Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD Large Aperture Standard Zoom Lens for Canon Digital DSLR Camera

I bought this lens to use with a new Nikon D7200. As with all third-party lenses, you take the risk of compatibility issues and I seem to have run into a small one here. However, it is not really a deal breaker. The lens itself is nice and sharp. The AF is decently fast and the fast f2.8 aperture is welcome when shooting indoors. Optically, I am very happy with this lens. The OS (optical stabilizer) seems to be working fine. When using the lens, you have to be aware that this is a slightly older model, and the focus ring rotates during autofocus. In addition, you have to move the switch to manual focus if you want to manual focus. You cannot override the AF by just turning the focus ring. This also results in a somewhat irritating situation if you happen to have your fingers on the focus ring during autofocus. Since the ring turns, youll hear a whine when it fights your fingers. So, try to keep your fingers off the focus ring when using AF. Next, the image metadata from my Nikon D7200 does not correctly note if the image stabilization is on or off. This is a minor thing, but is one of those compatibility things you should be aware of. Ive saved the biggest compatibility issue for last. The OS system of the lens stays awake for a full minute, keeping the camera from going into standby for a whole minute (I have mine set for 6 seconds). I have yet to shoot through a whole day using the lens so I cannot provide an accurate number regarding how much this affects battery life. However, from other sources I have read, this can reduce effective battery life by 10-20%. My workaround is to turn off the camera when I have completed a sequence of shots. I have read that a Sigma service center can update the firmware on the lens to deal with this issue. I have not tried that yet. My overall thoughts? This lens is great optically. It is also much more affordable than the comparable Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras , which costs over twice as much. The compatibility issues are relatively minor, and if you carry a spare battery or two with you on long shoots, will not result in major issues. I am happy with the lens because it gives me good optical quality at an affordable price. Im removing a star because of the compatibility issues, but that is not going to stop me from using the lens.

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Id give this 4.5 starts if I could. This is a really nice lens. I use it with a Nikon d5600 as a "walking around" lens to supplement a 35mm f/1.8 prime, 50mm f/1.8 prime, and an 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 telephoto kit lens. I got it to photograph indoor events, including dress rehearsals for theater performances, parties, receptions, student events, etc. The color and image are both really sharp. Its also relatively quiet and focuses quickly. It performs well in low light, though you need to check your focus periodically if youre in very dark conditions. I havent tried it yet with indoor action (kids, dogs, sports, etc.), but I imagine it would perform reasonably well. There are a few quirks. The build seems solid, but the focus ring actually moves when in autofocus, which makes it a little awkward to grip. If you hold the lens near the ring, it will move under your hand. Also, in manual focus, the ring only moves about 45 degrees, so it doesnt seem well suited to fine focusing. Overall, Im satisfied with it. I dont think itll revolutionize my photography, but itll be good for low light or indoor events for which I purchased it. And if youre thinking of updating from a kit lens, or if your kit lens was the excellent 18-140 f/3.5-5.6 and you want a shorter, low light zoom to bring on vacation, this is a good second lens, especially at the price.

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This lens didnt impress me as much as I had hoped. Its basically the image quality of an upgraded kit lens but with a shorter zoom range and a constant f/2.8 aperture, which is, to be sure, awesome. The sharpness is pretty good throughout. It seemed to be a little soft in the usual spots (wide open at either end of the zoom range), but overall its sharp enough for most peoples uses. What Im taking off a star for though is the overall build quality seemed slightly worse than Nikons midrange, plastic and metal lenses, and I found that some shots had some awkward contrast to them. Im sure this lens would serve somebody well, but Id recommend to somebody looking to upgrade their kit lens to try a prime lens instead. Then youll really get an appreciation for improved image quality and wide aperture. For Nikon owners the 35mm 1.8 dx lens would be a great option here. And if you want an upgraded zoom, the Nikon 16-85 and the 18-140 will both give up the aperture of this lens but offer similar image quality and a really convenient zoom range. Im sure there are similar combos for Canon users. Its a little unfortunate this lens doesnt quite live up to expectations. Nikons 17-55 f/2.8 is pretty outdated and overpriced at this point. Theres a rumor theyre going to make a faster 16-80mm dx lens, but until that comes out it feels to me like the dx system is being overlooked in this pretty crucial upgraded standard zoom lens category. My understanding is Canon is doing a little better with theirs but only to the extent that their 17-55 f/2.8 is a little less overpriced. So that all said, if youre really committed to this zoom range in a faster lens, then for Nikon users this is likely the lens for you, unless youre really willing to pay for the tank-level build quality of Nikons alternative. Id buy it used though to save some funds for something else. For Canon users it may be more of a tossup. I used my friends Canon 17-55 f/2.8 a few times and I did like it better than this. The build is a little better and the focus accuracy seemed a little better (I know Im comparing across different bodies, but I like to think Ive used enough lenses and bodies to comment). The image quality is about the same. The Sigma might be a little sharper but I liked the contrast and colors of the Canon better (and yes, I shot raw on both).

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I purchased it lightly used with all the original accessories. I use it on a Canon 80D and the photos are, for the most part, accurate & beautiful. It living up to its review(s). However one very important point: It DOES NOT HAVE FULL TIME MANUAL FOCUS.. This has pose a problem on some occasion when I wanted to perform final focus adjustments. There are many reviews written about this lens. You should read them before you purchase. Im happy with the lens and will probably live a happy life on my Canon 80D. Its a Keeper and I can live with the issue I mentioned

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If you own any version of the Canon 18-55mm IS kit lens, then this is the best upgrade option for you. The aperture of f/2.8 will immediately expand your photo composition options. Throughout the entire focal range (17-50 mm), the lens provides image sharpness comparable to Canon "L" series lenses (not equal to, but close enough). This makes it easily the best "value for money" lens for your APS-C mount camera. A constant aperture f/2.8 standard zoom lens is a necessity for any photographer who is genuinely interested in expanding his/her photography skills. 7/21/15 UPDATE Having used the lens consistently for a year now, I would like to state a view other observations. I downgraded the rating from 5 stars to 4 stars. Everything I said originally still stands. However there are flaws. The biggest issue with this lens is the manual focus ring. The travel of the ring is so short, I am unable to accurately manually focus. This causes a limitation in landscape photography, when you have your camera mounted on a tripod and go into live view to attempt to tweak the focus. This action is not practical with this lens. The second issue is also in regards to the focus ring. When autofocus is enabled, the focus ring is mechanically engaged to the autofocus motor. The focus ring physically moves when the autofocus is engaged. If something creates resistance on the focus ring (like an errantly placed finger on the barrel), you can hear the focus motor squeal and strain to move the ring. I imagine this has the potential of damaging the focus motor. The real risk though is when someone else gets ahold of your camera and tries to manually move the focus ring while autofocus is engaged (either the person mistaking it for the zoom ring, or thinking the need to adjust focus manually). This action will force the autofocus motor to move potentially damaging the gears connecting it to the focus ring. Finally, I have found 50mm on the long end to be a bit short for my purpose. Even on a Canon crop sensor which makes this effectively 80mm, I find more times than not wanting a bit more reach (closer to 105mm). But this is a personal preference. So you need to be mindful of these issues if you want to use this lens in the long term. They are not deal breakers for me, but they are flaws that render this lens less-than-perfect.

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