Sigma 55200mm f/45.6 DC Telephoto Zoom Lens for

Excellent quality, solid lens on a budget, Recommended!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Update: August 20 2009, lens has major problems shooting at 200mm range, very bad blurry images, got to send it back for warranty.

I read somewhere the lens is plastic like feel, that is not true. In the contrary, to me the construction and mate finish texture what I liked the most. Have taken it to a few outdoor events and at least people who do not know about lenses ask how much I paid for it and are impressed with the price tag and over-all quality.

The reason I bought this lens is mainly for the brand, SIGMA, I got also a 30mm 1.4 Sigma that is amazing, construction quality, craftsmanship, materials, color, fonts, are all identical. To me the lens feels solid, very well made. Pictures taken with flash look realistic, no washed out colors or strange exposures.

I got the Cosina 70-210 and I think the Sigma is much better over-all with less distortion, more controlled exposures and better color quality. Mine was bought when it was for fifty something dollars.

Final verdict: I do recommend this lens to anyone looking for a lens on a budget, if you like taking a lot of low light images then get yourself a VR Nikon telephoto lens. If you have the D40, D60 expect manual focus as it has no built in lens motor drive, in a way is a good thing, less stuff the lighter it is. I use it mostly for sports so the AF is not an issue for me. Four stars for such an unbeatable price! Sigma did it again!

Update: I purchased a used D70, autofocus is very quiet, fast and smooth. No problem AF in low light as the D70 and all new DSLR have the assistant focus light.

A Good Companion for the Rebel XT Kit Lens
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Many owners of Digital Rebels have the standard Canon 18-55mm kit lens. While useful, the kit lens has some serious limitations, one of which is its lack of sharpness at the 55mm telephoto end. The Sigma 55-200mm provides a much sharper image and wider aperture at 55mm making it a good complement to the kit lens. Overall image quality of the Sigma is fairly good, especially considering the price, and the 200mm (320mm 35mm equivalent) telephoto end provides much needed reach to your photography.

The Sigma 55-200mm is one of the newer line of digital-only lenses. On the Rebel XT, it encompasses and 35mm equivalent focal length range of 88-320mm. Focus is fairly fast and image quality is relatively good. The lens is small and light compared to other lenses with similar ranges making it a great match for the rather small Rebel XT. The lens uses a 55mm filter thread, however, which means you’ll need a step-up adapter ring if you want to share the same 58mm filters as the kit lens. All in all, this is a pretty good bet if you’re looking for an inexpensive second lens to expand your photogtaphic horizons.

Great lens for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have written two reviews so far of this lens on my blog, and still cannot say enough good things about it. It has worked very well for me, enabling me to get some great moments with an elk in Rocky Mountain National Park as well as good shots of my daughter for her senior picture collection.

Cheep Lens
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Received the lens and it has a flaw on it. Could not get it replaced. Guess you get what you paid for, I would say spend a little extra money and get a good lens.

Get more than what you pay for
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is not a high end lens, but it’s a nice pacifier until you can save up for the Zuiko 50-200mm It works good as a sunny day zoom lens. I use it with my E-1.

Pros:

- Price!

- Small & lightweight

- Great entry level for this zoom range

Cons:

- Not very bright

- Slow focusing

- f/4.0

I recommend it, especially if you’re not sure how much you’ll use this zoom range.

Not as sharp as I’d hoped for.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The lens is nice and light weight but kind of slow to focus and the focus isn’t as sharp as I would’ve thought. I have trouble with my eyesight so I really rely on on my autofocus. What looks great through the lens doesn’t always look so hot in production on my computer. I’m sure there’s a bit of a leaning curve and I’ll probably get used to it and compensate for it. Can’t beat the price.

Never Buy Sigma!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens for my Evolt 300 – and it has given me nothing but grief!! When I change from the original lens to this, the autofocus does not work. The same thing happens when I change from this lens back to the original. I regret the money that I paid for this lens. I will NEVER buy another Sigma product!

A Great Alternative To an Olympus Lens
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The Sigma lens is a good telelens, more range for less money. I use it with my E-300 Evolt. The operation feels different from the original Olympus lenses, it takes a but more effort and you cannot use the manual focus mode on the camera, you must flip a switch on the lens. Other than that it works seamlessly and provides good quality.

