Review-Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM zoom

[uvsub]

not available

[Saralonde]

Thanks for the great lens review, Uvsub. It always helpful to get a review from someone that uses the lens.

[ELAY]

I was looking at this lens, and stumbled on a review by -- hold your breath -- Ken Rockwell, who more or less panned it:

Unfortunately it feels cheap, even though it's reasonably heavy. It makes funny noises when focusing, has crummy lens caps, a weird, ugly painted finish and doesn't inspire my confidence. It's warranty is only one-third as long as the next shortest warranty. If Sigma isn't confident that it will last more than a year, I'm not either.

The Sigma is also the least sharp. You won't see this unless you look hard.

He did like the fact that you could zoom out to 10mm, though. I take it your experience has been quite different...

EL

[uvsub]

Hi Elay, I like Ken Rockwell and visit his site often. He is nothing if not bombastic. His review flies in the face of many professional reviews appearing first in British photography magazines. This is the only lens I use for all my wide angle photography.

This lens is built extremely well. I would even say it puts all my nikon lens to shame for build quality. My experience has been extremely positive.

I'll post review sources here when I have a chance to dig them up.

I take Ken Rockwell with a grain of salt. He also suggests the D80 is dead in the water now...

[ELAY]

A big grain of salt. But I like reading people with strong views, even if I don't always agree with them.

Having come across his review, I was just curious about how your experience compared to his -- I wasn't suggesting that you had it wrong or anything.

And yeah, I've seen him diss the D80. He takes his D40 or D200 with him now.

I suppose if I had a D200 available, I would have the same view as Rockwell does -- take the D200 along when I need the power/functionality/megapixels, take the D40 otherwise. But if I were stuck with one camera (and I am), the D80's features would be pretty attractive if my pricepoint were somewhere between D200 and D40.

Cheers,

EL

[NaturesPixel]

also ken rockwell hates anything but nikon/canon (name brand lenses)

[jdepould]

I really like the Tokina 12-24 f/4, which is apparently a joint venture with Pentax. I really like the fixed aperture throughout the zoom range and the thing is a tank.

As far as Rockwell . . . I like reading his stuff if only for entertainment value. There are also some good kernels in some of his stuff, once you wade through the BS.

[ELAY]

He liked your Tokina, by the way, in that same review.

EL

[jdepould]

He liked your Tokina, by the way, in that same review.

EL

I've been geeking out over that lens for months.