Good for you Howard, You will please notice a few points re: my post. First it was in referance to CANON cameras. Not Nikons. Nikon still uses a mechanical system with it lenses. Canons is electro optical. Also you are a user of the lenses. a singularity. I am speaking from a (former) vendors view where hundreds of users came in weekly for various reasons. I also never said anything about the SHARPNESS of the lenses either. I was discussing the construction, and the materials that they use to build lenses. So you have had good experiences, good for you. You can't afford the admitedly better Nikon lenses, sorry. I have had the same issues too. I look at lenses (primarily) as an investment in quality tools for my photographic WORK. I look at the bodies as a secondary investment in tools, because they change considerably faster. Aftermarket glass does not hold it's value well. It is not constructed as well. Remember the value of the glass is not just in it's ability to render images. How much of the value of a Leica lens is reputation by the manufacturer and how much for the quality of THAT lens. Sigma sells lenses becuase stores sell them in volume (usually to rookies who just dropped a large pot of cash on a body) and they are cheaper than factory glass. You won't see lines of pros at the counter clamoring for Sigma glass. Do a quick google search on problems with Sigma and see what pops up. Various focal lengths, camera bodies and issues. This list is for educators, I've given my experience to those that listen, if you have somthing to refute the thousands of Sigma users who have had very bad issues with the lenses than speak up, if not learn from what I've had to say and the same with countless others who have gotten hosed buying cheaply built gear from Sigma. Les Baldwin -----Original Message----- >From: Howard <home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >Sent: Jul 16, 2006 1:52 AM >To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >Subject: Re: A lens in need is a lens indeed.........Sigma lenses > >I've been using Sigma lenses for years and the only one that broke I >dropped onto a concrete floor... >currently I've >105mm macro - razor sharp, works with all my lenses >10-20mm zoom for Nikon dSLR - superb results. >18-200mm zoom for Nikon dSLR - surprisingly good. >AND I can get superb A3 enlargements from them. > >I don't know what the construction internally is like, but then I don't >know that about Nikon's own lenses. >Buying Sigma helps to to achieve things I could never hope to do because >Nikon's prices are, for a non-pro, astronomical. >If I had the money I'd buy Nikon, but I'm STILL waiting for Nikon's >18-200 VR lens to appear in the UK. > >My daughter has a Canon 70-300 zoom but prefers, for carrying AND >sharpness her basic 55-200 Sigma, even when using a tripod. > >It's simply "horses for courses". > >Howard >
