Sigma 24 Super Wide II F2.8  reviews

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: ithinkso   review date: April-07-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70 kit
Sony 16-50 2.8
Minolta 28-85 (on film)
Minolta 28mm 2.8 Rokkor (on film)
Minolta 35mm 2.8 Rokkor (on film)

price paid:

N/A

positive:

compact
sharp wide open
IQ
Lens Flare

negative:

Fiddly hood.

comment:

My partner inherited this lens from her father. It was in very good, almost as new condition. I don't know how much he paid for it.

Back in my manual focus film days my favourite lens was the 35mm Rokkor, which was hardly ever off my Minolta XD7, so it made sense to check out how this performed on my a100 (equivalent to 36mm on APS c). I was disappointed that results mostly seemed to be out of focus on this body.

I got better results on film (Dynax 7), and so I assumed it was some incompatibility issue with the a100. Results on film showed good colour and contrast and very little distortion, I thought.

In theory a "prime" fixed focal length lens ought to out perform a zoom at the equivalent focal length, and so out of curiosity I've made some brief comparisons on the A77 with the 24mm & 16-50 at the equivalent focal length using a tripod to take images of the same subject.

There's not much in it. As far as I can see, distortion and sharpness are very similar and the colour rendition is much the same, with little CA. The Sigma showed a greater tendency to flare when the sun is in or just outside the frame. I think this is to do with it's less modern coating, and maybe because it was designed to be used with film rather than digital sensors. Some of you might like to experiment with this kind of effect which can give a sort of "vintage" feel to digital images. Using a "French flag" made a big difference (that is a piece of stiff card held just above or to the side and just out of frame). The supplied hood is fiddly and not much use really.

A worthwhile focal length on both APS-C and film if you're on a budget. There's a group dedicated to this lens on FLICKR so you can see for yourself. I'd give this a lens a thoroughly recommended status.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Titticec   review date: March-26-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

35 eur

positive:

rapporto qualità prezzo eccezionale

negative:

rivestimento gommoso che si screpola con il tempo

comment:

è un ottimo obiettivo, molto luminoso e con un giusto campo visivo, i colori sono molto vivaci anche se non sublimi come quelli minolta, le distorsioni sono ben controllate! se si riesce ad acquistare sotto i 100 euro è un buon affare!!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 2 

user: eugenephoto   review date: February-28-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 24mm 2.8

price paid:

150 USD (used)

positive:

Fast Lens
Focal Length
Metal Build

negative:

Lens Distortion
Chromatic Aberration at 2.8
Lens Flare

comment:

This lens is a great value. It comes in a few different incarnations all made by Sigma under various names. Such as Quantary. The lens works very well with the a77 and the a700. It has some lens flare issues but if you add a lens hood to it, it really helps avoid this problem. The distortion is a bit more difficult to fix. I usually fix it in post processing. The CA also gets fixed in pp. It has a metal barrel and all metal components except the rubberized focusing ring. If you run across it for under $200.00 USD it's a good buy. It's a nice lens when you're shooting video on the cropped sensors. A useful focal length in general.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: SChurchill   review date: January-15-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 20mm f1.8 EX DG Asp RF

price paid:

70 GBP

positive:

Cheap
Sharp
Nice colours

negative:

The AF on mine sounds like a washing machine washing a bag of spanners.
24mm isn't the most useful focal length on APS-C.

comment:

I got this when I didn't have much cash available for lenses. It looks and sounds like a dog but it performs really well.

To be honest it gives my much more expensive 20mm f1.8 a run for its money in image quality.

It is a great close up lens if you don't have a macro for static subjects.

Mine didn't have a hood but have never noticed any flare issues with it. However, I've not really tried to push it to its limits.

If you don't have a lot of cash then this lens is easily worth its modest price.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: kerrath   review date: December-14-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28 F2.8
Tamron/Tokina 19-35 F3.5-4.5

price paid:

$50/20/30 USD (used)

positive:

Metal build is awesome.
Seems pretty wide even on APS-C.
Close-focusing is a treat.

negative:

Noisy focus (some copies more than others).
Some copies' paint is sticky.

comment:

Good lens for WAY cheaper than the Minolta 24mm.

Sigma and Quantaray versions are literally identical with different branding printed.

Sticky can be cleaned off with elbow grease and alcohol, petroleum jelly, or if you are in a hurry and don't mind rubbing off all the markings, acetone.

I bought an old version of this that says 'Focus Aid & Programmable' and it turns out to be unrecognized on Sony bodies. I use this copy as a reverse macro lens now and it is extremely sharp wide open with maybe 3:1 magnification. Starts to hit some significant diffraction at about 1/2 stopped down.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Sporingerdam   review date: April-23-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

SAM 18-55, SAL 18-70

price paid:

n/a

positive:

Small, strong lens. Wide angle, great sharpness and performs very well with long shutters and small diaphragms during night.

negative:

Solar cap isn't attached the smartest way, doesn't prevent from raindrops on the lens.

comment:

Good lens to start practising with prime lenses. I don't have found any flare on night photographs I made with it.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Guy   review date: March-08-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

110 EUR

positive:

+ small
+ light
+ good performer
+ sharper than zoom lenses
+ FF compatible

negative:

- infinity focus was off
- loud AF
- hood is fiddly

comment:

Stellar little lens!
It's the size of the 50/1.7.
The quality was weird at first, but then I discovered that the lens only focused to about 10m. So I took it apart and adjusted the mechanical infinity limit. It's now sharp in the centre from wide open! And at F/5.6 or F/8 this lens is corner to corner sharp on film or FF.
It also makes a very good street lens on APS-C, and I really enjoy going on city walkabouts with this lens mounted on my APS-C cameras.
For this price I recommend it to anyone who wants to taste a prime lens. Just make sure that your infinity focus is OK!

sharpness: 3.5 

color: 3 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: godsakes   review date: February-29-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 17-35mm
minolta 24mm

price paid:

75 GBP

positive:

Cheap
Little distortion
Compact & light
good build

negative:

coarse gearing
prone to flare

comment:

First impressions:

A little soft wide open, but sharpens up quickly as you stop down. Given I'll mostly be using it at around f8 for landscapes/buildings sharpness will not be an issue.

