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SLTs and Sigma lenses - A survey

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Paul W UK

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I just wanted to ask start a brief survey of SLT owners here with older (not bought as SLT compatible) Sigma lenses to see how many seem to work fine, and how many do nor (without conversion) and where they don't work, whether there is any incidence of problems caused to the camera itself.

I have two Sigma lenses I like:

A77 - 10-20mm f4-5.6 DC EX Currently works fine even with electronic front curtain

A77 - 70mm f2.8 macro DG EX Currently works fine even with electronic front curtain

So far I've taken relatively few shots, but have had no problems. I just wanted to survey the experiences of others.

If others could list their experiences lens by lens as I have above we might build up a useful picture of the scale of problem Sigma lens compatibility actually represents. Later I will try to summarise results across various replies.

If anyone has had problems I guess some detail of precisely what problems occurred would be useful to hear.

Many thanks,

Paul
 
My Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 AF DG EX works fine.
 
My 3 Sigma lenses: 10-20mm f4/5.6, 18-250mm, 50-500mm OS, seem to work quite well without any issues on my A77.
--
  • Happiness is: Sony SLT-A77 / Rokinon 8mm / Sigma 10-20, 18-250, 50-500mm - Karl
 
No problems on my A77 with the next lenses, all screw-drive.

135-400 APO
70-200 2.8 APO EX
14 mm 2.8 EX Aspherical

Greetings Leon.
--
http://www.pictureshow.nl/
 
Nice idea. Both my Sigmas are on their list of incompatible lenses for the A77. The 85mm was purchased in April 2011, 50mm in June 2010. Both lenses work great on my A550.

Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, completely unreliable autofocus. Sometimes the lens will try to focus and completely miss (even gives me a "beep" on a fuzzed out scene) or won't react at all.

Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, will either work fine or miss focus by a little bit.

Before they go back to Sigma I've been using manual focus peaking. That feature is the greatest.

--
Lance H
 
A77 - 10-20mm f4-5.6 DC EX Currently works fine even with electronic front curtain

Ditto...
 
lehill said:
Before they go back to Sigma I've been using manual focus peaking. That feature is the greatest.

--
Lance H
Click to expand...
Just tried manual focus peaking the first time. Wow, what a great feature!! Having said that, it still would be nice to have the AF for the Sigma lenses to be spot on. The Micro focus adjust feature of the A77 might help with that except that the camera recognizes various off brand lenses as the same lens.

--
  • Happiness is: Sony SLT-A77 / Rokinon 8mm / Sigma 10-20, 18-250, 50-500mm - Karl
 
400mm 5.6 APO Macro works fine with my a55. I did strip the gears using my KM 5D, but Sigma fixed it for a modest fee, and by fixing it I mean they sent me a new one. That probably won't happen again, and if it breaks again it would seem they can't fix them. It's a fantastic lens otherwise.
 
Karl Scharf said:
Just tried manual focus peaking the first time. Wow, what a great feature!! Having said that, it still would be nice to have the AF for the Sigma lenses to be spot on. The Micro focus adjust feature of the A77 might help with that except that the camera recognizes various off brand lenses as the same lens.
Click to expand...
This is not a problem as long as you do not have two lenses that are competing for the same tag. My Sigma 500/4.5 is seen as a Sony 300/2.8 but as I do not have a Sony 300/2.8 there is no problem. Even if you had a conflict you could memorize the setting and change it when you change lenses.

Cheers,
--

"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin.
You can see larger versions of my pictures at http://www.dennismullen.com .
 
Keith Schmidt said:
a77 - No problems with Sigma 18-250 HSM or Sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM.

--
Keith
http://keithinsp.smugmug.com/
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty
Click to expand...
Good to know .. this is the lens I am interested in for the A65 and Dyxum lists it as incompatible.

