Saturday 19 November 2011

More Sigma 8-16mm

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom
Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom
 
Below are some images taken with the Sony NEX-5n fitted with a Sigma 8-16mm wide angle zoom via the LA-EA2 adapter.

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

Sony NEX-5n Sigma 8-16mm W/A Zoom

The Sigma 8-16mm zoom is their APS-C version of the 12-24mm FF lens. I've had a couple of those in the past and liked them, The 8-16mm is similar, though it does seem slightly sharper. CA and fringing is OK, there is some but I've seen worse. Like the 12-24mm distortion is well controlled. It has a huge bulbous front element and filters aren't possible. There is an internal zoom mechanism, so doesn't extent, and its relatively light for what it does, though as you can see on the 5n its a bit of a monster.  As to bokeh, well there isn't any!!

Its main feature obviously is the view on the world it produces, and it is pretty dramatic.

There isn't much super wide angle choice for the Sony a-mount system. For FF there is the Zeiss 16-35mm and for APS-C, the somewhat ageing 11-18mm. For the NEX system there is nothing, so the 8-16mm fills in a gap. Its a decent lens optically, and is very well made. Its not a lens I will use that often, but when I need something this wide it will do the job nicely.