Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 Contemporary DC Macro OS HSM Lens for Canon

I've had this lens for about 2 months. I have a Canon Rebel XT with the older 18-55 II non IS lens. It was nearly impossible to get good pictures of my kids unless we were outside in good light. Now, that's not as much of a problem. The wider aperture allows much more light to hit the sensor giving me more keepers. The macro abilities are much better as well. With the 70mm zoom and the close focus distance, I can get great pictures of flowers and such. It's not close enough for shots of insects, but bees and dragonflies will work, if they sit still long enough. Before the 18-55 was a limiting factor in my pictures, now the Rebel is. With the older 8 megapixel sensor, it is easy to get sharp pictures right down to the pixel level. The ability to use faster shutter speeds and the addition of the OS on this lens helps. If you have the newer 18-55 is II lens, I don't know how much of an upgrade this is. But for someone like me that is still living in the dark ages of dslr photography (and will be for a while) this is a worthy upgrade. I'm not getting great vibrant colors with it, but I never did with my 18-55 either. I don't know it it's the camera, lens or just me. Pros: Feels durable/solid OS works well. Took a hand held one second shot while braced. Couldn't blow the picture up, but works for sharing. Zoom and focus rings work smooth. Image quality is great. I've had a lot of positive comments about the pictures I've taken with it. Front element does not turn during focus. Great for polerizers and gradient filters. Much improved auto focus ability over 18-55 Wider aperture allows for a brighter viewfinder. Better for composing shots in lower light. Cons: Much heaver then the non IS version of the 18-55. Not sure about the newer ones. Focus ring is right next to the zoom ring, and turns during auto focus. I had to adjust how I hold my camera. No full time focus. I have to switch to manual to adjust focus. AF/Manual focus switch is a little hard to move, could be a good thing, and I may get used to it. Lens cap doesn't snap on tightly, I have to snap it on, then screw it tight. The cons are a bit more nit picky then anything really. For anyone with an older 18-55 looking for an upgrade, this is a great choice. I can't compare this to the 18-55 IS II lens however. There are plenty of reviews comparing to other lenses. For the money, this seems like a good bet.

I'm using this lens with my Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera. I previously used the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens that came with it. I also have the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. Professional reviews for this lens, as well as reviews for Sigma's other new lens (35mm f/1.4 Art) helped convince me to choose this lens over the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8is, Canon 15-85mm is, Tamrom 17-50mm f/2.8 (VC and nonVC), and even Sigma's own 17-50mm f/2.8 OS. Additionally, Sigma boasts new quality control procedures and technologies they claim will drastically cut down on copy-to-copy variances. Finally, at $500, an extra 20mm of reach, and Macro capabilities, the Sigma 17-70 provides more flexibility and value than its fixed-aperture competitors. The Sigma is noticeably more compact, lighter, and less invasive looking, making it much more useful as a walk-around lens and for street photography. Pros: - Wide focal length range, maintaining excellent Image Quality - Wide aperture (2.8) at its widest focal length (17) - Provides Macro abilities - Uses Sigma's OS which provides valuable help for hand-holding in low light (comparable to Canon's IS) - Compact, light, svelte - Uses Sigma's new, upgraded materials and quality control processes - Comes with hood - Accepts popular 72mm filters - Solid construction - No lens creep - 3 year warranty vs Canon 1 year warranty Cons: - Variable aperture - 2.8-4. Meaning, at the long end (70mm), most used for portraits and sports, the lens has the narrowest aperture(4). - No weather sealing, making it the limiting factor in poor weather on my 7d, as well as on any of Canon's current Full Frame offerings - No lens bag - 3 year warranty is better than Canon's 1 year, but only half Tamron's incredible 6 year warranty I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone still using their kit lens. While it won't measure up to any decent quality prime lens, it's faster, wider, sharper, and more attractive looking than any kit lens for Canon APS-C. It's also cheaper than any of its competitors of similar image quality. Note: I did not include an IQ analysis for sharpness, flare control, or CA, as I believe the professional reviews can provide a much more in depth analysis with their formal tests

