Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 any good?

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks
There is a Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 fo sale second hand near me. Is this lens any good, looking to pair it with 7D, is it worthy of this body? Been trying to get some larger aperture lenses on a tight budget.
This lens fits the available budget, as did the nifty fifty I bought second hand for £40 earlier this month.
The sigma 18-50mm f2.8 is up for £160. Worth it?
The looow budget is due to a huge endowment shortfall, so much as I'd like some nice new L glass I'm preferring somewhere to keep my gear dry! 8)

Cheers Graham.

 

[paul13walnut5]

If its the DC Macro version go for it, tis a goody. On my 600d by default, gets a run out on my 7d often enough.

Great bright standard close focusing lens.

Usual used caveats apply, but a good copy is s great lens for us aps-c guys.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Paul
I'm pretty sure it is the version before ultrasonic motor, focus ring turns whilst af, no full time manual focus. As with many sellers the description is incomplete and the pictures is small and OOF. I'm not sure if it is the macro or not, I've read a few reviews and they have been enough to make me fairly sure I would the first version for the reasons above, however reviews are not real world and good recommendations are much more useful.
Is yours USM, would you go for the non USM version?

Cheers Graham.

 

[paul13walnut5]

Hi Graham

Mine is the second incarnation, I don't think it has HSM, I'll need to check when I get home from work.
I've never missed it if it hasn't.

Sigma now make a third version with OS and HSM, there is another version with a variable aperture which is deffo HSM (i.e. f2.8-4), as I recall I sought out the second version as it had superior reviews to the first by some margin.

Make sure it's the constant f2.8 you are bidding on / buying, a bit vanilla otherwise. I needed the constant f2.8 for video.

I'll check and let you know tonight.

 

[paul13walnut5]

Hi Graham

No HSM on my version, below is a pic of the designation (the first version wasnt called macro, the later third version has os.

There are no markings around the filter thread on my copy, just on the lens barrell as shown:

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Paul
Thanks for the feedback and pic. I just looked at the advert pic again, can barely tell it says sigma can't discern any of the other text. Do you feel it out performs the kit lense at comparable apertures, reviews said best stopped down for best image, but then I have read that on so many other lenses I don't know why people would buy them for use wide open! 8)

Does your focus ring move during af or did they cure that on version 2, is version 2 superior optically or construction or both?
Found this version (1) on eBay for similar price so not a killer deal unless they are open to offers!

Sorry for bombarding you with questions. Appreciate your help.

Cheers Graham.

 

[paul13walnut5]

Build quality is better than canon kit lenses, apart from the extra aperture speed the sigma is also sharp. Nicer colours ai think than the canon kits, little chroma.

Focus ring rotates. Filter threads do not. No ftm.

 

[axtstern]

I bought the Sigma the day it came Out.
Advantages: smaller and lighter than the Canon and a Lot cheaper.

Cons: Sun shade is made of wrong Material and does Not Snap in tight
Build Qualität Way Bellow EX Standard. This Lens and the Sigma 18 200 OS are the only leises that ever failed me in the Field. In all cases it was the Zoom mechanism blocking.

Optical Quality is Fine

The Lens feels however so cheap and boring that I Never Managed to Trust it.
As a replacement I First went with a combination of the 17 35 L and 28 70 L but when this become to Heavy I did what the Mainstream did and bought the Canon 17 55

Until the Sigma gets the Art Treatment I can't recommend this lens

 

[paul13walnut5]

Funny, I had to get mine serviced when the zoom blocked, I bought mine used and with a seized dented filter ring, so assumed it had been dropped, thus the eventual failure. Hmmm. Got me thinking now.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
Thanks for the input, I will have to think hard whether to buy this 1st version or wait a while, and put about twice as much in to the USM version. Or maybe in a couple of years the mortgage thing will be sorted and I might be allowed to spend on a seriously nice lens. ;D
What to do, hmmm? :

Cheers Graham.

 

[paul13walnut5]

I would hunt around, the later macro version like mine does crop up, try lcegroup, try ffordes. Usually not much more than £160 which makes it something of a bargain. Contemporaneous reviews generally put it on par with the Canon equiv (but for OS) had the canon been significantly better I would have bought the canon, it isn't so I didn't.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Paul.
Thanks for the tips, had looked at LCE before but had forgotten them, hadn't seen ffordes, useful resources, another source of limited usefulness is CEX, they sometimes have gear at good prices with warranty. Web site is the limiting factor on usefulness IMHO.
I'm fairly certain one of these lenses is going to join my arsenal, the seriously nice glass comment was aimed at 24-70 white! However reading another post it seems that is not a good focal range for crop, I did wonder.

Cheers Graham.