Yes, that’s right, he came to visit me and he also brought a present. You are asking yourselves, which one? A lens! Namely, the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 Contemporary. 😉
It’s too early to draw any conclusions. I can, however, already tell you that even though it belongs to the comparatively cheap Contemporary line, it’s every bit as well made as the 30mm f/1.4 ART. This is what it looks like on the SD1 Merrill:
The only characteristic of the lens, that grabbed my attention in a negative way, is the focusing ring, which rotates when you use autofocus. I wouldn’t be bothered by this, if I didn’t have the habit of holding the lens with my left hand where the focusing ring is situated. Although there is more than enough space between camera body and focusing ring, enclosing the focusing ring with your index finger and thumb feels natural. If you do that, however, the AF will not work, because the focusing ring will not be able to rotate. All you will hear is a „tired“ sound coming from the AF motor. As soon as I have more time to test the lens, I will report my findings. For now, some of my first photos will have to suffice. 🙂
You can find more of my photos taken with the 17-70 C on Flickr and Pinterest.
