Sigma macro 105mm 2.8

DizMatt · 15 Feb 2006 at 20:58

okay, was looking at the 50mm 1.4 but have been offered a mint and pretty new sigma 105mm DG macro ex f2.8 for about £150...and I'm sorely tempted
seems really nice close up and portrait too!

any thoughts?
close up seems great, although it can take a while to focus, but within reasonable refocus, it's not too much of a chore

Joe T · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:05

Great lens!

Alex53 · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:10

For that price and in mint condition you can't go wrong.

DizMatt · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:10

just had a play
seems pretty niiiice for my purposes

not cropped, just resized
might just but it!

Joe T · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:13

AF is very slow, but for macro you probably want to use MF anyway.

Probably my favourite shot taken with the 105:

GSDog · 15 Feb 2006 at 21:14

I also have this lens, I love it. The AF is very slow, but I usualy use it in manual anyway.

DRZ · 16 Feb 2006 at 19:39

Is there an echo in here?

I also have this lens, its a bit slow to focus but other than that its fantastic

glitch · 16 Feb 2006 at 19:43

I don't have this lens, and didn't buy it for exactly the reason mentioned. Although most 'proper' macro work really needs manual focusing, it was a niggle that I couldn't have lived with.

However... £150? In good nick? Bite his hand off!

Mtx · 16 Feb 2006 at 19:50

ill echo again great lens but for macro i use manual focus anyway

so slowish focus isnt that much of a problem

JET_PILOT · 16 Feb 2006 at 19:52

Buy it for that price, Love mine

got to agree with everyone else on the fact that AF is slow, but you don't need AF for close macro work.

hoodmeister · 16 Feb 2006 at 19:55

Woah, great price for the lens - I paid that for my 50mm 2.8 macro!

Do you own a decent 50mm prime? They can be very handy, so mine serves a dual purpose. That would be my only reservation about the 105 macro, is that it's pretty much exclusively a macro. (A bit short for proper wildlife, a bit slow for action...)

Leigh · 17 Feb 2006 at 10:31

A high street store is selling these for £140 refurbed at the moment.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 17 Feb 2006 at 11:27

Mine cost me £300 brand new and yes its slow AF if you focusing from completely out of focus. My advice for anyone using this lens and struggling to focus ( if you have an external Flash unit) would be to use the AF assist beam but within your cameras settings set the flash not to fire.

I would highly consider this lens, A macro lens is something you will always use at some point. Its great for portraits too.

Alex53 · 17 Feb 2006 at 13:02

Phoenix_Cosmos said:
...My advice for anyone using this lens and struggling to focus ( if you have an external Flash unit) would be to use the AF assist beam but within your cameras settings set the flash not to fire...

Slightly off topic but I have to ask. Is it possible to get the 420EX to do the AF assist but not fire? (On a 10D)

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 17 Feb 2006 at 13:50

Alex53 said:
Slightly off topic but I have to ask. Is it possible to get the 420EX to do the AF assist but not fire? (On a 10D)

That will be located within your 10D's Custom Functions.
On a 20D that is Custom Function 07 - Flash firing.. 0: fires 1: Does not fire