[ragsnoldiron]

I used this lens for stitching panoramas and for portraits and was very pleased with it overall. I chose not to keep using it based on weight, filter size, and the colour fringe difference between background and foreground when wide open at mid-distances. Auto focus was never really a problem for me with this lens, and I had been using the Canon H sensor bodies that don't have the adjustment feature for lenses. The more positive aspect of the lens for me was the focus ring and tension of the manual focus mechanism relative to the other 50mm lenses I owned at the time (Canon/2.5 macro, 1.4 USM, 1.8 II), and that here in Canada we obtain 10 year warranty service with our Sigma lenses.



I tried uploading images to the gallery, but didn't have any luck (505 server error), and the only example I have from my copy is on the Gigapan site. The gigapan image was shot in to the setting sun, and flare was really well controlled overall by the lens, and I was pleased with the results. I will try the gallery later to post more examples from my copy of the lens on an H sensor, meanwhile just zoom in on the image to see the detail from stitching with this lens on a Canon 1D II camera:

http://www.gigapan.org/gigapans/37264/