Good Lens for the Price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I couldn’t afford the pricey lenses so I thought I’d give this one a try. While it is a good lens, it lacks the finesse that an Olympus lens has. Focus and telephoto movements of the lens aren’t nearly as smooth as the Olympus. I guess I sacrificed some of the refinements of a high end lens when I went with Sigma. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great lens and suits my needs well. I’m happy with the purchase.

Sigma 55-200 fourthirds mount
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Sigma 55-200 is a very inexpensive telephoto zoom. For the price, it’s excellent. Of course it’s not a pro lens, but for candid telephoto shots of the family and friends it’s great. It’s a little soft wide open, so try and keep the lens closed down a bit.

SIGMA 55-200
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

I GOT THIS RIGHT AFTER I GOT MY CAMERA AND IT IS WELL WORTH THE MONEY GREAT LENS FOR THE PRICE

Coolness for the money
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have used this lens in my arsenal for over a year. I have shot thousands of shots with it from fashion to still life to personal landscape details. I love it. I have no complaints or serious critiques. This is a budget lens, but it performs like a pro level if you work within its strengths — speed, clarity, weight, quiet and the metal mount is an asset.

I’ve shot in multiple conditions from bright sunlight to deeply shadowed interiors. I have pushed the ISO to compensate for any aperture limitations and gotten great images. Well, let’s just say that my clients have been very happy.

I tend to do dramatic product shots and portraits. When my stuff appears along side the guys that shoot with the Blads and Mamiyas, the images compete in the gallery (30×40 prints), online (global site launches), print collateral (national print).

I encourage any new shooter to go for it. Get this lens, learn it and work the possibilities. You’ll be pleased with the creativity you can get from it. I am 4 year newbie and work with a Canon 350D (seriously). I get crazy looks from more experienced shooters all the time, but when they see my images in Hay House coffee table books and online with global brands, the looks turn into professional dialogue. I learned from Dean Semler that, “our eyes are still the best tools we have to shoot with.” He said, “use what you have to the best of your ability to get YOUR shot … by any means necessary.” Sure, I aspire to use the heavy hitter labels, but not instead of, only including them to my current equipment mix.

Last note: Don’t let anyone compel you to spend beyond your means to achieve a look. If the ‘labels’ went away, we would all be looking to use whatever equipment that provided us the best image that fit our vision.

God bless with success.

Good build, adequte focus, sharp enough pics
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This lens has a nice quality feel to it. Real focus ring. Metal mount. Designed and focused for newer digital cameras. I got it for what I consider to be a great price. I have a used 20d and it compliments the camera nicely and takes very good pictures. I post process a bit to give them more punch in certain circumstances but all in all a very nice lens that focuses fast enough for most amateurs. It’s not whisper quiet but I’m not sure I want to spend more money for a “quieter lens.” The four stars are about value for the money. This lens has a quality feel and takes great pictures. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, especially in this price class. I found another one at a good price for a Pentax (K100D) I have and jumped on it. Recommended.

Sigma 55-200mm for Olympus 4/3 system
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Despite what some reviewers have stated, I found the IQ produced by this lens to be unacceptable. The lens is cheap compared to the Zuiko 50-200mm or even the Zuiko kit 40-150mm and it gives a nice focal range but that’s about it. Images are soft (unless the lens is stepped down to f8.0, which becomes a problem in moderate to low light conditions) and it produces a yellow cast, visible in most shots. I should have listened to the many negative reviews I came across and avoid it. In the end, I sent it back to Amazon for a refund. I won’t recommend it not even if you are on a budget. Save you money util you can afford something better. I bought the Zuiko 70-300mm instead and that’s one great lens…worth every penny!!!

A little loud, but sturdy and good range
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This lens picks up where my standard 18-55mm left off. I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. The motor of the Sigma is kind of raspy, but my ear is also closer to the motor than everybody else’s. Another thing – I wish the zoom wasn’t so stiff. Other than that, the lens is good value. I think an equivalent from the Canon manufacturer was in the $200 range.

Auto focus faster than Nikon’s version
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have compared this lens with Nikon’s version of the 55-200mm, and I find the auto focus of the Sigma lens to be faster and snappier than that of the Nikon lens. Also, in terms of sharpness of image, I can’t tell the difference – seems to produce every bit as sharp and clear an image as the Nikon lens does – at a significantly lower cost! A good solid value for the going price.

see way out there.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I do not often shoot with a telephoto lense but like to have one in the bag for the long shot of the buffalo way out there on the range. Optics are good, not problems, worth the price paid.

