Posts Tagged ‘C Size’
Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3 inch LCD Body Only
Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. The EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation. The EOS 7D’s Intelligent Viewfinder, an entirely newly-designed technology, provides 100% coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines. New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure even in difficult lighting. The EOS 7D also captures Full HD video at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps) and 25p with an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting and ISO speed selection. The EOS 7D features a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles. Compatible with over 60 EF and EF-S lenses as well as with EOS System accessories, the creative opportunities – not just with stills but also with video – are beyond amazement. Intelligent Viewfinder with 100% field of view, wide viewing angle of 29.4 , high magnification of 1.0, intelligent viewfinder with glass pentaprism and an overlaid LCD display in viewfinder supports various shooting styles Image Sensor – CMOS sensor 18.0 megapixels Image Sensor Size – 22.3 x 14.9 mm (APS-C size) Media – CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards, via external media Monitor – 3.0 TFT LCD monitor Viewfinder Type – Eye-level pentaprism Live View Functions – Still photo shooting & video Recording Image Type – Still – JPEG, RAW (14-bit, Canon original), sRAW, mRAW, RAW+JPEG; Video – MOV (Image data –
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Canon’s Newest Crop SLR Packs a Powerful Punch
I’ve had the Canon 7D for about two weeks now and after about a thousand shots:
Introduction. A very impressive high megapixel count for Canon’s new professional/consumer digital SLR, but keep in mind that, as you approach higher resolutions, you need to ensure the lens on the SLR can resolve that much detail. Being that I only purchased the body, I’ll be anxious to see how the lens kit fairs with this new camera. The shots I’ve seen so far across the internet are impressive, however. The lens I’ve used with this camera so far is my Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. A huge jump in ISO performance over my XSi, but that’s to be expected. I’m having troubles with focusing, but I’ll touch on that in a minute.
Image Quality. Outstanding. Perfect Colors in comparison to my Canon G10 and XSi. No color banding, excellent sharpness.
ISO. Canon 7D’s ISO performance is great for the amateur photographer attempting to get great photos (and the semi-pros who know what their doing…I’m the former). As I said previously, I had the opportunity to take photos in a restaurant at about the same time using the same lens with both the XSi and the 7D (different days). The difference in quality and keeper rate was amazing! I am one that will stop shooting at a higher ISO once the grain starts showing more predominantly, but at an ISO3200, I found pretty nice photos in a barely lit restaurant. The LCD screen is the same as the Canon 5D Mark II (3″, 920K Pixels), clear and fully visible even in bright sunlight. In comparison, the Canon XSi SLR also has a 3″ LCD, but with 230,000 pixels.
Size/Build. This build of the camera is substantially well made. It’s supposed to be made of a magnesium body and weather proof. Either way, I have no fears of taking this camera out in the elements. It’s more substantial than the XSi, and after only a few hours of shooting with the 7D, picking up the XSi felt like a children’s toy. I have small hands (ms_ladi hands), but still have no problems carrying the 7D body with the 24-70 lens.
Video. I am not interested whatsoever in the video aspect of SLR cameras and can never understand why this feature is included. Well, yes I can understand. I tried out the video for a few minutes and here are a couple of things I did not like. I also searched a few forums and found a couple of the same opinions. When I start shooting, I have to focus prior to shooting, but if I pan somewhere else, the camera won’t focus again–did I do something wrong???? Also, while I was taking snapshots during shooting, the video paused and the sound of the picture taking was heard. Since I’m not a fan of shooting on cameras, I’m not sure this is normal. The playback, however, is pretty amazing…lifelike, very realistic colors.
Autofocusing. Canon’s new 7D packs 19 AF points. I didn’t include this first because I’m still not sure if this is my lens, or my inability to learn the camera to the best of my ability. Although I’m getting excellent pictures, I fear I’m having problems with autofocusing. I point, shoot and the photo is blurry. The same picture with my Canon G10 comes out fine. After a few more attempts–concentrated, adjust, adjust, focus, focus, manual focus, manual focus, shoot (!!), the photo comes out well. I took a picture of a decorative frame and a photo. The shot came out with the frame in focus and the photo not (!!). Odd. Anyway, again, this is just an initial review as the elements are the user, the camera, and the lens.
