Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

[OM] Re: Lens Hoods+Sigma disaster

Subject: [OM] Re: Lens Hoods+Sigma disaster
From: Marko Vrabec <marko.vrabec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 1998 13:11:09 +0200
Ulf Wrote of a Sigma zoom:

>Unfortunately it didn't seem to be a particularly solid construction,
>at least not in Sigmas rendering.
[snip!]
>The whole lens seemed to be assembled completely without any screws,
>just modern plastics clamped together, hard for us Zuikoholics to believe,
>but true! When exposed with the fine, red dust of the Canyon,
>disintegration was inevitable. Having seen this disaster with my own eyes,
>I now know there ARE facts behind the rumours of Sigma lenses falling apart.
[snip!]
>I'd definitely stay out of Sigma's.


Well, here's the confession of a (former) Sigma addict:

I own(ed) the following Sigmas: 28-70/3.5-4.5UC, 50/2.8 Macro, 28/1.8
Aspherical and 75-300/4.5-5.6 apo, all purchased from B&H. All of them
were quite loose and flimsy mechanically. It seems to me that this
problem is much worse with zooms.

I have broken two 28-70 Sigma zooms. The first one when my OM4T with
winder and zoom attached left the shelf it was sitting on and landed on
the lens. Something inside broke and it was not possible to turn the
focusing ring anymore. The camera repair company said they cannot get a
spare (plastic!) part, so the lens is unusable ever since. This
obviously confirms what Ulf already told us.

With the other one, the focusing became a little stiff, and when I
turned the focusing ring a little bit more forcefully, the thing just
fell apart. And that was on an chartered airplane flying over a
fantastic landscape of the Svalbard Arctic in fantastic weather...

The two prime Sigma lens I own have a little bit too-easy-turning
focusing ring and the plastic coating of the lens barrel (the notorious
Zen finish) peels of slowly.
BUT, the lens are very good optically. My impression is that they both
*at least* compare to my SC Zuiko 24/2.8 in sharpness and contrast
(observed by comparing slides shot in similar conditions, i.e. Svalbard,
but not by doing any dedicated testing).

So I would say it might be feasible to buy a Sigma prime if you cannot
afford a Zuiko of a comparable focal length. Just check the lens
thoroughly to be sure it is OK. And of course, have a future
Zuikolisation of your lens inventory in mind.


Marko
former Sigma addict, now Zuikoholic


< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • [OM] Re: Lens Hoods+Sigma disaster, Marko Vrabec <=
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz