Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic SLR Cameras
by SIGMA
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: SIGMARelease Date: 2006-05-04
Model: B000FBFXXS
Product features:
- Focuses down to 1:1 magnification ratio
- Extremely compact weighing only 16 ounces
- Lens hood, front & rear lens caps & case included
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- 58MM UV Filter
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic SLR Cameras
Customer Review: Sharp and clear
Summary: 5 Stars
Of all my Four-Thirds compatible lenses this has become a favorite. The Sigma is sharp, reasonably compact and features an actual manual focus mode. Yes, the 50-200mm Zuiko covers this range and is just as sharp, but this lens is much smaller and lighter than the Olympus lens and is, of course, a macro lens that focuses much closer than the Zuiko 50-200mm.
Despite being optimized for macro photography, this lens works quite well for general photography and has a bokeh that is a bit more pleasing than many of the admirably sharp Zuiko lenses. In macro operation the lens often gives a greater distance from the subject than the Zuiko 50mm macro lens does, but this lens is not (as far as I can tell) able to mount the Olympus ring flash for macro work so I use it strictly for outdoors and ambient light macro work (Edit: I have since purchased the Olympus twin flash and it works very well with this lens via an easily obtained step ring adapter.)
The build quality of the lens is not up to the level of the better Zuiko lenses and it is not a weather sealed lens but it is certainly of a higher quality than the Olympus kit lenses that normally ship with cameras like the E-410/510. It's also a higher quality lens than the inexpensive Sigma zoom lenses that have been available for Olympus and other Four-Thirds applications for some time now. I would say that it has a nice feel to it both in heft and in operation.
Due to optical designs that I do not pretend to understand the front element of this lens is remarkably deeply recessed into the lens housing. In fact, it's so deeply recessed that I don't feel the need to use the supplied screw on sun shade (which is a poor design in my opinion) nor do I feel the need to use a clear filter in order to protect the front element (it would be difficult to bang it on anything given how far from the front of the lens it is). One might view this as a money saver as well as a convenience but that's a very subjective opinion I do admit.
Finally, the lens features a fully manual focus mode that works very well but unlike the 'fly by wire' Olympus lenses that many are familiar with this lens requires that you throw a switch on the side of the lens housing in order to disengage the auto-focus motors. This is not terribly convenient, however with practice one certainly can train themselves to operate the switch without taking one's eye from the viewfinder.
To sum it up, I did not expect great things from this lens given that some of the Sigma lenses in the Four-Thirds mount have been a disappointment but I was pleasantly surprised by this lens. It is sharp at maximum aperture, it is moderately priced, it is an excellent macro lens, and it is a fine medium telephoto lens on top of it all. I can highly recommend this lens as a handy addition to any Four-Thirds DSLR camera kit provided weather & dust sealing is not required.
More Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic SLR Cameras reviews:
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Description of Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Olympus and Panasonic SLR Cameras
This Sigma Macro 105mm F2.8 EX DG is a large aperture medium macro lens ideal shooting the smaller things in our world that exist virtually unseen. A macro lens is one which will focus on a subject close enough to render it "life-size" on the image plane in your camera. It also has a "flat" field" front lens element so that it can shoot images of flat objects such as artwork or postage stamps and be tack sharp all the way across the image. This Sigma Macro 105mm F2.8 is ideally suited for taking pictures insects or other small creatures, but it is also the perfect focal length for facial portraits rendering the best perspective of the human face. This greater distance also allows the photographer more flexibility in lighting the subject with natural light reflectors. Three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide optimum color correction and sharpness throughout the entire range and a Super Multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting. A floating internal focus system enables a minimum shooting distance of 12.3 inches enabling ability to shoot with critical sharpness regardless of distance. So don't miss the tiny insects, flowers of the world or the details in a stamp or coin collection or a piece of embroidery all of which are seldom noticed but offer a fascinating world if you look closely enough. Capture them with the Sigma Macro 105mm F2.8 EX DG.Digital Camera Accessories
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