Conclusion. For the price, the new Canon 7D is the most excellent camera that Canon has released. For the amateur like myself, by itself or coupled with a Canon G10 for the “low-pro” times, one has a one-two power combination. For the semi-pro, this is the probably the best crop to date. The camera is intuitive enough for those new to photography to pick and learn easily, yet configurable enough for advanced amateurs.
5 Stars Does the 7D beat full frame cameras?
No, but it’s so good that one starts to contemplate this question, which was never the case before the 7D was introduced. Both systems, crop and full frame, have their pros and cons and place in photography. But before I get into that let me say I have not been as excited about a camera since the introduction of the 5D MK I four years ago. That’s because the 7D raises the crop camera bar to the point where crop users will not feel at a disadvantage to full frame camera users, especially if coupled with awesome ef-s lenses such as the 17-55 f2.8.
How so? The 7D sets a new standard in four major ways.
1. It produces whopping 18MP pictures, which are just 3MP shy of the current top of the line full frame Canon cameras. Just few years ago most pros were producing stellar results using the 1Ds MKII 16MP camera. Now you have more MPs in a crop sensor, that’s a major achievement. This achievement translates into bigger prints and, perhaps more importantly, cropping power. Out shooting wildlife with a 300mm instead of 400mm? You can crop the 7D files down to 50% of their original file size and still obtain sharp pictures. It’s just not that easy with the 1D MK III 10MP files.
2. Many worried that extra MPs in small crop sensors would translate into nosier pictures, but the amazing thing is that this camera produces images with what seems to be less noise than the 1Ds MKII. The noise level is very good. At ISO 1600 I still prefer pictures coming from my 5D MKII, but below ISO1600 they are very close. Frankly, I can go with either camera because most of my professionally shot portraits and product pictures are shot at ISO100. At ISO100 both produce very clean files and are practically indistinguishable.
3. Focus is the one area that was lacking on the previous 1.6 crop Canon cameras and this camera changes that. It’s not a 1D in focus speed and accuracy, but it’s the next best thing compared to them. It’s faster than the Canon 5D MKII, which is known to be slightly faster or around the focus performance range of the 50D and 40D.
4. The drive chain is fast, so fast it’s beyond anything I needed in my professional work in portrait, commercial, and product photography. Going through pictures taken at 8fps produces very little difference from frame to frame. One probably has to shoot a very fast moving subject/object to see the advantage of such fast drive system.
There are obviously many other things that I have not covered in this review. But based on the above, all I can say is that this camera has really raised the bar for all cameras and made it much more affordable to obtain a professional level camera for all types of photography. If you were considering buying the 5D MKII as an upgrade give this camera a test because it might be all you need.
As for the advantages of crop cameras I always find it odd that casual users who shoot many things but focus on landscape think they need a full frame to realize their potential. Crop cameras such as the 7D and 50D are fine for most users and offer many advantages including:
1. greater depth of field at lower aperture for landscape photography
2. greater tilt and shift effect because of sensor size relative to effect (8 degrees in shift are greater in effect relative to a 22mm sensor compared to a 35mm sensor)
3. greater magnification with micro lenses and extension tubes because of smaller sensor (1:1 in full frame equals 35mm, 1:1 in crop equals 22mm)
4. smaller lighter lenses with wider aperture that achieve greater reach (such as the 17-55 2.8 vs the 24-70 2.8 similar reach but much lighter and smaller)
Traditionally the three areas full frame cameras outshine crop cameras are a bigger brighter viewfinder, shallower depth of field for portrait photography, and better ISO performance, which on the last point the 7D has proven not be an issue anymore.
And for the second point really, most beautiful low depth of field portraits are done around f2.8-2.0 in full frame (going wider will make depth of field too narrow to place two eyes in focus). Hence, if one is using a wide prime, a crop sensor will produce the same depth of field at 2.0-1.4. Considering an affordable 50mm f1.4 lens on crop has the same field of view as 85mm lens on full frame there is really no reason to discount a crop camera any more as the 7D levels the playing field.