Distortion is well controlled, the colours are nice but lack the punch of minolta and have a slight yellow cast.

It's well built but the AF gearing sounds coarse. Like many other sigma lenses I've tried it seems to be relatively prone to flare.

For the money, absolute bargain for FF users. It's so compact & light it's practical to keep in your bag.

EDIT: had the chance to compare it with a minolta 24mm, the 2 are very similar but the minolta has slightly sharper edges and nicer colour

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Baerle   review date: February-12-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 50/1.7 RS
Minolta AF 35-70/4

price paid:

about 60€ (used)

positive:

+ very nice sharpness/colors
+ build quality
+ good magnification (1:4)

negative:

- hood
- AF loud

comment:

I like the pictures and the build of this lens very much. Unfortunately the hood is very fragile. Light from the side is an issue - especially for night shots.

The AF is quite noisy (and sounds a bit mechanical) - especially with faster focus motor (A500) ... and when it is cold. Might be an issue of my copy?

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: robertsmx   review date: January-17-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-55mm
Sony 50mm/1.4
Minolta 50mm/1.7

price paid:

40 USD (Used)

positive:

Sharp
Fast
Well made
Small MFD
1:4 magnification
Small & Light
In my case... cheap!

negative:

Can't think of any

comment:

Excellent walk around lens, until now, as I just got Sony 35mm/1.8. So now it will compete for time.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: dinadan   review date: January-17-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28mm f2.8

price paid:

100 EUR

positive:

sharp, small, good build quality

negative:

flare

comment:

perfect angle of view for street photography. the colours are ok, but i like the colours of the minolta 28mm better.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: kiwibee   review date: November-26-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

negative:

comment:

This lens does not function with the Sony SLT A77 camera, although it works perfectly on the A700.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: piano0047   review date: September-12-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta af: 28-135,28-85, 28mm,100mm 2,8 macro, 50mm macro. Old

positive:

Small and solid. Exellent sharpness on fullframe. Also good colours.(Though not Minolta...) Good macro.

negative:

On my a500: massive backfocus. Too little contrast and flat colour rendering. Flares too much.

comment:

On a850 it is simply a pleasure....Especially from 5,6. Razorsharp. At least as sharp as-probably a shade sharper than dediceted macro lenses like Min.af 100mm and old legendary Tokina ("Bokina") 90mm 2,5) at close focus. Bought therefore another one in reserve.. Surprised me negative on Aps-c. (a500). Massive backfocus,have to focus manually. (With both lenses). Partly a camera problem(some of Minolta lenses gives a shade of the same problem.-since sonys aps-c cameras lack of microfocus adjustments it is a big problem-at least with this lens. Also little contrast with dull colours. In my experience a lens with to faces,depending on camera. The ratings are for a850.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: piano0047   review date: September-12-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta af: 28-135,28-85, 28mm,100mm 2,8 macro, 50mm macro. Old Tokina At-x 90mm 2,5(with adapter)

price paid:

150USD

positive:

Small and solid. Exellent sharpness on fullframe. Also good colours.(Though not Minolta...) Good macro.

negative:

On my a500: massive backfocus. Too little contrast and flat colour rendering. Flares too much.

comment:

On a850 it is simply a pleasure....Especially from 5,6. Razorsharp. At least as sharp as-probably a shade sharper than dediceted macro lenses like Min.af 100mm and old legendary Tokina ("Bokina") 90mm 2,5) at close focus. Bought therefore another one in reserve.. Surprised me negative on Aps-c. (a500). Massive backfocus,have to focus manually. (With both lenses). Partly a camera problem(some of Minolta lenses gives a shade of the same problem.-since sonys aps-c cameras lack of microfocus adjustments it is a big problem for me-at least with this lens. Also too little contrast with dull colours. In my experience a lens with to faces,depending on camera. The ratings are for a850. On this it is a bargain.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: jon3453   review date: July-31-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

18-70
18-55
35 F1.8
min28 F2.8
min35-105 old
min100-200
min100 F2.8 macro
tokina 19-35

price paid:

£75ish

positive:

Very sharp
fantastic colour
all metal
close focus
3d ness
bokeh
price

negative:

Its a sigma so it will probable go wrong at some point
flares more than modern lenses

comment:

Wanted a 24mm prime but mino24's are expensive here, so
took a risk with an old sigma,TBH wasn't expecting very much.Boy was I wrong! this lens is just fantastic.The sharpness and colour both stand out in nearly every picture.
Its perfect for landscape, close ups, street shooting.From 5ins to infinity. Usable wide open but by F4 is super sharp. Bokeh is nice for a wide angle. By F5.6 vitually everything is in focus so its great for street shots. Images have a real lucidity and 3d ness to them,To my eyes it blows away the well regarded sony 35 F1.8,it's sharper with far more natural colours.
I have now bought another,which is just as good.
so two for less than one min 24mm costs!
Both mine focus fairly quietly and quickly, and it is always
dead accurate.I always rated my min35-105 as my best buy,not any more, this even beats that for colour.
For the price, in my opinion there is no better bargain for A-mount primes
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: dorian-grey   review date: June-20-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

17-70 kit, Mino 28/2.8 Mino 24-105d Mino 28-85.

price paid:

GBP 85

positive:

Macro-ish, all metal build, mines quite usable wide open.
I do like the easy on/off of the 'perfect' hood. Small & drops in a pocket nicely.

negative:

can be a little mechanically coarse at times when focusing. The 'perfect' hood, shame its perfectly useless at shading of the front element.

comment:

Well as the only relatively affordable alternative to the Min 24 I must say i am pleased with mine, got this from a Dutch member.thanks Dirk ;-)

Cant say as mine is particularly smooth in the AF, this lens is no classic Min prime in the construction dept. Although to be fair it seems to focus accurately if a little slow compared to my 28/2.8 but this is a lens with macro-ish close focusing. And as others have stated it hits infinity at 3.5-4 metres, so mostly the end to end focus churning is rare unless, it loses lock.

