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Archive for September 30th, 2008

Many people believe that Sigma, a third party photography manufacturer merely produce lenses that are inferior to brand name such as Canon or Nikon lenses. While some of them are true, but there some Sigma lenses are better in term of built quality, optical quality and zoom focal length.

Radiant Lite Photography: Sigma Lenses vs Canon Lenses

This article does bring up some interesting questions. Personally I own Sigma lenses and haven’t used any of the Canon offerings. However, there is a lot of commentary out there saying that if you’re serious about your pictures you need to use Canon, regardless of the lens type. And of course there is no substitute for “L” glass and everything else is just crap.

I’m not sure where I stand on this one. Reading reviews is as subjective as anything else. Some people love the “EX” version of the Sigma lenses and say they are as good as the “L” series, others say “EX” is just as good as “L”, while others say “L” is just hype and a way to mark up lenses.

I have two “EX” lenses (105mm macro and 70-200mm) and have been very happy with both. Again, I have no basis of comparison, but I have certainly seen pictures taken from the higher priced Canon lenses. I have to say that I have seen some shots from top dollar glass that is breathtaking and some that looks like crap. So while the lenses can certainly help or perhaps hinder a photographer, there is still just as much to the photographer’s skill and understanding as anything. A great lens doesn’t compensate for a poorly lit subject or harsh contrast or a poorly framed composition.

There is no doubt that “L” glass is good and expensive and “EX” glass is good and expensive, I judge lenses more on the focal length and aperture rating than simply the price. Of course when two lenses are the same, it comes down to price and image quality. And again from the samples I’ve seen of similar lenses I have a hard time telling which is which, the images look excellent to me.

So when comparing apples to apples, for example the 70-200 from Sigma and Canon, is there a clear winner? Or are they both excellent lenses?