The 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM is Sigma's offering in the APS-C ultrawide zoom sector, first announced in February 2005. It was introduced amongst a flurry of announcements as manufacturers raced to provide wideangle zooms for the burgeoning APS-C format DSLR market, with similar offerings also appearing in short measure from the likes of Tamron and Tokina (not to mention all of the major camera companies). It has since become a very popular lens, due in no small part to offering the joint-widest angle of view of all the APS-C ultra-wide zooms, while being available in mounts to fit all of the major DSLR systems. Equally it's not hurt by having a very competitive price; it's notably much cheaper than the camera manufacturers' own offerings in this sector.
The optical formula features 14 elements in 10 groups, including three Super-low Dispersion glass elements for the minimization of chromatic aberrations, and three aspherical elements to reduce distortion and other aberrations. Users of Canon, Nikon, Sigma, and Four Thirds cameras benefit from an ultrasonic-type 'HyperSonic Motor' (HSM) for fast and silent autofocus, while the Pentax and Sony mount versions use the 'screw-drive' coupling from the camera body. The 'DC' designation indicates that this lens is designed for DSLRs with APS-C or smaller sensors, and isn't suitable for use on a full-frame body (the image circle isn't large enough, and vignetting will occur).
Of course the market doesn't stand still, and Tamron (arguably Sigma's biggest direct rival) has recently revised its own offering in this sector with the SP AF 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF). In the Four Thirds mount, Olympus has also entered the arena with its very impressive Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4-5.6. And while Sigma has itself recently announced a new constant maximum aperture 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM, the indications are that this will sell alongside the slower model as a higher-priced premium product. So how does the 10-20mm F4-5.6 stand up in the face of its new competitors?
The pictures below illustrate the focal length range (on Nikon DX format, 1.5x):
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| 10mm (15mm equivalent) | 20mm (30mm equivalent) |
|---|
| Street price | • US: $440 • UK: £400 |
|---|---|
| Date introduced | February 2005 |
| Maximum format size | APS-C/DX |
| Focal length | 10-20mm |
| 35mm equivalent focal length | • 15-30mm (1.5x DX) • 16-32mm (1.6x APS-C) • 17-34mm (1.7x Sigma SA) • 20-40mm (2.0x Four Thirds) |
| Diagonal Angle of view (APS-C) | 109º - 60º |
| Maximum aperture | F4-5.6 |
| Minimum aperture | F22-32 |
| Lens Construction | • 14 elements/10 groups • 3 SLD glass elements • 2 hybrid aspherical elements • 1 glass mold aspherical element |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 6, rounded |
| Minimum focus | 0.24m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.15x |
| AF motor type | • Ring-type Hypersonic Motor (Canon, Nikon, Sigma, Four Thirds) • Full-time manual focus |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Image stabilization | None |
| Filter thread | • 77mm • Does not rotate on focus |
| Supplied accessories* | • Front and rear caps • Lens Hood |
| Weight | 470 g (16.6 oz) |
| Dimensions | 83.5 mm diameter x 81 mm length (3.3 x 3.2 in) |
| Lens Mount | Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, Sony, Four Thirds |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
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Dpreview use calibrated monitors at the PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally also A, B and C.
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| $429.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $429.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $429.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $429.00 | Buy on GearShop | |
| $429.00 | Buy on GearShop |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Sigma Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM AF Lens Kit with USA Warranty, for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras. with Tiffen 77mm UV Wide Angle Filter, Professional Lens Cleaning Kit | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras | $429.00 |
Sigma Super Wide Angle Zoom 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM AF Lens for Olympus Zuiko | $429.00 |
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF Ultra Wide Zoom Lens for APS-C sized Nikon Digital DSLR Camera | $649.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM ELD SLD Aspherical Super Wide Angle Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | $649.00 |
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF Ultra Wide Zoom Lens for APS-C sized Canon Digital DSLR Camera | $649.00 |
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM Wide Angle Zoom Lens For Canon Digital SLR Cameras + 3 Piece Filter Kit with Case + Lens Case + Celltime 5 Year Warranty | $596.00 |
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