This is the latest version of the Sigma 17-70 2.8-4 DC Macro OS and the most important thing I can say is this lens is phenomenal. With Sigma's recent update to their product line, this lens falls in the Contemporary class. The build quality is beautiful, I like the feeling of the new plastic they are using, and the "sticky" or "tight" feeling that happens on the zoom ring is gone. It is a wonderfully smooth lens in its operation. The auto focus is smooth, quiet, and accurate. although this lens still lacks full time manual override. The OS is quick and snappy, I can say I am very happy with my purchase. With the build quality update, Sigma has improved the quality of the internal glass too. Sigma is saying the QC of the new lenses is better too, time will tell. I was drawn to this lens because I wanted a versatile lens for portrait and landscape work without the cost of the fixed 2.8 lenses. The extra 20 mm on the long end helps over the 17-50 mm offerings, and the f4 aperture is sufficient for beautiful bokeh with decent subject background separation. This lens give me a portrait and landscape option, has fast enough auto focus to follow the kids in motion, is wide enough for an interesting perspective, has an effective OS system, beautiful color rendition, and wonderful build quality. I believe this lens is a wonderful replacement for all but the L lenses, strike a positive balance between cost and performance, and compliments the 70-200 mm fixed telephotos well. I will update this review down the road, however if first impressions count for anything, this one deserves a second date :)

I write a lot of reviews. In the 6 years I've owned this lens I'm surprised I have not written a review on this lens. Here's my story. I was losing a lot of money in trying to resell old lenses since switching over to mirrorless. I gave up the battle and bought a cheap DSLR to use some of my older lenses since they are good and still in excellent shape. The 2.8-4 and macro abilities on this lens make it excellent on paper. I decided to mount this lens, take pictures around the house, and set it up as a webcam since I do a lot of online conferencing. Man, this thing is a sleeper. I was very impressed by the image quality feel of this lens. It's not as heavy as comparable lenses out there (other 17-50 lenses). The macro capabilities is a feature that this has that many in this same category do not have. Focus motor in video is not as loud as some of the expensive lenses that I have. In continuous AF during video you may hear some slight chirping as it attempts to lock on focus, but it's not bad. The only downside is it is a little slow to acquire focus, but not by much. I've been using top of the line Sony's lately so maybe I'm comparing it to the fastest autofocus on the market since that's what I'm used to. Overall, for this price you cannot go wrong. If you are new to photography then skip the kit lens (18-55) that comes with you camera. Get the body only and then get this lens. Even as an experienced photographer I was glad I dug this out and played with it. I'm taking it off the for sale market and putting it back in rotation.

It seemed to me like Sigma has moved up in the world, and this lens' specs piqued my interest, so I decided to give one a try. Bad decision. Amazon sent it padded only with cardboard shims and it arrived broken in two, but trust me, keep reading. The back part of the lens - everything behind the zoom ring including the mount - had snapped off from the internal frame of the lens, and the only thing that remained connected from the two otherwise fully separated pieces was a cable in a bus... affording me a glimpse into the inside of this lens. Turns out the frame, basically the lens' skeleton, consists entirely of three plastic rods, a few millimeters thick, each held to the mount by one screw the likes of which you see in eyeglasses. The frame rods had literally just snapped around the threading. This is a 16oz lens. That is WAY too heavy to be held together by plastic - it should at the least be three metal rods and a metal disc at the front. I got another copy of this lens that arrived intact and tried it for a while. It does have decent image quality wide open - weakest at 17mm f/2.8 but still usable - and it focuses very closely, which is a real boon especially at the wide end. Its contrast left a little to be desired, but it wasn't bad for a competitor with kit lenses. The AF system is severely outdated and MF just feels chintzy, but it at least worked and was fairly quiet, and I didn't notice any glaring accuracy issues. It gets two stars for at least having decent optics. Even so, I just couldn't shake that first impression. One good knock will be all it takes to break this thing in two - the hood is honestly more durable than the lens, so even that won't save it - and it's only going to become more fragile as it ages and the plastic becomes more brittle. Knowing that, I was unwilling to have my money invested in this lens, so I sold it a few weeks later.

