the manual focus override
solidly built, nice big front focus ring

small zoom ring,
the fit on myn90s has some play on the mount,2-3MM, which bother when setting up on a tripod and making minor adjustments. so i sent it the lab for an inspection, well, we'll see what happens! but this problem is with all my sigma equipment, and the problem happens with all 3 of my nikon bodies.

if i can get the fiting fixed on the camera to be a tight fit then alls good but i have this thing about having my new lens go in for repair, who knows what happened to while it was in the techs hand?! understand what i'm sayin?

Customer Service

they don't answer my email when i send them from there site , so either they give a sh** to answer or it aint going thru, but the fact of the matter is that when i sent it thru an email it was ok, did it again after the bad experience and no response. gotto give respect to the guy a had many conversation with regarding selections, tom from the product tech support.

Similar Products Used:

have sigma 28-70/2.8 ,2xapo converter as well, other then that used nikon 35-70/2.8+ nikon 50/1.4+ 300/2.8

Optical quality
Construction quality
Tripod mount
HSM motor

None found so far

I purchased my first 80-200 2.8 way back in 1988 (A Tokina AT-X for Minolta MD), and following my switch to Nikon AF some years later, then relied upon the redoubtable one-touch Nikon 80-200 2.8 – a lens I kept until very recently. Following an unfortunate accident, it was time to replace the faithful Nikkor. My choice was between the Nikon AF-S, AF-D (new, two touch) or the Sigma. I would be lying if I said money was irrelevant (!) but it was definitely not my main consideration. I needed optical quality and ‘feel’ (build quality, ease of use) above all. I tried out all three contenders, and chose… the Sigma. The Nikon AF-S was nice, but very bulky and frankly offered very little (if any) advantage over the Sigma offering. The standard Nikon AF-D 80-200 is also a nice lens – make no mistake – but compared to the speed, quietness and functionality of the HSM motor in the Sigma, was soon ruled out. Optical quality of all three lenses is OUTSTANDING. I tested in the field, using a solid tripod and Velvia. I projected the transparencies on my Leica projector, and examined under a loupe. Every lens turned in a sparkling performance. In real terms, it proved impossible to tell which shot was taken by which lens. All three are brilliant lenses capable of fully professional, first-class performance if used correctly. The construction and handling of the Sigma is EXCELLENT. Even internally, it is very well finished and clearly, is built like a tank. The HSM motor is fast and efficient. For such as fast lens (in all senses of the word), however, it is also surprisingly compact. This lens bears NO RESEMBLANCE in constructional quality to the bad old Sigma’s of a few years ago. It is on a par with Nikon’s “pro” lenses and with the Tokina AT-X range. Simply beautiful. This lens is a bargain and I highly recommend it. Mine came with a 3-year warranty and the 1.4X Apo Converter. This also works extremely well, and I am very, very impressed with the lens. I feel it is 98% of the Nikon AF-S at 50% of the price. Optically, there is virtually nothing in it at all, and construction-wise, I cannot fault it. Wow! Sigma FINALLY got it right!! A gem.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon AF-S 80-200 2.8
Nikon AF-D 80-200 2.8

Excellent optical quality
Excellent build quality
Excellent handling
HSM motor nearly as good as USM
Excellent value
Did I mention the excellent optics?
Not poxy white!

Slightly soft at f2.8; big and heavy
HSM isn't quite as good as USM
Remember the monopod!

I bought this lens second hand after reading the reviews here and elsewhere. What a cracking lens, Gromit!
Optically superb from f4, and adequate at f2.8.
Works well with the 1.4x APO converter.
An affordable way into pro-style telezooms.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Lusted after, and tried, but couldn't afford, Canon EF 70-200L USM

Good price for a fast lens, easy to work with it, not as bulky as Nikkor, The extenders x1.4 and x2 works pretty well and have good image resolution.

Auto focus hunt back and forward with F4 and F100 nikons and is slower than the new Nikkor Af-S. It waste a lot of battery from the camera and this is not a joke in serious work. The finish of the lens is nice and practical but don´t resist very long use. You miss an autofocus lock when you try shooting and refocusing manualy, so you have to set it to manual focus.

If you look for a not so expensive and not so bulky fast lens with very good quality this is your lens, But you don´t get all the advantages from a none HSM/AF-S lens, For me it waste too much battery from the camera and the autofocus is not faster than an orthinary zoom with an F4 or F100.

Customer Service

I´ve sent my complains to Sigma and I´m waiting for an answer.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor Af 80-200 f/2.8 d ed, Sigma AF apo 400 f/5.6, Nikkor AF-S 80-200 f/2.8 D ED, Other lenses....

A camera with fast focusing with sharp pic quality.

Heavy but pic quality a bit soft at f2.8, ok from f4

The Sigma is about eight hundred dollars. When you consider that both the Canon 70-200 2.8 and the Nikon 80-200 2.8AFD AFS are both over a thousand dollars, the first question you ask is the Sigma any good? My answer is that it is superb. It is very fast to focus, very sharp and provides goood contrast and tonal quality. While several magazines and web sites have rated this lens very highly, all have said that it is just slightly below in quality to the Nikon and Canon. I accept that, but they also point out the price differential between the Sigma and the other two brands. So my five star rating is a value/quality thing. It provides the best quality, at a price that is affordable.

Customer Service

Very efficient, patient.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EF70-200mm f2.8
Canon EF 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF28-135mm IS USM
Tamron 70-300 f3.5-5.6 LD

Excellent lens construction,optics are superb,and in my opinion rivals the Nikon in the same zoom ranges for the price.

None that I have discovered.

