rockingCD
This lens was recommended to me by more than one review and person so Ive always wondered about it. Ive tried most of the various Nikon kit lenses to death and I figured it was time for a fast zoom, and the Sigma does not disappoint. First and foremost the lens is very sharp. It needs -6 adjustment on my D7000, dont know who to blame the camera or the lens. Anyway once adjusted I try to shoot at f/4, which is noticeably sharper than 2.8. Most tests tell you 2.8 is not that sharp but actually it is not disappointing at all. At equal f-stops it compares well to the Nikon 35mm 1.8G DX lens, my 50mm 1.4G beats it handily but that is to be expected. Up to around 24mm seems to be its strong point, 35mm there is some sharpness falloff and then back at 50mm the lens is super sharp. I shoot it mostly around 50mm so this works for me. I have used it for landscape shots, family photos and kids running amok. There is some evident CA which goes away in a button press so I dont know why this is a big deal at this price point. The Sigma has above average build quality, it feels a bit heavy which is expected. I would compare to the Nikon 18-200mm which is nicely built. The Nikon 16-85 has a bit nicer quality feel but not by a whole lot. Here is the one fault Ive found with the Sigma - focus acquisition is on the poor side. It does not snap into focus well in AF-C mode and in AF-S its still slower than I would like. I have caught it hunting around for focus with fast-moving subjects in less than ideal light. In good light it doesnt have this problem. I am not blaming the camera on this one because I shot it side-by-side with my 80-200 2.8 AF-D and the Nikon never missed a shot. The Sigma really struggles in tough light. Yes the zoom direction is backwards. If you shoot Nikon your muscle memory may cause you to twist the zoom the wrong way but, this isnt too tough to overcome with time. Stabilization seems to work as advertised. You can really hear it chirp when it activates, its quite a bit more audible than Nikon VR but at least you know its working. Its pretty well known you can buy this lens at a steep discount directly from Japan, which is where I got it from a certain auction site. Im glad I didnt pay US retail for it, but at the eBay price this lens is a steal. I cannot give it 5 stars due to the slow AF. But at the import price point this lens is a no-brainer if you shoot a crop camera and need a 2.8 zoom. Stellar sharpness from this lens - Sigma has really done a nice job with it.