By CraigH from Orlando, Florida on 8/25/2008

This lens is one of the best optical performers of any lens by anyone. It doesn't have to apologize to Nikon or Canon. Its build quality is superb. Moreover, you have a strong tripod collar when you need it. The HSM motor allows you to correct focus with a twist of the focus ring.

This Sigma is the only f2.8 macro lens with this reach, making it fast and giving you the distance to do biting critters.

One other advantage is that though many macro lenses don’t do as well when using them at normal distances, this Sigma 150 still maintains its superb optics all the way out to infinity. That means that it’s a great fast short telephoto as well as a great macro lens.

One more thing. This Sigma has one of the nicest bokeh (out of focus background) you’ll ever see. It rivals my cream machine, the Nikkor 85 f1.4 in this ability. Certainly an amazing lens.

By Bigeasy from Lewisburg, PA on 6/23/2008

I was in the market for a longer macro lens, something that would give me a little working room with insects. I heard good things about this lens, so I purchased one. I was very impressed with the level of sharpness, and color / contrast accuracy this lens produces, both on a D300, and on a F5.

Focus speed is fast for a macro lens, and near silent. The HSM motor is just as smooth and quiet as the AFS motor in a Nikkor lens. That same relatively slow focus also makes for extreme focus accuracy. A lot of lens's go from close to infinity in one turn or less, making for less accurate auto focus, and more difficulty in manual focus. The longer focus reach of this lens allows for more accurate fine tuning, both auto and by hand.

The fit and finish is very nice on this lens, and it seems as if the build quality is well above most 3rd party lens's. All controls work smooth, with no creep or roughness.

Although you do not really need F2.8 on a macro lens, when using it for tripod mounted macro photography, it does make a world of difference for other uses. This lens is very versitile. It makes a great medium distance sports and wildlife lens, and is great for informal portraits. Great for standing back a bit, and catching expressions without being in someones face. That 2.8 speed allows for good subject isolation, and helps to freeze subject movement in a way slower lens's have a hard time matching. In case you have not noticed yet, I am very impressed with this lens.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Craig Harding from Orlando, FL on 5/11/2008

I purchased this Sigma f2.8 150mm APO Macro for several reasons. One, was I wanted a longer reach but still wanted f2.8. This is the only macro lens by anyone with 150mm or more and f2.8. Secondly, several review websites using imagetest show that this lens is one of two third party macros that can play with the big boys. It's optics are at least as good if not better than several Nikkors and all Canon Macros. Finally, the price is as good or a little better than most macro lenses in this range. The HSM motor is great as well as having a tripod collar. The only negative, and it's not really much, is that is hunts a bit in autofocus is less than perfect contrast situations. Now, I know that for macro, I rarely use autofocus, and I understand that a lens of this reach, from 1:1 lifesize to infinity will take a while, but it still hunts more than I like. I'm sometimes forced to move aquisition to a high contrast subject and then recompose. The focus limiter switch helps a lot. [...] I also think that Adorama's website is the easiest to navigate of all the 3 or 4 topnotch online camera stores. For these reasons I always check them first.

Fun on the first day of ownership

Tags: Using Product, Made with Product

[5 of 5 customers found this review helpful]

By Andrew from Raleigh, NC on 1/11/2007

Love this lens. Traded up from an older Tamron 90mm. Very, very smooth bokeh. Backgrounds like butter when wide open. Best with manual focus when doing macro at 1:1.

Backyard fly

Tags: Made with Product

[3 of 6 customers found this review helpful]

This is a good lens with a good price. Quick focus and silence.