Colour, well I like the slightly hard blue/green seems to work better than the 28 when looking for jpeg's out of the camera, 'vivid' comes out a touch underdone which is how I prefer them. Flare is bearable, loses contrast rather than picking up purple ghosting etc. Things are much improved with a proper rubber folding hood.

All in all a keeper i think until pennies are gathered (if ever :-() for a Tam 17-50, if you can pick one up for a reasonable price then you shouldnt hesitate, they seem to be getting a little more pricey too.

Alan

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: 9000AF   review date: April-16-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 20mm f/1.8
Sigma 28mm f/1.8 (old version)
Minolta 28mm f/2.8

price paid:

65 USD (clearance)

positive:

+ sharp across the frame (APS-C)
+ compact, light
+ metal build
+ low distortion (APS-C)
+ mine works with A55
+ value/money

negative:

- AF a little noisy
- clip-on hood a bit clumsy

comment:

I had this lens on film since probably 1991, loved it but sold it b/c it didn't get much use with the A200. When Ritz closed some stores I picked up a new Quantaray version which turned out to be my favorite walk around prime. It's the same size as a 50mm but with its angle of view being much more versatile. It is a little weaker in the corners on film / FF but almost perfect on APS-C. Currently I put it on my A55 whenever I don't want to carry a zoom. No SLT compatibility issues so far.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: rouncey   review date: January-18-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 50 1.7
tamron 90 di macro
minolta 35-105 old
minolta beercan
minolta 28-85

price paid:

70gbp

positive:

sharp as sharp
colour
quick af
lightweight

negative:

flare
cheap build

comment:

got this lense today off flea bay,what a little gem it is,sharp,quick focus and mine really is in mint condition and quiet autofocus.took a few pics today and very impressed,they seem too be selling for a bit more money now but i dont regret a penny of it,money well spent.great colour and sharpness,although mine didnt come with a hood so will try an source something to stop the flare,if you can get one cheap enough i doubt you will be dissapointed.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Velectron   review date: January-15-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28mm F2.8
Minolta 50mm F1.7
Minolta 24mm F2.8

positive:

Razor sharp stopped down a bit
Small MFD
Build Quality

negative:

AF noise a bit loud but quiets down if you oil the gears a bit
Hood cannot be stored in reverse

comment:

Very nice and sharp lens with close focusing capability. I shot directly into the sun and also with the sun at the edge of the frame and was surprised that flare was actually controlled very well, unlike some of the experiences of past reviewers. Surprisingly, it worked on my A33 without any aperture error problems! However, the lens couldn't focus to infinity on my A33, only up to about 10m. I have two copies of this lens and both are like this. However, at F8, infinity focus actually appeared quite good because of the increased depth of field. This shows how sharp this lens can be when properly focused, such that even when slightly unfocused, the shots can still appear pretty good!

Update: I had fixed the infinity focus issue thanks to the kind advice from a gentleman here at Dyxum. Now I am having a really sharp 24mm prime! :)

Update 2: I got my 3rd lens (Quantaray version) and it does not focus to infinty as well. I believe most if not all of this Sigma lens would not focus to infinity on the A33/A55. So those of you who buys them off Ebay or other places better take note!

Update 3: I got a Minolta 24mm to compare with this lens using standard shots. Wide open, the Sigma wins in the corners and centers are about the same. At mid apertures (F4-6.3) the Minolta slowly catches up on the corners and the center is very slightly better than the Sigma. By F7.2 it is a tight tug of war between the two with no clear winner. Thats how good this Sigma lens is and definitely gives the Minolta a run for the money.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: RedDrake   review date: December-28-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

120 EUR

positive:

+ relatively sharp from F2.8
+ no noticeable distortion on APS-C
+ nice 1:4 macro feature
+ cheap

negative:

- Quirky IQ
- AF is loud
- hood can't be reversed for storage

comment:

This was my first lens that I have bought for my KM5D.
It's perfect as a daylight walkaround lens on an APS-C body. (F2.8 isn't really enough for nighttime)
I was lucky and got a brand new version from an online auction - it was never even taken from the box.

On the 5D it's as good as it gets. The AF is loud and clunky but it gets the job done and relatively fast too, and always accurate. The 1:4 macro is just a bonus, but you need to get very close. Pretty much the same for usage on A700.
However sometimes it loses it's cool and produces images that look like they were taken with ISO3200. Sharpness is there but it's like it loses all resolution or something and produces some ultra grain. I don't really know.

