Sigma C 17-70 mm f/2.8-4.0 DC Macro OS HSM
11. Summary
- good build quality,
- splendid or at least very good image quality in the frame centre throughout the whole focal range to boot,
- good image quality on the edge of the frame for 28-70 mm focal lengths,
- negligible longitudinal chromatic aberration,
- lateral chromatic aberration corrected well in the middle of the focal range and at its longer end,
- low astigmatism,
- property corrected coma for higher focal lengths than 17 mm,
- efficient stabilization – over 3 EV,
- efficient and silent autofocus.
Cons:
- image quality at 17 mm on the edge of the frame below the decency level,
- a bit too high chromatic aberration at 17 mm and by f/2.8,
- noticeable vignetting,
- work against bright light should have been better.
„Out of the frying pan into the fire” – this idiom perhaps describes the newest moves of Sigma the best. Firstly I completely don’t understand why they launched a successor of a very well done 17-70 mm OS model. Just to gain those several dozen grams? I admit it doesn’t persuade me at all - after all this lens is not a ‘pancake’ or a small, handy instrument for which such changes would be essential and noticeable.
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The improvement of the performance at longer focal lengths, both in the centre and on the edge of the frame, is a nice thing. It’s a pity, though, that it was done at the expense of image quality at 17 mm. The edge of the frame took the brunt of it – images you get there are only moderately useful, struggling with noticeable coma, distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting as well. A smaller casing also provided less possibilities to dampen down flares correctly so the work against bright light got worse.
As Sigma insists on changes I'd rather they left the former dimensions and weight, intoducing a new (very stylish and nice) casing and improving the performance of the longer end of the focal range without worsening those shorter ones.
The price of the new model is the last drop that spilled the cup. The older one, right after the launch, cost 1799 PLN; in the case of the new one you have to spend 200 PLN more. So we get a bit worse device for a bit more money. Sigma, it is definitely a wrong way!
Sample shots
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/640 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.37 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/320 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.34 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.3 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 34 mm, f/3.5, exp. 1/500 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.13 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 34 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.1 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 34 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/100 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.09 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/250 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.46 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/125 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.5 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/80 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.54 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 49 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/160 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.77 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/160 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.13 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 34 mm, f/3.5, exp. 1/250 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.12 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 49 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.1 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 5.16 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/60 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.11 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/2.8, exp. 1/500 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.97 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/250 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.07 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 17 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/125 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 5.62 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 3.74 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 34 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/100 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 6.8 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 23 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/125 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 7.33 MB |
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Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 49 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/100 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 6.8 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/5.6, exp. 1/100 s, ISO 200 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 6.7 MB |
Camera: Canon 50D Parameters: 70 mm, f/8.0, exp. 1/50 s, ISO 400 File: JPEG, 4752×3168 pix, 4.77 MB |