Excellent Lens – slightly warm tones – fixable though
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a very nice lens – I read several reviews and decided to go for it. The colors are a bit on the warmer side (more red than reality) – but you can fix it either on the camera (by lowering saturation) or on ACDSee (reduce red color).

Perhaps a bit on the soft side, but I am learning that DSLR images are great and lend themselves to sharpening with any software without much noise or artifacts. After a tad bit of sharpening, its difficult to tell the picture apart from a much more expensive lens. Very nice background blur, so portraits at the park, or garden, or the beach look fantastic.

Very pleased with the lens – for $149 its an amazing product.

Sigma 55-200
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have been using this Lens mostly for sports and nature photography. It has a clean image with little distortion. I bought it strictly because of the price being much better then actual Olympus lenses. The only thing is if you set the lens on manual focus, you can’t trigger a shot with a remote IR device. I take lots of time-lapse sequences using my “pclix” (Google it) triggering device using a fiber optic cable and I like to have the camera set completely manual to maintain exposure. The 14 to 54mm Olympus lens allows remote triggering when set to manual focus. I suppose it is how the lens communicates with the camera.

One complaint is the lens hood intefears with the manual focus ring if placed on the camera in the storage mode (backwards) and removing it requires a strong enough twist to spin the internal focusing mechanics when set on the auto focus mode. Other then that, I have had really good luck with this lens. Bill K

Spectacular
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first time purchasing a lens for my camera. The pictures I have captured are truly spectacular. The details of the subject matter are fantastic. I recommend this lens highly.

Olympus EVOLT/55-200mm Sigma lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Sigma 55-200mm lens only two weeks ago after it was recommended by a friend.

Thus far, I am very pleased with its optics. I was somewhat reluctant to buy a lens at such a low price thinking that the quality would be lacking. To date, I have no complaints at all.

I would recommend it without reservation.

CR

It’s okay for the $$$$$
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The lens is average. The zoom quality is mediocre and the edges do get a tad fuzzy. You get what you pay for. It will do what I need for the time in which I have it.

Great pictures
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I couldn’t be more pleased with this lens. The pictures taken with it and my Pentax K-10 camera are crisp, clean and always in focus. It’s a great intermediate range lens, and at the price here at Amazon, a real value. I paid 60 dollars less than my local camera store or the Sigma web site. For great quality and value, this is as good as it gets.

It’s a good product and Great value for the money paid!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens for my Olympus e-510 three months ago and waited to see its performance before writing this review. I hope it would be helpful for the readers.

First I must tell that it is fully compatible with my Olympus e510 and it is perfoming very well. If you have any doubt about its compatibility with your camera, I strongly recommend you to visit Sigma official web site to read the “zoom products’” specification table. You can detailed information about the Sigma lenses and their compatibility issues.

This lens’s 4/3 feature empowers the zoom to a great extend, the 35mm equilivance of that is 110mm to 400mm. That means you can do anything you want with such a powerful zoom.

The picture quality is excellent, the lens has both Manual and Auto focus feature so it lets you to become the part of the picture. I bought my Olympus Evolt E510 with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens from Amazon.com. Then I bought Sigma 55-200mm instead of 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Zuiko. I paid couple of dollars more but got 50mm more (100mm for 35mm equilivance or 4x optic) well and very happy with my decision.

It’s a good product and Great value for the money paid!

overall- satisfied. especially for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Given the specs on this lense, you should only expect to be able to use it at the long end of the telephoto range in good light levels.

Overall – i’ve been absolutely satisfied for it, and can’t get over the price. The only time i found myself wanting for a better lense, was an indoor graduation, low light levels, from very far away. The shots were dark, and when i slowed it down a bit to let in more light, i obviously got blurry pics.

In every other situation, and in the mid telephoto ranges – the image quality has been excellent, and have not had a problem with the light.

Nice piece of glass
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a very nice piece of glass especially for the price. Would definitely recommend it to anyone on a budget. Shoots clear and precise, the zoom does have a little drag but no worse than the two Zukios that I have. Will certainly be my every day all around lens.

