Author: Patrick Santucci

Less is More with the Sigma 18-300mm Contemporary 

Living in Oregon, my free time is spent wandering the incredible nature that encompasses the Pacific North West. Like many people who share this pastime, finding a balanced hiking setup is a real struggle. Over packing can really drain your energy and weigh you down, while under packing could leave you disappointed that you’re missing a great shot with the gear you left at home.

Recently I have been trying to cut down on many of the non-essential gear that comes with me. My goal is to get rid of the clutter and focus on technique and challenging myself to create imagery without a 50lb bag on my back… and out comes the Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM | Contemporary. This little gem of a lens has been surprising me time and time again to the point where it’s pretty much attached to my 70D constantly. The 18-300 is in the Contemporary line, and a lot of folks aren’t quite sure what that means. To put it simply, the contemporary line is geared more towards consumers and defines the merging of compactness and great image quality. Don’t be thrown off because it doesn’t say Art, this little lens is stocked with Sigma’s premium glass (4 FLD) along with great macro capabilities and an optical stabilizer, plus the versatility is insane!

SIGMA 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM | Contemporary

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Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM |Art: First Look

The Sigma 50-100mm 1.8 DC HSM | Art is the latest addition to the art line. This designated crop sensor lens is the second lens to incorporate a constant 1.8 aperture through its entire focal range, with the 18-35mm 1.8 | Art being the first. My first impression with this lens (and this seems to be a common one for the Art line) is how solid it feels in the hand. The Global Vision lenses tend to have a more robust feel and weight to them than previous Sigma lenses, something I like in a lens. I am not the most gentle with my gear so it’s nice to have gear I know will stand up to the wear and tear I put them through.

I took the 50-100mm 1.8 DC HSM Art out for a few days to gather some images and showcase its strong points. This lens is for crop sensor cameras and I did my testing on a 70D. First thing I do when I get a new lens is plug it into my laptop with the Sigma USB DOCK, just to make sure its firmware is current. It’s a free software, Sigma Optimization Pro, and it takes 2 minutes to check this. If you are not familiar with the USB Dock, it allows you to connect any Global Vision lens to your laptop to update its firmware and do focus calibration. You can also do customization on lens performance for a few other lenses but for more info visit this page. Sigma was the first to pioneer this technology and give photographers more control over their gear.

© Patrick Santucci

Continue reading Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM |Art: First Look

First Look: dp0 Quattro

The fourth addition to the dp Quattro lineup, the dp0 Quattro, is the widest dp camera using a 14mm F4 lens. The dp0’s most unique feature is its wide F4 lens, which is a first for the Quattro series with the dp1 (19mm), dp2 (30mm), dp3 (50mm), all utilizing a 2.8 aperture. This camera was made for sweeping landscapes, cityscapes, architecture and anything that benefits from a wide perspective. Since the Foveon sensor is an APS-C, this camera equates to a roughly 21mm equivalence on a 35mm camera.

© 2015 Patrick Santucci | Aperture: f8 | iso 100 | Shutter speed: 1/125sec

Out of the box, the lens is larger than all of the other cameras in the series, roughly about the size of the Sigma 60mm 2.8 DN. But, overall the camera system is actually pretty light and I have no issue adding any of these cameras into my camera bag when doing city walks or hikes. They really do not take up much room and they offer a unique addition to a camera kit. I find that when doing large prints, these cameras are the way to go. Continue reading First Look: dp0 Quattro

Sigma Product Awards and Accolades: 2014 Wrap-Up!

2014 was a very busy year for Sigma! We announced a host of new lenses and cameras, offered the Sigma dp2 Quattro Test Shoot, and participated in trade shows, and dealer events across the country. Photographers all around the world have been talking about our new lenses in the Art, Sports, and Contemporary lines, as well as the completely redesigned dp series cameras.

As we are approaching this holiday season and end of the year, here are is a small collection of our favorite quotes from reviews, prestigious product awards and recognitions. We’ll be updating this list throughout December as more publications and sites announce their year-end honors!

Award Winning Products: 2014

Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art

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