Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
10-24-2009, 08:48 PM   #1
Forum Member
chinotenshi's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hiroshima
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 74
Sigma macro vs Tamron macro

My husband is looking to pick me up a good macro lens for Christmas this year, and we're stuck between a Sigma MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG and a Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro. Any opinions on which would be the better buy? I'd be using it mainly for floral macro and possibly portraits.

10-24-2009, 09:22 PM   #2
Forum Member




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: OH, USA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 77
I had the sigma 70 macro which I recently sold to switch to 105. I have yet to do that but can tell you the 70mm macro is a superb lens. It is sharp, contrasty, and the build quality is excellent. The 105, from what I have read has similar characteristics. The sigma 105 is my choice.
10-24-2009, 09:29 PM   #3
Veteran Member
yeatzee's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Temecula
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,675
If I could only have one lens, I'd keep my sigma (and the pentax M 50mm F/1.7.... its small, so I could hide it :P ) .... its taken 98% of all my photographs. Im shocked by what it produces on a daily basis.

My friend just bought the tamron so I'm planning on doing a comparison. Stay tuned and I'll give you a rundown tuesday-ish.
10-24-2009, 09:32 PM   #4
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: La Crescenta, CA
Posts: 7,450
From what I can tell, all of the longer Sigma and Tamron macros are awesome. I own the Tammy 90mm and can attest that it's bleeding edge razor sharp from wide open. It's good enough that I hardly ever pull out the "Bokina" Tokina AT-X 90/2.5.

10-24-2009, 09:36 PM   #5
Ash
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Ash's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toowoomba, Queensland
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 23,920
The Tamron has been famed to be the best value macro, and its picture quality is excellent. Few people dislike the Tamron but the Sigma 105 is no slouch either. Slightly longer and just as fast, it won't disappoint, but then again the Sigma 70 is acclaimed by many as the sharpest of the lot.

It's more the focal length that you have to decide on more than the quality of the lenses, as each have the ability to capture very fine images.
10-24-2009, 09:38 PM   #6
Forum Member
chinotenshi's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hiroshima
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 74
Original Poster
Thanks guys. Both are going for about the same price (maybe only 10,000yen difference) at the local camera shop, so we've been reading reviews of both. They both seem to take some superbly sharp shots, but it's nice to hear opinions of people who actually use the lenses regularly.

We are kind of leaning towards the Sigma, but due to a few reviews my husband found that said the craftmanship isn't all it should be, I've been becoming more and more interested in the Tamron.

Any opinions on how sturdy they are built?
10-24-2009, 09:45 PM   #7
Forum Member
chinotenshi's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hiroshima
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 74
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Ash Quote
It's more the focal length that you have to decide on more than the quality of the lenses, as each have the ability to capture very fine images.
This will be my first dedicated macro lens, and from what I've seen around these forums and other reviews, macro lenses around the 100mm range are good starting macro lenses. The Sigma 70mm does intrigue me, but I think I'll stick with a lens around 100mm for now.

10-24-2009, 09:58 PM   #8
Veteran Member
yeatzee's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Temecula
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,675
the sigma is like a tank, just lighter . Its full metal (unlike the tammy), and I actually like the finish a lot. Its definitely not a fragile lens.

Just as an FYI, both are so sharp at F/2.8 its not even funny. Any sharper and you would have to slightly blur the pictures for the viewers saftey
10-24-2009, 10:05 PM   #9
Forum Member
chinotenshi's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hiroshima
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 74
Original Poster
I like the idea of a lens that's a tank. I haven't dropped a lens yet, but I am pretty clumsy and it's only a matter of time

Sounds like I could cut through diamonds at F/2.8
10-24-2009, 10:06 PM   #10
Veteran Member
yeatzee's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Temecula
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,675
pretty much

Other than the longer focal length, the build was the main reason I got the sigma (since both are equally incredibly sharp and contrasty). I wanted a lens I didn't need to treat like a spoiled brat.....

(not that im implying the tamron 90mm is a spoiled brat of a lens :P Im just saying I wanted metal for more durability)
10-24-2009, 10:13 PM   #11
Forum Member
chinotenshi's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hiroshima
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 74
Original Poster
It's good to hear that the Sigma is well built. We found a few reviews that said they pretty much fell apart, so we were considering the Tamron more. I wonder if the reviews just had the random bad build in the batch?
10-24-2009, 10:16 PM   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: La Crescenta, CA
Posts: 7,450
The Tamron build quality definitely FEELS less solid than most Sigma lenses I've owned. Same goes for my Tamron 28-75mm.
10-24-2009, 10:49 PM   #13
Veteran Member
RawheaD's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: MA, USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 831
I don't know much about the Sigma, but my good Flickr buddy Jim Mayes uses the Tammy for his Canon, and I'm just blown away by every single shot he takes with that lens.

Flickr: Search Jim Mayes' photostream
10-24-2009, 10:56 PM   #14
Damn Brit
Guest




There's one thing that I am careful with on my Sigma. The hood is a screw in and a couple of times it has been quite a wrench to unscrew it and I've been a little concerned about damaging the focusing gears. Just to be safe, I make a point of not screwing it on too tightly. I think it's a wonderful lens though.
10-24-2009, 10:57 PM   #15
Veteran Member
yeatzee's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Temecula
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,675
QuoteOriginally posted by RawheaD Quote
I don't know much about the Sigma, but my good Flickr buddy Jim Mayes uses the Tammy for his Canon, and I'm just blown away by every single shot he takes with that lens.

Flickr: Search Jim Mayes' photostream
Shows what a great photographer can do with a great piece of glass!
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
k-mount, macro, macro vs tamron, pentax lens, sigma, slr lens, tamron
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
For Sale - Sold: Tamron 90mm macro; Sigma 50mm macro jkglogau Sold Items 14 10-06-2010 12:32 AM
Wanted - Acquired: Tamron 90mm Macro or Sigma 105mm Macro (AUS) Pixley Sold Items 2 09-28-2010 08:32 PM
For Sale - Sold: Tamron Di 90mm macro, Sigma EX 50mm macro, Sigma 28/1.8 MF Light_Horseman Sold Items 4 02-07-2010 11:40 AM
Sigma 70mm Macro or Tamron 90mm Macro? Pentakun Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 19 08-01-2008 06:56 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:00 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top