Review Sigma 17-50mm F28 Ex Dc Os Hsm
Sigma 17-50mm f/two.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Review
The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Bone HSM Lens features a nice range of focal lengths, a broad f/2.8 aperture, HSM autofocus and Bone (optical stabilization) in a well-built and reasonably-priced lens.
Almost of united states of america need at least 1 full general purpose lens - and the focal length range is usually my primary qualification for such a lens. The 17-50mm focal length range falls squarely in the recommended general purpose lens focal length range for the APS-C sensor format DSLRs it is compatible with.
This focal length range delivers that same angle of view that a 27.two-80mm lens on a full frame DSLR would deliver, merely over again, this APS-C-only lens is not compatible with the larger format SLRs. Here is an case of what this focal length range looks similar.
My field work for the Sigma 17-50mm f/ii.8 EX DC Os HSM Lens review was done in early spring. After a long, cold wintertime, the bright new growth on the copse was looking gorgeous to me. The 17-50mm focal length range is dainty. It works great for effectually-the-house shots (inside and out), for landscapes, for full body and caput-and-shoulders portraits, for shut sports and for a huge range of other uses.
For many, their first full general purpose lens is the 1 available in-the-box with their first DSLR. While the kit lens is very economical, it is also the source of many emails I receive - especially when beingness used indoors without a flash. If there is whatsoever subject move, the max aperture available on these lenses is non wide enough to let the action to exist stopped - resulting in movement-blurred images.
The Sigma 17-l OS' fixed f/2.8 max aperture across the entire focal length range provides 4x equally much calorie-free to the sensor (2 stops) as most kit lenses offering at their longest focal length (f/5.half-dozen). This discontinuity difference tin can translate into a big departure in your image quality.
In that location are many lenses with longer focal length ranges available. The longer focal length lenses frequently sacrifice image quality to obtain their range and most do not offer the fixed f/2.viii max aperture across the unabridged range. There are, withal, many 17 to 50mm (or 55mm) f/ii.8 lenses available from other manufacturers - I'll reference some of these later in this review.
As I indicated already, a wide aperture is a great advantage for a lens to have. Use the wide discontinuity to stop activeness (or photographic camera motility) in depression light by allowing a faster/shorter shutting speed and/or to blur the background. (a wider aperture results in a shallower depth of field - all other factors remaining equal). At 17mm, you are going to demand a close subject to generate any significant background blur at 17mm f/ii.viii, but, at 50mm, blurring the background becomes an easier accomplishment.
If your subject is not moving, the Sigma 17-50'due south iv-stop-rated OS (optical stabilization) will be a great assist in achieving abrupt handheld shots in depression light, in the air current, on unstable footing, on a boat ... and in other situations where property a photographic camera steady is difficult and a tripod is not existence used.
At 17mm, I am getting a adept charge per unit of sharp images from the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Bone HSM Lens at 1/4 sec exposures for a net 3-stops of aid from Bone. I have some sharp shots taken at .six and .8 seconds, just the keeper rate is very, very low at these exposure durations. At 50mm, 1/10 or i/viii seems to be my shutter speed limit for abrupt images. This is, again, a internet 3-stops of assistance from Bone. I have a couple of sharp images made at 50mm and 1/5 sec, only the keeper rate is very low.
The Sigma 17-50mm f/two.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens is shown mounted on a Catechism EOS 60D above.
With a wide open f/2.viii aperture, the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.eight EX DC Os HSM Lens is impressively sharp in the middle throughout the focal length range with 50mm showing very slightly reduced sharpness. The corners are soft at f/two.8 with the 50mm corners looking the best. Stopping down does not significantly affect the centre of the frame image quality - nor does it need to.
By f/5.6, corners testify a little improvement overall and improvements are again realized at f/8. Stopping down at 50mm, the eye shows slightly more comeback and the corners show somewhat less comeback than the rest of the range - due to the slightly worse/better 50mm f/2.viii center/corner sharpness. At f/11, diffraction begins to testify - reducing image sharpness over nearly of the frame (though corners go along to improve).
The Sigma 17-50 OS controls vignetting quite well. With a broad open aperture, expect to see about 1.5 stops of peripheral shading in the corners at the 2 focal length extremes with noticeably less in the mid focal lengths. Stopping down to f/4 reduces the corner shading to about i end at 17mm and about .8 stops remain at 17mm fifty-fifty at f/xi. Notation that a normal thickness circular polarizer filter will add a small amount of mechanical vignetting at 17mm - fifty-fifty at f/11.
