Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC Lens Review - page 5

Now, for the real photos.  I took this lens around the neighborhood and shot a couple of infants playing around.  Most of the light came from a 550EX flash bounced off the ceiling or occasionally the wall.  I've included the original unmodified unphotoshopped versions of the files next to the data.  Be aware these files are JPEGs with the ProPhotoRGB color space, so don't expect them to look correct in your web browser.  Save them on your computer and open them in a decent image editing program.

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 18mm, 1/160 @ f/6.3, ISO 400 [original]

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 18mm, 1/125 @ f/4.0, ISO 400 [original]

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 50mm, 1/60s @ f/2.8, ISO 400 [original]

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 18mm, 1/60s @ f/3.2, ISO 400 [original]

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 50mm, 1/60s @ f/3.2, ISO 400 [original]

Canon 10D with Sigma 18-50/2.8 @ 50mm, 1/60s @ f/3.2, ISO 400 [original]

Conclusion
I've only had it 6 hours but I like it.  Its sharp enough in testing, shows to be very sharp in real usage, focuses plenty fast and accurately, the out of focus area looks pleasing to me, and it cost me 1/10th the cost of a 1D mark II with a couple of batteries and new CF cards.  I see no reason why someone couldn't shoot professionally with this on a 20D and something longer in their bag.  The PF/CA (I can't really tell which though it seems like a little of both in some situations) problems that showed up when shooting the ugly rainy test didn't surface for real shooting so I'm not going to worry about that.  I have to strongly recommend this lens as an alternative to something like the Canon 17-85 IS for those who know the value of bright glass.

-Nick Johnson
nickjohnson@photo.net