Review: Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM for Nikon
I am probably not qualified enough to give a review on camera gear, but I hope this helps some people out. For the sole purpose of the review, all images will be in unedited form.
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- Includes a carrying case
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- The lens itself with lens hood
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- First (not really. Maybe third.) photo I took with this lens. I noticed a lot of vignetting wide open at 17mm. Not sure if this is because of the lens itself or my camera, but fixable in post via lens correction.
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- Used this lens the next day at a car event. I noticed that even wide open at f/2.8, not a lot of depth is created; but I am guessing it is because I am not creating a lot of compression from the car to the point of where I am standing.
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- Even at 46mm f/2.8, the background is not as “bokeh’d” as it’d be when using a prime.
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- I did notice in a few images like this one where depth was created and it looks amazing. Compare the sharpness of the 280Z to Audi.
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- The same can be seen here.
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- The lens is exceptional in portraits though.
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- @ 50mm f/2.8
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- You can get a lot of depth being up close and personal being wide open at 17mm and f/2.8.
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- @ 50mm f/2.8
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- Sometimes, the bokeh can get a little weird and blotchy. The bokeh on the brick wall looks like one big blotch, as well as the big green patch at the bottom left corner.
The lens is great and a lot better than the stock kit lens that comes with consumer DSLRs. I had been using strictly primes in all of my years of shooting, so it was great being able to adjust my focal length using solely my hands instead of my feet. Though I mostly photograph cars, I am a little bit disappointed in the way that this lens does not get my the kind of depth and compression that I am looking for in automotive photography, compared to the kind of depth you would see taken with prime lenses. However; the lens is amazing when taking photos of people. You can use it wide open at 17mm or fully zoomed in at 50mm at f/2.8 and still get the contrast between your subject and the background, plus that sweet sweet bokeh. No matter how you shoot it though, the lens is tack sharp. The build quality of the lens itself, to me, feels amazing. It is quite heavy, compared to my 35mm and my 50mm.
I do have some gripes about this lens. There is A LOT of vignetting the wider you shoot. Along with vignetting, there is lens distortion; again most notable when shooting around 17mm-24mm. However; these are not much of a problem as they can be fixed in post.
This lens is perfect whether you are a beginner or a professional. For a little above $400, you can add this to your arsenal of lenses or upgrade from your little kit lens.
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