I purchased this lens just over a year ago. I've used it casually for both indoor / outdoor photography and had good results. Now over a year old, its been to Europe twice and I used it almost exclusively on a recent trip to France. We all want to take as many lenses as possible on a shoot, but when you are traveling, you often have to make sacrifices. This was a great lens for the trip. I shot indoors, outdoors, landscapes, with and without flash in some incredibly dark places. I was very impressed with the 17- 70's performance as a multi-purpose lens. 17-23 gives you great wide angle options for larger rooms, buildings and gardens. 30-50 worked well allowing me to compose and fill the frame with a subject at near distance. 70mm helped bring things in I just couldn't get close enough to. The lenses focus is extremely sharp (at all focal lengths). Of course every lens has its "sweet spot" range but I have no complaints here for a lens at this price point. Color and clarity are also excellent. The focus ring is nice and wide, smooth (with the right amount of drag), and is easy to grip when manual focus is used. There is no zoom creep when you carry the lens barrel down and hiking. It stays put (retracted). On this trip, I visited several exhibits that did not allow any flash photography. This is where a F2.8 lens is really useful. I was happy with the raw captures and got some compliments on many of the photos. The "OS" on this lens is great. You can be tired, or a little shakie and no one will be the wiser. I've only shot a handful of video with this lens, but like stills, its performance has been nothing less than excellent. This lens is a nice step up from a comparable lens in a "kit" camera package, but is by no means professional grade. That said, you will notice a big difference between the photos shot with this lens in comparison to a "kit lens" that comes with your camera. You'll be VERY happy! It's quiet, takes super sharp photos and is extremely versatile. Price new (Amazon) or refurb from direct from Sigma is extremely appealing. The pics below are Mendocino, Liverpool, Sausalito, Paris and the Loire Valley.

I have seen many rumors that this lens is soft at 17mm. After two full days of testing I can put that rumor to rest, this lens is so tack sharp throughout the entire zoom range its hard not to cut yourself on it. At 17mm and f/2.8 the out side edges are slightly softer then the center. But to notice this you have to take multiple photos and zoom in over 300% and really "really" try to look for it. I tested this lens on a Canon Rebel T3i (600D) with a 18mp sensor. I can't say how impressed I am with this lens in terms of both optical and build quality. If you are looking to upgrade from your kit lens or just need a new lens in this zoom range without breaking the bank. Get this one. The only lens on the market for Canon in this zoom range that offer better optical quality is the much more expensive Canon 17-70 f/2.8L Lens. But its optical quality is very very marginal over the Sigma. Pros: - Half stop better lighting performance over most kit lens. - Better construction over most kit lens. - Most importantly, better optical performance over most if not all kit lens. - Does not suffer from zoom creep depute no zoom lock. - Comes with Tulip Lens Hood. - Tight yet smooth zoom even for video. Cons: - No full time manual focus override. You must turn off AF to use manual focus - The focus ring is little to close to the zoom ring. - No weather sealing Other Thoughts: I got this lens to replace my Canon EF 28-135 IS USM Lens. This lens is so much better in both optical and build quality that its jaw dropping. The OS works great, very quiet and the lens is very fast focusing. I can't comment on how this lens would be on other Camera brands like Nikon. But rest assured that if your a Canon user you will love this lens.

I was looking for a multipurpose lens for vacation to mount on my 7D when I stumbled upon this one. I had seen the reviews for the new Sigma 35 f1.4 Art Series on canonrumors.com and was very impressed with what I was reading. So, I thought I should give this lens a try. After all, it was a mere $499 vs. $2100 for the Canon 24-70 f2.8 L II with which I have spent some real world time. You see, I have just under 100 weddings under my belt in the past 6 years. Yet I haven't ever owned a zoom lens, since I shoot weddings primarily with fast primes (Canon 24 f1.4 L, Canon 50 1.2 L, Canon 85 f1.8, and Canon 100 f2.8 L macro). At times, I have rented zooms when I knew a certain event would require shooting without carrying multiple bodies or changing lenses. I have shot with the Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS and the 24-70, and I must say... this lens competes very well with both of them at a much lower price! The Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM has a longer ranger than the Canon 17-55 IS, while still offering you image stabilization, which the 24-70 f2.8 L II does NOT have! And if it did, just how much would Canon think they could charge you for it? That lens already costs as much as my first car! In conclusion, buy this lens if you are looking for sharp optics, fast focus, and a decent amount of aperture to boot. Check out my sample photo of my wife cutting the neighbor girl's hair... I took it from my desk, hand held at 1/60, 70mm f4, indoors with only ambient light, OS on, and at ISO 6400. Its not a great composition, but you can see the excellent color rendition and clarity of this glass. Very happy.

Maravilloso objetivo, nítido, se siente sólido, bien construido. El único -pero- que le pongo es que es un poco pesado.

