| Author: | | Pentaxian
Moderator Emeritus Registered: May, 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Posts: 10,643
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 15, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, well built Great IQ | | Cons: | Screw on hood is a little slow to mount | |
Great lens overall. Makes a very good mid length prime due in part to the focus limiter that restricts the lens from hunting the complete length of macro to infinity. Very sharp and great colour quality. Smooth bokeh in blurred backgrounds.
All metal build quality makes it a bit heavy but solid with no looseness. One of my favourite lenses to use. Since it was designed for full frame SLR's it has the aperture ring and there is no vignetting on a DSLR. So the image is coming from the center of the glass. No corner softness I could see.
Highly recommended and a well priced lens.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Posts: 7,183
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 4, 2008 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, build quality, IQ | | Cons: | it could focus bit faster | |
EDIT: I had to rewrite my original review, as lately I have found out that this is actually one of my best lenses! I bought this one for my wife as she's the main macro fan in our family. I got to know this lens better later and I'm pretty much amazed. It's big and heavy (compared to Tamrno 90 and DFA100) but the build quality leaves nothing to be desired! Opticaly it's stunning. Tack sharp from f2.8. Excellent until f11, still very good at f16 (talking just full f stops). At f22 difraction is very noticable, and f32 is bad. I use this lens as part of my walkaround kit with Sigma 10-20 and DA40ltd. And it's absolutely great for candids, portraits of course macro, etc....
I'd give it 10 if: it was bit lighter (I actually like that it's big because I have big palms) and focused little bit faster (HSM would be nice too).
But all in all, it's one great lens, definitely worth every single penny or cent you pay for it!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2008 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 337
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 13, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp! | | Cons: | Goofy AF clutch, slow AF | |
My new favorite lens. Sharp enough to cut you. It'll take some amazing pictures. Sigma has a goofy AF/MF clutch though. Its designed to not have the focuse ring rotate while in AF mode, but you still have to switch the camera body to MF to disengage the motor when you want MF. They really should have made the screw drive engage too with the in lens clutch. AF is a little slow. The lens has a very long throw to focus. Good for MF (and macro) bad for AF speed. The good news is it also give you nice AF accuracy.
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1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 19, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | nice bokeh, good MF, solid build | | Cons: | switch from AF to MF | |
Razorsharp, and handles very well. I mostly use AF, but it then takes some time and some noise to focus. For macro use I occasionally switch to MF, but this works very clumsy: you have to set the switch on the camera AND put the focus ring on the lens in the right position. Very solid build.
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 11,590
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 25, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $399.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | very sharp, very solid, AF is reliable and quick | | Cons: | screw-on lens hood | |
There are a number of good macro options in this range: I don't think you can do better than this one.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 11,590
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 9, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $399.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Really sharp, nice bokeh, solid build, easy to handle. | | Cons: | The screw-on hood is a pita. | |
This is one of the best macros in the 100mm-ish range: there are none better and few as good. I'm delighted with it in all respects but the hood. The only way to improve it would be a built-in retractable hood.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: August, 2007 Location: Near Utrecht, Netherlands Posts: 1,221
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 16, 2008 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, fast, nice colours | | Cons: | slow AF | |
For a while, I had both the Kiron A105/2.8 macro and this one. I found the Sigma easier to use: less weight, requiring less force to turn the focusing ring.
So in the field, I preferred the Sigma.
The image quality of Sigma and Kiron - to my eye - were equal. So reviewing the results, there was not a favorite.
But the weight thing made me choose for the Sigma more often when I went somewhere. So I decided to sell the Kiron, one of the greates macro lenses ever built (same built as Viv S1?)
And I haven't regretted that for a single moment yet.
The Sigma for me is definitely the best choice in macro ~100 mm/2.8
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2008 Location: Belfast, UK. Posts: 8
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 16, 2008 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp as a razor, solid build quality. | | Cons: | Slow AF, but that's the same with most macros I'm told | |
Got this from Hong Kong for a price I couldn't resist. It's razor sharp, beautiful bokeh and depth of field, great as a medium tele prime or a macro lens. It's actually teaching me how to use manual focus too.
| | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: June, 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Posts: 17,377
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 26, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $399.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Light enough to hand hold; can AF or MF | | Cons: | | |
I bought this lens to replace my "dead" Vivitar series 1 105mm macro. I haven't been disappointed and that is saying something in itself. This lens can be MF in necessary with relative ease. It is well made compared to OEM macro lenses in its class. It is also priced well.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: February, 2009 Location: Benicia CA Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 14, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, fast and sturdy | | Cons: | | |
Superb macro lens with an outstanding bokeh.