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12 2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF S 18 55mm f 3 5 5 6 IS Lens Black
For stunning photography with point and shoot ease, look no further than Canons EOS Rebel XSi. The EOS Rebel XSi brings staggering technological innovation to the masses. It features Canons EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, plus a new 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and is available in a kit with the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens with Optical Image Stabilizer. The EOS Rebel XSis refined, ergonomic design includes a new 3.0-inch LCD monitor, compatibility with SD and SDHC memory cards and new accessories that enhance every aspect of the photographic experience.New Canon 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC III image processor Canon’s CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. It offers many of the same new technologies to maximize each pixel’s light gathering efficiency that were first seen with the professional EOS-1D Mark III model. It’s an APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm), and there’s an effective 1.6x increase in the lenss marked focal length when attached. Canons DIGIC III Image Processor dramatically enhances image quality and speeds up all camera operations for intuitive operation. It works in concert with the EOS Rebel XSis sensor to achieve unprecedented levels of performance in all lighting situations.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Awesome camera kit, nice job Canon!!
I’m very satisfied with this camera. I’m a fine art painter and digital concept artist so I take tons of reference images. It offers all I need for now, i’ll upgrade to a higher end Canon or Nikon when I get the dough.
PROS
great image quality
accurate color
nice functions
large preview screen
lightweight for a digital SLR
good value EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens, images are clear and crisp
CONS
ISO speed only goes to 1600, not very ideal for night photography
Zoom with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens isn’t that great
5 Stars Great camera for the money
I’ve had the camera for about a month and have taken several hundred photos in different environments (outdoor, indoor and action). It does a great job in all areas and the battery life is super… charged it the day I got it and have yet to have to recharge it. The only issue with the camera is either the memory card that I bought or the camera itself… it seems to get hung up sometimes when reviewing photos and sometimes when taking a picture it gets a glitch so you have to shut the camera off and take the memory card out and put it back in, then everything is fine. Great camera for the money!!! If you buy an extra lens for it spend the $400 for the better Canon lens as the $275 (55-275) telephoto I bought doesn’t give as clear of picture as the lens that came with the camera.
5 Stars Great camera, but never received from Amazon
Well, I originally ordered the camera through Amazon on the 11th of Sept., it was scheduled for delivery on the 22nd. October 2nd comes and still without the unit, carrier (USPS) showed item was in “arrival scan” status at a location the whole time. Contacted Amazon to cancel order and refund, it’s now the 12th of Oct. and still no camera or refund on account. I ended up ordering the camera from n*w*gg for about $50 cheaper, just so happens they had a promo going on, 10% off all DSLR’s.
My rating above is not for the service, but for the camera.
On to the product, I love the camera so far. I am just getting into photos, so my photo skills are not quite up to par. Using this camera makes taking photos a snap and they come out great. Quick response to capture those precious moments of your first child.
5 Stars Canon XSi
This camera is a great camera for DSLR beginners. It is very easy to use and takes very good pictures.
5 Stars Great Buy – Trust Amazon !
Purchase for my 16 yr old – living out of state – needed the camera faster than the expected ship date, I sent the email saying I needed it, it came the next day. The camera is better than I expected. the service great. I paid hundreds more for my D-SLR and it was a lesser version – This is a good buy
Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. The EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation. The EOS 7D’s Intelligent Viewfinder, an entirely newly-designed technology, provides 100% coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines. New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure even in difficult lighting. The EOS 7D also captures Full HD video at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps) and 25p with an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting and ISO speed selection. The EOS 7D features a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles. Compatible with over 60 EF and EF-S lenses as well as with EOS System accessories, the creative opportunities – not just with stills but also with video – are beyond amazement. Intelligent Viewfinder with 100% field of view, wide viewing angle of 29.4 , high magnification of 1.0, intelligent viewfinder with glass pentaprism and an overlaid LCD display in viewfinder supports various shooting styles Image Sensor – CMOS sensor 18.0 megapixels Image Sensor Size – 22.3 x 14.9 mm (APS-C size) Media – CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards, via external media Monitor – 3.0 TFT LCD monitor Viewfinder Type – Eye-level pentaprism Live View Functions – Still photo shooting & video Recording Image Type – Still – JPEG, RAW (14-bit, Canon original), sRAW, mRAW, RAW+JPEG; Video – MOV (Image data – H.264
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Does the 7D beat full frame cameras?
No, but it’s so good that one starts to contemplate this question, which was never the case before the 7D was introduced. Both systems, crop and full frame, have their pros and cons and place in photography. But before I get into that let me say I have not been as excited about a camera since the introduction of the 5D MK I four years ago. That’s because the 7D raises the crop camera bar to the point where crop users will not feel at a disadvantage to full frame camera users, especially if coupled with awesome ef-s lenses such as the 17-55 f2.8.
