Review of the Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DCH SM

Review of the Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DCH SM


 The sigma 10-20mm f3.5 EX DC HSM is a wide-angle lens existing in the already highly competitive world of wide-angle zoom lenses. There are many wide lenses available and it's sometimes difficult to sort through them all.


Perhaps this through saturation is the reason that the sigma 10-20mm F3.5 was completely unknown to me even though it was initially released in 2009. As primarily a landscape, adventure, and nature shooter, the majority of my work is shot using focal lengths less than 50mm. So I was extremely interested to get my hands on a relatively lesser-known wide-angle lens to see how it would perform.




The sigma 10-20mm f3.5 is intended for cropped sensors cameras (APS-C, DX) targeted for those who need a wide-angle landscape lens or for times when a borderline super wide-angle perspective is needed. The relatively fast F3.5 aperture capability means that the lens can handle fast shutter speeds in relatively low light situations without spiking out the ISO to the extreme. As with all wide-angle lenses in this focal length range, edge distortion and softening are always a concern. Let's see how the folks at sigma have combated  these problems with the 10-20mm f3.5 and see how well it performs in the real world 

Build Quality

One of the first things you notice about this lens is its oddly unexpected lightness. While not feeling cheap or fragile, the lens gives the feeling of sturdiness without being heavy while weighing in at 18.3 ounces without the lens hood. Don’t let that weight fool you though. In use, the lens feels nimble despite weighing over one pound. The overall measurements of the lens are 3.4×3.5 inches which makes the 10-20mm a little stubby which translates into plenty of room left in your bag.

Both the zoom and focus rings are very smooth and feel great. The AF/MF switch is well placed and is very crisp. This lens sports an 82mm filter thread should you want to add a polarizer or other filter.





I am pleasantly surprised at just how astutely crafted this lens seems to be and would have no reservations about putting it to work in some harsh conditions. Everything about it screams “workhorse” which is what you hope to find in a staple landscape lens or a general-purpose wide-angle.




While not shown in this review, the included petal-shaped lens hood doesn't add much more girth to the entire outfit. Here's the entire spec sheet courtesy of sigma USA:


InformationValues
Lens Construction13 elements in 10 groups
Angle Of View102.4 – 63.8
Diaphragm Blades7
Minimum Aperturef22
Minimum Focussing Distance24cm / 9.4in
Filter Size (mm)82mm
Dimensions (Diameter x Length)87.3mm x 88.2mm / 3.4in x 3.5in
Weight520g / 18.3oz
Available MountsSigma, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony
One point which bears mentioning is that this lens lacks image stabilization. While it is not necessarily a flaw, the absence of built-in stabilization might be a problem for some. This is not incredibly important at the 10-20mm focal length range of this lens but nevertheless, it  must have image stabilization it would something to consider. 

Autofocus Performance

The autofocus on the 10-20mm is quite fast and operates quietly. Testing on a Canon-7D there were no problems with near or far focusing with everything being accurate right out of the box. All of the focus indicator numbers are very easy to see and well-executed beneath the view window. The focus system does not rotate the front of the lens so using a filter such as a circular polarizer is not a problem. It’s nice to have a lens of this type display such a solidly performing autofocus. If you’re an event shooter who constantly is shifting focus and subjects, the speed of this autofocus will be a pleasant surprise.


Pros: 
•Built- in autofocus 
•Hood supplied 

Cons 
•No weather sealing 
•Lens extents while focusing 

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