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/resultsAdv.asp

(Choose 'Sigma' and 'SLT Compatible' on right)

Also, the OP's lenses are not listed as compatible, as are many others folks have listed here. So I wonder if Dyxum needs to update/correct their database, perhaps?
 
dennismullen said:
Karl Scharf said:
Just tried manual focus peaking the first time. Wow, what a great feature!! Having said that, it still would be nice to have the AF for the Sigma lenses to be spot on. The Micro focus adjust feature of the A77 might help with that except that the camera recognizes various off brand lenses as the same lens.
Click to expand...
This is not a problem as long as you do not have two lenses that are competing for the same tag. My Sigma 500/4.5 is seen as a Sony 300/2.8 but as I do not have a Sony 300/2.8 there is no problem. Even if you had a conflict you could memorize the setting and change it when you change lenses.

Cheers,
--

"Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin.
You can see larger versions of my pictures at http://www.dennismullen.com .
Click to expand...
Unfortunately both my Sigma 18-250 and 50-500 OS lenses are recognized as the same Tamron 18-200mm lens. Luckily so far both of the Sigma lenses seem to auto focus all right.

It would be a minor inconvenience if I had to memorize the micro focus settings and change it every time I switch between the two lenses, something else to think about, as if the camera wasn't complicated enough already........

I guess this is a small price to pay for going with these unique and affordable off-brand lenses!

Thanks for the input Dennis.
--
  • Karl
 
fanboy6 said:
Keith Schmidt said:
a77 - No problems with Sigma 18-250 HSM or Sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM.

--
Keith
http://keithinsp.smugmug.com/
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty
Click to expand...
Good to know .. this is the lens I am interested in for the A65 and Dyxum lists it as incompatible.

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/resultsAdv.asp

(Choose 'Sigma' and 'SLT Compatible' on right)

Also, the OP's lenses are not listed as compatible, as are many others folks have listed here. So I wonder if Dyxum needs to update/correct their database, perhaps?
Click to expand...
Depending on when the lens was made, it may require a chip upgrade from Sigma. For any of the newer lenses, and some of the old, Sigma will re-chip for free. Do a search, and you'll find the press release and info about it from Sigma. I sent in a Sigma 50-150 HSM 2.8 when I first got my a55, and had it back from Sigma in about a week.

--
Keith
http://keithinsp.smugmug.com/
http://www.pbase.com/themitty/
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/themitty
 
Hi Paul,

My Sigma 18-250 mm OS HSM, Sigma 50 mm HSM and Sigma 17-70 mm OS HSM
didn't focus always correct on my A77.

But they are on the list which Sigma published and have to be re-chipped for the A77.
So, they are all re-chipped now (no costs) and work very well.

cheers

Rob
--
http://www.picasaweb.google.be/alphamember
 
My 17-50 f2.8 HSM needed a firmware update. Brought it to Sigma and they gave me a tighter fitting lens hood for free!
--
Sony SLT-A65
Sigma 17-50 f2.8 HSM
Tamron 70-300 USD
Minolta AF 24mm f2.8
Minolta AF 50mm f1.4
 
A55 - Sigma 18-250 mm OS HSM (bought in August 2010): autofocus hunted and didn't lock. Had to be re-chipped by Sigma and works now.
 
Sigma 150-500 (original, non OS version) - manufactured pre 2010. No issues on a55 or a77.
Sigma 30 f1.4 manufactured pre 2010. No issues on a55 or a77

Sigma 70-300 OS - manufactured in 2010, has a55 compatible sticker on the box - no issues on a55 or a77.

Sigma 50 f1.4 HSM manufactured 2011 (new semi gloss finish) - a55 compatible printed on the box - no issues on a55, AF slowdown / failure to lock on a77 - rechipped by Sigma, now fine on both.

Note, the only lens with a77 problem was the newest, true HSM model (the 300 and 500 are labelled HSM but I believe it's not a true HSM, more akin to Sonys SAM, and despite often being misreported as HSM as per canikon, the Sony version of the 30mm I have is not HSM).

Scott
 
My Sigma 10-20 4.5-5.6, Sigma 24-70 f2.8 HSM and my 70-200mm f2.8 HSM II worked fine on my A77 without having to send it to Sigma.
 
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