Some chromatic abnormality is noticeable in the corners in the wider half of the focal length range. As a generalization, CA is worst at 17mm and slowly improves through the residue of the focal length range. The corporeality of CA exhibited is not unusual for a lens in this class.
The Sigma 17-l Os shows varying amounts of flare over the focal length and aperture ranges, just overall, information technology is a decent performer in this regard. Bokeh (background blur quality) generated by the seven-blade aperture appears to be mid-grade. The odd number aperture blade count will create 2x the number of light rays equally aperture blades (14) from points of light when a narrow aperture is used (even blade counts deliver 1x light rays).
At 17mm, the Sigma 17-l exhibits a noticeable burl-in-the-middle barrel distortion. This distortion smoothly transitions to mild pincushion distortion at 50mm with approximately 25mm being the almost-distortion-costless transition focal length.
Overall, I'thou pleased with the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens' image quality, though the corner sharpness is the most defective slice of the overall image quality puzzle.
The Sigma 17-fifty OS incorporates Sigma's (Hypersonic Motor) for moderately fast autofocusing. Though reasonably quietly, the 17-50 generates some gear noise during AF. Focus accuracy has been the biggest outcome I've encountered with this lens. I've had many shots misautofocused for no apparent reason - peculiarly in AI Servo fashion.
Focusing is internal - the front element does non extend or rotate. Await a relatively small amount of focus breathing from this lens - the subject/framing changes size a small-scale corporeality when focusing.
FTM (Full Time Transmission) focusing is not featured in this HSM AF implementation - the focus band turns during AF. A printed-on-the-MF-band focus distance scale is provided - and reveals the lack of FTM.
The focus band is nicely sized and in the position I prefer - every bit the forepart-nearly band. The Sigma 17-50 focuses smoothly, but with a relatively short 42° rotation and low rotation resistance, precise focusing is touchy.
The tabular array below reviews a large number of general purpose lenses' minimum focus distances and maximum magnifications.
| Model | MFD | MM | |
| Catechism EF-Southward 15-85mm f/three.5-5.6 IS USM Lens | thirteen.eight" | (350mm) | 0.21x |
| Canon EF-Southward 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens | xiii.8" | (350mm) | 0.16x |
| Catechism EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens | 11.viii" | (300mm) | 0.20x |
| Catechism EF-Due south 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS 2 Lens | 9.8" | (250mm) | 0.34x |
| Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.v-5.6 IS Lens | xix.3" | (490mm) | 0.21x |
| Catechism EF-S xviii-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens | 17.7" | (450mm) | 0.24x |
| Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Os HSM Lens | 11.0" | (280mm) | 0.20x |
| Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS Lens | 8.7" | (220mm) | 0.37x |
| Sigma 18-125mm f/3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Lens | 13.viii" | (350mm) | 0.26x |
| Sigma 18-200mm f/iii.5-vi.3 DC Bone Lens | 17.7" | (450mm) | 0.26x |
| Sigma 18-250mm f/iii.5-6.three DC OS HSM Lens | 17.7" | (450mm) | 0.29x |
| Tamron 17-50mm f/2.viii XR Di 2 Lens | 10.half-dozen" | (270mm) | 0.22x |
| Tamron 17-50mm f/2.viii XR Di II VC Lens | 11.four" | (290mm) | 0.21x |
| Tamron 18-200mm f/three.5-half dozen.3 XR Di 2 Lens | 17.7" | (450mm) | 0.27x |
| Tamron eighteen-270mm f/3.5-half-dozen.iii Di 2 VC Lens | 19.3" | (490mm) | 0.29x |
With an 11" (280mm) MFD and a .2x MM spec, the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Bone HSM Lens is not a strong contender in the close-up contest. But, these specs are in line with the other 17-fiftysomething f/2.eight lenses. And, these figures are adept enough for many close bailiwick needs.
However, that is not the stop of the shut-upward story. The tested MFD for this lens is ix.17" (233mm) which should equate to nigh .24x MM. MFD testing uses manual focusing - and this lens indeed manually focuses closer than it will autofocus.
Equally I mentioned in the first of this review, the Sigma 17-50mm f/ii.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens has very expert build quality. I have not been a large fan of Sigma's matte finish - especially because it readily shows fingerprints and grit. The good news is that merely the edges of the zoom and focus rings retain the conventional Sigma cease. The hood and mount areas, the main lens areas not covered by rubber zoom or focus ring, are a much nicer (my stance of course) polish cease.
The focus and zoom rings are very polish with no play. The zoom ring has an ideal corporeality of resistance while, every bit I indicated earlier in the review, the focus ring is slightly too easy to rotate.