Works great for FILM camera also!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought for my mom for Christmas, she has a RebelG 35MM camera.

When researching this lens I found that many people claim that there is Vignetting when used with a film camera.

After using this I can report that the vignetting problem is there, but so minimal it is not an issue.

I took pics fully zoomed or not and only saw the effect on a few pictures. Even then, the effect was so slight it did not detract from the quality of the shots.

Take my word on this, if you are looking for a great cheap 200mm lens, this one is the BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK!

For a typical family user this lens works great on FILM cameras.

I did not test it on a digital camera.

Cheap lens
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
You get what you pay for. This a cheap lens of marginal quality.

47st Photo.com
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I cannot begin to tell you how satisfied I am with this company and the quality of their products. I ordered a Sigma 55-200mm lens to take with me to Hawaii, even though Olypus mentions that you need an Olympus recommended lens through Olympus I went against that suggestion due to the extremely high prices. I searched the 47stPhoto.com web site and it recommended the Sigma lens, I tell you this is the second lens that I have ordered to prepare me for my trip and my photos are crystal clear. I strongly recommend that for your photo needs use 47st Photo, not only do your products arrive on time, the prices are spectacular and the products are of the highest quality.

plastic build, light weight, surprising optics
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
i briefly had this lens and though i traded it in, it’s actually a pretty good deal for the money. anyone expecting a pro-quality lens or a 2.8 at this price is insane.

the first thing you notice is that the build quality is super-plastic-y, even toy-like. that was a turn-off for me, but to get a better-made lens, you’ll have to pay hundreds, if not thousands more — the nikon 55-200 alternatives are also plastic, and sigma doesnt offer a 55-200 in an EX finish.

still, the sigma 55-200 does have some advantages if you’re not overly concerned with name-brand snob appeal. it autofocuses very quickly due to its short barrel and excels at tracking moving subjects handheld due to its light weight. and the optics are clearer and sharper than you would think, although there is a bit of fall-off at 200mm. this lens would obviously appeal to budget-minded shooters, but it would also be a good backup lens for travel for someone who doesnt want to drag along a lot of heavy glass. and at the price it’s being offered for, you could easily buy two in case one breaks.

note: unfortunately for d40 users, the sigma 55-200 has no internal motor, so your camera will not AF with it.

excellent quality for the price. if i get 2 years it’ll be worth it.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
i used to shoot in my teens and 20′s, avidly in 35mm. did’nt really do any photography seriously for several years then decided to get a digi 5 yrs ago. learned a little about digital processes then 3 years ago got a dslr. i shoot with H type small sensor camera, 1.6 ratio, though at some point i will move to a C size camera, maybe canon 50D, but for now i’ll keep checking the reviews.

digital photography is still relatively new, (10yrs), as compared to film. i’m old, (47), and relatively new to this medium so i’m letting others spend money and make the mistakes for me. that’s why i got this BUDGET lens. good enough to learn with but not serious enough to shoot pro stuff. i’m a carpenter, not a pro photographer, but a fair photographer.

i read some reviews about this lens before i bought it. and i based this purchase on its price, quality, purpose. some reviewers said it broke down about the 2 year mark. i guess it depends on how much handeling and abuse it gets. in 2 years i’m sure i’ll already have moved along in expierence and equipment.

oh, and another small point, i did’nt buy the lens on here, i got it on craigslist for 60 bucks. anyway, even if you do buy it from here you’ll have an adequate amatuer medium telephoto lens it’s sharp and works how it’s suppose to. it fits in right beside the 18-55 zooms they have as “kit” lenses. if you’re serious you should also consider a 35mm prime lens (standard field of view) and, or an 50mm prime for portraits.

Surprisingly good – still
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I own an Olympus E-300 and several Pentax K mount lenses that work beautifully with the camera when an adapter is used. They are all manual focus and my two telephotos (a heavy Tokina ATX 50-250 (35mm equiv) and Takumar 135mm (35mm equiv) are truly excellent performers. Sharp and crisp. When I add a 2x extender I am easily up to 1000mm, and find that noise levels in the E-300 let me snap away at ISO 800 and 1600 with the former quite good and the latter fixed up by Neat Image.

Because I do a lot of canoeing and also railroad photography, which often require pretty quick focusing, I decided to get an auto-focus lens and took the plunge with this Sigma.

