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Comment on Low Price Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Lowest Price by Maiaibing

Maiaibing — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:41:15 +0000

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Great lens - zero vignetting, September 9, 2009

Maiaibing (Frederiksberg C. Denmark) -

This review is from: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Have been using the Sigma 15mm Fisheye for some weeks on a 5Dii and have taken about 1.000 shots with it. The short story: its a great lens that has lots to offer for anyone who like wide angle shots. Colors and flare resistence is tops. Centre sharpness is very good even wide open, while corners tend to be soft and suffer CA unless it is stopped down.

Fisheye lenses have a mixed reputation, which is a shame as they are some of the most versitile lenses around. Some of the bad reputation comes from the fact that some people think all fisheyes are "round". However, the Sigma 15mm is diagonal fisheye, and fills the picture across the entire sensor.

But why a fisheye at all? Three main reasons;
1) its wider than a standard lens (so 15mm fisheye is much wider than a 14mm standard lens)
2) by not correcting the light (as much as a traditional lens), the fisheye should have less flare and
2) better - even spectacular - colors.

And when it comes to flare resistance the Sigma 15mm shines. Colors are also great, but fisheye lenses can be very tricky for the camera's light meter. So with my 5Dii I often shoot @ f/-2/3 to f/-1½ to compensate for overexposure at bright daylight.

Some people complain that the Sigma may hunt at low light, but I do not find it more difficult to use than most other lenses - actually I find it quite good. It has worked fine from early morning, over heavy rain to dark night.

Versatile? You bet! The important aspect of shooting a fisheye is to use the focal plane very actively in your shots. There is a dramatic shift in the look and feel of a shot depending on the tilt to the horizon and where in the picture plane your objects are.

Also, as long as you shoot "rounded" objects such as people, a fisheye often works better than a traditional wide lens like the Canon 14L. On the other hand its not very good at buildings unless you use software to correct.

Finally, the ability to use software to straighten out the curved lines makes fisheye lenses more versitile than ever.

For me the Sigma has been a hit. My impression from reading reviews etc. on the net is that there is no significant difference between the Sigma and the Canon, so get whichever is the cheapest where you live (that's what I did).

[Please disregard the previous review about vignetting. This lens has almost none even on a full frame. The user just forgot to take of the entire lens cap before shooting...]

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Comment on Low Price Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Lowest Price by Robert "FreeMan"

Robert "FreeMan" — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:14:23 +0000

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

A GREAT Lens......PERIOD!, April 6, 2008

Robert "FreeMan" (Portland, OR) -

This review is from: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I bought this lens on a lark, and have enjoyed every second of my time owning it. I use it on my Canon 5D and on my Canon 40D, if I set my shots correctly, I have some of the most unusual, attractive and impressive shots in my Shot Library.

The key to success with this lens is to set the shot correctly. I have found it takes more planning, a steadier hand (or Tripod/Monopod), than even my 100-400MM F/4-5.6L. With a telephoto lens, your area of focus is less a challenge than the 180 Degree worth of study when dealing with this lens.

Don't get me wrong, this lens is FUN!! I've never enjoyed landscapes, portraits, artistic shots more than I have when I am using my 15MM Fish. For the Casual user, high end amateur, or for the seasoned professional, this lens is an inexpensive TOOL each of us should have to round out our lens bag. BUY IT!!

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Comment on Low Price Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Lowest Price by Laurel

Laurel — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:29:13 +0000

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

It's actually a very good lens!, May 5, 2007

Laurel (minneapolis, MN) -

This review is from: Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Hi, I just wanted to give this lens a fair review. As the other reviewer mentioned, if you use it with an APS-C sensor digital slr, you won't see a whole lot of distortion. It's no different from the Canon brand fisheye on a camera like that. But, if you use it with film, or with a larger sensor size camera, full-frame if possible, it's really quite a beautiful, sharp, and very fish-eyed lens. On a Canon 5D it performed really well for me. I just wanted to say that on the right camera, it's really quite a lens.

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Comment on Cheap Gary Fong Puffer Pop Up Flash Diffuser – CANON/NIKON In Stock by David J. Defoe "david25937"

David J. Defoe "david25937" — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:30:25 +0000

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

Exactly as expected., November 28, 2007

David J. Defoe "david25937" (Saginaw, MI United States) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

I have read reviews of other Gary Fong products and never purchased one. I have been stuck many times without a flash and not wanted to use the pop-up flash on my Olympus E500 because of redeye and overexposure issues. I received my Puffer today in the mail. It works great! Exactly as expected. The puffer is made completely out of plastic and fits snuggly on the hotshoe mount. There are several hight adjustments (holes to mount the diffuser) and I haven't found the best height yet. I snapped a few pictures with the flash at full power and no images had redeye and the skin tones looked natural without any over exposure highlight areas. This is a definate must have for the camera bag!