I would recommend this lens to anybody who is serious about photography,but does not
have the big financial resources to buy the camera manufacturers lenses.I have no problem in recommending this lens to other established sports photographers.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 28-70 f3.5/4.5
Nikon 50 f1.8
Nikon 70-300 f4/5.6
Sigma 400 f5.6
Nikon 85 f1.8

Fast AF, lighter than Nikon AFS, large aperture

Optics with assembly errors, visible not only when wide open, Nikon F100 & F80 AF lockup with lenses equipped with older electronic circuitry.

I've tested two 70-200 EX Sigmas: one was soft on the left edge when was set to f5,6 or wider @ 70mm, another was soft at the upper side when set to 200mm. Evident assembly errors cured me from this lens. I wonder, where is Sigma's quality control? Or, maybe, all faulty lenses are in my place? Comparing to AF-S, Sigma was much softer when wide open. Difference was clear, even on 20x15 cm prints from 1-hour serviceb - but You can forgive it comparing the price to AF-S. On my own, I've decided to buy AF-S. If "S" is not needed, the better solution shold be normal ED from Nikon (available at similiar price)

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon AF-S 80-200

Fast AF with HSM
Sharp as can be
Very solid build

only that it is awkward to zoom sometimes with the tripod collar attached.

This lens is incredible. If you're looking for a lens in this focal length and speed range, you've found it. The canon one is superior in AF speed and sharpness but doesn't justify the cost difference. None of the other third party lenses offer USM or HSM or anything like it. If you want incredible sharpness, incredibly fast AF and a price your wallet can handle, this is it

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Vivitar 70-210 f/3.5
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 USM

--Build quality
--HSM motor
--Lens shade included
--Nice nylon case
--Price much cheaper when compared to Nikkor 80-200 F2.8 AF-S

--Focus speed not as fast as Nikon AF-S
--Focus speed compares with slower AF-D lens
--Tends to AF hunt for objects lacking sharp edges or contrast
--Focus track somewhat erractic on F100
--FTM continues to AF despite manual override
--Sigma reuptation for poor quality (but not in this lens)

Tax time equalled refund time for me this year. I made the call to order a long-awaited 80-200 F2.8 lens. I originally intended to buy the Nikkor 80-200 F2.8 AF-S with matching 1.4x teleconverter, but due to the fact that it was not in stock, I ordered the Sigma HSM based on the many excellent reviews from this website and other photographic websites. In fact, the lens ratings from Photozone (http://www.photozone.de) rated the Sigma over the Nikkor AF-S lens. I also read in a British photographic magazine that the Sigma rated the same as the more expensive Nikkor AF-S (overall rating 9 out of 10). I figured that I had 14 days to try out the lens before I returned it if I was not happy with it and purchase the Nikkor AF-S.

Here are my observations:
The build quality is excellent. It is approximately the same weight as the Nikkor 80-200 AF-D lens (which I ruled out due to lack of AF-S or HSM motor), and definitely lighter than the equivalent AF-S lens. The lens hood and nice nylon carrying case are a welcome touch to the lens (compared to having to pay extra for a lens hood for the Nikon AF-D and ugly black leather cases for the Nikons).
The focusing system was a big disappointment for me. The speed was not any faster than the Nikon AF-D lens I tested several months ago, and not nearly as fast as the Nikkor AF-S lens.
Another area where the Sigma fell short was in the area of focus tracking. I expected a smooth progression of focus tracking from an electronic motor such as the HSM, but my F100 was erractic in its ability to focus track. I tested it with my N90 and had the same result. I could live with this, but I was certainly disappointed to have this type of performance from this lens.
The final area in which the Sigma was disappointing was in the area of FTM. Although you can manually override the autofocus, whenever you go to depress the shutter after taking your finger off the shutter button to recompose, the AF kicks in and your manual override gets overridden by the AF. This is very annoying and does not even compare to Nikon's much better system of stopping its AF when you manually override the AF.
Although I am not a pro, I want to take great pictures and consider photography as a lifelong hobby. Image quality is important to me. I take pictures to document on film my kids as they grow up and to photograph the environment before we humans end up polluting it and destroying its beauty. The fast focusing system of the HSM and AF-S lenses attracted me, but I had no way of directly comparing the two lenses side-by-side. So I compared the lenses one at a time via mail order, remembering what I liked and disliked about each.
The Nikon definitely won in every category of image quality, build, reliability, reputation, and ergonomics. The Sigma, at best, equalled the Nikon in image quality at the long end and at wide open apertures. The only area in which the Sigma far excelled the Nikon AF-S was in price and value. For me, the Sigma was a much better value for the money. As many have posted in their reviews, the Sigma is about 90% of the quality and build of the Nikon but at 50% the price.
Put another way, for the difference in price between the Sigma 70-200 HSM and its matching 1.4x teleconver vs. the Nikkor 80-200 AF-S with matching 1.4 AF-I teleconverter is the equivalent of 5 round trip tickets from Scotland to Italy for my family and this was enough difference for me to keep the Sigma (despite its limitations) over the Nikkor AF-S. Now I can begin planning my trip to Rome.

Customer Service

--Not required (as of yet)

Similar Products Used:

--Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-D
--Nikon 80-200 F2.8 AF-S

Quality, Finish, Price,
Case/Hood,

NADA....ZIP...ZILCH
ok...maybe a little heavy, but there's also alot of glass too.

If you want a supurb quality lens, finished nicely, with a standard (not extra $$) hood and case , and very very nicely priced, this is the lens for you. The Nikon will cost you at least a couple of hundred more (just for the lens only), IF you can find one, and do nothing better than the Sigma. I tell ya "this is a winner of a lens"
......It's an investment you will not regret !

Customer Service

Never Used

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 80-200 2.8 (nonS)
Sigma 17-35 2.8-4
Sigma 105 2.8 Macro
Sigma 70-300 4.5