The hood is flimsy and can't be stored on the lens in reverse. I rather avoid using it at all. Haven't really gotten any flare so far so I can't judge it.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: mydarkstars   review date: December-02-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

25 GBP

positive:

Size, price, sharpness

negative:

Horrendous AF noise! Paint peels off but that doesn't actually matter.

comment:

Wow, a price vs performance comparison of this lens against much more expensive primes - this Sigma must be the winner. Amazingly sharp. I had disassembled the lens to grease the gears but didn't really stop the loud AF grinding sound, I also lost one of the screws inside the body (Will try again soon)!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: jlbigornia   review date: December-02-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 24 2.8

positive:

sharp!
sharp!
sharp!
macro!

negative:

comment:

super bargain
sharp
contrast

good wide prime!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: REVENGE   review date: November-17-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

58 USD

positive:

Cheap
Sturdy
Compact
Light
Sharp

negative:

Flare
Compatibility
Distortion
Bokeh
AF Drive

comment:

This has to be one of the top 10 overall best budget prime lenses available to the Alpha mount. In used condition, these guys are dirt cheap, and you can expect them to last you a lifetime. My copy is very beat up, the rubber focus ring grip has been stripped away, there are a good number of dents and scrapes all around the lens and filter ring, and the distance scale is cracked. However, the lens continued to perform reliably in all weather conditions, ranging from the high desert heat to a thunderstorm.

Image quality is surprisingly good, with sharp centers wide open and great full frame sharpness by f5.6. Chromatic aberration and veiling haze are noticeable wide open, but quickly goes away past f4. Close focus performance is very good as well. Flare can be severe in challenging lighting conditions, but I can't comment on the effectiveness of the stock hood as I don't possess it. Bokeh performance leaves something to be desired, unless you prefer the look from a hexagonal aperture (which I do, under certain circumstances). Moderate barrel distortion is not complex in nature, so you can do software correction relatively easily.

Overall, a solid choice for a beginner / budget minded shooter trying to assemble a starting outfit. In the long run, the lens isn't wide enough or fast enough for me to justify keeping on APS-C, although it has been my primary lens for as long as I've had it. Note the AF drive screw compatibility issues: it's an easy fix if you follow the steps described in the related forum post. That said, you might end up with noisy AF post mod, as in my case.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: ARkristian   review date: November-16-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

positive:

negative:

comment:

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 4 

user: Photovisionz   review date: November-11-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-50
Sigma 12-24
Minolta 24mm f2.8

price paid:

190 NZD

positive:

Sharp
great colours
great contrast

negative:

CA on full frame
Corner softness on full frame
barrel distortion

comment:

This lens performs well on an APS-C sensor but falls short on full frame. Centre sharpness is first class but is markedly corner soft on FF until well stopped down.
On FF there was marked CA in the corners. Stopping down helped a little.
As I am now FF I have sold this lens. I would not recommend this lens for full frame owners. barrel distortion is dissappointing for a prime

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Tijn   review date: July-23-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

18-70 (kit)
35-105 minolta
50 1.7 minolta
70-300 tamron

price paid:

50 Euro

positive:

sharp
small
build quality (on the outside)
good colors
macro

negative:

noisy and quite slow af
durability of the mechanics

comment:

I've got this lens for a week now and i am very happy with it. indoor it delivers very sharp pictures with nice colors. the macro mode is very good (way better than the tamron 70-300) with razor sharp details.
my copy isn't free from problems however, occasionally it fails to recognize the apperture which even resulted in a jammed camera. most of the times however you just refocus a couple of times and the apperture reappears again.
in short very good lens that is most likely going to live on my a200 for the near future

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: Seagull   review date: June-14-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 50 f1.7
Minolta AF 50 f1.7
Tokina AT-X 17mm
Beercan 70-210 f4
Minolta 35-105 f3.5/4.5
Minolta 35-70 f4
Sony 18-79 f3.5/5.6 kitlens

price paid:

42 GBP

positive:

Very sharp
Minimum focus distance
Macro
Very small
Build

negative:

Hit or miss AF at some distances
Rubber coating
Flare

comment:

This is the lens I have most debated over selling or replacing due to it initially causing me a load of grief and frustration. I knew from the picture on eBay that it had a scrape to the metal focus ring so I was not surprised to find the infinity point was off slightly and the front section had a little bit of play in it. As many other reviewers have said, the AF sounded like a washing machine with a bucket of bolts inside and it also appeared to be back focusing (but not all the time and only on subject up to about 1 metre distance). It was obvious though that it was also extremely sharp and with great colours - so I stripped it down to see what I could do!

A thorough clean and some carefully and sparingly applied grease cured both the play in the front section and gave smooth, quiet and silky focusing, both manual and AF and with a quality precision engineered feel to it. Not quite on a par with a Minolta prime but better than say the beercan or other older minolta zooms. The infinity stop was another matter as this is set by 3 screws which you can only get at as the very last part of the lens to come apart. I eventually worked out how to set it accurately by which time I could strip and rebuild it in about 6 minutes. Build quality by the way (apart from the external rubber coating)is very good.

It is now probably my sharpest lens and one I use more than most. It has an unusually close minimum focusing distance for a wide prime and is superb for close ups, flowers, insects etc. Colours are excellent and on a par with my best Minoltas.

It had the worst flare of all my lenses until I bought an original hood (looks good but doesn't improve things much)and a decent filter, now it's just a case of being careful and watching for flare in the viewfinder.

The back focus issue is a bit odd. Having got it set up properly it now rarely back focuses and generally only in poorer light. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. I emailed James Lao about rechipping it and in this case he couldn't guarantee a re-chip would improve the issue. It hits infinity not much beyond 2m anyway so for general street shots etc its not an issue. The main time it rears its head is lowish light, wide open and close focusing. It may just be me missing the spot focus point and I will post an update when I've tested it specifically for this in better light.

