Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon)

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

This is the second Sigma 12-24 I have owned. (The first bought in 2004 for Nikon) I'm using this with a Canon 5D mk 2; an unforgiving camera which will show up the weakness in any lens.
The extreme perspective at 12mm is what drew me to this lens and its giving spectacular results. It's very much a specialist optic, which needs skill to get the best out of it.
Like the previous 12-24 mk 1, it needs to be stopped down to get the best results. At F8 to F11 its sharp; even at the edges at 12mm. At f 5.6 it's a soft at the edges but sharp at the centre. Distortion at 12mm can be a distraction; but at 15mm barrel distortion is negligible and this is still ultra wide for FF. Used on a cropped sensor camera the distortion is cropped out so expect little or none even at 12mm.
I compared the results at 24mm with my Canon 24-105 and I would say without doubt that the Sigma is just as sharp and is more usable as there is virtually no linear distortion at all; (The Canon is disappointing in that respect).
The only downside to this lens is the inability to use filters due to the bulbous lens. You do need to watch for lens flare. Its not too serious an issue but it will happen in sunlight if you are not careful!
The slow aperture can be a problem in low light; but at 12mm if you have no choice; you can hand hold the lens and get good results at 1/15 sec.
This is very much a lens suited to architecture and landscape; so a tripod is needed especially for interiors. For those using cropped sensor cameras a 10-20 Sigma would be more appropriate and 30% cheaper.
For Full Frame there is nothing like it on the market for specialist utlra wide applications.

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

Regardless of subject matter,this lens produces somewhat soft images at all apertures, especially at or around 12mm. It is also somewhat bulky and heavy.

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

Great lens! This updated model has really improved on the chromatic aberrations issue the previous model had, although not perfected it's still a huge improvement. This lens produces very sharp images and has a very dynamic look. It is quickly becoming my favorite lens.
I rated this lens 4 stars instead of 5 because of 2 issues 1. The AF/M focus switch seems really cheep (I'm afraid I'm gonna break it) and 2. The vignetting on this lens can get pretty bad at 12mm on a full frame chip. nothing that can't be fixed in post but it's still an issue.
Overall this is a very fun lens to play around with and I'm very happy with it.

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

way too soft, I hate to spend the extra, but the 14mm 2.8 L II is better by such a huge margin that it's not even funny, seriously, it's not funny.

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

Such a wide and slow lens makes me come back to the basic.
Before this purchase, I was using fast prime lens in a point and shot style.
With this lens, I have to plan and think before shooting.
This lens is delivering great pictures.

Comments about Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (For Canon):

Review for the 12-24mm version II. This is the widest Non-Fisheye lens you can ever put on a Full Frame dSLR. It's insanely wide on my 5D Mark II. You can noticeably see that it's wider than Canon's 16-35L and 17-40L and it gets wider every MM you rack out.

First, lets get on the sharpness. Center is dead on SHARP from f/4.5, and the corners improve when stopped down. Note: Corner to corner performance is improved from the old version of the Sigma 12-24mm. This is sharper than my previous Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, which was used on the 60D body.

Some people complain that it has a "mustache" distortion. Yes, it has a little more distortion than the original version but for me, distortion doesn't matter AT ALL. Why bother getting a wide angle in the first place? It's a very unique and a special purpose lens. You need to know how to use it. If I would care about distortion, I'd use my 24-70L at 24mm.

Overall, GREAT lens and doesn't disappoint at all in every aspect. Flare is controlled well, CA (Chromatic Aberration) is at its minimum, and VERY sharp, which surprised me! Comparing the original 12-24mm, this II versions sharpness improved by a lot, including corner to corner performance.

I can already tell this will be one of my favorite lenses from my bag. I mainly purchased this lens for the 12mm. I don't really care about speed because I have a 24-70L when I need it. This lens does not disappoint, get one today!