The Sigma 24mm f/2.8 lens is an extremely sharp lens. A few of the other people I have talked to who have or have had this lens have all said great things about it. It is very sharp at all aperatures, it is quite small and also very light. It is similar in size and weight to the zuiko 50mm f/1.8 streaching a total of 1.6″.
The lens takes a 52mm filter and the aperature can be set in half stops from 2.8 to 22. Despite the macro label the lens is only capable of, a still comendable, 1:4 maximum reproduction size with a minimum focusing distance of 6.5″.
I purchased the lens off Ebay from a felow from England, which resulted in a painstaking 6 week wait for the lens as I requested ground shipping (which means by boat). I paid about $60 for the lens and it was worth every penny and then some.
Below are a couple of pictures from the lens both at maximum aperature (the B&W) and stopped down a couple of stops (the barn).
Here are is a size comparison of the 24mm large size
Note 11/23/09 – There seems to be some astigmatism going on in the corner’s wide open and stopped down a couple of stops. Not sure what is going on with it, might have knocked an element lose, though it hasn’t taken any hard knocks.
Hey, I’ve also been using an olympus OM system, though I use a more modern Canon EOS Elan II body with an adapter. I’m looking at buying a 28mm, and I’m considering the zuiko, sigma, and (depending on what I find and how much money), a simple vivitar.
My question is, how will I know if they’ll fit the OM system? Do the manufacturers of Sigma and Vivitar specifically write OM on the lens?
Thanks!
If it is a Zuiko, unless it is autofocus then for the most part it is OM mount. The Pen series of lenses were pretty identifiable as being for the Pen half frame cameras. For Vivitar and Sigma, generally you have to look at the rear mount to identify it as an OM mount lens. The Sigma and Vivitar lenses are not marked as OM mount. I am not sure if you are interested, but I am looking at selling my Sigma 28mm f/1.8 soon as I am selling off some of my film gear to afford the transition to digital (I am getting an Olympus OM-D, hopefully sometime next week). Thanks.
Hi, first thank you for the experience that you have shared, it really helped a lot! I am now getting along with the om2n and would like to buy a few wide lens for it.
Do you have any non zuiko lens suggestions? Personally I am quite interested in the 24mm wide lens;)
Thank you! Hope that by the time you read this, your om d has arrived safely!
While it was working fine it was a great lens. It focused a lot closer than the zuiko 24mm f2.8, though it was maybe a hair less sharp with a touch more vignetting. However, it was a fairly minor difference in optical quality. I eventually had to get rid of mine because of a decentering defect that got really bad, though it was damage in my copy.
Sadly, no OM-D yet, but maybe soon I hope. Only been a month since they were released and no pre-order fulfillment for me, but apparently the silver body only kits are almost as rare as hens teeth in the US right now.