All in all, now I've got it working almost perfectly, it's a keeper; very versatile, wickedly sharp with great colours - and cheap.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: awa54   review date: May-29-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tokina 19-35
KM 35-70 f4
KM 50 f1.7

price paid:

$75 USD (used)

positive:

sharp
great color
huge DOF
fast focus
superb boke

negative:

flare can cause drastic contrast reduction, hazing and colored discs (sometimes all at once)
"perfect hood" is far from perfect

comment:

I have owned the MD mount version of this lens for almost 25 years, so the "super-wide II"s performance was no surprise. It has excellent sharpness, very good color (slightly green compared to Minolta color standard) and there is an extra dimensionality to images made with this lens...somehow its rendering is more vibrant than other 24mm lenses, not so much more saturated, sharp or contrasty...but definitely possessed of an extra "something".

If you can put up with slight outer edge c/a (more noticeable in FF), sharpness that isn't *quite* state of the art and a tendency to flare a bit more easily than some other 24mms then get one of these!

** by the way, this lens is not a fully rectilinear design like some of the newer Sigma uw lenses, expect noticeable barrel distortion even on APS-C cameras

*** For all of you out there struggling with flare issues; I have your (almost complete) solution! go to a camera shop that has old SLR bits laying around getting dusty (and cheap, since they want to get RID of them!) and ask for a squared hood to fit a 24mm (or 28 is fine with APS) lenses. Mine is a Konica for 24mm and needed a 52mm to 55mm step up ring to work, but it almost completely solves the flare issues that plague the Super Wide II, except of course when you are shooting right into a hot light source. Total cost, under $10

btw, the stock "perfect hood" is actually "perfectly useless", it just makes you look more professional/nerdy with your cool petal hood ;)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: atmaan   review date: May-21-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28 2.0 prime
Sony 30 macro
Sony 24-105
Sony 18-70
Sony 18-55

price paid:

$ 119 used

positive:

Ultra sharp. nice Bokeh for a wide angle. Light and sturdy

negative:

Useless hood. U wont miss it.

comment:

Incredible images for a cheaper prime. I wish I had a Minolta 24 to compare. I just accquired the Sony 30 macro. This lens creates better images, for sure. Sharpness, distortion, colors are all better. If the Minolta 28mm could focus as close...... Great buy if you can get for under $ 150

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: TheGoOse   review date: March-11-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 10-20 @20mm
Tamron 18-250 @24mm
Minolta 50mm f1.4 @wide-open
Pentacon 135mm f2.8 @wide-open

price paid:

85 USD (used, mint)

positive:

Size and weight
Bokeh
Close focus
Price

negative:

None by its price

comment:

I had one the Sigma version for that lens, and sold it when I bought the Minolta 50mm f1.4 for low-light and bokeh photography.

After using it for I while, I realised that I liked Sigma wide-angle-close-focus wide open shots better than any of my other lenses, as none of them are capable of focusing so close, so I've bought it again in that forum (Quantaray version).

I can't think of a better prime for the price.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: webrunner   review date: March-09-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

80 eur

positive:

Sharp wide open
Nice colors
Very light
Very small
Cheap

negative:

Flare
distortion

comment:

This lens is great for all indoor shooting and landscape.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Cougar66   review date: March-08-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 28mm f2.8
Minolta 28mm F2.8
Minolta 24mm f2.8
Minolta 24-50mm f4 mini beercan
Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f2.4

price paid:

100 USD

positive:

Sharp
3D lucency
Colours
Contrast
Build
Lack of Ca

negative:

Mild barrel distortion

comment:

I have the Quantaray version. This lens has blown me away. It is sharp corner to corner wide open and gets sharper stopped down. There is some blue CA wide open that dissapears when stopped down a little. Otherwise CA is very hard to detect.
The colours a great. More than anything else this lens renders a lucency and detail that I would normally associate with top end Leica and Carl Zeiss lenses. It is an ideal landscape tool. At 100 dollars its the best scoop in my photographic career.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: JeremyT   review date: January-11-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 (non-macro)

positive:

- Sharp
- Macro
- Cheap
- Small

negative:

- Flare
- Only 1:4

comment:

It's pretty darn sharp at f/2.8. No need to stop down.

AF on nearby objects is slow since it's a macro. On the other hand, it hits infinity at about 4 meters, so if you do most of your shooting beyond there the AF hardly needs to do anything.

I have trouble with flare since my version didn't come with a hood. If I used it more I'd probably try to find one.

I suspect the Sony 30mm macro is a better option for general use, since it's closer to 'normal' and its macro is 1:1. However, the slightly wider field of view of this lens can make for some pretty striking 1:4 macro images with a fairly wide field of view.

A prime of this focal length is nice to have for APS-C; not really wide, but on the wide side of standard. Since I have the Sigma 18-50mm this lens is somewhat redundant as a general purpose lens, but at its going rate I can afford to keep it just for its macro capability.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: lowcost4dslr   review date: January-02-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 18-70
Tamron 17-50 2.8
M 35-105 old 3.5 -4.5
M 28-105 3.5 -4.5
M 50 1.7

price paid:

50€

positive:

Sharpness
Fast AF speed
well built
low price

negative:

noisy AF

comment:

This lens was a great companion of my D5D for all indoor shooting and landscape. It was a great complement to the excellent Minolta 35-105 old. With this pair or lenses, I stoped to use the poor kit lens (18-70)
The AF speed is fast even on the D5D in low light.
This lens is under rated.
I sold It (with the Minolta 50 1.7) when I purchased the tamron 17-50 2.8. For me, such a good zoom is a good replacement for all the prime lenses in the same range.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: snajper   review date: December-21-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

149

positive:

Wide 24mm
Good macro capabilities
not bad wide open- around F5.6 excellent
Small and light
Good build quality

negative:

Flare
Barrel coating peels off

comment:

Nice 24mm. It is way better than minolta 28mm. If you can get it cheap do so.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: maxfarphoto   review date: November-21-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

80 EUR (second hand)

positive:

Cheap
Sharp
Close min. focus

negative:

Flare (sometimes)

comment:

This is the lens for street photography with APS-C cameras: light, small, with a minimum focus distance really good.
On Full frame it is even better

sharpness: 3.5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: nitrosyl   review date: November-05-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Minolta 24mm f/2.8 RS

positive:

- cheap
- good center sharpness
- 1:4 "macro"
- ok build quality

negative:

- flare!

comment:

A cheap alternative to the Minolta 24mm f/2.8 (Original & RS) if you're on a budget.

