Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Review, more wide-angle lenses available!
Wednesday, July 06, 2011 Lens Review
While we wait for the full analysis of the new wide angle by Sigma (Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Canon and Nikon mounts), here are the results for its previous version, mounted on Canon and Nikon cameras.
Of all the lenses tested so far (43) on a Canon EOS 5D Mk II this lens ranks as the lowest ever.
Let’s take a look at the measurements.
Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG mounted on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II (for Canon)
Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG mounted on a Nikon D3x (for Nikon)
The built is quite consistent in both offerings as they’ve obtained the same results on the DxOMark Score:
- 10 at 12mm f/4.5 mounted on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- 11 at 17mm f/5 mounted on a Nikon D3x
As mentioned earlier, in spite of the quality of the cameras used for testing the score is pretty low for this lens and this could be explained by the following reasons:
- Due to its range of aperture this lens is not a fast one. In lowlight condition, it’s pretty difficult to obtain an acceptable large print.
- The low resolution obtained (especially in the field).
What we like:
- Distortion remains well controlled, this is indeed a good feat for such lenses.
What could be better:
- The resolution: while acceptable at the center it decreases quite rapidly.
- The vignetting : it is really noticeable
- The transmission : the lens is much slower than what was announced, from 4.5 at 12mm to 5.6 at 24mm, the measurements tell us though that it is 5.3 at 12mm to 6.9 at 24mm.
This lens was long due for a fresh replacement which is what we get with the new Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Canon and Nikon mounts. Stay tuned for an upcoming review of this newer version at DxOMark.
Some interesting wide angle comparison:
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Aspherical Canon vs Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Canon on the 5D Mark II
Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC Aspherical Canon vs Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Canon on the Canon EOS 350D
Carl Zeiss Distagon T 21mm f/2.8 ZE Canon vs Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Canon on the Canon EOS 7D
Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Nikon vs Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED on the Nikon D300s
Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Nikon vs Carl Zeiss Distagon T 18mm f/3.5 ZF2 Nikon on the Nikon D3s
Further readings for the Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Review, more wide-angle lenses available!
To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.
|
Sigma’s new 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Nikon made some gains over its predecessor, including a dramatic improvement with tapping down chromatic aberration. But the lens also stumbled, regressing in our lens distortion category. |
|
Our camera lens database keeps growing and this time we are adding the Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 HSM. This wide-angle lens is available for Nikon and Canon cameras fitted with an APS-C sensor. This lens offers an equivalent 12*24mm for 24*36 sensors. In addition to the previously reviewed Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Canon mount and Nikon mount, these new results will give us a clear overview on how Sigma scores on entry-level wide-angle lenses. |