Che dire, l'obiettivo in mio possesso è finalmente ciò che aspettavo da tempo. 17-70 credo che sia un'ottima escursione focale in particolare in relazione alla elevata luminosità relativa. Infatti questo obiettivo Sigma si pone a metà strada fra i luminosi (Ma con meno escursione focale) 17/18-50/55 f2.8 (Canon Sigma Tamron) e i più versatili (Ma più bui) 18-135 e 15-85 f3.5/5.6(Canon). L'ideale sarebbe stato un 15-85 f4 fisso ma ahimè ancora non esiste e sicuramente sarebbe fuori budget per le mie tasche. Parlando del Sigma devo riscontrare che rispetto alle versioni precedenti (Ho posseduto il primo 17-70 f2.8-4.5 per 5 anni e per alcuni giorni il 17-70 f2.8-4.0 OS, quest'ultimo reso per problemi di messa a fuoco...) la qualità costruttiva è sicuramente aumentata in tutti gli aspetti. La finitura del barilotto è molto gradevole e meno incline a raccogliere polvere essendo lucida. Il paraluce si aggancia in modo meno rude e gli switch per attivare lo stabilizzatore e l'autofocus sono veramente migliorativi rispetto alla precedente versione. E' scomparso il blocco alla focale di 17 mm per evitare lo "zoom creeping" (L'estendersi dello zoom se puntato verso il basso) e per ora non se ne sente la mancanza nemmeno sollevando macchina e obiettivo per il paraluce (Eos 7D quindi piuttosto pesantina...). L'obiettivo è leggero e compatto e non ha alcun gioco evidente. Non molto bello (Va a gusti...) ma sicuramente molto pratico il nuovo tappo gestibile anche con paraluce montato. La ghiera della messa a fuoco è accoppiata meccanicamente al motore e ruota durante le operazioni di focheggiamento. Il FTM (Full Time Manual focus) non è possibile e l'escursione della ghiera, che è approssimativamente di 45°, ha un funzionamento regolare ma non abbastanza frenato. Sicuramente per chi ama la messa a fuoco manuale non è l'obiettivo giusto. Il motore AF è silenziosissimo e per ora mi sembra alquanto preciso. Non è veloce come il mio Canon 85 f1.8 USM ma mi sembra che la velocità di MAF sia veramente buona. Ottimo anche il sistema OS di stabilizzazione. Per quanto riguarda la qualità delle lenti devo dire che, a parte un po' di sfocatura negli angoli a 17 mm, mi sembra utilizzabile tranquillamente a tutta apertura. Magari fotografando paesaggi a 17 mm è meglio chiudere il diaframma a f5.6 o se possibile a f8.0 . A 70 mm direi che è meglio del suo predecessore (17-70 f2.8-4.5 non OS). In un confronto pixel to pixel si equivalgono (Ero moooolto contento del vecchio obiettivo...) ma il confronto è fra 20D (8 Mp) e 7D (18Mp) quindi è sicuramente meglio il nuovo. Migliora leggermente in nitidezza passando da f4.0 a f5.6 ma è perfettamente utilizzabile a tutta apertura. Per ora non ho altro da aggiungere. Se avesse avuto un vero HSM/USM (Con FTM...) e fosse stato più nitido ai bordi a 17 mm avrei dato un 5 stelle pieno. Così è 4 stelle e mezzo. Ne ho messe 5 perchè Il miglioramento dalle vecchie versioni è tangibile. Aggiornerò la recensione più avanti dopo un po' di utilizzo.

This is great lens u wil find in this price. If u want to just carry one lens wherever u go. Then this s the right choice of lens. U wil have option to go wide to zoom.

Very satisfied by this Sigma F2,8-4 DC Macro

Purchased for a Canon 600D - it's a great lens. I bought it to replace the 18-55mm kit lens and it's in a whole different league, the quality of images is far superior - depth of field, sharpness, colours are more vibrant - it beats the kit lens in every aspect. The macro ability is very impressive too, especially with being able to zoom in at 70mm. I spent a great deal of time researching and reading reviews, considering Canon 24-70, 24-105 L lenses, as well as the Sigma 17-50. I ruled out the Canon lenses due to their price and not wanting to lose the wide angle of 17-24 - better on a crop sensor, despite having a wide angle lens 10-18mm. I ruled out the Sigma 17-50 as I didn't want less focal length to play with and although it has a constant aperture of 2.8 I was happy to give this up. Part of the decision was due to my other lenses a Canon 50mm 1.8 and the Canon 10-18mm. Knowing I have the 50mm 1.8 helps make up for the varying aperture of this 17-70. The lens comes with a lens hood and front and back caps. I read lots of reviews saying this lens isn't sharp at the edges, but have seen no such issues - compared to my 50mm 1.8, 18-55mm kit lens and 10-18mm this appears to be producing the best photos overall.