Similar all other zoom lenses in its class, the Sigma 17-50 OS extends when zoomed to its longest focal length. There is very little play in the extending portion of the barrel.
My purchased-retail re-create of this lens does not exhibit gravity-zooming behavior, only a lock switch is provided to assure the lens stays retracted at 17mm. The other two switches - AF/Thousand and Bone On/Off are noticeably raised from the lens butt. These switches are located close plenty to the lens mountain that they are non uncomfortable during use, but they are easy to observe with your left thumb.
The relatively small lens hood is large enough to assist go on fingers and other objects from touching the front element. The Sigma middle-and-side-compression lens cap is very squeamish and is easy to install or remove with the hood in place.
| Model | Weight | Dimensions west/o Hood | Filter | Twelvemonth | ||
| Canon EF-Due south 15-85mm f/3.5-v.6 IS USM Lens | 20.three oz | (575g) | 3.2 ten three.4" | (81.6 ten 87.5mm) | 72mm | 2009 |
| Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens | 22.viii oz | (645g) | 3.3 x 4.4" | (83.5 x 110.6mm) | 77mm | 2006 |
| Catechism EF-S 17-85mm f/iv-five.half-dozen IS USM Lens | sixteen.eight oz | (475g) | 3.1 x 3.6" | (79 x 92mm) | 67mm | 2004 |
| Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/three.5-5.6 IS II Lens | 7.1 oz | (200g) | 2.seven x 3.3" | (68.five x 84.5mm) | 58mm | 2011 |
| Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens | 16.1 oz | (455g) | 3 x 4" | (75.4 x 101mm) | 67mm | 2009 |
| Catechism EF-S xviii-200mm f/iii.5-5.6 IS Lens | 21 oz | (595g) | iii.1 x 4" | (78.6 x 102mm) | 72mm | 2008 |
| Sigma 17-50mm f/ii.8 EX DC Bone HSM Lens | xix.9 oz | (565g) | 3.3 ten iii.vi" | (83.five 10 91.8mm) | 77mm | 2010 |
| Sigma 17-70mm f/ii.8-4 DC Macro OS Lens | xviii.9 oz | (535g) | three.1 x iii.5" | (79 ten 88.9mm) | 72mm | 2010 |
| Sigma 18-125mm f/three.8-5.six DC Os HSM Lens | 17.8 oz | (505g) | 2.9 x 3.v" | (74 x 88.5mm) | 67mm | 2008 |
| Sigma 18-200mm f/3.five-6.3 DC OS Lens | 21.5 oz | (610g) | iii.i x iii.9" | (79 ten 100mm) | 72mm | |
| Sigma 18-250mm f/three.five-6.3 DC Bone HSM Lens | 22.two oz | (630g) | 3.i ten four" | (79 x 101mm) | 72mm | 2009 |
| Tamron 17-50mm f/2.eight XR Di Two Lens | fifteen.3 oz | (434g) | iii.2 10 ii.9" | (81.vii x 74mm) | 67mm | 2006 |
| Tamron 17-50mm f/2.viii XR Di II VC Lens | twenty.1 oz | (570g) | 3.1 x iii.7" | (79.6 10 94.5mm) | 72mm | 2009 |
| Tamron xviii-200mm f/iii.5-6.iii XR Di Ii Lens | 14 oz | (398g) | 2.nine ten 3.iii" | (73.8 x 83.7mm) | 62mm | |
| Tamron 18-270mm f/3.v-half dozen.three Di Two VC Lens | 19.4 oz | (550g) | 3.1 x 4" | (79.vi 10 101mm) | 72mm | 2008 |
For many more than comparisons, review the complete Sigma 17-50mm f/2.viii EX DC Os HSM Lens Specifications using the site'southward Lens Spec tool.
The Sigma 17-50 Bone is in the middle of its class in the size and weight categories. I observe a lens with this size and weight to be like shooting fish in a barrel to take with you lot, comfy to use and to have enough mass to exist stable.
The 77mm filter size is non small, but it is very common - making the sharing of certain filters easy (no step-upward rings required).
Hither is a visual expect at some of the above-referenced lenses.
Positioned higher up from left to right in their fully retracted positions are the following lenses:
Canon EF-S eighteen-55mm f/iii.v-5.half dozen IS Ii Lens
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.viii XR Di II Lens
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.viii EX DC Os HSM Lens
Tamron 17-50mm f/two.8 XR Di II VC Lens
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.eight IS USM Lens
The same lenses are shown beneath in their fully extended states with their lens hoods in place.
You lot can create your ain comparisons using the Sigma 17-50mm f/ii.eight EX DC OS HSM Lens Image Comparison. Here is one more comparison – click on the image below to compare the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.viii EX DC Os HSM Lens to other lens models with and without hoods (opens in new window to save your place in this review).
