One complaint on the Sigma 70-200: it is not rated for cold weather. I shot a moonset over a lighthouse a few years ago, standing on an ice dune in ~0 F (-18 CO). Only the first shots were OK - the rest of the roll was way over exposed. Looking into, I found that if the lens gets cold enough the aperture pulls open. When I wrote to Sigma they indicated it was only rated for something like 10F and above. Aside from the one time, this has not been a problem.
I've used the Sigma EX 50 f2.8 macro, not extensively, but it seems to be quite good. Most of my snowflakes this year were shot with it.
Lastly, I briefly owned the Sigma 400 f5.6 macro, but wound up switching to the Tokina ATX 400 f5.6. I don't know about build quality (the Tokina is built like a tank) but the Sigma was better optically. It was much larger, though.
Personally, I would not have a problem looking into any of their newer lenses. As with any manufacturer, though, I'm sure they've produced their share of duds.
- MCC
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Mark Cassino Photography
Kalamazoo, MI
www.markcassino.com
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Артур Гроховский" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:25 AM
Subject: Opinions about Sigmas
Dear colleagues,
What Sigma zoom lenses (EX series only) you can describe as
"good lenses" and can safely advise for the buying? Primary use -
photojournalism for the magazine (A4, A3) and for medium size prints (20x30
and 30x45 cm from the film) for the customers. I am interesting in both
wide-angle and ultrawide-angle lenses also in normal and tele-lenses.
Sincerely yours, Arthur Grokhovsky