How so? The 7D sets a new standard in four major ways.
1. It produces whopping 18MP pictures, which are just 3MP shy of the current top of the line full frame Canon cameras. Just few years ago most pros were producing stellar results using the 1Ds MKII 16MP camera. Now you have more MPs in a crop sensor, that’s a major achievement. This achievement translates into bigger prints and, perhaps more importantly, cropping power. Out shooting wildlife with a 300mm instead of 400mm? You can crop the 7D files down to 50% of their original file size and still obtain sharp pictures. It’s just not that easy with the 1D MK III 10MP files.
2. Many worried that extra MPs in small crop sensors would translate into nosier pictures, but the amazing thing is that this camera produces images with what seems to be less noise than the 1Ds MKII. The noise level is very good. At ISO 1600 I still prefer pictures coming from my 5D MKII, but below ISO1600 they are very close. Frankly, I can go with either camera because most of my professionally shot portraits and product pictures are shot at ISO100. At ISO100 both produce very clean files and are practically indistinguishable.
3. Focus is the one area that was lacking on the previous 1.6 crop Canon cameras and this camera changes that. It’s not a 1D in focus speed and accuracy, but it’s the next best thing compared to them. It’s faster than the Canon 5D MKII, which is known to be slightly faster or around the focus performance range of the 50D and 40D.
4. The drive chain is fast, so fast it’s beyond anything I needed in my professional work in portrait, commercial, and product photography. Going through pictures taken at 8fps produces very little difference from frame to frame. One probably has to shoot a very fast moving subject/object to see the advantage of such fast drive system.
There are obviously many other things that I have not covered in this review. But based on the above, all I can say is that this camera has really raised the bar for all cameras and made it much more affordable to obtain a professional level camera for all types of photography. If you were considering buying the 5D MKII as an upgrade give this camera a test because it might be all you need.
As for the advantages of crop cameras I always find it odd that casual users who shoot many things but focus on landscape think they need a full frame to realize their potential. Crop cameras such as the 7D and 50D are fine for most users and offer many advantages including:
1. greater depth of field at lower aperture for landscape photography
2. greater tilt and shift effect because of sensor size relative to effect (8 degrees in shift are greater in effect relative to a 22mm sensor compared to a 35mm sensor)
3. greater magnification with micro lenses and extension tubes because of smaller sensor (1:1 in full frame equals 35mm, 1:1 in crop equals 22mm)
4. smaller lighter lenses with wider aperture that achieve greater reach (such as the 17-55 2.8 vs the 24-70 2.8 similar reach but much lighter and smaller)
Traditionally the three areas full frame cameras outshine crop cameras are a bigger brighter viewfinder, shallower depth of field for portrait photography, and better ISO performance, which on the last point the 7D has proven not be an issue anymore.
And for the second point really, most beautiful low depth of field portraits are done around f2.8-2.0 in full frame (going wider will make depth of field too narrow to place two eyes in focus). Hence, if one is using a wide prime, a crop sensor will produce the same depth of field at 2.0-1.4. Considering an affordable 50mm f1.4 lens on crop has the same field of view as 85mm lens on full frame there is really no reason to discount a crop camera any more as the 7D levels the playing field.
5 Stars Canon’s Newest Crop SLR Packs a Powerful Punch
I’ve had the Canon 7D for about two weeks now and after about a thousand shots:
Introduction. A very impressive high megapixel count for Canon’s new professional/consumer digital SLR, but keep in mind that, as you approach higher resolutions, you need to ensure the lens on the SLR can resolve that much detail. Being that I only purchased the body, I’ll be anxious to see how the lens kit fairs with this new camera. The shots I’ve seen so far across the internet are impressive, however. The lens I’ve used with this camera so far is my Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. A huge jump in ISO performance over my XSi, but that’s to be expected. I’m having troubles with focusing, but I’ll touch on that in a minute.
Image Quality. Outstanding. Perfect Colors in comparison to my Canon G10 and XSi. No color banding, excellent sharpness.