Let'due south review some outdoor results from a option of similar lenses. To comparison test outdoors, a clear day is the get-go requirement. Any clouds in the sky, even if they appear to exist even, tin can change the lighting betwixt shots and cause 1 lens to appear amend or worse than it is.
The start comparison test results I am sharing are from the absolute peak left corner of the frame out of a Canon EOS 60D using the Standard Picture Manner and a sharpness setting of "1" (very depression). Lenses were prepare to approximately 28mm. The aforementioned tripod-mounted camera position was used, but this does non mean identical corner framing due to lens focal length marking discrepancies and my guess at the focal length setting on lenses not having 28mm marked.
Specific paradigm content aside, I call back that you will be able to discern a reasonable difference betwixt the lenses in this example. These 28mm results are generally indicative of the functioning of these lenses over their entire focal length range.
Note that, to reduce page load fourth dimension (particularly for mobile users), this comparison is being hosted on a carve up folio. Click on the image below to open up this comparison in a new window. Read the comparing discussion on that page.
If y'all read the discussion on the comparison page, skip down to the "mounts" paragraph.
With broad open apertures, the Canon EF-Southward 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens and the impressive-for-the-price Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di Ii Lens (non-VC) turn in the all-time corner performance.
The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Os HSM Lens indeed turned in better corner operation at a wide open aperture than stopped downwardly one or perhaps even 2 stops in this examination. This of grade means the other lenses are ameliorate performers at f/iv and f/5.6 with the Sigma 17-seventy being a possible exception.
The Sigma 17-70 would better fit in a difference class of lenses due to its narrower aperture and longer focal length range, simply including it here shows me what it can do as I prepare to write the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS Lens review.
With calorie-free being least redirected in the center of their epitome circles, most lenses perform all-time in the centre of the frame. As I said earlier in this review, the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Bone HSM Lens turns in very impressive center-of-the-frame operation. Even at its heart image quality weakest focal length, 50mm, the Sigma performs on par with the Catechism 17-55 (which is ready to 55mm in the following comparison). Once more, click on the image to run into the comparison.
The above comparing images were shots with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D using the Standard Moving picture Fashion and a sharpness setting of "ane" (very low). The Sigma 17-l shows a more than-clear advantage in the center of the frame at the lower end of its focal length range.
One divergence I've noticed in the various comparison tests I've shot is that the Sigma 17-50mm f/two.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens consistently produces warmer image colors than the Canon 17-55. I've actually preferred the warmer paradigm in the bulk of comparisons I've noticed this difference in.
From a flare standpoint, the Sigma 17-fifty Bone compares favorably to the rest of these lenses. Perhaps slightly improve overall than the Canon 17-55 and the Tamron 17-50 non-VC. The Tamron 17-fifty VC is the clear loser in the flare competition.
The Sigma 17-50 Bone and the Tamron 17-50 non-VC lenses exhibit the least vignetting with the Catechism 17-55 and the Tamron 17-50 VC showing the almost.
The Canon EF-S 17-55 has less barrel distortion at 17mm than the other lenses, just more pincushion baloney at longer focal lengths. The other lenses are similar in their baloney amounts. I didn't see any pregnant differentiators from a CA standpoint - these lenses are all similar in this regard.
The Canon 17-55 wins the AF performance category - this is a big advantage in my opinion. The Canon 17-55, however, is the loser in the price comparison. It costs far more than the Sigma 17-l. The Sigma 17-l is slightly more than expensive than the Tamron 17-50 VC, just the meliorate-optically-performing Tamron 17-50 not-VC is considerably less expensive. It, of course, lacks image stabilization - another large advantage in my opinion.
The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.viii EX DC Os HSM Lens is bachelor in Canon (reviewed), Nikon, Pentax, Sony/Minolta and Sigma mounts. My standard disclaimer: There are some potential bug with tertiary political party lenses. Since Sigma contrary engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF routines, there is always the possibility that a DSLR trunk might not support a (likely older) 3rd political party lens. Sometimes a lens can be made compatible by the manufacturer, sometimes non. There is also the risk of a trouble that results in the lens and body manufacturers directing arraign at each other. Sigma USA's 4-yr warranty is far superior to Catechism's standard ane year warranty (Sigma's international warranty is also i yr).
If y'all don't need sharp corners (except at f/11) and you lot don't need every shot focused perfectly, the Sigma 17-50mm f/ii.eight EX DC Bone HSM Lens is a dandy lens for the cost. This is a good upgrade-to-the-kit-lens option.
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