Here are the four lenses i will be comparing:
Sigma DC-EX 10-20mm F/4-5.6
Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR (kit)
Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR (kit)
Nikon AF-S DX 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VR
Sigma DG-EX HSM 50-500mm F/4-6.3
These are my four lenses, ranging from 10-500mm, with no area unreachable in between. I would like to review each lens and offer advice to anyone thinking about buying them (or something similar)
To start this off i will talk about my Sigma DC-EX 10-20mm F/4-5.6 Wide Angle Lens. To sum up my opinion of this lens, i take it with me everywhere, it never leaves the camera bag. This lens is fantastic. Although i rarely use it for my professional work, this is my lens of choice for my landscapes.
The Exterior of the lens feels very professional, i find the Nikon Lenses are mostly Plastic and have a very delicate feel to them, This lens is Heavy for it's size and is constructed of metal with a strange rubbery/felt coating. I much prefer the heavier lenses because i can feel the weight and i am less likely to drop the lens during changes. The Coating also offers extra grip.
Performance wise i have yet to discover a fault, it does everything you would want a wide angle to do. The lens is fast enough for me, although i have found it to be slower than my other lenses. I have gotten rather annoyed that i cannot zoom in very far, but that is only due to the fact i cannot be bothered to switch lenses again. Being a Wide Angle lens, it has to be taken into account that it is not as versatile as my others. which is why i am leaving out the negatives to this lens, as a loose Einstein quote "You can't judge a fish on it's ability to climb a tree".
This lens was fairly expensive, although it has shot down astronomically since i purchased mine. I bought it second hand for around £350. However it can now be picked up brand new for under £400.
Next comes the kit lens, my Nikon AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR. This lens is the lens i got when i purchased my Nikon D7100. The Lens is absolutely brilliant for an events photographer, with the ability to go wide and photograph big scenes, and the capabilities of zooming in to artists and crowd portraits. This lens has a generous aperture width and allows fast shutters, making it a great lens for events you suspect could get messy. The zoom is also very smooth and coupled with the D7100s auto focus time this lens is useful for switching from subject to subject.
The lens is very light, which some consider to be a good thing. i do appreciate the lack of weight when it comes to hauling my bag around, however i much prefer to be able to feel the lens in my hands.
Overall this lens makes light work of busy and varied subjects, a perfect all-rounder for both novice and experienced photographers.
The Nikon AF-S DX 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VR....possibly my most used and loved lens in my bag. this lens is the perfect lens for anyone after a portable and lightweight telephoto lens without compromising on zoom reach and quality. This lens is very quick for a 300mm and unbelievably light, which in this case, is good. The lens offers a decent zoom to allow great close ups and capturing distant scenes. The lens also allows a fairly wide bottom area. which means i can capture most things and only swap lenses a few times during a shoot. The image quality is phenomenal and i have used this lens in situations varying from 30 second exposures for astrophotography to 1/3000th of a second exposures for mid-flight bird shots. This is a highly versatile and impressive lens.
I picked up my lens for around £180 from Amazon, an absolute bargain if you ask me.
Finally comes the "BEAST" the Sigma DG-EX HSM 50-500mm F/4-6.3 . My largest, Heaviest and most expensive lens. Again, i absolutely love this lens. On the other and, it is very impractical and difficult to handle. However, should you be willing to put the effort in, this lens offers an amazing zoom range and a fair aperture as-well. This lens has a great feel to it, but it is much better off on a tripod. i have shot with this handheld many times with no problems, i would just say it is very heavy and will be much nicer on your arms if it is mounted.
The zoom is fantastic and the focusing is quick. I would however have preferred a much closes focus area, to allow for macro images, athough a decent attempt can be made, especially if the lens is mounted in front of a good sensor to allow lots of cropping.
This lens set me back £900 for a reconditioned one. New, they vary from around £1000 to £1500.
If you have any questions or would like to share your experiences of these (or others like these) lenses please do not hesitate to contact me via email at ajthomasphotography@live.com or visit my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007321418710
Once again, thank you readers
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