Extreme WA, Sigma 10-20 first impressions!

[MHD]

I'm a happy camper... this is not only a good value lens, but if you made all the WA lenses I have played with the same price I would still probably pick this one...

This is a lot of fun... the coverage is amazing... and the perspectives you can get is quite fun... Let me demonstrate by way of example...


One has to be very carefull with flash now... so here is a shot with an off camera flash


More to follow

[Alpha_7]

Welcome to the 10-20 Club, I hope you enjoy yourself, looks like you've already started! Just don't drink it all at once

[MHD]

I'm suprised more people were not more vocal about there support for this lens when I asked before... this lens is SHARP!

And I do like the HSM... very snappy focus (but then again it isnt moving as much glass as say the 70-200)

[MHD]

Oh and I should mention a big thankyou to the dynamic duo: Gary and Poon!

[Greg B]

As a very recent new member of the 10-20 club, I heartily endorse those comments, the lens is
an absolute corker and extraordinary value.

And yes - Gary and Poon delivered the goods (literally) - ordered late Friday, lens in hand
the following Friday. First class service.

I used the on camera flash at one stage - no good, you get lens shadow at 10mm. Small point,
that's why we have the SB800, no such problem there.

[Yi-P]

Great, welcome to the 10-20 club


Do your lens have the tiny HSM issue which it tackles for once or twice before getting the 'lock-on' ?

[MHD]

*Picks up cam*
*focus out window*
*focus on keyboard*

Nope...

[Greg B]

Oh yeah - you have to be careful your feet don't get in the frame too.

[MHD]

Oh yeah - you have to be careful your feet don't get in the frame too.

or camera strap

[Aussie Dave]

Certainly one of the lenses on my lens lust list.

A question for those that have this lens:
Do you find you often use the entire range of the lens, or do you tend to open it to 10mm and bask in it's glory ?

[Yi-P]

Dave,

From 10-20, its only a 2X zoom, but the view difference is HUGE.

The 10mm is always tempting to use and you can never get wide enough, or just too wide in other's perspective.

I use mine mosly in the 10-14 range, and the 17-20 range when I get too much in the frame. Yes, you always get something that you dont want in the frame with this wide angle.

And you'd have to get use to telling people to get off the frame even tho they dont think the lens is pointing at them.

[MHD]

At the moment I am in bask mode... but I'm sure I will use the full range...

The price of this beast is stunning given it can go wider than the revered nikon FE (10 vrs 10.5) which is much more expensive...

[Greg B]

Dave

The thrills are at the 10mm end of proceedings. The zoom range just means that you have a bit of not quite so wide capability on the camera if needed, such as when you are using it as a walk around lens because you love it so much.

[Aussie Dave]

Thanks guys. 10mm doesn't sound like much, but I guess when you're right down the bottom of the spectrum, it makes a huge difference.

Now to try and convince the CFO....not sure of my chances whilst we're building a new house

[MHD]

pfft, at $625 it is a tiny percentage of the house cost... You can use it to HELP you with the house... it is great for interiors...

[MHD]

Some more playing at lunch today... complete with horribly blown highlights

[Mj]

At the moment I am in bask mode... but I'm sure I will use the full range...

The price of this beast is stunning given it can go wider than the revered nikon FE (10 vrs 10.5) which is much more expensive...

Small but important correction Scott...

The Sigma 10-20 certainly cannot go wider than the nikon 10.5.

Sigma angle of view is 102.4
Nikon angle of view is 180.

Of course the nikon is also f/2.8 where the sigma is f/4-4.5
But the nikon certainly is somewhat more fishy than the sigma !!!

Just in the interest of accuracy

Both nice lens depending on what you wish to achieve.

[Yi-P]

Yeah this lens has little bit trouble with blowing highlights, exposure should be taken carefully...


Btw, that is the place where you eat lunch?

[MHD]

At the moment I am in bask mode... but I'm sure I will use the full range...

The price of this beast is stunning given it can go wider than the revered nikon FE (10 vrs 10.5) which is much more expensive...

Small but important correction Scott...

The Sigma 10-20 certainly cannot go wider than the nikon 10.5.

Sigma angle of view is 102.4
Nikon angle of view is 180.

Of course the nikon is also f/2.8 where the sigma is f/4-4.5
But the nikon certainly is somewhat more fishy than the sigma !!!

Just in the interest of accuracy

Both nice lens depending on what you wish to achieve.

I would be carefull there...
Independent of the sensor size a 10mm lens is wider than a 10.5mm lens...
Is the nikon stat for a 35mm sensor?

