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tamron 17-50 no-vc vs tokina 16-50 vs sigma 18-50 vs canon 17-55

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marc1990

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I am looking for a faster lens than my 18-55 IS.(I also have 50 1.8 II)

tamron is cheapest of then all here and perform the same as canon one in most case.
I don't think IS will help at this focal length.

USM: Nice to have but I have read that focus speed is not bad of tamron.(FTM is not importend for me)

sigma and tokina are less IQ perform but sigma is silent focus but tamron is faster focusing. from tokina I don't know much.

I most think about tamron because his good performs and very decent price.

Which one would you buy? and why?

BTW: canon almost out because more then twice the price of tamron one.
 
If you can read chinese, here is a very indepth review (80+) photo comparison of sharpness, vignette, bokeh, distortion among all these three lens. I have read many lens review over the years, this review is the best lens comparison review I've ever read.

http://www.mobile01.com/newsdetail.php?id=3317
  • Tokina has terrible purple fringe shooting @f/2.8 (see photo from review). Bad enough to be a complete deal breaker for me
  • Tokina is also expensive $600-$700.... also killed it for me on price alone
  • Tokina is also big & heavy & bulky.
Once I added all three negatives, I went and bought myself a Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM for not much more

I had both both Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 Macro myself. Tamron is the sharper lens of the two, but AF mechanic and AF focusing is very unreliable for me. My Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 macro perform much better, AF is fast, accurate, and silent, but softer @f/2.8.

You can read my indepth review on Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 Macro on Amazon.com. My review is the highest rated one that makes it very easy to find.
 
I own the Sigma 18-50 (the old version without OS) and I must say I am VERY impressed with it. I use it on a 450D and upgraded from the kit lens as you are doing.

A big plus for me was the "macro" abilities it had. While not true 1:1 it does quite well!

Examples:







85% of my stuff on my flickr account is shot with the sigma 18-50mm.
 
I just discovery I do wrong compare between sigma and tamron.

if I go for sigma i will get Sigma 18-50mm F 2.8 EX DC Macro (72 mm filter) and not the one without marco.

If I go for tamron i will get tamron 17-50 F 2.8 SP AF XR LD no-VC .

I could find a review with compare between tamron and sigma one with sensor in the range of 15 mp.

Which should I choose?

BTW: I will use it on 50D
 
marc1990 said:
if I go for sigma i will get Sigma 18-50mm F 2.8 EX DC Macro (72 mm filter) and not the one without marco.
Click to expand...
A new version of this lens coming soon, the EX 2.8/17-50 OS. It might be worth the wait and the higher price. And if you think it is too expensive, maybe the older EX Macro will drop a bit in price when the new version is available.
 
It think the sigma 18-50 marco for now because right direction rings and silent focus.

The new 17-50 HSM OS, I don't think it is worth 150-300 euro more(pre-order).

I will go to the shop to day and if I can test them.

Marc
 
Justin, those 3 are amazing images. I particularly like the #2 skateboarding one. Can you give me your flicker account link. I like to take a look at your pro folio. Again, you proves that it is the photographer not the lens, that makes the great image. Both tamron 17-50 and sigma 18-50 macro are great lens, and deliver outstanding result under capable hands. Sometimes, it become rather senseless arguing over which lens is better. I would say they both good, with an edge goes toward sigma for its 1:3 macro ability and silent AF operations.
JustinCambridge said:
I own the Sigma 18-50 (the old version without OS) and I must say I am VERY impressed with it. I use it on a 450D and upgraded from the kit lens as you are doing.

A big plus for me was the "macro" abilities it had. While not true 1:1 it does quite well!

Examples:







85% of my stuff on my flickr account is shot with the sigma 18-50mm.
Click to expand...
 
Alexis said:
I use the above combination and I am very happy with it - there are many happy customers of this lens but I get the feeling that this is not what you want to hear. Which one do YOU prefer?
Click to expand...
is this question for me? From the three lenses mentioned by the OP, I would choose the Sigma because I have heard too many times about AF problems with the Tamron, and the Tokina has clearly inferior image quality IMHO.

I think the Sigma EX 18-50 macro is a good lens, but corners are soft in the WA range unless stopped down several stops. The 18-55IS has better corners at f/3.5 of f/5.6, so the Sigma is not a real improvement there. For some people this may be irrelevant, for me it is important so I would wait for the new EX 17-50 which probably has better corners (just a guess, judging from the technology and the first review of the new Sigma 8-16).
 