It is not quite as good optically as my PK lenses, but it does an excellent job in most situations. It focuses quickly, contrast is fine, and it is very, very light…great for travel. Like most lenses in its price class it is best when stopped down to f5.6 or higher and images are better a the wider end of its reach. Mechanically, it is solid but does feel a bit rough when focusing and zooming, but it is not rough enough to affect much of anything. Some day I might upgrade to far more expensive glass, but right now I am pleased with this lens.

——–

April 2009 update

Though I have added two Olympus 4/3rds telephotos to my collection (the most recent 40-150 and the 70-300) I continue to use this lens, which sits in my car kit and often goes out in the boat with my E-330 or E-510. Every time I use it and review the pics I find myself extremely satisfied with results. It has stood the test of time well and was a great investment. Frankly, stop it down a bit and it produces results equal to the Oly lenses.

Great Lens, Great Price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve been enjoying this lens for several weeks. I bought my Evolt in late June with an eye on the Sigma 55-200. It has exceeded my expectations, I like to think…I “effectively increased my range without leaving my price range!”

Clearly, Sigma makes a good product on par with Olympus Lens. I’m looking forward to other Sigma products for the Evolt here at Amazon.

Great Beginner Lens
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
New to photography, I decided to read a multitude of reviews on the camera itself as well as the kit lens. Like many who read the reviews, I found that near 90% of the reviews were not in the kit len’s favor, and thus decided to search for a different lens to go with my canon Xti body. I debated between this lens and the 70-300, knowing that the 70-300 would be better for sports, but much less useful for those group/portrait shots. I then found this nify little lens and decided, knowing that the Xti has a 1.6x multiplier, that the equiv. of a 88-320 would be just fine compared to the 70-300. Budget was also a concern and I was able to eventually find the Sigma for under $150. This lens isn’t the quietest, fasest, or sharpest lens available, but it sure does the job for shooting well lit sporting events and more than does the trick for a new photographer looking to really get started with a dSLR!

Good budget lens but not perfect
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this to save some money on a zoom lens but found that the sharpness just wasn’t there. I did all sorts of test shots using both the AF and the MF but both really didn’t wow me. There is also no image stabilization and I had lots of camera movement in my photos. I went with the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras instead and returned this. The Canon lens is worth the extra money because the photos are super sharp. The Canon was also faster with the AF and much quieter and also has the image stabilization that really makes a difference. I took some up close photos as well as far away and both were very very sharp so this lens is a perfect all around lens. While its no macro lens, you still can get great up close shots with a little patience.

Pros:

Budget price

Ok photos

Good zoom length

Cons:

Photos not very sharp compared to the Canon

Noisy AF

Slow AF

No Image Stabilizer

Good, not great…
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Look, this lens will get you into the action (no problem focusing on your little soccer phenom), but at f/4 you have to compromise on either shutter speed or ISO. So you may have to choose between motion blur or noise, neither of which is attractive. Alternatively, you can use Photoshop (or equivalent)to correct these photos (ideally, your action shots should freeze your subject while blurring your background… harder to do at f4 than f2 or f2.8) by blurring the background after the fact. That said, if you are on a budget, I can recommend the lens. Just know in advance that you may have to compromise a bit on your shots and that you may be required to edit/retouch your photos to get the effect you are after.

If you have a little more cash to spend, check out the relatively new Olympus Zuiko 18-180 lens. This is one you can keep on your camera nearly all the time (f3.5-f6.3) It has just a slightly shorter range than the aforementioned Sigma. I use it and I love it. Really is a fantastic lens that didn’t break my bank.

A word of warning.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This lens is great for the money, a word of warning, it will not autofocus with the D40, D40x, or D60.

Sigma 55-22mm zoom
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
It was a Christmas present for my wife. Excellent quality.Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Excellent Budget lens!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I originally was looking into the 70-300mm APO macro by Sigma and the 70-300mm lens by Canon. I chose this one because I was reading the reviews of the 70-300 by both comapnies, and it seemed that at the 300mm length the lens was very vey soft. Too soft to make a decent print. So I looked into this zoom range and it didnt bother me that it was only 200mm because I have the Canon XT and the 1.6x crop factor would make the zoom over 300 mm, which is more than I need. Plus, I saw pictures of this lens on one of the review site, and at the 200mm end, the pictures were not that soft! THey seemed like they could make a decent sized print.

