sigma 18-50...
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jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM. Any opinions?

I realise I have started a few threads about similar lenses in the past so i apologise for this.

The lens i want is the Canon 17-55 2.8, but unfortunately its miles out of my price range. (i'm in the process of buying a house so everything is out of my price range hehe)

This lens retails for £177, and i have £80 worth of vouchers so i may be able to justify it especially as the vouchers run out soon.

The main thing i worry about is sharpness, I am quite demanding of sharpness as other then my long zoom for wildlife my other lenses are primes.

I realise this isn't going to be a belter of a lens, but is it good enough to make do as a stop gap till funds are more readily available. Currently I don't have anything wider then 50mm so I need something to cover this range.

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

254 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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Wrong forum, chap - reported to be moved.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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Famous Graham said:
Wrong forum, chap - reported to be moved.
I realised that and reported it myself! thanks though! hehe

andy-xr

13,204 posts

233 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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I picked up an 18-50 2.8 for not much more than that, might be worth a look around. It's a nice sharp lens too

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
quotequote all
I have considered the 18-50 2.8 in the past, but you cant get them new any more can you? Not that this would bother me, but I have Calumet vouchers to spend so need to get it from them! I would only have to outlay £97 for the 2.8-4 lens.

browno

529 posts

263 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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I got the 18-50 2.8 new fairly recently in Nikon fit from Park Camera (for IIRC £260) and it's a great bit of kit - I'd recommend it if you can find one. Mine complements my Sigma 50-150 2.8 very nicely indeed!

Gad-Westy

16,568 posts

242 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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Another vote for the 18-50 2.8 if calumet can source one for you. Or buy one used and use the vouchers for something else. I paid £180 for my used 2.8 a year or so ago. It's a lovely lens. Also keep your eyes peeled for the Tamron 17-50 2.8 (non-VC) which gets equally glowing reviews.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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Gad-Westy said:
Another vote for the 18-50 2.8 if calumet can source one for you. Or buy one used and use the vouchers for something else. I paid £180 for my used 2.8 a year or so ago. It's a lovely lens. Also keep your eyes peeled for the Tamron 17-50 2.8 (non-VC) which gets equally glowing reviews.
I Will give calumet a call and ask about the 2.8 lens, although I've checked and it has been officially discontinued. I did have my eye on the Tamron lens you mention, but Calumet want a crazy £450ish for it, compared to £290 from warehouse express and the like.

The problem with these vouchers is that although £80 is an incredibly generous present, it doesn't go very far in photography hehe and I dont want to just spend them on something for the sake of it, i'd much rather put it toward something i want/need. Which would be a lens!

Cabinet Enforcer

503 posts

255 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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The 18-50 2.8 has been replaced by the 17-50 with OS, which is supposed to be a very nice lens, but is significantly more money. Sigma seem to be making a determined effort to head upmarket with their more recent lenses.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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jimmy156 said:
18-50mm 2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM. Any opinions?
Its better than the canon (IS)kit lens in terms of build and focus speed.

Optically I think its a bit better but not leaps and bounds.

Its also a bit faster being f2.8 at the wide end and 4.5 at the long end.

For the price its worth it if you cant stretch to something else

Also consider the 17-70f2.8-4.5 OS.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
quotequote all
Cabinet Enforcer said:
The 18-50 2.8 has been replaced by the 17-50 with OS, which is supposed to be a very nice lens, but is significantly more money. Sigma seem to be making a determined effort to head upmarket with their more recent lenses.
Yeah the 17-50 OS is supposed to be very good, but cant strecth to that at the moment.

RobDickinson said:
Its better than the canon (IS)kit lens in terms of build and focus speed.

Optically I think its a bit better but not leaps and bounds.

Its also a bit faster being f2.8 at the wide end and 4.5 at the long end.

For the price its worth it if you cant stretch to something else

Also consider the 17-70f2.8-4.5 OS.
This is pretty much what i'd gained from a bit of googling. My thinking is as follows:

My budget really is zero, as i'm buying my first house every penny should go on that, but as i dont want to waste £80 of vouchers is should spend them on something.

At the momemnt i have the use of the canon 18-55 (non IS) when i need it, but once i've moved i will no longer be able to use this and will need something wider then the 50mm 1.8

As the lens i really want is the canon 17-55, i may as well get the cheapest option as a stop gap until i can afford what i really want, so long as i wont be bitterly dissapointed with its performance.

I hear the IS version of the canon 18-55 is actually supposed to be pretty reasonable (the non-is once is about as sharp as the preverbial blunt instrement!) so i suppose this should be okay!

Edited by jimmy156 on Tuesday 11th October 20:46

havoc

33,346 posts

264 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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A little pricier, but I've been impressed with my Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (constant aperture all the way through, and sharp).

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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jimmy156 said:
At the momemnt i have the use of the canon 18-55 (non IS) when i need it, but once i've moved i will no longer be able to use this and will need something wider then the 50mm 1.8
In which case I would suggest buying this sigma for now. Buy it new from somewhere you can take it back if it has issues (I've seen some de-centred examples).


Then save up for a 17-55 or whatever.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
quotequote all
havoc said:
A little pricier, but I've been impressed with my Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (constant aperture all the way through, and sharp).
This lens get glowing reviews, and i would really like one, but for some reason calumet sell it for £458! Even with vouchers it would still be more expensive then buying it from somewhere else.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
In which case I would suggest buying this sigma for now. Buy it new from somewhere you can take it back if it has issues (I've seen some de-centred examples).


Then save up for a 17-55 or whatever.
I think i might do this smile

Simpo Two

92,708 posts

294 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
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jimmy156 said:
for some reason calumet sell it for £458! Even with vouchers it would still be more expensive then buying it from somewhere else.
I don't know how Calumet make a living, their prices are always well over the norm. Grays can wave the old school tie, but not Calumet.

jimmy156

Original Poster:

3,834 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th October 2011
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
I don't know how Calumet make a living, their prices are always well over the norm. Grays can wave the old school tie, but not Calumet.
They do seem largely overpriced on most things, and their product range seems quite fragmented as well, with some things you would expect them to sell to be missing.