SIGMA MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG

Data From the Sigma web site, comments from Rusty Dodson

Super Multi Coating reduces flare and ghosting that tends to occur when using digital SLR cameras.

High performance medium telephoto macro lens optimized for digital cameras.

MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG allows greater working distance between the lens and subject. High contrast and excellent image quality are made possible in all shooting ranges. This macro lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras as well as film SLR cameras.

Reduces flare and ghost

This new medium telephoto macro lens employs a new design concept for digital SLR cameras. Its new lens power layout produces an excellent optical performance and also reduces flare and ghost. This new lens is designed to reduce the influence of harmful light caused by reflections from the digital image sensor.

An easy to use 105mm medium telephoto lens

MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG lens is very suitable for taking pictures in nature and it enables to use of natural light conditions or flash.
The greater working distance of this lens is very advantageous when taking the picture of a flower among the branches or an insect. You do not shake your subject when you want to take its precise details without blurring by using a tripod.
The narrow angle of view is a great aid for simplifying backgrounds and shallow depth of field makes it easier to handle the composition. This lens would have an equivalent field of view of a 178mm telephoto macro lens on a digital SLR camera (when used with the SD10).

Minimum aperture of F45

Depth of field of medium telephoto macro lenses is generally very shallow; however, Sigma, Canon and SONY mounts of this lens have a minimum aperture of F45 (or F22 for FOUR THIRDS or F32 for Nikon and Pentax mounts) for incredible depth of field.

Screw-in lens hood

A screw-in hood is included, for convenient use of circular polarizing filters. It is possible to attach a 77mm filter in front of the lens hood.

Dual Focus (DF) system

This lens also incorporates a Dual Focus (DF) system that is designed to make the lens easy to hold during auto focusing. The large focus ring offers smooth and positive action whilst focusing manually.

The Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro lens is likely as good of a macro as any photographer will ever need. One can purchase better lenses, but one is not likely to need to. I used this lens for years with excellent results, many of the images in my professional stock portfolio were made with this lens.

The Sigma 105mm macro is perfectly sharp and does very well with colors. The New Nikkor 105mm VR f2.8 macro appears to have a slight edge in overall image clarity, but only slightly.

The lens build quality seems to be pretty good, it has never failed me and I put it to use under all sorts of harsh conditions. I am not crazy about the dual focus system, in fact I just find that annoying. The other annoying issue with the lens is the fact that it nearly doubles in length at maximum magnification.  The focus is also a tad on the slow and noisy side, as are most non-HSM / AF-S lenses.

The Sigma 105mm macro is a lens that I would recommend, it is perfectly capable and reasonably priced.