| Author: | | New Member Registered: December, 2020 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: December 31, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $130.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness weight size | | Cons: | No 1:1 ratio | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony alpha 7
New Or Used: Used
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it's a strange lens, because it excels at what it wasn't designed for (or not?). as a medium telephoto it is very sharp and 24 million pixels are not enough to find its limits. also great for macro, but not for 1:1 macro. I found myself needing to reproduce 35mm negatives, to achieve the desired reproduction ratio I used extension tubes...even though I diaphragmed at f8 f11 the edges were slightly blurry. like the tamron it has the oac for close-range corrections, but it was not designed to be used with this device (sigma sold an additional lens separately)
| | | | | | | Junior Member Registered: September, 2019 Posts: 34 | | Review Date: April 21, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice colours, sharpness, pleasant bokeh | | Cons: | Haze (on nikon SLR cameras) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: nikon d700
New Or Used: Used
Autofocus: 9
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I have this lens in a Nikon mount. I love it, it's plenty sharp and produces very nice colours, better than the Nikon glass I own which tends to be a bit clinical. The autofocus works pretty well & the bokeh is clean. It really was a bargain for the 50 euros I paid for it.
Update: I changed from Nikon D700 to Sony A99 camera and got the A mount version of lens. The flare/Haze problem I got with the Nikon is gone. Just tested the lens by pointing it towards the sun, there was very minimal flare & no haze.
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2016 Posts: 2 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2015 Posts: 71 | | Review Date: May 11, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good sharpness, compact, Life Size Attachment can be used with other lenses | | Cons: | Doesn't do 1:1 on its own, focusing could be damped more | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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This is a sharp lens and it compares favorably to my Tamron Adaptall 90mm f/2.5 (52B), but without the sensor reflection/glare problem that I get with the Tamron at closed apertures. It's lighter and more compact at the minimum focusing distance, but there are some plastic parts and the build quality is a half step down, though still very good. The focusing ring on the 52B is much more damped and better for critical focus in my opinion, but the Sigma is still very usable especially with the catch in focus feature on the K-50.
While it would be nice if it went to 1:1 on its own, the Sigma Life Size Attachment is of good quality and would work well on most any lens with the correct step up/down ring (it fits 52mm threads natively). I'm going to try it on the 52B next just for kicks.
Edit: After owning this for a while and comparing to some other macro lenses that I've been able to acquire, I had to knock its rating down a bit. I suppose it's all a matter of perspective. The Lester A. Dine (Kiron) 105mm f/2.8 and Tamron Adaptall 90mm f/2.8 (72B) are both noticeably sharper with better focus damping and build quality. This is by no means a bad lens and still an excellent value for its current going rate, but there is room for improvement.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2012 Posts: 140 | | Review Date: April 14, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, color rendition, macro ability, great build quality and smooth operation | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
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Love this lens. Got mine as a gift, but after using it, I can say it is worth what people seem to have paid. Great lens, build quality is awesome, beautiful color, smooth operation. Haven't compared it side-by-side with my Pentax A 50 2.8 Macro, but certainly holds its own. Also, if anyone has the 1:1 adapter for this lens, i would be very interested in acquiring it. .   .
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2010 Location: MD Posts: 1,030
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 3, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $135.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, macro and portrait capability | | Cons: | n/a | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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I'm guessing there may be better 90mm lenses out there, and that's the only reason I don't give this lens a 10. I'm not sure how old the lens I got is, but it is a compact, solid, well-built lens. Front element does not rotate while focusing, and it is smooth with just the right amount of resistance. Focus throw is about 270 degrees which makes it great for macro work. There may be some sharpening as you stop down, but I'm happy to shoot at wide open. It's not as contrasty as other lens I have in this range (especially Pentax), but it is sharper than anything else I have. By itself, the lens achieves 1:2 macro, and I do have the matched macro adapter that comes with it that makes it a 1:1 macro. I don't notice any degradation in quality with the adapter, and the macro results are excellent. I mainly bought this for macro use, but it also works wonderfully as a portrait lens for head shots. Given its length and speed, I also can use it for theater/concert shots. It's easy to get good shots with this lens, and I am very happy with it.
UPDATE: 2012.10: I've now had the chance to compare this lens with the very highly regarded Tamron 90mm SP AF F2.8 Di Macro. This old Sigma lens is just as sharp viewed at 100%. It's a little less convenient compared to the Tamron since you need to used the adapter to get the 1:1 macro. It doesn't have autofocus, but I don't use that for macros anyways. It feels a bit more solid than the Tamron and quite a bit more compact. A great lens that is much cheaper than the Tamron.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: August, 2011 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 328
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 23, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $108.49
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Solid build. Fast aperture. Sharp images | | Cons: | None I have yet found | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Found this lens on Ebay. I had been searching for a quality macro in the 90-105 range for a while, but didn't want to spend a great deal. I think I found a gem here. The other Sigma macros I have seen reviewed here are all well thought of and this one is no different. Manual focus has never bothered me, being an old manual age photographer. The focus on this lens is smooth and silky. The images I have gotten so far are everything I expected. The all metal construction gives it a very solid feel. It weighs a little bit more than my Pentax DA 16-45. Add my Pentax-A 50 F1.4 and I have a great walk around outfit. The only negative is the silk-screened markings on the lens can wear away in time.
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