Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro

The Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro ($1,400 list) is a classic macro lens. It can be mounted to full-frame and APS-C cameras alike, although on the latter the field of view will be cropped by a 1.5x factor. It's available for Sigma, Canon, and Nikon cameras. Even though it generally sells for much less than its list price, it's still more expensive than equivalent lenses from Nikon and Canon.

The lens itself is fairly large, but not to the point where a tripod collar is necessary for handling. It measures 5 by 3.1 inches (HD) without a hood and weighs about 1.6 pounds. A two-stage hood is included. If you're using the lens on a full-frame camera, you only use one part, adding about 2.5 inches to the height of the lens. APS-C shooters can install a second intermediate hood, which adds another 2.5 inches. The extra protection from flare is probably overkill, and prevents you from easily reversing the hood on the lens for storage and transport. The lens is optically stabilized, has a focusing limiter switch, and a switch to toggle between manual and automatic focus.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the lens when shooting with the APS-C Sigma SD1 Merrill . At f/2.8 images are a bit soft, notching only 1,708 lines per picture height. Stopping down to f/4 increases the sharpness to 1,992 lines, which exceeds the 1,800 lines required for a sharp image. The lens performs its best at f/5.6 and f/8, topping 2,300 lines at each setting. If you're using the lens for macro work, you'll generally be stopping the aperture down to keep your subject in crisp focus, but when using it as a standard telephoto at f/2.8, you will be left wanting a bit in terms of image quality. As you'd expect from a macro lens design, distortion is minimal?less than 0.01 percent.

If you're in the market for a macro lens, the Sigma 105mm isn't a bad choice, but depending on which camera system you use, it probably isn't the best choice either. The lens handles well and is sharp from f/4 onwards, but it's a little soft at f/2.8 and doesn't deliver the value proposition over native Nikon and Canon glass that the company is known for. If you don't mind working with a longer lens, the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro is sharper at all tested apertures, features a tripod collar, and is only a little more expensive.

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