Sigma A 70 mm f/2.8 DG Macro review - Vignetting

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Sigma A 70 mm f/2.8 DG Macro

30 June 2018

Arkadiusz Olech

8. Vignetting

First let’s check how the Sigma A 2.8/70 Macro deals with vignetting on the smaller sensor of the Canon 50D – respective thumbnails you can find below.

Canon 50D, f/2.8	Canon 50D, f/4.0

Only at the maximum relative aperture you get some chances to notice that aberration as it reaches 22% (−0.71 EV). On stopping down the aperture to f/4.0 it decreases to an imperceptible level of 7% (−0.21 EV).

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Now let’s check how the situation changes when you progress to full frame.

Canon 5D MkIII, f/2.8	Canon 5D MkIII, f/4.0

After employing the maximum relative aperture you have to deal with a quite significant level of vignetting as you lose 45% (−1,71 EV) of light in the frame corners. It is a lot; still you have to add we’ve seen worse results in this class of equipment. For example the Nikkor AF-S Micro 60 mm f/2.8G ED lost as much as 55% of light and the Tamron SP 90 mm f/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD had light fall-off of 46%, so the same as the Sigma within the margin of error.

Fortunately the vignetting level decreases very quickly on stopping down. By f/4.0 it drops to a quite moderate value of 21% (−0.67 EV), and by f/5.6 it becomes completely imperceptible (10% and −0.32 EV).

Canon 5D MkIII, JPEG, f/2.8