Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6

A couple of friends went down to NYC and picked up this super-wide angle Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 for me. I think I now have the full set of ranges and types of lenses: a super-telephoto (a Tokina 80-400mm, and a Nikkor 500mm), a walk-around (Tamron 17-50mm, Nikkor 18-200mm), a portrait (Nikkor 50mm), a macro (Nikkor 105mm), and a super-wide (Sigma 10-20mm). Now, I need more time to get out there and shoot cool stuff!

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 MACRO mode, part 3

Well, I have decided that this Sigma is good but it must go. I think my shooting skills need some tweaking. As of now, I still need VR for handheld photography. I will likely put the money towards a good Nikkor f/2.8 VR lens which might give me an equivalent of an f/1, but this is a tricky business. I like the range I get from my 18-200mm and there is f/2.8 equivalent so if I get any f/2.8, it would be a compromise. There is no more candid shots. It would be for a more for indoor shooting and that is that.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 MACRO mode

The Sigma's Macro mode is ok. A real-life ratio of 1:3.8 is not bad, but remember I still have my extension tube? It was used with both the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 and the Vivitar 70-210mm f/3.5 for macro. The results were good. Well, I decided to run a quick test with the Sigma.

I will post the images later but I could easily magnify better than real-life ratio of 1:1. It sounds really good but the lens has to get really close to the subject, and then light becomes a big issue. My hotshoe speedlight alone might not be tall enough to hit the subject, especially when this lens is 82mm on the far end. I will have to use it as a remote or get some reflectors set up.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 -- how sharp?

Well, I took a few minutes today to test this lens against the Nikkor 18-200mm VR II. Here are photos of the Nikon lens box I just took 2.5 meters away, handheld, 100% cropped. I used the built-in flash and a shutter speed of 1/60 secs at 70mm. The f/2.8 photo was taken twice ... same softness.

The focus is on the end of the letter 'r' of Nikkor on the Nikon box.

Sigma @ f/2.8:


Sigma @ f/4:


Sigma @ f/5:


Nikkor @ f/5 (maximum aperture at 70mm):


Sigma @ f/8:

Santa Elena Cloud Forest, part 2

Here is another shot with the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 in the Santa Elena Cloud forest.

Handheld, I propped against the railing of a wooden bridge. John and Andrew were on the bridge but soon, Andrew would get off it. The platform on the bridge became more stable. I took a breath and as I exhaled, depressed the shutter release button. I shot a couple of times. Both pictures turned out really good, even when shot at f/16 for 1.5 seconds.

Santa Elena Cloud Forest

I decided to switch my Nikkor 18-200mm with the Sigma 24-70mm with John on the way to Santa Elena / Monteverde. Most of my shots with the Sigma was sharp even in the Cloud Forests so I am happy with this lens.

They don't call them Cloud Forests for nothing. We were right in the middle of clouds so the air was misty and moist, everywhere. Without a hat, your hair would be totally wet. Without a jacket, your t-shirt would be equally wet. However, I could care less as it became intensely hot after 30 minutes of hiking in relative coolness of the shaded forest. I removed my jacket but kept my hat on, and hiked in shorts and a shirt.

I wonder how the pictures would turn out had I used the Nikkor ... gotta wait for John's pictures.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8

I met up with John who picked up my Sigma lens in Boston, on the way to Costa Rica. I finally saw the lens a couple of weeks after I purchased it. The wait was worth it. I like this lens. It is fast, and on a moving bus, VR does not matter -- speed matters. I shot quite a few photos from a moving bus on rough terrains so the speed was quite welcoming. It was also good in the lower light conditions of the Cloud Forests. However, when handheld in the morning light on stable ground, my Nikkor 18-200mm VR II will beat this Sigma 2.8 lens hands down.

Here is a photo I took of a hummingbird in flight. I think the 18-200mm would have done a better job but this shot with the Sigma is not bad. The settings were 70mm, f5.6, ISO400, flash on.