Testing Sigma 55-200mm_Disappointed_In Sharpness..

I've been trying out my " NEW " (in box) just received 55-200mm (kit?) lens off eBay : Sigma 55-200mm....I'm kind of disappointed in that to me the " CRISPNESS / SHARPNESS " (I've seen in other's pics isn't there)!?....

I've not captured anything I'm ready to post here yet....but I was expecting it to BE SHARPER / CRISPER .. (more in superb focus)...

I am bringing the HIRES pics into SPP 2.1 and then choosing "AUTO " [same size] processing of the pics...(maybe there's a trick to that)?

Should I be " cranking up the sharpness " (MAX.) FULL BORE ? I've been trying to contend with using the lens handheld...and then continuing to test it ; using it on tripod....with 10 secs..self timer to trip shutter.

Using Autofocus and then some Manual focusing.....I haven't been able to get away from the house (like I want to) to really " TEST " this out like I wanted to (intended to)....in various lighting situations ..etc....

I don't have the Sigma (designated) flash but have a 3rd party flash ...and was going to consider the testing of the lens...indoors...and TRY to trip the shutter using the remote and MLU..

However ..I need to understand the MLU (does what ?) ; I know means " Mirror Locked-Up " ...But then (how could it even focus?)

Maybe I'll have a few shots I could try to upload eventually to look at but of course ; I should be able to tell right on my own monitor for the crispness and sharpness....

I've got the 24-70mm HF ASP lens [has the " red ring " on len's barrel] and the 70-300mm (NON-APO)..lens..and the 24-70 is the sharpest I think so far....

Well....I shall continue to try the 55-200mm out...Oh yes by the way..Thanks to ALL the tips / advice about setting the f/stop to at least f/8-11-16 and smaller for crisper / sharper / detailed pics...

Bye for now...In Christ.....Ed~

SD9

Hi I found the 55-200 not to bad really.
I found that you get acceptable sharp results at F8 or more.

F8



F5.6



--
http://www.pbase.com/cbultmann

God grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, The good
fortune to run into the ones I do, And the eyesight to tell the difference...

One_Eye_Ed said:

I've been trying out my " NEW " (in box) just received 55-200mm
(kit?) lens off eBay : Sigma 55-200mm....I'm kind of disappointed
in that to me the " CRISPNESS / SHARPNESS " (I've seen in other's
pics isn't there)!?....

Click to expand...

Firstly its a zoom lens so it wont be as sharp as a fixed focal length prime lens and secondly, its a kit lens which is built to a budget so you should'nt expect miracles.

One_Eye_Ed said:

I am bringing the HIRES pics into SPP 2.1 and then choosing "AUTO "
[same size] processing of the pics...(maybe there's a trick to
that)?

Should I be " cranking up the sharpness " (MAX.) FULL BORE ?

Click to expand...

I had to use +2 sharpening for every shot when I used the same lens!...Then I started using much sharper M42 prime lenses and now the max sharpening I use is + 0.5.

One_Eye_Ed said:

I've
been trying to contend with using the lens handheld...and then
continuing to test it ; using it on tripod....with 10 secs..self
timer to trip shutter.

Click to expand...

Buy a Canon remote release cable (electric not mechanical),...Its cheaper than the Sigma version, or make your own as its very simple .

One_Eye_Ed said:

I don't have the Sigma (designated) flash but have a 3rd party
flash ...and was going to consider the testing of the
lens...indoors...and TRY to trip the shutter using the remote and
MLU..

However ..I need to understand the MLU (does what ?) ; I know means
" Mirror Locked-Up " ...But then (how could it even focus?)

Click to expand...

Firstly MLU should only be used with the camera fixed to a tripod and secondly you should only use it if your tripod is not very sturdy and you get camera shake even when using a remote cable release.

One_Eye_Ed said:

Maybe I'll have a few shots I could try to upload eventually to
look at but of course ; I should be able to tell right on my own
monitor for the crispness and sharpness....

I've got the 24-70mm HF ASP lens [has the " red ring " on len's
barrel] and the 70-300mm (NON-APO)..lens..and the 24-70 is the
sharpest I think so far....

Click to expand...

The 55-200mm DC is a sharper lens than both of those early SD9 kit lenses, but its colour response can tend to give people yellow skin tones, so dont forget to use the colour wheel in SPP.

One_Eye_Ed said:

Well....I shall continue to try the 55-200mm out...Oh yes by the
way..Thanks to ALL the tips / advice about setting the f/stop to at
least f/8-11-16 and smaller for crisper / sharper / detailed pics...

Click to expand...

Regards

DSG
--
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/

ED,

can you post a couple of shots plus the Exif Info?

--
Chunsum.

http://photography.chunsum.com
http://www.pbase.com/chunsum
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9
http://www.foveonx3.org

Hi Yeti !

Thanks for writing back..Are all the shots you've got on your Pbase site ; taken using the 55-200mm lens? (If not then ; would you recall which ones)?

I didn't find any info on the lens you used...Thanks...They do look pretty reasonably sharp....Perhaps you also set the " Sharpness levels to the Maximum setting within SPP 2.1 )?

Bye for now...In Christ..Ed~

To what I can recall all of the "Paratoys" images are with the 55-200 accept the one in the bottom right it is from a different camera.
The first seven are with the 55-200 in dinosaur_prov_park like this one.



http://www.pbase.com/cbultmann/image/43829280

The first seven are with the 55-200 in dinosaur_prov_park like this one.

I don't over sharpen the Images by sliding the sharpness to high the tree has sharpness set to 0.

In order to reduce to noise in the blue sky I move the fill light to -.2 from +.2 and increase the exposure accordingly.
--
http://www.pbase.com/cbultmann

God grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, The good
fortune to run into the ones I do, And the eyesight to tell the difference...

I have been dissappointed with both of the kit lenses.

Yes, they do an adequate job if shot at f/8 or greater. But I would stress the word 'adequate' because pictures taken with these lenses are generally a let-down when it comes to resolution and CA. I've read reports on how the 55-200 is better (sharper, less CA) than the 18-50, but these flaws aren't often noticeable on the types of pictures that a wide-angle lens is used for. The 18-50 is also a handy little lens.

Using the 50mm 2.8 EX Macro was a real eye-opener to the possible quality that the SD10 can provide, so I purchased a 70-200 2.8 EX and the difference between it and the kit lens is night and day. With the kit lens the SD10 isn't much better than my 3 MP Nikon 885; with the EX lenses it is in a whole different class.

For snapshots, or smaller images that will be used on websites or brochures, the kit lenses are fine. I'm sure this is the market they are intended for. However, if you have a love of beautiful images and really want to bring out the best in your SD10 (or any other dSLR), then spending a little more to get a better class of lens (like the EX series) is a good idea.

I am leaning towards picking up an 18-50 2.8 EX, or maybe the 15-30 EX, and hope they'll be as sharp as the two EX lenses I already have.

My experience: these lenses are better than what Nikon or Canon offers as kit lenses.. I should not be disappointed in these two lenses when considering their low costs.

Scaled down example from 55-200 lens:



--
Unlock your photographic potential !

My advise would be to return the 55-200 and get the 70-300 APO macro super II instead. The difference in price is no more than $100, but the 70-300 is very good (Excellent in the 70-200 range). Sure the EX line of lenses is very good, but they cost 4 times more (the next best thing would be the 70-200 EX @ $899).

Regards

--
Emilio DelToro
Sigma SD9, Olympus C-8080WZ
http://www.pbase.com/edeltoro