Product Description

This medium telephoto macro lens is ideal for both digital SLR cameras and 35mm film SLR cameras. The 70mm focal length gives an equivalent field of view as the popular 105mm macro lens when used on digital SLR cameras with an APS-C size image sensor. The design of this lens makes it suitable for taking pictures in all situations from infinity to 1: 1 macro, both with natural light conditions or flash.A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two high refractive index SLD lenses provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce an exceptional level of optical performance. Sigma's super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting, and helps create a natural color balance. The floating focus system provides extremely high optical performance from infinity to 1: 1 Macro.

Product Details

• Brand: Sigma
• Model: B000GPKQIA
• Released on: 2006-08-31
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 3.00" w x 3.70" l, 1.16 pounds

Features

• Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two high refractive index SLD lenses provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations
• Super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting
• Floating focus system provides extremely high optical performance from infinity to 1:1 Macro
• Equivalent field of view to 105mm macro lens when used on a digital SLR camera with an APS-C size image sensor

Customer Reviews

Great Lens at a great price
I've never been a big fan of Sigma Zoom lenses, but their prime lenses are top notch. I've been using the Sigma 105mm and 50mm macro primes on my Canon full frame bodies so I decided to pick this lens up for my Nikon D300 to give me a 105mm equiv lens for that system.

In a nutshell, this lens is fantastic. It is very sharp corner-to-corner on my Nikon D300. It is sharp wide open at f/2.8 and stays sharp up until about f/11, where it starts to soften just a bit. Lens construction is very sturdy and typical of the top-end sigma primes. Autofocus speed is adequate but not as fast as the best Nikon lenses. It also makes a little more noise when focusing. Manual focusing is excellent with a very smooth and precise feel. I really like this lens and it may be one of the sharpest prime lenses on the market. I highly recommend it.

Recommended buy
This lens performs better than I expected. I bought this lens for macro and with the 1:1 ratio, it gives great pictures. With its f/2.8 at 70mm (which is equivalent to a 105mm in digital) it does work brilliantly for portraits (I thought it could be slightly slow but it is not at all!).
At this price, it is a great lens to have in your bag.

Amazing hunk of glass and metal
After researching macro lenses and considering my uses, I decided that I would get more use from a 70mm macro than other focal lengths such as 50 or 105. I see this lens as primarily a 70mm with macro capability for my purposes. And it is a great lens. Very sharp for all distances. Very nice color, contrast, etc. Solid construction, smooth focusing both manual and auto. This is a hunk of gear that is excellent in almost every way.

And HUNK it is. Heavy, big. Be prepared for this. Use a can of peas to get the idea. This isn't a complaint; on my Pentax K10D, it balances well and is a pleasure to hold. But it will start weighing you down after time around the neck.

My negative comments: The lens hood should be sized tighter so that it stays in place when reversed and you place it in a bag. The Sigma 'EX' crinkle finish is fine but not my favorite. The supplied case is bigger than it needs to be and yet doesn't provide much padding.

My most used lens. I didn't know that 70mm on an APS-C sensor (105mm equivalence for 35mm) would be such a nice focal length but it has become my new 'standard' lens.