After a frantic purchase of Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro Dental, I try 1:1
Macro again and this time with the purchase of a used copy of Sigma 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro EX. Two days of testing adds to my liking to this macro lens.
Macro again and this time with the purchase of a used copy of Sigma 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro EX. Two days of testing adds to my liking to this macro lens.
Impressions & Notes:
- The lens is my best lens for product shots
- Very sharp when I take product shots in selling gear
- AF is a bit on the noisy side, but I get used to those loud noise in AF motor with Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro.
- MF is good overall but I found one critical area that I don't adapt well to its MF. While the lens is switched to MF, the lens requires body to switch from AF.S or AF.C to MF. Without the change in body, the lens AF is still engaged making it infeasible to turn for focusing. I can only rely on focus beep to confirm locking of focus.
- I rely on focus trapping in manual focus mode and focus trapping is totally missing in this lens unless you do some trick as to insulate the AF contact to trick the camera body to treat the lens as a MF lens.
- I find the focus limiter to be useful as the length of travelling for the AF is too long in full range and the limiter helps the photographer to shorten the AF to limit when the lens is used as a tele and vice versa in limiting the close up range.
- Lens is well built and it has the best contruction out of the new lenses that I have handled. The grip and non protruding lens front is especially attrative. The lens is quit small as I don't recall that it extends to greater length upon reaching the 1:2 and 1:1 magnification distance.
- Its bokeh, sharpness, detail is top notch as compared to my two other 1:2 macro with Pentax A 50mm f/2.8 1:2 Macro and Pentax K 100mm f/4.0 1:2 Macro. I find the A 50mm f/2.8 the sharper of the three but this Sigma along with AF will let me work on the bugs much easier and it is faster in speed than my K 100mm f/4.0 and I can surely experiment on flash with this 1:1 macro lens
- The metal lens hood is great but a bit awkard on the front cap as the front cap can't be put on while the lens hood is mounted. A minor gripe but not a big issue.
- Manual focusing is precise and smooth operation but I find the Pentax K 100mm f/4.0 1:2 Macro does better in MF with old style of 1 complete turn.
- Overall, this is a great Macro lens that I recommend. I love it much better than my poor experience with Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro. My copy is used and I paid $250 and shipping fee for it with the lens hood, lens holster and original box.
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