IMO the Minolta is a little better in almost every aspect but not by a very large margin. Minolta should be a no-brainer if you can pay a little more, but the Sigma is certainly worth considering especially if you value its pseudo-macro (1:4 magnification) capability.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: stan_pustylnik   review date: September-04-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 20mm f/1.8, Minolta 28mm f/2.8, Minolta 50mm f/1.7

positive:

One of my "very favorite lenses". It's sharp, compact; slightly slow focus, but very reliable; very well built, inexpensive, produces beautiful color on my 7D

negative:

Flare
distortion

comment:

If you find this inexpensive compact wide prime - grab it.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: AllAboutAlpha   review date: July-29-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

nothing

positive:

quick AF, Colours

negative:

light build quality

comment:

Fine lense for very small money, build quality could be better, sunhood could break quick, or got lost

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: PeterB   review date: July-01-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 28 1.8
Sigma 10-20

price paid:

50 USD

positive:

Sharp
pretty fast
Marco feature

negative:

Old Sigmas may need work

comment:

Compared to other reviews my copy's AF is pretty quiet and very fast.

This seemed to be bad Ebay purchase. The lens was back focusing or going all over the place. The viefinder display was flickering to the point that I was worried that it will damage the camera. I put it on the shelf to collect dust.

Then I read an article about fixing a Sigma 400 (I have one of these too) here on Dyxum. The writer replaced the contact/chip with one from James Lao (search for member). I got a chip from James and installed it in about 5 minutes. Now the lens works as it should.

The marco (1:4) is great for closup work that requires some depth. I got it for that purpose and I'm very happy with it.

BTW changing the chip only requires to remove the 2 screws holding the contact strip on the back of the lens, cutting the flat cable and replacing it with the Lao contact strip.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Dynaton-DK   review date: June-22-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF28, Minolta AF24-50, Minolta AF24-85, Minolta 24-105D

price paid:

45 (Used)

positive:

Sharp
Compact
Nice colors
Works with Autofocus

negative:

Autofocus can be a little slow in low contrast situations

comment:

My copy is the Quantaray version that just is a re-branded Sigma. I bought this lens based on the describtion from the seller and (as it turned out) corrrectly guessed that it was the Quantaray-branded Sigma AF24 Ultra Wide II.

The advantage of the Quantaray is that people "batter" these lenses in reviews claiming that they are made "from scrapped parts" and other ridicolous claims, thus they come pretty cheaply and are in fact a scoop to buy.
"Battering" this lens is totally unfair - the finish is in fact better than the Sigma-branded lens and the Autofocus works on new cameras (which is not the case for older Sigma's).

The lens has a nice performance - as sharp as expected and has very nice colors (suiting my personal preference for more saturated colors).

Another advantage is that the lens is tiny - it is really cute. Everyone will be able to find space to carry this lens.

My copy does not make any grinding sounds when focussing - it is just as silent/loud as any other Sigma lens.

The only disadvantage is that the autofocus can be a little slow if contrast in the focus area is low - in such cases the lens hunts in small incremental steps trying to find the focus. However not any worse than other older lenses.

So if you can find a Quantaray version, I think that you'll be happy with it as it is compact, sharp and produces nice colors at a bargain price.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: Rusty   review date: June-04-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- MinO 50/1.7
- Tamron 17-50/2.8

positive:

- Compact
- Sharp
- Affrodable (pretty cheap compared to Minolta glass)
- Solid Metal Build
- short MFD

negative:

- Noisy AF
- sluggish AF
- FLARE ! but I have no hood

comment:

mine is a Quantaray Variant.

Nice wide lens on FF/Film, and makes a nice close-to-'standard-wide' lens on APS-C. Short MFD is fun for flower macros and such. AF is smooth but grindy-noisy. if that makes any sense.

Didn't do extensive comparison tests, but it's acceptably sharp wide-open, gets better stopped-down

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: salvageland   review date: June-02-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

its my only prime but i have
-18-70 kit
-tamron 28-200 XR
-minolta 28-85 macro
-minolta 70-210 beercan

price paid:

$55 shipped

positive:

-very compact
-sharp at wide open...even sharper at f5.6!!!
-very short focus distance!

negative:

-noisy autofocus, but i opened it up and put some grease on the gears and its fine now
-flare is a bit of a problem, but just steer clear from the sun and you'll be fine

comment:

very good lens...well worth the price up to $120...takes beautiful macro and portraits on APS-C cameras.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: benedetti   review date: April-15-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 17-35
minolta 24-105
sygma 28 1.8 EX

price paid:

75€ used-mint

positive:

small, light and well built.

negative:

none for the price.

comment:

I have a perfectly smooth and silent AF on my A700, seems I am the only one ! Not surprisingly sharper than the two zooms but I just bought a Minolta 24 2.8 and will come back to this post. The hood doen't bother me and is quite usefull to protect the front element. Over all I am very pleased with it.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Raimios   review date: March-20-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 20-40/2.8

price paid:

can't remember

positive:

Small, sharp, focuses pretty close.

negative:

Shade & cap is just a joke

comment:

Very light and small wide lens, good to acceptable sharpness.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: sjinouck   review date: November-13-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

sony 18-70

price paid:

75 euro (used)

positive:

nice bokeh, sharp, nice colours, metal build

negative:

very noisy AF, very small focus ring...At low apertures, it starts to deliver soft images

comment:

Nice lens, sharp at F8 or higher, nice bokeh, focus is reasonably fast.I'm very, very happy with it!!!

