There is much brand snobism on the Net. Go to a Nikon forum and ask for people’s opinions about a certain Sigma lens for the Nikon D300. You are guaranteed to get some answers along the lines of “never put third-party glass on a Nikon camera”. Sigma is a company that many people seem to loath particularly, claiming enormous quality problems.
Well, I have eight Sigma lenses and only one of them has a problem. It’s my old and battered 10-20. The first thing is, that it never autofocused well on the D300. The other thing is, that it is not as sharp as it was and it is even a little decentered, which it definitely was not, when I bought the lens. Thus the Sigma 10-20 is in need of an overhaul and most likely a firmware update.
Other than that, I don’t have any problem with any of my Sigmas. My personal experience is absolutely contrary to much of the published opinion.
On the other hand, I understand how people develop such extreme views. Sometimes you make a very bad experience, and the experience costs you so much time and nerves, that it simply sticks, and from that moment on you have a hard time looking objectively at that particular brand.
I’ve just made such an experience with my Tamron 17-50/2.8 VC. Remember that I sent it in, because it frequently failed to close the aperture upon shutter release? Remember that the Tamron service company asked for the camera body to be sent in as well? Remember that I did that ten days ago, and that I use my old D200 since then?
Well, today I got camera and lens back, they haven’t found anything, they claim that everything’s OK, and when I tried for myself, I found that the autofocus does not work anymore. Not with the Tamron 17-50/2.8, not with any other lens.
Cool, huh? I sent them a lens to be fixed, they asked for the body as well, and instead of fixing the lens, they broke the body!!!
I’m so fed up, I can’t tell you, really. OK, lens and body went back, I’m in for at least another week of waiting.
Hmm … I had a bad, bad feeling about sending in the camera. I already thought of giving up and buying the Sigma 17-50/2.8 OS instead, and I should have just followed my instincts. But then, when the damage is done, you always know better.
As regards the Tammy, well, as long as it works, it is a fabulous lens, but after that experience, I won’t ever buy Tamron again. They have completely broken my trust.
The Song of the Day is “I’ve Had Enough” from the soundtrack of “Quadrophenia”. Hear it on YouTube.