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Comment on Cheap Gary Fong Puffer Pop Up Flash Diffuser – CANON/NIKON In Stock by Gary Fong "garyfong.com"

Gary Fong "garyfong.com" — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:29:26 +0000

105 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

Problem with Mount has been fixed..., November 21, 2008

Gary Fong "garyfong.com" (seattle, wa) -

This review is from: Gary Fong Puffer Pop Up Flash Diffuser - CANON/NIKON (Electronics)

The mount that some people have had trouble with was fixed with a slight design modification quite a while ago. While most dealers' stock has been replaced, there are some that are still trickling through. If the mount broke for you, call customer support at 800-906-6447 x1 and they will send you the new one. It doesn't matter where you purchased it. The design change is illustrated here http://garyfonginc.com/images/PUF-MOUNT_v2.jpg.

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Comment on Cheap Gary Fong Puffer Pop Up Flash Diffuser – CANON/NIKON In Stock by Mary Jo Sminkey "dog trainer and web programmer"

Mary Jo Sminkey "dog trainer and web programmer" — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:34:48 +0000

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

Does what it claims to do., January 5, 2008

Mary Jo Sminkey "dog trainer and web programmer" (Durham, NC USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Gary Fong Puffer Pop Up Flash Diffuser - CANON/NIKON (Electronics)

I got this to use with my Canon 40D for those trips where I just don't have enough room to bring along my big flash and Whaletail. This is a nice compact little gadget that comes in 2 pieces. The bracket slips into the hotshoe and then you push the white diffuser onto the little pegs and can adjust it as needed higher or lower for your particular flash. I didn't find it as flimsy as the other reviews, it snapped right into place on my hotshoe without a problem. It is a bit more difficult to attach the head to the bracket, that would really be my one main complaint that I would like this to be easier. As for performance, I was pretty impressed for the most part. Sure, it doesn't come near to the performance of my full-fledged bounce flash setup, but for a $20 gadget it does quite good. I took some photos of my dogs which is usually a huge red eye problem with direct flash (most animals produce far worse red eye than people) and the results were quite pleasing with virtually no red eye and much softer shadows. Check the sample images for a comparison shot with and without the puffer that I took of my cat in front of the fireplace to see the improvement that this little device gives you.

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Comment on Sell Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Digital DSLR Camera In Stock by Ben

Ben — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:32:45 +0000

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Great buy, July 17, 2010

Ben -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital DSLR Camera (Electronics)

After buying this week I have to say I love the lens. I've only been out three times with it and have taken about 200 frames but have been really impressed with the results. The optical stabiliser really does allow you to shoot hand held at least 4 stops slower than usual and still get sharp images, even at 500mm. There are two optical stability settings, one as a general on setting, and the other for shooting moving subjects.

It is relatively heavy but easily manageable. Today I spent the day shooting an AVP tournament at Hermosa Beach and it was fine.

If you're looking for a large zoom lens to add to your arsenal then I highly recommend this lens. I can see it being a fantastic asset for wildlife photography and I have already enjoyed its huge range capturing sports action such as surfing and volleyball.

I also have sigma's 18-50mm f2.8 lens which I've used for over a year. The construction on both is very solid and the images they produce are brilliant. Plus they retail around half the price of a Nikon or Canon equivalent. You can't argue with the value they provide.

If you're wondering if you should buy this lens, go for it. You won't be disappointed.

I have loaded some photos here if interested:
[...]

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Comment on Sell Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Digital DSLR Camera In Stock by Eric Zhang

Eric Zhang — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:57:42 +0000

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

I am amazed, May 13, 2010

Eric Zhang (Georgia, USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital DSLR Camera (Electronics)

I've had this lens for a few days and am very pleased with it. Given the fact that it's covering such a wide range, I didn't expect it to have very high IQ, yet I am pleasantly surprised. I measured it against my super sharp Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII with TC-17, both @ 340mm f/6.3 and f/8, and the IQ is about the same on a D300s, even though on a full frame D3s, the 70-200mm + TC-17 is slightly sharper. This is quite remarkable, because 70-200 f/2.8 VRII is one of the best lenses Nikon has ever made, and it can produce better pictures at 100mm than the highly regarded Tokina 100mm macro lens I own, and even when shooting macros, the 70-200 + TC-17 + Canon 500D combo is comparable to the Tokina 100mm.