I put this lens thru it's paces on a K20D, shooting a damesl fly in flight and I couldn't ask for better service.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2009 Location: Temecula Posts: 3,675
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 16, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $380.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | super sharp straight from F2.8 / great build quality / focal length | | Cons: | not a big fan of how you switch from manual focus to auto / slow AF (even though I manual focus 99.9% of the time) | |
I was deciding between this and the tamron 90mm and the DFA 100mm. Overall I think this one wins with better build than its competitors, and cheaper to boot. All are exceptionally sharp though, without a clear winner in that category.
I use this lens as my everyday walk around, since its so sharp it makes for a great mid tele lens! A split focusing screen and this lens is a killer combo also! I would never leave home without it 
edit 8/8/2011: I've since been converted to reversed prime lenses for macro shooting but this lens is still great (just not for me anymore). I bought mine for $380 and I'd still say its worth that price but for $480 that they want now I don't think so. YMMV
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2007 Location: North West UK Posts: 390
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 16, 2009 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, Sharp!, Creamy Bokeh. Construction, AF speed with Limit switch on. | | Cons: | AF Speed with Limit switch off, Hood (why?). Not much else. | |
An excellent Macro Lens, Only had it a matter of days, but done almost 200 shots with it.
Its IQ is stunning, even with AF on. ON the whole the AF is accurate.
When I bought this, is was looking at various options for a mid range Macro lens (the 90-100mm range). I already had the already excellent Tamron 90mm F2.5 SP Macro, but as it was an early model, it was only a 1:2 Macro, not the modern 1:1 macro, unless you put on the 2x converter, which made it a 180mm F5 1:1 macro. Not only was it slow, but heavy (but still good).
Upon investigation and price check, the New Sigma was £390, and the Pentax DFA at a eye watering £525.......
So I went to a local classic camera dealer.
Fortunately they had an immaculate Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro EX (not DG) model for a mere £248. so I bought it.
One positve over the Pentax is the limit AF button, which means the AF will only focus in a limited range, which helps on the hunting.
Bad news is the Hood.
Why oh why did Sigma fit the hood on the screw mount, where either the filter or cap goes? So, you either have the hood on or the cap, but not both. Not good.
But don't let that put you off, these lens is mighty, and worth having in your camera bag.
Recommend.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 509
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 14, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | High image quality, very well built, | | Cons: | Slightly heavy, not the best when manual focus, AF/MF switch is a farce, odd lens hood. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
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I had a very mixed feeling about Sigma brand lens when I first tested one some 15 yrs ago. That was a bargain zoom lens. Distortion was the biggest problem (no distortion control in the film era). The built quality was low. So I have refused to touch another Sigma, until this one.
This lens has fundamentally changed my impression about Sigma. I thought that no one could make a better 100mm macro lens than my Kiron made Vivitar macro lens. I was wrong. Don't give me wrong, the Kiron made lens was perhaps the best in a historical sense and is still one of the best. This Sigma is clearly better in dealing with high contrast scenes. It has lower PF and CA, which is an useful characteristic as a day-to-day lens.
This Sigma is also decent at AF. I find that my K10d is a better AF camera than before.
The bottomline is that it is a better alternative to the Kiron lens for day to day use.
One caveat: Since this has a shorter throw, it is not the best manual focusing lens.F2.8 is good. The Zen coating is funny and controversial. Not sure if I like. Easy to peel off.
Update: I did find some PF. While it is not as significant as PF on the Kiron made Vivitar Macro, it is there. So I lower my rating to 9.5. The lens also occasionally underexposes. I am not sure if it is the problem of my K10D or this lens. Moreover, the color rendering is somewhat different from Pentax ones. I would say the color is a bit cooler and blueish, while Pentax is more dynamic and more vivid. Could be purely psychological on my part. AF is not very good on my Kx
100% crop
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: August, 2007 Location: Denver Posts: 92
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 1, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $325.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | handling, build, IQ | | Cons: | hood, AF/MF clutch | |
I picked this up from a PentaxForums member - I'm really happy I did. This is a great performing lens, very sharp and contrasty until diffraction hits.
As widely discussed, the lens hood is a PITA. But the front element is set so far back (1 inch? Maybe 2?) that I never use the hood anyway. I'm not even sure where it is.
I compared this lens to a Pentax DFA100 Macro (not the WR version) in the store. Both extend quite a bit (common for macro lenses), but the Pentax barrel felt flimsy and wobbly, whereas the Sigma is a rock. I have no concerns at all about the build quality of this lens.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: January, 2011 Location: missoula, mt Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 5, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $375.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | bright, sharp, easy to handle | | Cons: | none for me | |
This is my favorite lens on my k20D, always on the camera. I used to shoot film with a 135mm most of the time, and switch to a 50mm or 105mm with ext tubes for macro, and started that way with digital. Then I found this wonderful tool for half the price of Takumar. Best sharpness is with a tripod but, holdable at 125th with the antishake on. The sweet spot on this lens is f8 or f9.5 for my taste- balance of DoF and bokeh. (I never use the auto-focus)
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