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: tomiZG   review date: October-12-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-100 d
Minolta 35-80
Minolta 70-210 f4
Cosina 19-35
Sigma 28-80
Sigma 70-210
Sigma 400 5,6

price paid:

50 €

positive:

2,8
small and light
colors
quite sharp
build quality - metal

negative:

comment:

To be honest, haven't put it on for too many times, but its size will definitely make it a good "keep-it-in-the-pocket-while-traveling" lens. It's small and light, and quite light-intense.

Sharpness is good at almost all apertures. Colors are really nice, sharpness is absolutely fine.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: bharnois   review date: October-01-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Min 24/105.
Min 50-1.7
Min 17-70 DT

price paid:

$80(US) BNIB

positive:

Small and compact.
Pretty Fast.
Pretty Cheap
Nice and Sharp.
Good colors.
Usable wide open and at about any aperture.

negative:

Filters can cause some vignetting.
Element not protected at all without a hood.
Can sound wonky when focusing.
She can flare.

comment:

Got mine off the bargain shelf at the local Ritz (Quantaray branded).

A nice sharp lens at about any aperture. This lens is totally usable wide open! A total bargain for the price.

Much sharper than the 24-105 at 24 as well as the 17-70. Better wide open than the 50-1.7 as well but they are pretty well matched at 2.8.

A very solid build with what seems to be an all metal body. The forward element is really right out there in front and since I don't have a hood for it I ended up slapping a filter on for protection.

Feels good on the 5D, A700 and 7000i.

Edit: also works quite nicely on the A900. I have since obtained the Sigma hood which is a pain as you cannot put a lens cap on with the hood in place.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Zu Zu Man   review date: September-30-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50 F1.4
Minolta 50 F2.8 macro

price paid:

100 CHF (used)

positive:

Good
Cheap
Small

negative:

noisy autofocus

comment:

I like it more on APS-C digital camera then on FF analog one. The sound of the autofocus varies between examples, nevertheless I haven't seen one (heard one) that is acceptable. I've used much better lenses, but for the price of the good multi-coated filter you simple can not buy anything better - in fact you should dig very dip into your pocket to buy something noticeably better. Its one of my favourite lenses, and it has its own place in my backpack.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: hassenpheffer   review date: August-10-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

-Zuiko 50mm F3.5

price paid:

75 USD

positive:

-small and light
-cheap on Ebay
-useable macro
-quite sharp

negative:

-noisey AF

comment:

I bought this lens primarily to use as a landscape prime, which is does quite nicely. The bonus is that it also has a close minimum focusiing distance, so it makes a fairly decent macro as well; although one wouldn't think of a 24mm F.F. lens as being a good candidate for macfro capability.

When I first used it, I thought the AF function was about to break within the lens as it seemed quite noisey and clunky, but it seems that it's just that way with this lens.
AF isn't very fast, since it is also designed as a macro lens, o it tkes a fir bit of turning for focus adjustment.

I've been using it lately for wildflower shots with my a-350 and it does a great job there. The sharpness is pretty good on macro, but I think it does better with landscapes.

with it's tiny size and weight, it's easy to take this lens with my on my backpacking trips.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: addy landzaat   review date: July-06-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

50/1.4

price paid:

€49 (used)

positive:

small size
great focallength
close focussing

negative:

grinding AF

comment:

This is a very versatile lens, the 36mm eq. makes it a good do it all lens. The closefocus makes it evenmore more versatile and usable for small details.

The autofocus grinds a bit. I like it as a portretlens - look at the samplethread for the pictures by Sanjuro and paulofessel.

Bottomline: this lens I like more and more!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: ronin   review date: May-19-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

€50 (used + 3 euro )

positive:

Cheap, Light, Sharp, Close focusing

negative:

lens hood is hard to attach and stiff

comment:

A lucky find... I went to a camera swap meet with cash to burn but there wasn't that much stuff there that cought my eye. So I stuck this cheap 24mm on my camera so that I had at least tried some thing. and I was very surprised by how sharp it was for the price he was asking. So I had a bit of fun and negotiated him down 30 euro on his asking price because the lens hood was missing. I walked 3m to the next stand and they had the lens hood for 3 euro

It is another lens i find better on a digital crop than FF due to distortion around the FF edges

edit 02.06.2009 dont use this lens very much

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 3 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: ovlov   review date: April-12-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50mm f1.7
Sigma 400mm f5.6 APO

price paid:

45

positive:

Sharp even at f2.8
focuses fast
Solid build quality
Accurate color rendition
Very good overall image quality

negative:

Focus issues with A100 require lens modification
Lens body coating deteriorates with time
Weird lens hood is hard to attach

comment:

For starters when I attached this lens to my A100, auto focus did not work. I could hear the AF motor turning the screw, but failing to engage the AF screw on the lens. I fixed this by filing the slot on the lenses drive screw a little bit wider. Now the AF works, but autofocus is a tad off when the focal point is 10-15ft away. At all other distances the AF is spot on.

Auto focus is quick and accurate most of the time. Initially the AF was a bit noisy, but with time it sounds no noisier than any other lens I have. I mostly use this lens for landscapes, so the focus issue I have left is irrelevant to me.

As far as image quality goes, I would say this lens is almost as sharp as the 50mm f1.7. It's not quite there, but it's very very close. Color reproduction is good and overall image quality is very good. This lens is sharp wide open, so it's useful is low light situations. Stop it down to around f3.2 and it's even sharper.

