Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHERICAL HSM - Description:
This ultra wide angle zoom lens offers 122 degree super wide angle of view along the diagonal axis.
Super Multi Coating reduces flare and ghosting that tends to occur when using digital SLR cameras.
Sigma will always be guaranteed a place in the history books as pioneers of the wide-angle zoom lens. Our advanced super wide angle technology was developed far earlier than any of our competitors.
Sigma designed and produced the first wide-angle zoom lens, the «zoom gamma 21-35mm F3.5-4.2», in 1979. The wide-angle zoom category didn’t even exist before this date. The market comprised only standard and telephoto zoom lenses with most people believing that wide angle zooms were impossible to develop.
However Sigma’s advanced design and pioneering technology went on to prove them wrong and strongly influence subsequent product development.
Optimized for Digital SLR Cameras
Four Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements are provided for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses. Two pieces of molded glass and three aspherical lenses, including two molded glass aspherical lens elements, offer excellent correction for linear distortion as well as all types of aberration.
It is an ideal lens for Digital SLR Cameras as well as film SLR cameras.
HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor)
Equipped with Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for Sigma, Nikon and Canon.
It is easy to revert to Manual Focus by simply turning the focusing ring and overriding the AF. An inner focus system provides high performance and convenience. The non-rotating lens barrel perfectly suits the matched petal shaped lens hood.
Minimum focusing distance of 28cm/11in. at all focal lengths.
12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG lens offers a minimum focusing distance of 28cm/11in. at all focal lengths.
The super-wide angle’s useful range of view offers the photographer greater freedom of expression.
Fixed Petal-type hood is incorporated
This lens is equipped with a fixed Petal-type hood to obtain a superior extraneous light-blocking effect.
12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHERICAL HSM LENS RECEIVES EISA EUROPEAN LENS OF THE YEAR 2004-2005 AWARD.
The 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHRICAL HSM ultra-wide zoom lens, with an incredible 122-degree angle of view, wins EISA EUROPEAN LENS OF THE YEAR 2004-2005 award.
EISA is the largest editorial multimedia organisation in Europe, with a membership of fifty Audio, Mobile Electronics, Video and Photo magazines drawn from twenty European countries.
Every year, the EISA Awards celebrate new photographic products such as interchangeable lenses, digital and film compact and SLR cameras. The Awards applaud the products that combine the most advanced technology with the most desirable features.
The lens was awarded this prestigious title because of its incredible 12mm focal length, its suitability for both digital and traditional film SLRs and its excellent correction of distortion and flare and last but not least, its reasonable price.
12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHERICAL HSM won "Camera Grand Prix 2004" award from Camera Press Club (Japan)
12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASPHERICAL HSM awarded Camera Grand Prix 2004 Special Prize by Camera Press Club.
Except fish-eye lenses, this super-wide angle lens is the only lens that has 12mm focal length and can be used with Digital SLR cameras as well as film SLR cameras. Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements are provided for effective compensation of color aberration, which is a common problem with super-wide angle lenses.
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Author
Boddie Commander of the Wild Empire
Registered: September 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster Posts: 4351
Review Date: Sun 8, October, 2006
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: £400.00| Rating: 10
Strengths:
Ultra wide view - (wider than 10-20), well made
Weaknesses:
Petal shape lens hood means no cover is possible and obsures built in flash
I purchased this lens primarily for indoor work, where funnily enough it does not perform at its best. So I resigned myself to using it outdoors. How glad am I? This lens has produced some stunning results for landscapes and allows me to take photos impossible without such an investment. How many times previously was I unable to get back far enough to get that whole scene, or building, in? Now the angle of view allows me to take stunning shots of buildings, trees and other objects that I am almost on top of.
The build quality is excellent and its a heavy old unit. it feels just right on the front of the camera.
One downside is that with the petal shaped lens hood you are unable to fit a filter to protect the lens. It is shaped suchlike to give extra degrees to its width, so I guess its something that is necessary, but it does mean you have to be ultra careful. Also the top of the lens hood obscures the built in flash on both the 350D and 30D from canon, so indoor work would require a dedicated hot shoe mounted flash (results with the Speedlite 580 are excellent).
In summary I love this lens, purely for its versatility. Photos possible with a compact but impossible with a normal lens are suddenly possible again.
