Sigma 70mm F2 8 EX DG Macro Review | 54 Data compared

The Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro is highly praised by ePHOTOzine for exceptional, uniform frame-wide sharpness, delivering outstanding resolution from f/2.8 through f/16 with negligible chromatic aberrations, distortion, and vignetting. Its robust EX-series construction features a, helpful focus limiter switch, although it lacks internal stabilization and weather sealing. Despite superb optical performance, the lens suffers from a slow, loud autofocus system, and the extending barrel at 1:1 magnification results in a very close working distance.

The Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro is a premium, full-frame lens designed for macro photography enthusiasts looking for high performance without a hefty price tag. It features a robust build with a metal mount, ten glass elements in nine groups, and a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture. While the lens delivers exceptional, knife-sharp image quality, excellent contrast, and maximum resolution around f/5.6 to f/8, it does suffer from a few minor drawbacks. Notable cons include a hefty weight of 527g and some minor edge chromatic aberration, though central aberration is practically non-existent. The lens scores highly across the board, earning 90 out of 100 for its design, performance, and outstanding value. Key pros include its highly competitive retail price of £339, a floating focus system, and a dedicated focus limiter switch that helps speed up autofocusing. It is highly versatile, offering a "full-frame" imaging circle compatible with 35mm film, full-frame sensors, and APS-C sensors, where it provides a 105mm equivalent field of view. Ultimately, this lens represents a sound investment for macro specialists seeking professional-grade sharpness on a budget.

The Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro is an exceptionally sharp medium telephoto macro lens designed for both full-frame and APS-C cameras, delivering a 1:1 reproduction ratio. Its primary strength lies in its outstanding optical performance, showcasing almost non-existent geometric distortion (less than 0.1% pincushion on sub-frame), minimal chromatic aberration, and incredibly low vignetting that disappears entirely by f/4. It outperforms several competing lenses from Canon, Nikon, and Tamron in overall sharpness, making it a highly recommended, high-value bargain for macro photographers. Additionally, it features a smooth manual focus ring with plenty of travel for precise adjustments, a focus limiter switch to enhance AF speeds, and a non-rotating front element ideal for polarising filters. Despite its stellar optics, the lens has a few handling and design drawbacks. Autofocus operation is noted to be smooth but quite sluggish, taking up to three seconds to hunt from its closest focus distance to infinity due to its massive focal range and slow gearing. It is also an external-focusing lens, meaning the barrel extends significantly by 57mm when moving to its closest focus setting....

The LensTip Sigma 70 mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Review highlights this full-frame lens as an exceptional dual-purpose tool for macro and casual portrait photography, serving as a 105mm equivalent on APS-C sensors. Optically, the lens is highly praised for its outstanding image resolution, which remains sharp across both the center and edges of the frame even when shooting wide open at f/2.8. Additional optical pros include practically zero geometric distortion, excellent coma correction, negligible astigmatism, great light transmission, and low vignetting. It also handles bright light incredibly well with minimal flare and boasts a robust, high-quality casing with no front- or back-focusing issues. The primary downside identified in the review centers entirely on its autofocus mechanics, as the lens lacks an HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) drive. When switched to "Full" autofocus mode, the performance suffers significantly, behaving like a loud, slow, and average-accuracy "drilling machine". While the autofocus functions decently, quietly, and quickly when restricted to the "Limited" range mode, its sluggish macro tracking remains its sole notable flaw. Additionally, while chromatic aberration control is deemed satisfactory, it is...

The Opticallimits review of the Sigma AF 70mm f/2.8 EX DG macro lens praises its exceptional optical performance and high mechanical build quality. The lens delivers outstanding sharpness across the image field from its maximum aperture of f/2.8 down to f/8. Additional optical pros include a completely negligible level of distortion, well-controlled lateral chromatic aberrations, and minimal bokeh fringing that clears up almost entirely by f/4. Furthermore, the lens features a smooth, buttery bokeh with perfectly circular out-of-focus highlights wide open. Mechanically, its robust metal construction and tight tolerances earn it a very high rating. Conversely, the review highlights a major drawback in the lens's autofocus system, which is described as very slow and noisy, despite maintaining fine accuracy. On the optical side, the cons include moderate vignetting (1EV) at f/2.8, though this issue disappears from f/4 onwards. Lateral chromatic aberrations (color shadows at borders), while low in absolute terms, are also noted to be slightly higher than the average for a dedicated macro lens. Finally, diffraction effects degrade the resolution to lower quality levels when stopped down significantly to...

The Sigma 70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro lens is highly acclaimed for its exceptional optical performance, universally praised by reviewers for being among the sharpest lenses available. It delivers razor-sharp image quality from corner to corner even at a wide-open f/2.8 aperture, making it an excellent dual-purpose option for both 1:1 macro photography and portraiture. Reviewers additionally highlight its neutral, pleasant color rendition, beautiful background bokeh, and the functional benefit of a focus limiter switch, which drastically speeds up autofocus when locked into specific distance ranges. Conversely, the lens has several physical and ergonomic design drawbacks. The autofocus system is widely reported to be slow, noisy, and prone to hunting without the limiter engaged. Its massive physical extension at a 1:1 magnification ratio results in an uncomfortably short working distance, leaving only about 40mm between the front of the lens and the subject, which can easily scare away insects or block lighting. Furthermore, reviewers heavily criticize the screw-in metal lens hood for its impracticality: it lacks a bayonet mount, cannot be reversed cleanly, prevents the standard lens cap from being...

The Sigma AF 70mm f/2.8 EX DG macro is a specialized, professional-grade macro lens that offers a 1:1 maximum magnification ratio with a minimum focusing distance of 0.257 meters (and a 6.5 cm working distance). A standout feature of its optical construction is the inclusion of 3 Special Low Dispersion (SLD) elements to meticulously correct optical flaws, resulting in an excellent resolution profile that peaks between f/4 and f/5.6. As part of Sigma's high-end EX ("Excellence") lineup, it boasts robust build quality built with high-quality materials and tight tolerances, alongside a smooth-operating focus ring. While its 70mm focal length is unconventional for a mainstream macro lens, it doubles excellently as a portrait photography lens. However, the lens has several design and performance drawbacks, most notably its slow and noisy conventional AF micro-motor, which necessitates the use of the built-in focus limiter switch to avoid excessive focus hunting. Structurally, the lens barrel extends significantly when transitioning toward close focus distances, and it features an outdated mechanism where the focus ring rotates during autofocus operation. Additionally, its sophisticated optical design makes it...