Physical fact, The size of the image at the image plane of a 10.5mm lens will be larger than an image at the image plane of a 10mm lens for the same object

The only way a 10.5mm lens could be wider than a 10mm lens is if it is not infact a 10.5mm lens

Of course I could be wrong

[MHD]

http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/news_rel ... f_dx10.htm

An important addition to the DX Nikkor lens lineup, the first fisheye lens designed specifically for digital SLR photography is also the first to achieve a full-frame 180 degree picture angle. The ultra-wideangle focal length of 10.5mm brings digital camera users a picture angle equivalent to that of a 16mm fisheye lens on a 35mm [135] format camera.

Very confusing wording.. I hate the sales crap some come up with...

[MHD]

Yeah this lens has little bit trouble with blowing highlights, exposure should be taken carefully...


Btw, that is the place where you eat lunch?

National botanic gardens...

[Alpha_7]

At the moment I am in bask mode... but I'm sure I will use the full range...

The price of this beast is stunning given it can go wider than the revered nikon FE (10 vrs 10.5) which is much more expensive...

Small but important correction Scott...

The Sigma 10-20 certainly cannot go wider than the nikon 10.5.

Sigma angle of view is 102.4
Nikon angle of view is 180.

Of course the nikon is also f/2.8 where the sigma is f/4-4.5
But the nikon certainly is somewhat more fishy than the sigma !!!

Just in the interest of accuracy

Both nice lens depending on what you wish to achieve.

I would be carefull there...
Independent of the sensor size a 10mm lens is wider than a 10.5mm lens...
Is the nikon stat for a 35mm sensor?

Physical fact, The size of the image at the image plane of a 10.5mm lens will be larger than an image at the image plane of a 10mm lens for the same object

The only way a 10.5mm lens could be wider than a 10mm lens is if it is not infact a 10.5mm lens

Of course I could be wrong

Um, while it might not be wider in a focal length sense, it's front element is much more curved, therefore capturing more light from all sides, the end result is that is gives a distorted but wider viewing angle.
(I've used both on my d70 and the FE is definitely shows more then the 10-20).

[MHD]

As I said I may be wrong... I am basing my argument on the FE obeying the lens maker equations, which it may not... ie it may not be a 10.5mm fl lens in the classic sense of the word...

[MHD]

Yes... all things are not as they seem...
FE lenses do not obey the TL eqns... due to the thickness of the elements and aspehical elements...

Check this out... a lens that can image BEHIND the lens
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/co ... 6mmf28.htm

My apologies for being so definitive...

some brief info is in here
http://web.mit.edu/sirkin/www/paper/index.html

an interesting paper on another (pseudo reflex) lens design)
http://ao.osa.org/DirectPDFAccess/11FFD ... N=55397903

[Mj]

The 10.5FE does 180 degrees view on a DX same as the 16FE does on standard 35mm. The 16FE does 107 degrees on a DX.
Happy to stand corrected of course but thats what I currently know as correct.

At the end of the day... both nice lens and beside... I'm record as not being a fan of FE, so I'll be getting the 10-20 sig myself !!!

[Glen]

I'd back MJ here, you get more stuff in your pic with the 10.5 fisheye. Both seem to be great lenses for their purpose

[Greg B]

The whole field of view/focal length thing gets a bit tricky at the short end, and when fish eye optics come into play.

This site has a treasure trove of specs for Nikon lenses and is most interesting.


I also noticed that the reported FoV for some lenses is based on the diagonal rather than across the longer side. (Might just be on some sites, not sure. All the Nikon lenses are based on the longer side)

[rokkstar]

I've been thinking long and hard about this lens for some time now.

I was going to get it but then thought I would only end up buying some nikon glass later along the line, like the 17-35mm. I know 17mm and 10mm are a world apart.

See, Sam has my d70 and I was ggoing to let her use the kit lens as her walk around and I was going to get something else.
I think it's definately going to be this bad boy now. It will be great for when we go round China.

[MHD]

Yes... I will wipe the egg off someday..

You are oft taught that physics is more about what you can ignore than what you can work out... so many optical systems obey the thin lens equations...

but sometimes you need to use the whole pain in the arse formalisms of thick lenses, and FEs are one of those cases...

I'll be carefull to point this out in my chimp article

[Glen]

Scott, you are smarter than me, the only two words I knew the meaning of was egg & chimp

[MHD]

Oh come on Glen! I think you are selling your self short!

What? with words like ignore and point in there!

[Glen]