Going with my hunch, I bought this 55-200 mm lens and boy am I glad I did!! The autofocus has great speed for the money I paid. Its a little noisy, but I actually like it. At the long end, I was using a shutter speed of 1500 of a second and my hand shake (which you could def. see) was not apparent in teh photos. I would say at 1150 and less would certainly make blurry pics. I plan on using a tripod at the long end for the most part. The build and feel of the lens is amazing. THe lens hood is awesome too. it goes over the lens and locks on the other way for easier carry around. and the speed of the lens is def. fast enough if you are out in broad daylight. Indoors things I believe would be a mess. Color rendition is quite nice as well. So overall, it is very sharp at the 55mm side, and decently sharp at teh 200mm size.

The only con I see is that you will need a step up ring for 58mm filters. I have a 58mm polarizer and was bummed about this…but step ups are really cheap, so its no biggy.

I bought this for my trip to AZ that I am going on soon. We will be going to the zoo and bird sanctuaries so it seems perfect for the occasion. I think this lens is amazing for the price. GO BUY IT!

*UPDATE* I just took some test shots. All from a tripod on a sunny day. I took 18 shots total, in the progression as follows: 55mm at f/4.0, 55mm at f5.6, 55mm at f8.0, 55mm at f11.0, and I did this with the zoom lengths at 70mm, 105mm, 135mm, and 200mm respectively. All were shot with a Canon 350D. What I found was 55mm-105mm were sharp w all fstops, 8.0 and 11.0 being the best, but you couldnt really tell the difference. Then when it hit 135 mm, it was a bit soft at 5.0 and 11.0…8.0 was decently sharp, and then at 200mm the sharpest was at 11.0. When I say sharpest, I do believe it could make a pretty decent sized print. I mainly print 12×18 w/ my 350D, and I assume I could make that size print with this lens. There was some CA in all my shots, but I CS2 could easily fix it. I will update you after I come back from my trip to AZ!

*UPDATE*

Just got back from my trip. Went to the zoo with this lens and it is great! Took many pics, got some great shots of peacocks and parrots, etc. Feathers are really sharp. I also took pics of birds in their natural habitat. The lens was pretty sharp, and def. made decent photos. Autofocus hunts a bit, but for the most part, great lens!

What more can you ask?
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
People, If you are like me, a little short on cash but dying to get shots of those birds and squirrels on trees or your childs action shots from his soccer game, BUY THIS.

As most people have said, there are a set of sacrifices you make with this lens, but hey, SIGMA has sacrificed enough to get this at your disposal. And trust me, what you gain out of this one is worth more than what you loose. It gives you a good output, although a little stiff on the zoom ring. The images might be a little on the softer side, but it does it’s job well. Go ahead, play with this one while you save for a much expensive lens.

VERY decent lens at a VERY affordable price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Like you, before I bought this lens, I read through the different reviews. The price is surprising modest … which made me a bit cautious. But to say the least, I was very pleasantly surprised.

I used the lens on my Olympus Evolt 500, in a wide range of applications and instances. Outdoors and indoors, with and without a flash, at ISO speeds from 100-1600.

The lens construction is solid. Finish is very high … so it won’t drag down the looks of your system. The zoom ring is a bit on the stiff side, but that actually helps in accurately framing and capturing your shots. The lens mounts cleanly and smoothly … every bit as good as any of my three Olympus lenses.

I’ve put this lens through it paces for approximately 6 months, shooting everything from weddings to landscapes … and I am MORE than pleased. Images are razor-sharp with no color or image distortion. After using this lens, I would immediately consider other llenses from Sigma.

An excellent buy at an excellent price!

Sharpness High Price Low for this Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
There are some that slam this lens and others that praise it. You have all heard the value of the 50mm 1.8 right? This Sigma lens is close to the same value as far as cost vs sharpness. It is not as fast as a 2.8 lens but it also is not as expensive. If you can afford it get a 2.8 lens but if not then this is the lens you want. It is very sharp but does become soft at outer edges

Great little lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens hoping it would give me the over all photo lens capability for general photography I want. This lens for the money has come close to that expectation. It is a very good lens. I have shot close to 100 photographs of people and scenes, great clarity for the price. I have no complaints so far.