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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Illinois on 5/7/2008
This is really a fantastic lens. The f2.8 through the whole range really makes this a very useful lens for wedding photography. Very clear, and tops at f32. The manual focus is a bit different, as the user has to pull back the front focus ring in order to focus manually. Not a big deal once you get used to it. It is a bit heavy, so it can get a little tedious if you are hand holding it for long periods of time.[...]
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from Colorado on 4/6/2008
this lens has a PERFECT zoom range for full-frame 35mm cameras. however, on 1.5x sensors, the widest end gets cut from 24mm to 36mm, making the lens a little less useful.
the lens is heavy and not the greatest construction in the world (there is some play on the front element with my copy), but you can't get any OEM lenses this fast with this zoom range for such a low price - the equivalent nikon lens is a grand more. because of the weight, you'll need to watch out for camera shake - i use auto ISO to make sure my shutter speed is always 1/125 or faster when shooting handheld.
the 82mm filter size is annoying. you can mount a 82-77mm step down ring to attach more common 77mm filters and you won't get vignetting with a 1.5x sensor camera, but you'll get minor mechanical vignetting with a full frame sensor or film camera.
IQ is pretty good: images are noticeably soft at f/2.8 and f/22-32, but very sharp for the rest of the aperture range.
in short, if you have an autofocus 35mm camera and a small budget, this lens is the perfect general use, fast zoom lens.
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from Houston Texas on 3/6/2008
This is a solid, good product; close focussing and sharp. A bit heavy due to a lot of glass. I will use it often until a newer version arrives from Sigma.
I didn't like the dual focus system instead of the viscous coupling used on newer HSM designed lenses. Addition-ally it could strip gears if set to manual on the lens and AF on the camera since the focus ring must turn while focussing.
This lens has a variable lenght when zooming with the wide setting longer than the tele setting - opposite of my other zooms. Downside is that the on camera flash can't cover the wide settings.
When Sigma markets this lens with the HSM and/or OS stabilizer it will be awesome. I have the viscous focus on the 10-20 and 70-200 lenses and love it.
from florida on 3/6/2008
the only thing bad with the lens when used with the nikon d80 is that the flash is really useless due to the large optics. i use the lens mostly for portrait and studio work and it works great, it will focus on objects about 7-8 inches away. i would say it would be a must for a set of lenses to have. good focal length as well as close-up.
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from Plano, TX on 2/21/2008
This is my second Sigma EX lens; the other is the 10-20mm. As with all Sigma EX lenses the fit and finish is strictly professional. Both of these lenses are outstanding in every regard. The 24-70 is extremely sharp at all focal lengths. It is great to finally have a fast zoom lens for general work. There is no zoom creep. In fact the zoom is a little stiff making this lens a little slow to use for any action work. It is quite when focusing. I recently shot a wedding using only this lens and was completely satisfied with the results. Better yet the bride and groom were thrilled. Although the lens is somewhat heavy I find this is a plus. I shoot a lot of handheld images and I find that the heft of the lens actually adds stability.The only negative comment I have is that it uses 82mm filters so you can add another $200 or more to the cost if you don't already have these.
from Salem, New Hampshire on 2/12/2007
You need fast glass, it's bright through the viewfinder. I would have given it a 5 out of 5 if it was just a little faster, otherwise it's suits me perfect and I would buy another one.