Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM Review

According provided by lens Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM (FLD glass, Nikon mount F) huge thanks to Pavel.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM is a fast full-time zoom for cropped cameras of various systems. I reviewed the version for Nikon DX cameras, so when buying such a lens, pay attention to which system it is made for. The lens is suitable for all Nikon cameras, even the simplest ones, without a focus motor.

Main technical characteristics of Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM:

Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 is intended to be a relatively cheap replacement for 'native' lenses - Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM DX и Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 17-55mm 1: 2.8 IS USM.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

The Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 is a good weighty lens with a huge front lens that uses 77mm filters. The lens is made in Japan, the copy from my review does not have any obvious backlash, and the lens trunk does not spontaneously protrude. The lens has a metal mount and a special zoom lock at 17mm - 'Lock'. But from the side of the bayonet in the lens, you can see its entire electronic soul with boards, springs and other insides. I am concerned that access to such lens elements has not been blocked. And three more screws on the inner sections of the lens, which are located behind the front lens, do not look very good.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 - has fast auto focusalmost the same as the native Nikon 17-55 / 2.8... The high focusing speed is most likely due to the low travel of the focusing ring, which rotates only 45 degrees. I notice that virtually all of these third-party lenses 'save' on either the focus ring or the normal focus motor.

Auto focus is not only fast, but also enough silent. Noise level is several times lower than that of Tamron 17-50 / 2.8 и Tamron 17-50 / 2.8 VC, all thanks to HSM.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

When focusing and zooming, the front the lens does not rotate, with filters should not be any problems. The focus ring and zoom are rubberized. During zoom, only one lens section extends. The minimum focusing distance is only 28 см, which will allow you to get macro pictures with an increase of 1: 5, which is pretty good for this kind of lens. Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 has a focus distance scale and a zoom position scale.

Bad that the lens does not support continuous manual focus control, but in order to focus manually, you need to switch the lens to the 'M' mode using the 'AF M' switch. Failure to do so could damage the lens motor.

The lens has a 7-blade aperture, which closes to a maximum of F / 22 over the entire range of focal lengths.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

The lens comes with a wonderful case and lens hood. The hood can be worn back and forth, while maintaining low access to the focus ring, even 17 mm.

The inside of the lens. Several boards in two rows.

Of course, one of the main features of the lens is the image stabilization system, which allows take off at longer values excerpts... There is a special mode switch on the lens barrel - 'OS ON OFF'. I may be nitpicking, but generally stabilized lenses will freeze the jitter a little. JVIthat I did not see with this lens.

The instructions somehow incomprehensibly say that the stabilizer is powered by the camera even in the 'OFF' mode within a minute after turning on the camera or after pressing the focus and / or metering button exposure, or during the time while the metering is working. If you listen closely, you can indeed hear a slight noise in the middle of the lens, even with the stabilizer in the 'OFF' position. When you press the focus button, the noise just increases - apparently the stabilizer starts working at full power. This oddity can seriously affect the lifespan of a camera battery. I think this method of OS implementation is not logical. Stabilizer on the lens SIGMA C 17-70mm 1: 2.8-4 DC OS HSM MACRO works in a similar way.

Important: when the lens is removed from the camera, or when the camera is turned off, if you shake the Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 OS a little, you will clearly hear a noise in the middle, as if something had fallen off there. This is normal lens behavior, and the lens group responsible for stabilization is noisy, in the off state the lenses are not 'suspended' in the magnetic field.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

The lens was stuffed with 2 FLD glass elements and 2 aspherical elements.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

In work, Sigma 17-50 / 2.8 proved to be quite good. Focus misses are rare, but still happen. The sharpness in the center of the frame pleasantly surprised me. But on the edges of the frame, everything is not so good, and vignetting in the wide-angle range on open diaphragms. And of course, strong barrel-shaped distortion of 17mm. If you close the aperture below F / 4.0, then it's a sin to complain about the lens.

The parameters shown in the photo gallery:
Everything is filmed on Nikon D80. EGF is 25,5-75 mm. On-camera JPEG L fine without treatment, reduced size to 3 MP. Everything was shot in N (Neutral) Picture Control. The long exposure noise reduction function and high ISO noise reduction function were turned off.

Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM

I used the lens data for several months on the camera Nikon D90 and left only positive impressions. Below are pictures from real photo tasks:

All fast universal zoom lenses

Below is a list of all such aperture-type universal zoom autofocus lenses for SLR and mirrorless cameras with an APS-C sensor or less.

Tokina (DX, various mounts)

1. Tokina AT-X PRO SD 16-50 F2.8 DX Internal Focus, model AT-X 165 PRO DX, for Canon (C / EF version) and Nikon (N / AIS version), since July 2006. The optical design is similar to the lens Pentax SMC DA * 16-50mm f / 2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM

Tamron (DI II, DI III-A, various mounts)

1. Tamron Aspherical LD ​​XR DI II SP AF 17-50 mm 1: 2.8 [IF], model A16 N / E / P / S (under Nikon [N], Canon [E], Pentax [P], Sony / Minolta [S]), since February 2006. Produced in Japan, China and Vietnam
2. promaster DIGITAL XR EDO AF Ashperical LD ​​[IF] 17-50 mm 1: 2.8 MACROprevious lens under the brand Promaster
3. Tamron Aspherical LD ​​XR DI II SP AF 17-50 mm 1: 2.8 [IF], model A16 NII (only for Nikon cameras), since March 2008
4. Tamron Di II SP 17-50 mm F / 2.8 VC B005, model B005 E / NII (for Canon [E] or Nikon [NII]), from September 2009, Japan or China)
5. Tamron 17-70 mm F / 2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Model B070, Model B070, Sony E only, from December 2020