Image color is great, with vivid contrast. I had a few bird shots at fully extended 500mm and they turned out to be great pictures. CA is minimum too, only slightly visible when fully zoomed in, and no worse than my 70-200+1.7 combo. Focus is fast, even though it has always been a challenge for me when shooting sports and moving animals. Build is very solid. It's about the same length as the Nikon 70-200mm VRII without the hood, and about 20% wider. Maybe I am already used to the 70-200mm, this lens is not as heavy as I expected, maybe just a little heavier, and certainly handheldable. The OS certainly helps, and I can shoot handheld 500mm at 1/30sec with good image quality. The OS can be turned to 'off', '1', or '2'. When not shooting at high shutter speed, I used '1' only and I suppose '2' is for shooting from moving car on a bumpy road. I haven't tried manual focus yet. Zoom in and out is a little tight, and that might be the only negative I can find with this lens so far. It's not hard to get used to it, so not a big deal, and you can be sure that lens creeping will never be a problem, even though it still comes with a zoom lock.

Overall, I am extremely happy with this purchase. With an unmatched covering range of 50 to 500mm, it is a great lens for shooting kids sports, which is the main reason I bought this lens. With the high IQ, it's also a great lens for shooting birds. I think it's well worth the money.

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Comment on Sell Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Digital DSLR Camera In Stock by R. J. Hoover

R. J. Hoover — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:44:37 +0000

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

Focus-Focus, October 4, 2010

R. J. Hoover -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital DSLR Camera (Electronics)

Just received the lens. Using with a Cannon EOS XTi.

Pros
- Sturdy feel to the lens
- Impressive focal length range.
- Good picture quality throughout the range (speaking as a non-pro)
- OS pretty good. Taking acceptable quality hand-held shots at full extension in bright sun.

Cons
- Autofocus not working out-of-the-box. Of note that this lens was NOT in the serial number range specified by SIGMA's customer alert.
- Very poor response time on queries to SIGMA's tech service.
- Some (minor) vignetting noticable at longer focal lengths.
- Does not work with my TAMRON teleconverter even though this TC does function with my Cannon lens.
- Heavy

Returning the lense for replacement through AMAZON due to the autofocus issue. Will see how well the next one does.

UPDATE:
Received replacement lense from AMAZON with working autofocus. Took it out today for extensive testing and am well pleased so far. Focal range is impressive and am getting good shots throughout the range. OS function gives reasonable good shots even when hand held at 500MM. Normally use with a monopod however.

Tempted to upgrade my rating from 2 to 4 stars however will leave it at 3 for time being. Issues:
- Continued poor SIGMA customer service. My email requesting Tech assistance after first lens' failure is now 5 days old with no response from SIGMA. In same period I returned original lens to AMAZON, got a replacement and tested it (kudos to AMAZON Customer Service). Had similar poor response experience with SIGMA when I was originally researching the lens.
- Some residual caution about reliability of the autofocus function. Seems to be a fairly common issue with this lense. I'll withhold judgement until I have a bit more field experience with the lens.

NEW UPDATE:
Took lens overseas for several weeks of heavy-duty use. Still pleased. A few (minor) comments:
- Autofocus still working however does tend to have difficulty in finding the perfect focus point for "busy" background. Tend to use manual focusing a bit more than I would like.
- Range for this lens is impressive as previously indicated. Great for wildlife photography. The 50MM low end is however not quite good enough for those wide/scenic shots. Find myself carrying a good point-and-shoot camera to get those scenic vistas as too much trouble to keep changing lenses.
- Never did get a response from SIGMA tech service. Academic now - however can't help wondering if they really exist. Not looking forward to dealing with SIGMA if the lens ever needs maintenance.

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Comment on Discount Lensbaby The Muse Double Glass for Sony Alpha mount Digital SLR Cameras Lowest Price by Jennifer "JennJenn Bo Benn"

Jennifer "JennJenn Bo Benn" — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:08:03 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

So aMusing!! yuk yuk, June 25, 2010

Jennifer "JennJenn Bo Benn" (Orlando, FL USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Lensbaby The Muse Double Glass for Pentax K mount Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I LOVE this lens!! It is super fun and gives such cool effects. I had debated purchasing this lens for over a year and finally took the plunge after recently purcasing my Pentax Kx. With the Kx being so light and easy to hold, it makes use of the Muse lens much easier then with my older DSLR cameras.

I love how you can manipulate the "sweet spot" to follow the subject as they move. I was able to follow my Eastern Box Turtle around his cage with such ease and captured great shots with him next to the glass.

Changing the aperature disks are super easy and I'm sure with some practice it I will be faster with it. I love that the lid to the disks are the same as the Kodak film canister lids. Nice touch.

One thing I do want to mention to those that shoot in auto mode is when using this lens you do need to shoot in AV or Manual mode. This is a manual focus lens so you will need to adjust the focus by squeezing or relaxing the lens. Just read your camera manual for a quick one two course in aperature and ISO use and you will be just fine.

I recommend this lens to anyone who likes to play and have fun with photography.

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