon 18-135mm but certainly not as good as the nifty fifties..... After careful consideration, I ... MoreAfter extensive research on various forums, I decided to give this lens a shot. After I installed this on my 2Ti, the first impression I got was how heavy thing is. Compare to Canon 55-250mm and 18-135mm lenses which I also own, this is easier another 100g heavier. If you use this all day long, I would certainly invest in a better neck strap. Luckily construction seems solid. The lens focus fairly fast, accurately and build in OS does its job well. But compare to my nifty fifty (Canon 50mm F/1.8 II), the images I captured with this lens seem to be more washed out and not as sharp. I also had very soft borders on all of the images. I would place image quality close to Canon 18-135mm but certainly not as good as the nifty fifties..... After careful consideration, I decided to go with my original 2nd choice: Tamron 17-50mm no VC. Although I lost lens stabilization and 20 mm worth of reach, I like Tamron's color rendition and sharpness a great deal more. Since both of these lens are within $30 of each other, I believe I made the right choice.
My camera is a Canon Rebel XTI. I own a set of kit lenses; Canon 18-55IS and 55-250 IS telephoto. I upgraded my telephoto to a Canon 70-200 L, IS. So, I was seeking a walk around zoom lens that would go wide on the low end and telephoto out to the 70 mm range as an upgrade to my 18-55 IS. The Sigma 17-70 mm OS, f2.8-4 specs perfectly fit my needs at about half the price of some L glass from Canon.My new Sigma 17-70 OS feels good, operates smoothly and appears to be a quality lens, but would it make better pictures than my 18-55 IS kit lens?Lens test Jan. 29, 2010New lens (Sigma 17-70, OS) versus kit lenses Canon 18-55 IS and Canon 55-250 IS.Rebel XTi, on program setting, tripod mounted, with remote shutter release. Comparisons were made with identical camera ... MoreMy camera is a Canon Rebel XTI. I own a set of kit lenses; Canon 18-55IS and 55-250 IS telephoto. I upgraded my telephoto to a Canon 70-200 L, IS. So, I was seeking a walk around zoom lens that would go wide on the low end and telephoto out to the 70 mm range as an upgrade to my 18-55 IS. The Sigma 17-70 mm OS, f2.8-4 specs perfectly fit my needs at about half the price of some L glass from Canon.My new Sigma 17-70 OS feels good, operates smoothly and appears to be a quality lens, but would it make better pictures than my 18-55 IS kit lens?Lens test Jan. 29, 2010New lens (Sigma 17-70, OS) versus kit lenses Canon 18-55 IS and Canon 55-250 IS.Rebel XTi, on program setting, tripod mounted, with remote shutter release. Comparisons were made with identical camera settings and identical targets and focus points. Tests include targets in daylight and targets under incandescent light. Identical pictures were taken with each lens at varying focal lengths. The images were then compared side by side in Windows Live Photo Gallery software. Images were blown up to study detail. Here are my notes from that study:At 17mm or18mm, in daylight, ISO 100, the Sigma 17-70 OS and the Canon 18-55 IS are equal in sharpness and brightness. At 17/18mm, Under very low light conditions, ISO 400, the Sigma 17-70 OS was much sharper than the Canon 18-55 IS.At 35 mm, under low incandescent light, ISO 1600, the Sigma 17-70 is slightly brighter and sharper than the Canon 18-55 IS.At 50mm, in full daylight, the Sigma17-70 OS is a little sharper than the Canon 18-55 IS. The color may be a little better with the Sigma 17-70OS. Not much difference.At 55 mm, under incandescent light, ISO400, The Sigma 17-70 OS was noticeably sharper than the Canon 18-55 IS. The Canon 55-250 IS @ 55mm is not as sharp as either.At 70mm, under incandescent light, ISO 400, the Canon 55-250 IS and the Sigma 17-70 OS are very similar in sharpness but the Sigma has brighter colors.At 70 mm, under daylight, ISO 100, the Sigma 17-70 OS is slightly sharper than the Canon 55-250 IS. Shooting very close up (8 to 10 away) the sigma 17-70 OS and the Canon 18-55 IS are very similar in sharpness. The Sigma may have a very slight edge in contrast and color.My conclusion is that the Sigma makes slightly sharper, better contrasted and better colors than the Canon 18-55 at similar focal lengths. Plus, the Sigma reaches out to 70 mm instead of 55 mm and it has a definite edge in low light. On the other hand, the Sigma is also considerably larger and heavier. I am sure it gives me better pictures than my kit lenses but if I could add another $500 or $600 on top, I could have bought a professional lens. But, I don't have another $500 or $600 so, I'll keep it.After all is said and done, I'm satisfied with my purchase and I'm sure you will be also, so long as you give up hope that you can get L quality for $.
| General | |
| Length | 8.3 cm |
| Diameter | 7.9 cm |
| Weight | 455 g |
| Lens System |