With the exception of the bodies coating, the lens build quality is good. I'd give it a 4 except for the failure of the rubberized painting coating they used. I'd recommend this lens if you're comfortable with the possibility of having to modify it a bit for it to function. If you're not comfortable with that, don't bother.

sharpness: 3 

color: 3 

build: 3 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: dutch-alpha   review date: April-03-08  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 20-2.8

positive:

cheap

negative:

does not seem to work with A-100...?

comment:

I could buy one for as good as nothing, but walked away after seeing "no lens attached" on my Alpha 100 display

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: klarion   review date: June-01-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta:
50mm 2.8 Macro AF
Sigma:
90mm 2.8 Macro AF

price paid:

250USD (new)

positive:

Solidly constructed lens. Small.
Will hold up to rugged use.
Good quality images.

negative:

Slow Auto focus!
It's slower on my Maxxum 7d than
on a film camera (600si).

comment:

I like the lens because it gives me good results at the wide angle. However, I use it mostly in Manual focus because it's really slow and sometimes inaccurate in auto mode.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: gvknight   review date: April-16-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

L30

positive:

nice 36mm equiv on 5d
small
light
seem s sharp

negative:

comment:

chap had this listed as a 28mm on ebay, and it looks brand new.

works great on my 5d and gives a nice angle.

I only ever use centre point focussing so haven't really noticed any problems focusses as quick as the 50/1.7

seems sharp across the image.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 3 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: dlouvton   review date: January-12-07  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

$50

positive:

-sharp
-small
-good focal length, great for street shooting
-nice macro (1:4)

negative:

-noisy AF
-not great build quality

comment:

I have the Quantaray 24mm f2.8 version which should be identical to the Sigma. It was a bargain at that price ($50) and i'm quite happy with its performance. It's a great focal length on APS-C cameras for street shooting.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: jeep   review date: September-26-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 24-85 mm and Canon 17-40 mm L

price paid:

L150(new)

positive:

Compact and good performer

negative:

None really, I quite like the hood

comment:

I've owned this some time and from new. Good close focus and dof, good colour. For the money an able performer.

sharpness: 3.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: ChaoticBob   review date: June-14-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

18-70 Kit Lens

positive:

Very nice sharpness in center
Reasonable Macro
Very nice build quality

negative:

VERY soft corners, especially at wide apertures
Slow AF

comment:

My second lens for my 5d, however this one was a bit of a disappointment. Very nice sharpness in the center but the corners are quite awful, worse than the kit lens by a considerable margin. Build very solid, but slow AF.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: Bob5D   review date: May-21-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 18-70mm DT kit.
Minolta 35mm f2 RS.

positive:

Good build quality.
Very sharp.
Close focus.

negative:

Prone to flare.
A little soft wide open .

comment:

Had this lens for many years (originally on 7000i) and it works well with 5D.
This is my landscape lens as it is so much sharper than the kit lens. From f4 almost matches the Minolta 35mm on 10x8 prints.
Can still be found for bargain prices on e-bay. Well worth a bid IMHO. You will not be disappointed.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: recnahne   review date: March-06-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KoMi 2.8-4/17-35, Tokina 3.5-4.5/20-35

positive:

Good sharpness, good build quality, compact size, inexpensive

negative:

Lens hood not easily mountable, doesn't help that much

comment:

I got this lens from e*** for some 80 Euros, and it soon became my favourite wide-angle lens. Sure, the sun hood is ineffecive and the AF is slow and noisy, but this doesn't bother me too much. Image quality is very good for my needs. Moderate distortions are not surprising for a 24 mm lens of this price. The size is very compact, which makes it look a little funny on a 7D (just like the Minolta 1.7/50). Overall, I really recommend this lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 2 

flare control: 4 

user: kanzlr   review date: March-06-06  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 50mm f1.7
komi 28-75 f2.8

positive:

very sharp wide open
cheap second hand
good built

negative:

visible distortion
very slow AF
very noisy AF

comment:

very sharp lens.
visible distortion if straight lines are involved, the lenshood is kind of a joke, ey? :)
the AF is VERY slow and sounds like something inside the lens is broken (but this is normal i read...uh).
other than that...its a bit wider than my 28-75 D and smaller/lighter and sharper wide open. will use it mostly for social events. im sure it'll be fun :)

payed € 40,-- used for it. a bargain, imho.

on my 7D i didn't need to alter anything on the lens to work!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 3 

user: paulofessel   review date: December-16-05  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta MC 28 mm f:3.5 (manual focus, old Minolta system)

price paid:

130 USD (mint)

positive:

- High quality build with metal bayonet
- Has macro capability (1:4, 1:5) with no additional tubes or filters
- 24mm provides a nice, sharp and bright 36mm wide-angle lens on digital

negative:

- Noisy and slow AF
- Needs some "adaptation" in order to work with Maxxum 5D
- Hood is fragile and not so effective against flare

comment:

I've got this lens for a bargain price - I'm quite positive that the seller that sold it to me didn't know that he had gold on his hands.

This lens is really sharp, even when it's wide open. I've noticed no vignetting or distortions when shooting with it. And it also has a great color rendition, as you can see in http://www.saidasfotograficas.com.br/forum/album_thumbnail.php?pic_id=258.

The only real issue I've got with this lens is that my Maxxum 5D hadn't recognized it; however, seems that it's just a matter of enlarging the lock hole of the lens.

Other small annoyances:

* The hood is extremely fragile - mine got broken but my wife managed to glue its parts - and does not provide an efficient flare protection.

* The AF is also noisy and slow. But what the heck, this is a 24mm lens.

Overall, this is a great lens. If you manage to find one as cheap as I've got mine, go for it.