SLT compatibility and dyxum lens database

I just received my new Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 EX DC OS lens (not yet listed in the Dyxum database) and noticed right away that the box did not contain the sticker that should have stated "A33, A55 compatible" (as per this link) and I was all set to return the lens back.

I then mounted the lens on the camera, and cycled through several of the apertures and took pictures, and absolutely no problem whatsoever.   

I then shot a couple of movie clips using the lens, zoomed in and out through the various zoom ranges and absolutely no problem at all ! I played the movies back on the camera and it came out really well.

Just to make doubly certain, I formatted my memory card and shot both stills and movies again. The stills were shot through various apertures and various zoom ranges. Worked well !

PS: Since this is a new OS (optical in-lens stabilization) lens, I turned off the in-body stabilization while trying the above out. Bottomline, the lens worked really well, even without the sticker that was supposed to be on such "fixed" lenses. I am assuming that since this is a newly introduced lens, Sigma probably had already updated the firmware, enabling it to work with the A33/55 cameras.

The below link will take you to the lens:

Click here for lens

The below is Photozone's review of this lens, done on a Canon APS-C camera:

Click here for review on Canon APS-C

Edited by roweraay - 06 October 2010 at 21:54

MichelvA wrote: What i really would like to know - if you are able to choose the stabilisation method- which works best for you..

Actually, there are 2 things here:

a) Video: For shooting hand-held video, the in-lens is the only practical option, since using the in-body stabilization will overheat the system in around 9 minutes. I am guessing this is because unlike stills, the in-body stabilization will need to work 60 times every second, when shooting 1080 60i video. Of course on a tripod, we would just turn off stabilization completely.

b) Stills: I need to do some back-to-back testing to see how the in-lens compares to the in-body systems. Without testing it, I am leaning towards leaving the in-lens system on, all the time, unless I am mounting one of the other Alpha lenses.....since I don't want to be switching back-and-forth between the two, when shooting video and stills.

PS: Hope we are not using up this thread by going off-topic, since Kiklop intended this thread purely for feedback on lens compatibility with SLT cameras.

Edited by roweraay - 06 October 2010 at 21:39

This thread specifically refers to the SLT cameras. (Currently the A33 and A55.) The issue has not been reported to affect the NEX line.

I just tested the a55 with the Sigma 20mm f1.8 EX DG and the Sigma 180mm f3.5 Macro EX DG and they autofocus fine so far. The 20mm one is an older Sigma lens with the green case. Maybe this only applies to real old Sigma lenses.

Hope this helps.

Sick wrote: @ klw10 I believe the problem is about aperture. But if your camera does not show an error message it seems to fine.

Ah. Got ya. I was mistaken then. I changed the aperture on both though and they both seemed to work fine. I did not get any error messages but maybe I should test them some more.

I even shot some video with the 180mm and it seemed to work great.

Edited by klw10 - 07 October 2010 at 14:40

mambo wrote: I received my A55 yesterday and promptly attached my Sigma 18mm f/3.5 Zen lens. No issues here. Took a number of pics......everything worked as it should. I did not try the video funtion. So perhaps this sigma imcopartibility issue may turn out to be the new millennium bug

I think they were stressing the "may" exhibit an incompatibility, while referring to this potential issue. So I believe this was mainly a hedge against some older lenses that probably were using firmware that was outdated.

Check the below link out, with the bolded "may":

Click here for advisory

I tested a few Sigmas, some older (like 15mm/2.8 FE, 28-75/2.8), some newer (100-300/4) all screw focus and at first it seemed they worked fine but took them to the zoo the other day and after a few minutes mounted the AF would just hunt back and forth without locking. This happened in stills and video. Sometimes just turning the camera off and back on would not clear the problem. I am not sure if always keeping the camera on still mode will avoid the problem. the camera would still work in MF mode though. I can't test it further since I returned it. I thought I would enjoy video more than I did. I guess there is a reason my old Sony camcorder is collecting dust...

What I am trying to say is don't be so sure mounting the lens and taking a few test pic's is a sure sign your Sigma lens is working.

I am happy with my A900, I just hope the eventual replacement does not have any issues with Sigma lenses. Or in anticipation I might just go ahead and sell my Sigma's now before they become somewhat obsolete.

Darren

Edited by Dumont - 07 October 2010 at 21:10