The Sigma 70 mm macro full-frame f/2.8 lens ($430, street) can be mounted on film or digital SLR's, it will probably find its widest application on DSLR's that have APS-sized sensors, where it converts out to (about) a 105 mm. On such cameras, it offers not only excellent macro and low-light performance, but also a suitable focal length and depth of field for flattering portraits with creamy, defocused backgrounds.
HANDS ON:
sigma 70mm macro lens Auctions
In Sigma's familiar ultra matte-black "Pro" finish, the lens is some- what on the heavy side-Nikon's full-frame, 1:1, 60mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor, for example, is about 3 ounces lighter. The sigma 70mm macro, how-ever, appears very well constructed, and offers our favorite, three-way focus delimiter mechanism. If you switch from the full to limited focusing while in the macro range, you're locked into macro (1: 1 to 1 :5). If you're not in the macro range and make the switch, the lens focuses only between 1:5 and infinity.
IN THE LAB:
Optical-bench SOF tests confirmed that the Sigma macro lens is probably the sharpest lens in the current Sigma lineup. SOF numbers showed sharpness and contrast in the Excellent range, with noticeably better performance, especially at higher magnification, than, for example, Canon's recently tested (and superb) 60mm EF-S 1:1 lens. In fact, the Sigma 70 mm macro lens is one of only a handful of lenses today that pulls down SOF numbers within the 90th percentile all the way out to our maximum magnification (20x24 inches). DxO Analyzer 2.0 tests found imperceptible pincushion distortion (0.06%) within the normal focusing range, and equally imperceptible pincushion distortion (0.08%) within the macro range. Both were about as good as you will find today.
In the normal focusing range, light falloff left the comers by f/3.3, and at 1 :2.5 we found no perceptible vignetting, suggesting a superior lens for copy work. Finally, at the close-focusing distance of 10 inches, the maximum magnification ratio came in at 1 :0.91-significantly greater than Sigma's 1:1 claim.
CONCLUSION:
With a lens like this, Sigma makes it difficult to sound objective. In practical terms, it's faultless.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- 70mm
- 1/2.8
- 10 elements in 9 groups
- Focusing turns 240 degrees counterclockwise
- Diagonal view angle: 34 degrees
- Weight: 1.09 lb.
- Filter size: 62mm.
- Mounts: Canon AF, Nikon AF, Sigma AF
- included: Lenshood , softcase
- Street price: $430
PRO:
- extraordinary imaging characteristics
- Fast
CONTRA:
- Not inexpensive
- Not lightweight
Other resources
- Sigma 50mm macro lens review
- Testing the Sigma 105mm Macro
- Sigma 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro EX DG On Flowers
- The Sigma 70mm Macro
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