Ok. I admit to being somewhat of a snob when it comes to the speed of the lenses I use. The list of my f/2.8’s includes the 120-300mm, 70-200mm, 24-70mm, 150mm Macro & 105mm Macro and a 15mm fisheye. For f/1.4 the list is all primes with the 85mm, the 50mm and the new 35mm Art lens. All of these speed demons are from Sigma of course.
So along comes the latest member of their new Global Vision lenses; the 24-105mm at what I thought was a not-so-speedy f/4.0…
I really need to have a talk with myself about it. Here’s a transcript of that conversation:
Speedball Me: “Hey, hey! Look at this! A 24 to 105 Art lens from Sigma, sweet! Wait a minute… It’s only an f/4.0? Really?!? What’s up with that?”
Photo Me: “Ah, come on Speedball, it’s only one stop slower. That’s no big deal to get the extra reach. I’ll take 105mm at f/4.0 over 70mm and f/2.8 any day. Really!”
Speedball Me: “Well…”
Photo Me: “Speed. Schmeed. Double the ISO and you’ve covered the one stop difference.”
Speedball Me: “Hmmm…”
Photo Me: “By the way, optically stabilized too. Shoot it. Look at the results then decide.”
Speedball Me: “What? It’s a longer telephoto with stabilization too?”
Photo Me: “Yes sir!”
So of course the photographic part of me shot the lens a lot and…Wow. Yep. Wow.
On my next shoot I found myself once again using this versatile light bending tool. I had a brightly backlit set with sheer curtains for Vanessa Guillemette pose with. This situation was ripe for creating lens flare. Yet there isn’t any at all.
This lens has earned itself a permanent place in my go everywhere lens kit along with the 35mm f/1.4 | Art, the 85mm f/1.4 HSM and the 70-200mm f/2.8 DG HSM OS all from Sigma. Sadly now, my trusty 24-70mm f/2.8 mostly stays home.
Excellent. May I as a question or two. What make body are you using and have you ever played with the 70_200 f2.8 and your opinion will be appreciated. I want to add it to my 70-300 Apo, 17-70f2.8 and 105 f2.8 macro. I will perhaps add a 1.4 converter to it.