ISO. Canon 7D’s ISO performance is great for the amateur photographer attempting to get great photos (and the semi-pros who know what their doing…I’m the former). As I said previously, I had the opportunity to take photos in a restaurant at about the same time using the same lens with both the XSi and the 7D (different days). The difference in quality and keeper rate was amazing! I am one that will stop shooting at a higher ISO once the grain starts showing more predominantly, but at an ISO3200, I found pretty nice photos in a barely lit restaurant. The LCD screen is the same as the Canon 5D Mark II (3″, 920K Pixels), clear and fully visible even in bright sunlight. In comparison, the Canon XSi SLR also has a 3″ LCD, but with 230,000 pixels.
Size/Build. This build of the camera is substantially well made. It’s supposed to be made of a magnesium body and weather proof. Either way, I have no fears of taking this camera out in the elements. It’s more substantial than the XSi, and after only a few hours of shooting with the 7D, picking up the XSi felt like a children’s toy. I have small hands (ms_ladi hands), but still have no problems carrying the 7D body with the 24-70 lens.
Video. I am not interested whatsoever in the video aspect of SLR cameras and can never understand why this feature is included. Well, yes I can understand. I tried out the video for a few minutes and here are a couple of things I did not like. I also searched a few forums and found a couple of the same opinions. When I start shooting, I have to focus prior to shooting, but if I pan somewhere else, the camera won’t focus again–did I do something wrong???? Also, while I was taking snapshots during shooting, the video paused and the sound of the picture taking was heard. Since I’m not a fan of shooting on cameras, I’m not sure this is normal. The playback, however, is pretty amazing…lifelike, very realistic colors.
Autofocusing. Canon’s new 7D packs 19 AF points. I didn’t include this first because I’m still not sure if this is my lens, or my inability to learn the camera to the best of my ability. Although I’m getting excellent pictures, I fear I’m having problems with autofocusing. I point, shoot and the photo is blurry. The same picture with my Canon G10 comes out fine. After a few more attempts–concentrated, adjust, adjust, focus, focus, manual focus, manual focus, shoot (!!), the photo comes out well. I took a picture of a decorative frame and a photo. The shot came out with the frame in focus and the photo not (!!). Odd. Anyway, again, this is just an initial review as the elements are the user, the camera, and the lens.
Conclusion. For the price, the new Canon 7D is the most excellent camera that Canon has released. For the amateur like myself, by itself or coupled with a Canon G10 for the “low-pro” times, one has a one-two power combination. For the semi-pro, this is the probably the best crop to date. The camera is intuitive enough for those new to photography to pick and learn easily, yet configurable enough for advanced amateurs.
Sigma 50mm f 1 4 EX DG HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new large aperture 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM standard lens. This is a large aperture prime lens with a standard focal length of 50mm, ideal for all digital SLR cameras. This lens has superior peripheral brightness even at the maximum aperture and corrects a possible sagittal coma flare. This lens is perfectly suited for a wide range of subjects enabling outstanding, sharply defined images against a nicely blurred background. The fast, F1.4 aperture makes this lens desirable for use with Digital SLR cameras. This lens effectively becomes a 80mm medium telephoto lens on digital cameras with APS-C size image sensors. The optimum optical design and molded glass aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations. The super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting. Superior optical performance is also ensured throughout the focusing range. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 17.7″ (45cm) and has maximum magnification of 1:7.4. It creates a very attractive blur, even when a small aperture is used. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focus override. Minimum Aperture – F16 Filter Size – Diameter 77mm / 3 in. Dimensions – Diameter 84.5mm X Length 68.2mm / 3.3 in. X 2.7 in. Weight – 505g / 17.8 oz
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Beats Nikon’s 50mm f/1.4 AF-S
If you’re considering a 50mm f/1.4 prime, you’re probably planning on a lot of low-light people-shooting or structured portraits. I shoot mostly weddings and other events where light is highly variable and flash is sometimes prohibited or inappropriate.
The lens I use most on my Nikon D300 is the fabled Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Zoom, a fantastic general-purpose lens that works well in most situations including low-light environments. But when I shoot portraits or when I can move without restriction (”sneaker-zoom”), I switch to this Sigma 50mm f/1.4, mainly for the unmatched bokeh (i.e., the quality of the appearance of objects in the out-of-focus background).
I compared this Sigma to the new Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S (released soon after the Sigma) before buying. The Nikon is about forty bucks cheaper in most shops. It is unusual for a third-party lens to sell for more than it’s on-brand direct rival, but the higher price of this Sigma is justified.
