Sigma 258101 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens Canon DSLR Cameras, Black

What a beast of a lens this is. I use the lens for everything, not just macro, as it's the sharpest lens I've ever used. Even at 100% on a 24MP sensor, the images are usually close to perfect. The times they are not are unlikely to be the fault of the lens, as it proves itself much of the time.The optical stabilisation (vibration reduction) works very well for stationary items. I haven't had results quite as good as some reviews have suggested, but on a good day I can take the shutter speed down to around 1/30th and get a lovely sharp image, but often I need a higher shutter speed than that. The OS definitely does improve things though and is very worth having. I've read many comments about the OS being noisy - But I don't understand why that's a problem. It's a low noise that you can barely hear and nobody further than a few feet away would even notice. Like any mechanical thing, you're going to hear it when it's sitting right by your face. So don't be put off this lens from comments about that.Auto-focus is accurate and consistent after calibrating to your camera (it's imperative to set the fine tune correctly for the sharpest images, if you have that option on your camera). Focusing is quiet and fast, and the lens does not rotate as focus adjusts. Manual override works well too, with a nice feel that isn't too loose or too tight.Resolution is excellent. I haven't done scientific tests but in the real world, I'm very impressed with the clarity and resolution of even distant objects. I have found one of the best tests of this is to look at distance buildings in your photos at 100%, and see how clear the bricks are. Although I'm not sure of exact numbers, the sweet spot for this lens seems to be around f9, and the images are faultless at this aperture. Even shots taken down to f4 are excellent, but you will notice a lack of clarity if you're pixel-peeping distant objects. I haven't used it much at wider than f4 so cannot give any accurate info about the quality wide open.For macro, the lens's intended use, the images are fantastic. Even down to f22, when you need more depth of field with macro work, the quality is very good.It's a heavy lens and you really notice this when using it on a tripod, as if you don't have the tripod head screwed tightly in place it's easy for the weight of the lens to pull the camera down and you risk damaging it. This isn't a fault of this lens of course, but is something to be careful of when in use.One thing to note with this and any other lens that has some sort of vibration reduction, is that it's only helping keep the camera effectively steady. If you're shooting anything that's moving, even just a little, you need to take that into account when calculating what shutter speed to use in the same way you would when using a non-OS lens.I highly recommend this lens, even for pro use.

Having been into DSLR-level photography for around 6 months now, I was finding a gap with my steadily growing collection of lenses for my Nikon D5200. I needed something that would work well for low light, provide decent mid-telephoto capabilities, and give me incredible depth of field and bokeh. A built in focus motor was a must as was optical stabilization - having acquired the Tamron 70-300mm without stabilization just weeks ago, it was essential that my next lens had this. I had also been wanting a macro lens for some time but wasn't in the market for one at that point in time.With this, the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro, I have found all of the above and more. Let's go from the top; This lens is heavy, and built like a tank. You will notice it when you fit it to the camera. The shell is made of a very tough plastic but the entire lens has a top quality feel to it. It's also rather bulky, but nothing too unusual.With the Tamron mentioned above, I had found the external focus and the rotating barrel associated with it to be infuriating, not because of the issues surrounding CPL filters, but for the simple reason it made stabilising the lens during focus nearly impossible. With this Sigma, all focusing is internal and almost silent. It's also extremely fast and smooth. With options to limit the focus range, focus hunting can be minimized in some ranges. However, I have found in some cases that autofocus struggles to focus properly, but most other lenses would have had issues in the same situations. Manual focus is incredibly smooth and you can get pinpoint sharpness easily. Image stabilization is very good, although the lag associated with such features is noticeable. That said, even without stabilization enabled, the lens still remains easy to handle with only minimal jitters when using handheld.The macro capabilities of this lens are simply outstanding. Sure, it's not a Canon MP-E, but supermacro has never been a forte of Nikon. The minimum focus distance is simply unbelievable. I have NEVER used an 'all-round' lens that can focus on something that's touching the end of the lens hood. With this, you get extremely good magnification - so good that a bottle cap for a well known brand of cider sold within the UK is able to more than fill the frame. Not only does the object extend beyond the frame bounds, but it is pin-sharp. The magnification seems to grow in steps based upon your distance from the subject and it's quite startling the first few times you see it. You can see from the images of the bottle cap just how good this is at macro.In addition to the lens, the package is supplied with a large carrying case - handy if you're a gig photographer who needs several lenses but don't want to also carry around a huge bag of equipment. You also get 2 lens hoods, one for APS-C and one for full frame. You can even stack these if you wish. It won't provide any additional benefit in terms of flare reduction, but they can be stacked in this way to allow you to see roughly what your absolute minimum focus distance is.While this doesn't provide the range needed for most wildlife, it is ideal for macro, event, nature, still life, and portraits. You could still use it for wildlife, but alas being a prime lens and not a large-telephoto does limit it in such shots. This is without a doubt a fantastic lens and I suspect it shall remain in my collection for years to come.

I have many Nikon, Sigma & Tamron lenses for my Nikon d750 and d7200. I have previously owned the Nik 105mm Micro and was just about to buy another new one. A friend recommended the Sigma and I bought here last week. It is a beautifully constructed lens which so far on test has produced outstanding results. The IQ is superb and on top of the Macro use for this lens it is going to make a brilliant portrait lens for me. On cropped sensor it is 155mm which now means that I will not need to buy the Sigma 135mm (Ha...when they eventually get around to making one). The boquet at 2.8 is lovely. Compared to another portrait lens which I have previously owned (Nikon f2 135mm) this lens knocks the spots of it..No downsides to this lens yet....but just a couple of points to note:.1) When the aperture is set to f2.8 on my camera in 'A' mode....the setting sometimes reads f 3. This may have something to do with the Focal Distance when using macro. There is a very useful chart on the Sigma instructions which I have now copied and laminated for use with this lens. It shows comparisons regarding: Distance / Magnification / Aperture / EV Compensation...... this little chart is a must have for serious macro work..2) There are two OS settings (1 & 2) ..... slightly clunky but no problem.This is a truly fantastic lens and is so much easier to use than a standard lens with extension tubes. So, is it on par with my previous Nikon Micro 105 mm ? No.....The Sigma I feel is better....and by the way it is half the price. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED .... Happy Shooting...James