How is the SIGMA 20mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL RF at Infinity...?

Hi,

 

I am considering to buy a Sigma 20mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL RF wide angle lens for my F75 film SLR camera.

I just want a true wide and sharp lens at low price. If I get this one than it would be my first third party lens over my 3

previous Nikkors. I am unable to find a wide angle lens in Nikkor series as my my budget is too low.

 

I just want your suggestions for choosing the right wide angle lens for the landscapes, cityscapes and nature shots

with sharp infinity focus ability. I already have a 28-80 f/3.3-5.6 G Nikkor, buytt this fails at infinity and I just puted a

thread about this lens also last night.

 

I am also not certain about the performance of third party lenses on nikon cameras, as I nevered owned any third

party lens.

"I am unable to find a wide angle lens in Nikkor series as my my budget is too low. "

 

the sigma is $380 at amazon.

 

the nikkor 24mm/2.8 is $305.

 

the sigma is intriguing at 1.8, but be prepared for some 'sample variation' roulette.

Thanks Eric for the information about Nikkors, As you also know the thing 1.8 makes all the difference. Is that possible to a Nikkor woth that low price - No. I also want a answer for choosing correct lens for shooting landscapes when we focus at infinity and want to get everything sharp. I never got ssharp results with my 28-80 Nikkor at 28mm with infinity focus.

My copy of the Sigma 20/1.8 EX DG is certainly sharp at infinity, but I do not use it for landscapes, preferring the 18-200 VR zoom on DX digital cameras (surprisingly good at 18mm f/8), or the Nikon 24/2.8 Ai on film or the D3. Why these lens rather than the Sigma for landscapes? It is enormous (as big as the 18-200 zoom), uses 82mm filters, and is rather prone to flare.Don't get me wrong, I love the Sigma 20/1.8, although a bit soft wide open it has lovely bokeh and a very short minimum focusing distance. But it is not the best tool for landscapes for me.

I found my copy of the 18-200 Nikkor super zoom had terrible linear distortion at 18mm. The image was reasonably sharp though... One reason I sold the lens. Is the Sigma 20mm suitable for FX format sensors?

I was interested in that lens too but found nothing but bad reviews for it when it was used at f1.8. Reviews were generally good when it was used at f2.8. I just went ahead and bought a used Nikon 20mm f2.8 AFD from eBay for a couple of hundred dollars. I have now replaced that with the superb Nikon 17-55mm f2.8.

 

 

Kent in SD

yes it's good on FX sensors - it's a film lens. Not their newest design but I do find that for whatever reason the Sigma Primes are all pretty sharp and 24 is especially sharp, even at 1.8. Strange to me how certain companies seem to be able to only handle one section of the lens market well. Tokina for example makes great "wide" lenses such as the 12-24 (often as good as the nikon), the 11-16 (which for under 600 give us a full f stop advantage and is really sharp) and even the 11-17 fisheye which is really and excellent lens that can give a fisheye look on both full and cropped sensors...and then you have these sigma primes which are super sharp...

 

Rumor does have it though that nikon will be replacing many of their primes in the near future with afs tech...

Rebecca: Nope, Sigma's acronym for that is "DC". DG means, according to Sigma, that it's designed for both digital and film.

Ok now I searched some more lenses today, and I am posting a new thread for knowing experience of PN frieds with those lenses, Please come there....