Sigma (DC, different mounts)

With constant maximum aperture (DC EX and DC ART series):

1. Sigma DC ZOOM 18-50mm 1: 2.8 EX (+ -D), since July 2004, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K. The version for the '4/3' system has been available since February 2006 (not mass-produced). The version for Nikon in its name includes the prefix 'D'.
2. Sigma dc 18-50mm 1: 2.8 EX MACRO, from September 2006, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K
3. Sigma dc 18-50mm 1: 2.8 EX MACRO HSM, since June 2007, for Nikon DX cameras only (Nikon F mount)
   
4. Sigma dc 17-50mm 1: 2.8 ZOOM EXOS HSM, from February 2010, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A
5. Sigma dc 18-35mm F1.8 A [ART, HSM], from April 2013, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A
6. SIGMA DC 18-50 mm 1: 2.8 DN C [Contemporary], since Oct 2021, for Sony E, Leica L

With variable maximum aperture (DC and DC Contemporary series):

1. Sigma dc 17-70mm 1:2.8-4.5, February 2006, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A
2. Sigma dc 17-70mm 1:2.8-4.5 MACRO HSM, from July 2007, for Nikon DX cameras only (Nikon F mount)
   
3. Sigma dc 17-70mm 1:2.8-4 MACRO HSM OS, from December 2009, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A
4. Sigma dc 17-70mm 1:2.8-4 C, [MACRO, OS, HSM, Contemporary], from September 2012, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A
5. Sigma dc 18-50mm 1:2.8-4.5 HSM OS ZOOM, from March 2009, for Sigma SA, Nikon F, Canon EFS, Pentax K, Sony / Minotla A

Nikon (DX, F mount)

1. Nikon DX VR AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm 1:2.8-4E ED N, Nikon F mount, from July 2015
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM, Nikon F mount, from July 2003

Pentax (DA, Q, K and Q mounts)

1. Pentax SMC DA * 16-50 mm 1: 2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM, Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount, since February 2007. Optical design similar to lens Tokina AT-X PRO SD 16-50 F2.8 DX Internal Focus (joint development of Tokina and Pentax)
2. HD PENTAX-DA * 1: 2.8 16-50 mm ED PLMAW, from July 2021, Pentax KAF4 mount
3. HD Pentax-DA 1: 2.8-4 20-40 mm ED Limited DC WR, Pentax KAF3 bayonet mount, black or silver, from November 2013
4. SMC Pentax 1: 2.8-4.5 5-15 mm ED AL [IF] [LENS 02], Pentax Q mount (with crop factor Kf = 5.53X or Kf = 4.65X)

Canon (EFS, EF-S mount)

1. Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 17-55mm 1: 2.8 IS USM (Image Sabilizer, Ulstrasonic, EFS), Canon EF-S mount, since May 2006

Sony (DT, A and E mounts)

1. Sony DT 2.8/16-50 SSM, Sony A mount (Minolta A), August 2011
2. Sony E 2.8/16-55G, Sony E bayonet mount, from August 2019

Fujifilm(X)

1. Fujinon Ashperical Lens Nano-GI XF 16-55mm 1: 2.8 R LM WR, Fujifilm X mount, since January 2015
2. Fujinon Ashperical Lens Super EBC XF 18-55mm 1:2.8-4 R LM OIS, Fujifilm X mount, September 2012

Samsung (NX)

1. Samsung lens 1: 2-2.8 S 16-50 mm ED OIS i-Function, Samsung NX mount, since January 2014

Olympus / Panasonic / Leica (4/3, Micro 4/3, Kf = 2X)

Mirrored 4/3:

1. OLYMPUS ZUIKO Digital 11-22 mm 1: 2.8-3.5since February 2004
2. OLYMPUS Digital 14-54 mm 1: 2.8-3.5since June 2003
3. OLYMPUS Digital 14-54 mm 1: 2.8-3.5 IIsince November 2008
4. OLYMPUS ZUIKO Digital 14-35 mm 1: 2 ED SWDsince January 2008
5. Panasonic Lumix LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT 1: 2.8-3.5 /14-50 ASPH. MEGA OISsince July 2006

Mirrorless Micro 4/3:

1. OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 12-40 mm 1: 2.8 PROsince October 2013
2. Panasonic Lumix Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25 mm f / 1.7 ASPH.since May 2019
3. LUMIX G VARIO 1: 2.8 /12-35 ASPH. POWER OIS, from June 2012, in March 2017 an improved version is released (outwardly no different)
4. Panasonic Lumix Leica DG Vario-ELMARIT 1: 2.8-4.0 /12-60 ASPH.since March 2017

Price

You can see the prices for this lens. on E-Katalog at this link.

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In general, I liked Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 much more than its counterparts from Tamron, especially the quiet focus motor and the diameter of the front filter. The diameter of the filter, equal to 77 mm, is considered a professional standard, under which an experienced photographer over time selects a fleet of filters.

Sometimes, when working in the cold, the focus motor starts to buzz / whistle, and the focus itself can take much longer.

Results

If you find a good copy of Sigma Zoom 17-50mm 1: 2.8 EX DC OS HSM, then such a lens will be an excellent staffer for every day and will even cope with more or less difficult tasks. The lens is attracted by a constant aperture value of F / 2.8 across the entire range of focal lengths, an image stabilizer, and fast and quiet auto focus.

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