I can confirm the remarks of other users: the Sigma is slightly softer wide open, but the Sigma and Nikon are tied for sharpness after 1.8. It’s the Sigma’s bokeh that justifies its slightly higher price.
When you shoot portraits, you usually want all the attention on the subject’s eyes. Pinpoint-lights in the bokeh draw attention away from the focal point. The Nikon tends to produce distracting background elements when small, bright lights are present. These can be Christmas lights, distant lights including car headlamps, or small reflections from bright metallic surfaces.
The Sigma smooths out the background, including bright lights, and produces a pleasing blur that does not draw attention (except if you’re a photography nerd who pays as much attention to bokeh as to the subject, in which case the problem is of course yours, not the lens’s).
I noticed at least one other reviewer list the 77mm filter size as a “con.” I respectfully disagree. Yes, 77mm filters are more expensive than smaller ones, but if you’re using other high-quality lenses (such as the pro zooms and many of the best primes), the 77mm filter size means you don’t have to buy new filters. It’s puzzling to me why Nikon chose to make their 50mm f/1.4 with a 52mm filter size — a size most pros and semi-pros don’t much use.
The Sigma is much larger and heavier than the Nikon — large enough to make a difference if you’re carrying it on a walking trip. But its build quality seems higher, as well, and the results speak for themselves.
In short:
Simply outstanding for portraits and low-light indoor people shots;
Bokeh is superior to that of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-S;
Slightly softer than the Nikon wide open, but equal or better after f/1.8;
Larger and heavier than the Nikon, with arguably better construction;
77mm filter size means more expensive filters, but compatibility with other pro lenses.
This lens represents a huge leap forward for Sigma — so great a leap that I’m sure they’ve shocked themselves. They’ve certainly shocked everyone else.
5 Stars Blows the canon 50mm 1.8 out of the water
I have spent the last year shooting with the Canon 50mm 1.8 Mk II, and for the price, its a great… in fact I’d call it a “gateway” lens- you’ll start wanting more and more lenses after you try it. It made me want a better 50mm in this case. Indeed, I’d recommend the Canon 1.8 to anyone who just bought a new Rebel and wondering what all the fuss is about with DSLR’s. But to the point- this Sigma blows it out of the water in terms of sharpness. No comparison. The 1.8 did fine for what it was, but with the SIgma set at 2.2, the subject in focus is so unbelievably sharp that it can take your breath away. I have never used the Canon 1.4 so I can’t compare the two, but man oh man, this Sigma lens is the business. I have it mounted on an XSI, btw.
I know there are some reviews below that mention issues with focus, but you can chalk one vote here in the “worth every penny” group.
2 Stars Not much better than a canon 50mm 1.8
I bought this lens to upgrade my 50mm 1.8 mkII, unfortunately, this lens isn’t considerably sharper, nor does it produce a strikingly different bokeh as advertised. Yes, highlights will be circular instead of having a pentagon shape, but it pretty much end there to my eye. The build quality is excellent, but it is heavy and bulky. Also, and more importantly, the focus ring offers a lot of resistance while turning, something to consider if you are planning to use this lens for video on a 5d mkii. Finally, the lens front-focuses a bit, but not much.
For the price difference and all the extra weight, I was hoping for better performance.
5 Stars Simply marvelous!
No complaints at all. It’s not even as big as I was led to believe by other reviews despite the 77mm thread. Only downside from the 77mm is that it doesn’t share the same 72mm polarizer I own for other lenses. That’s no big deal though since I primarily use this lens as a portrait lens. On my DX camera (Nikon D90), it’s ~75 mm-equivalent which is just how you want a portrait lens to be. Sharp focus, rich colors, and very nice bokeh. Being able to use this same lens on a full-format camera is just a bonus.
5 Stars Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM lens
Yes it’s big, yes it’s heavy, yes it’s expensive, and YES it is better than any other 50mm f1.4 auto focus lenses currently on sale in the market place.
If you can’t take a half decent photo with this lens then blame yourself, don’t blame this lens.
By the way, I used this on my Sigma SD14 and it focuses fast, accurate, and silent.