I went to shop, they only had the nikon version of tamron 17-50 2.8 di-ii. I have tested it on a D3000.

Focus speed/noise: not problem

sharp: decent wide open at 50mm, some CA wide open at 17mm but not much of issues.(D3000 setting: wide 1/30 at 2.8, long 1/50 at 2.8, iso 200(noise was very visual))
Zoom: the zoomring is very stiff, which is con
Focus ring: is nice.
ligth fall off: it is there but you have to look.

The zoom ring was the big con. Has sigma also very stiff zoom ring?

I am fan of sigma 18-50 marco.

When can we expect to see reviews of the sigma 17-50 HSM OS?

I am still looking for comparison review between sigma 18-50 marco and tamron 17-50 no-vc.(and please not in Chinese)

Marc
 
I will wait for 1-2 month then I have the cash to buy 17-55 IS if i wish. also there should be some more information about sigma 17-50 2.8 OS HSM. and I am sure that it is not impulse buy.

Marc
 
Some one here mentioned the Tamron lens has a more pronounced field curvature. You can probably correct in post.
--
Canon 7D / 40D
CANON
70-200/2.8 - 135/2.0 - 100/2.0 - 85/1.8 - 35/2.0
SIGMA
EX 50-500 - EX 120-300/2.8 - 18-200OS - EX 18-50/2.8 II - EX 50/1.4
TOKINA 12-24/4 - TAMRON 28-75/2.8 - Samyang 8/3.5
KENKO Pro300 2XTC - 1.4XTC
 
garmon said:
Some one here mentioned the Tamron lens has a more pronounced field curvature. You can probably correct in post.
Click to expand...
it is impossible to correct field curvature in post; if corner detail is lost, it is lost forever. You can correct distortion in post, but that is something completely different.

For people who do mostly long distance shots (landscape, architecture etc.) field curvature can be a serious problem, it will cause obvious resolution loss in the corners. For people shots field curvature is usually less of a problem.
 
marc1990 said:
I will wait for 1-2 month then I have the cash to buy 17-55 IS if i wish. also there should be some more information about sigma 17-50 2.8 OS HSM. and I am sure that it is not impulse buy.

Marc
Click to expand...
The Canon 17-55IS is unquestionably a lovely lens which is why I bought both that one (at 829GBP) and the Sigma 18-50 macro (242GBP) and took them both home and carried out my primitive testing for a weekend - there was minimal difference in IQ between so I decided that the slightly better quality plus IS of the Canon was not worth 3x the priice of the Sigma and returned the Canon.

As for the OS version of the Sigma, the UK price for this lens is 650GBP. Without even seeing this lens, I would choose the Canon 17-55IS as the price differential between these two lenses is not that great.

I think the choice is between the non-OS Sigma and the Canon - you will not regret buying the Canon but just don't expect a huge difference between it and the Sigma as you will be disappointed.

Good luck
Alexis

--
http://www.alexisimages.com
http://www.pbase.com/alexis
 
Alexis said:
marc1990 said:
I will wait for 1-2 month then I have the cash to buy 17-55 IS if i wish. also there should be some more information about sigma 17-50 2.8 OS HSM. and I am sure that it is not impulse buy.

Marc
Click to expand...
The Canon 17-55IS is unquestionably a lovely lens which is why I bought both that one (at 829GBP) and the Sigma 18-50 macro (242GBP) and took them both home and carried out my primitive testing for a weekend - there was minimal difference in IQ between so I decided that the slightly better quality plus IS of the Canon was not worth 3x the priice of the Sigma and returned the Canon.
Click to expand...
Do you now miss IS at this focal range?
If you have some sample of your test, could you post them.
Alexis said:
As for the OS version of the Sigma, the UK price for this lens is 650GBP. Without even seeing this lens, I would choose the Canon 17-55IS as the price differential between these two lenses is not that great.
Click to expand...
Agree, but I hoop that price drop.
Alexis said:
I think the choice is between the non-OS Sigma and the Canon - you will not regret buying the Canon but just don't expect a huge difference between it and the Sigma as you will be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Yes agree, and my wallet said sigma but my mind said no-sigma because of stories I heard. Or are story the same at canon side but don't hear them.

Will hold it on at least until the end of week and may be longer.

Marc
 
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