Cactus Detail #9 (with Sigma 150mm f/2.8 lens at f/4). Tucson, Arizona, 2014
If you own a DSLR and think you might need a new paintbrush (that is, a new lens), don’t discount third party lenses. True, there are some real rotten apples out there amongst these “non-Canikon” brands, but there are some with excellent reputations as well.
If you looking for a new lens, stop and read what I wrote about lens buying on the FAQs page first (scroll down to #4), then continue on…
A short list of third party lenses with good reputations:
—Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II VC LD Aspherical (IF) – Helluva title, eh? I used this with my Nikon D90 as my walk-around lens and it is a nice one for a crop factor DSLR. It has Vibration Compensation (VC) and is fast, so it is handy for low light conditions. Image quality is very good. About $650.00.
—Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX II – Never owned this one, but was tempted because I like the super wide look now and again. It has a narrow range, but very often, when you go wide, you take it to the max and zoom range becomes less relevant. A fast 2.8 lens built for crop factor cameras. About $450.00.
—Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM – An extremely fast lens with excellent sharpness and bokeh, from what many reviewers say. Works on both crop factor and full-frame DSLRs. About $900.00.
—Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD – The only, fast, medium-range zoom for full frame cameras that comes with Vibration Compensation (VC). Image quality reputed to be very good. I went with the Nikkor version and, since I do most of my work from a tripod, I haven’t missed the image stabilization feature, but you may have other needs. About $1300.00.
—Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM – A fairly heavy lens for both crop factor and full-frame. Excellent bokeh and sharpness. I have the older version without Optical Stabilization (OS), but am on the tripod mostly. I like that I can stand off a bit from macro subjects and it doesn’t seem to suffer too badly from diffraction even when I stop down to the ridiculous–like f/29! About $1100.00, but you can get a good used one without OS for about $550.00-$600.00.
This is just a partial list of third party lenses that I see getting fairly constant good reviews–and two of which I have used. You’ll have to do your own research to find others that might interest you.
One note of caution. If you buy mail order, be sure to check out your lens thoroughly once you get it as quality can vary significantly from copy to copy–perhaps more so with third party lenses. If you buy locally, you may be able to compare several different copies on your own camera right in the shop. Check sharpness as best you can at all f stops and at various distances and in varying lighting situations.
Cactus Detail #10. Tucson, Arizona, 2014
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