Sigma 55 200mm f 4 5 6 DC Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Sigma 55 – 200MM Lens for Canon SLR Camera 684-101 – This compact telephoto zoom lens was exclusively designed for use with digital SLR cameras. The image circle was designed to match the size of the image sensors of digital SLR cameras that also allows compact body and lightweight with overall length of 84.6mm (3.3in.), and weight of only 310g/10.9 ounces. It has a filter size of 55mm, maximum diameter of 70mm (2.7in.). This remarkably compact high performance zoom lens is ideally suited to a wide range of subjects. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 110cm (43.3in.) and maximum magnification of 1:4. Digital cameras having image sensors larger than APS-C size, and 35mm cameras, should not be used with these lenses. If such cameras are used, severe vignetting in the images may result. The angle of view varies depending on the camera the lens is mounted on Minimum Aperture – F16 Filter Size – Diameter 77mm / 3 in. Dimensions – Diameter 84.5mm X Length 68.2mm / 3.3 in. X 2.7 in. Weight – 505g / 17.8 oz
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Good build, adequte focus, sharp enough pics
This lens has a nice quality feel to it. Real focus ring. Metal mount. Designed and focused for newer digital cameras. I got it for what I consider to be a great price. I have a used 20d and it compliments the camera nicely and takes very good pictures. I post process a bit to give them more punch in certain circumstances but all in all a very nice lens that focuses fast enough for most amateurs. It’s not whisper quiet but I’m not sure I want to spend more money for a “quieter lens.” The four stars are about value for the money. This lens has a quality feel and takes great pictures. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, especially in this price class. I found another one at a good price for a Pentax (K100D) I have and jumped on it. Recommended.
5 Stars Spectacular
This is my first time purchasing a lens for my camera. The pictures I have captured are truly spectacular. The details of the subject matter are fantastic. I recommend this lens highly.
4 Stars Excellent quality, solid lens on a budget, Recommended!
Update: August 20 2009, lens has major problems shooting at 200mm range, very bad blurry images, got to send it back for warranty.
I read somewhere the lens is plastic like feel, that is not true. In the contrary, to me the construction and mate finish texture what I liked the most. Have taken it to a few outdoor events and at least people who do not know about lenses ask how much I paid for it and are impressed with the price tag and over-all quality.
The reason I bought this lens is mainly for the brand, SIGMA, I got also a 30mm 1.4 Sigma that is amazing, construction quality, craftsmanship, materials, color, fonts, are all identical. To me the lens feels solid, very well made. Pictures taken with flash look realistic, no washed out colors or strange exposures.
I got the Cosina 70-210 and I think the Sigma is much better over-all with less distortion, more controlled exposures and better color quality. Mine was bought when it was for fifty something dollars.
Final verdict: I do recommend this lens to anyone looking for a lens on a budget, if you like taking a lot of low light images then get yourself a VR Nikon telephoto lens. If you have the D40, D60 expect manual focus as it has no built in lens motor drive, in a way is a good thing, less stuff the lighter it is. I use it mostly for sports so the AF is not an issue for me. Four stars for such an unbeatable price! Sigma did it again!
Update: I purchased a used D70, autofocus is very quiet, fast and smooth. No problem AF in low light as the D70 and all new DSLR have the assistant focus light.
3 Stars Good budget lens but not perfect
I bought this to save some money on a zoom lens but found that the sharpness just wasn’t there. I did all sorts of test shots using both the AF and the MF but both really didn’t wow me. There is also no image stabilization and I had lots of camera movement in my photos. I went with the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras instead and returned this. The Canon lens is worth the extra money because the photos are super sharp. The Canon was also faster with the AF and much quieter and also has the image stabilization that really makes a difference. I took some up close photos as well as far away and both were very very sharp so this lens is a perfect all around lens. While its no macro lens, you still can get great up close shots with a little patience.
Pros:
Budget price
Ok photos
Good zoom length
Cons:
Photos not very sharp compared to the Canon
Noisy AF
Slow AF
No Image Stabilizer
3 Stars Not as sharp as I’d hoped for.
The lens is nice and light weight but kind of slow to focus and the focus isn’t as sharp as I would’ve thought. I have trouble with my eyesight so I really rely on on my autofocus. What looks great through the lens doesn’t always look so hot in production on my computer. I’m sure there’s a bit of a leaning curve and I’ll probably get used to it and compensate for it. Can’t beat the price.
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