So I've heard all the positives of this awesome lens. What are the negatives?
616751
the one i got from amazon warehouse had haunting issues and just can't seem to autofocus. i returned it and never bother ordering another one.
616752
First, it's not a Nikon. There is a chance that it may not fully functional properly on future Nikon models. The new Sigma ART series can have firmware updated after release, this could solve the problem. Secondly, I have had slight out of focus problems. But this might not the problem of the lens: the camera has to detect the focus difference and send a signal to the lens. If the camera fails to detect the difference at a particular point, it will not send any signal to the lens. And you will have a focus problem for that shot. Therefore, the problem might not relate to the lens after all. Overall I have 99% positive experience. As for the rest of 1%, I would argue that's is true for any lens you purchase, even for a $1,500 Nikon lens.
1239594
Is it crisp? Yep, I'd say so. I'm getting so many compliments on my photo's. One thing to note, it's a little heavier than the original lens I had (28-55?) so you'll need a good camera bag (it's about the same size though which is good.) I'm really happy with it.
990936
It hasn't been an issue -- I've cropped pictures -- but I am not a pro. I love the lens. It's great for low light shots.
1696785
This is a great lens for the money. I use mine for all the reasons you stated, and have been pleased with the photos I have gotten. I have used it with an A700, A350, A55, and A77 and it performered great with these cameras. It is plastic housing which many think derides the lens, but I have found nothing to support this complaint. It is a good general lens, and I would buy this again if needed.
1139200
It's a phenomenal lens ... One of my favs ! It does however have a very specific place in my lenses , meaning : it's not for everything . It's an ultra wide lens and in as much there is image distortion around the outer rim (like a bubble /fisheye but not as pronounced) ...when used correctly it's breathtaking though -- I also shoot a lot of weddings and this lens may only come out once or twice at a wedding ...maybe you're looking for something a little more rounded (productivity wise) ? You can see some sample images on my Facebook page Dreamshift Photography ...my cover photo (among others ) are with the 14mm ...if you have any further questions I'll be glad to answer them :) Jeremiah.gribble@gmail.com or dreamshift photography on Facebook :)
19332
Thirding the question. Is there any new element and is the optical quality the same? How would a better lens be cheaper than the previous version?
1609775
PD thank you for the great review. What do you guys think about the new Tamron 70-200mm ?
178912
Mindy, I think it does very well. Pros: it's tack sharp when the AF can detect, and it's quiet. Cons: the AF can be slow or need to hunt a bit. However, I think that's the case with any lens.
633824
I own this lens and have found it to perform beautifully. The quality is quite good. You will love the ability to handhold macro shots, because this lens has vibration stabilization. The focal length allows one to get back from the subject so that lighting is better and you won't scare the bugs as badly. I believe that this lens ranks above all other manufactures version of this same lens. A bonus is that this lens also has full frame capability.
150334
All I can say is that it's one fantastic lens. Might be a tad heavy. Really sharp and I would recommend it.Willard Krieble, Largo Florida
548769
Yes Karl, This lens is amazing. You can see some of my photos that were taken with this lens on my page @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/123197757@N06/Good Luck,Matt K.
1796672
Hi Jorge, it's beautiful. I normally use the 50mm 1:1.2. I'm spoiled and prefer this over any zoom.
339555
It's incredibly compact, incredibly sharp, great in all types of light. It's good for people who want the best quality in the smallest size. It's not for people who need a zoom lens or lightning fast autofocus. I bought it brand new years ago and it's still worth it. You have to account for how wonderful the Zeiss lens is. It would be at least $1000 on its own, and it's attached to the smallest full frame camera in the world. But certainly it isn't for everyone. If you think you'll hate it, you're probably right. But if you want a great travel camera or street camera, it's gorgeous.
134990
Hello. I purchased tis lens and I can not be happier with it. The image quality comapred to the sigma to em is superior. LEss Chromatic Averration and way less distrotions on the edge of the frame on full frame cameras.Build is oustanding and I do used it for my paid jobs. Lokk at this link so you cna see some of the images of this magnificent and very good quality lens:http://fmta.com.mx/index.php/galerias-de-fotos/galeriasolimpiadas2014/64-olimpiadasclasificatorias2
648859
While its completely up to you, I will say that this lens is the best for the price in my personal opinion. I feel its a perfect walk about lens and is great for portraiture. I have used it for video but unless you have an external mic, you will be able to hear the motor. I also agree that the auto focus can be slow so I tend to use this one manually. It's not perfect but for someone who lives on a tight budget, it works great for me :)
2120237
It's a macro lens, so it's really good for taking extreme close-ups of even very small things and parts of things. But it's also an excellent standard lens, provided you like the focal length (it's equivalent of a 120mm lens on a full-frame dslr or 35mm film camera, or a 80mm lens on a crop sensor/dx dslr etc.); and because you can focus very closely, it does a great job of providing blurred backgrounds. It makes a very good head-shot portrait lens, for instance. I use mostly use mine to take photos of flowers or anything else where I like to be able to get up close and with a fair degree of magnification, but it's really very versatile (given the limitations of a fixed focal length lens, of course). It's a macro lens, so it's really good for taking extreme close-ups of even very small things and parts of things. But it's also an excellent standard lens, provided you like the focal length (it's equivalent of a 120mm lens on a full-frame dslr or 35mm film camera, or a 80mm lens on a crop sensor/dx dslr etc.); and because you can focus very closely, it does a great job of providing blurred backgrounds. It makes a very good head-shot portrait lens, for instance. I use mostly use mine to take photos of flowers or anything else where I like to be able to get up close and with a fair degree... » Read More It's a macro lens, so it's really good for taking extreme close-ups of even very small things and parts of things. But it's also an excellent standard lens, provided you like the focal length (it's equivalent of a 120mm lens on a full-frame dslr or 35mm film camera, or a 80mm lens on a crop sensor/dx dslr etc.); and because you can focus very closely, it does a great job of providing blurred backgrounds. It makes a very good head-shot portrait lens, for instance. I use mostly use mine to take photos of flowers or anything else where I like to be able to get up close and with a fair degree of magnification, but it's really very versatile (given the limitations of a fixed focal length lens, of course). « Show Less
2274833
I've used it for a number of video shoots (Documentary, commercial, etc...) and it never fails, every single time I break this out the director/producer always says "Ehh...I don't know about shooting that wide" but without fail this lens always gets a giant grin when looking at the dailies. It's one of my favorite lenses because it's super wide without being overly distorted. That being said, I don't have any first hand experience using it with a steady cam rig but I honestly don't see it being an issue. The only downside of the lens (hasn't really affected me yet but could be an issue for someone) is that because the front element is so large, it's impossible to use screw on filters. This can be alleviated by using a matte box. Hope this helps! -John Melancon