First photos with Sigma 10-20mm

I bought this lens from a fellow forum member and it arrived about an hour before I left for the airport so I had no chance to play with it before using it for real. It certainly presents you with new challenges and I ended up with some strange distortions and persepctives from time to time, but it's so much fun to use and so useful, especially on a trip like this with ruins, architecture and scenery.

The ability to stand in a room and pretty much take the whole area in from a few feet back was amazing. I thought I would end up using it from time to time, but it actually stayed on the camera for more or less the whole time - much more versatile than I thought. 18mm simply doesn't seem enough any more

Here are a few of my favourites from the trip. They aren't brilliant by any means as I have lots to learn so any C & C welcomed.

One thing I did notice was that each photo taken with the 10-20mm took less time to process than a similar one taken with the 18-250mm. No idea why this might be!

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/pompeii2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/pompeii1.jpg[/IMG]

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[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/statue.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/oll6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/oll11.jpg[/IMG]

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I have this lens and i like it a lot i hardly took it off the camera for about 2months when i first got it. According to the crack it is at its best around f8. I sent some images to a friend who has a Nikon and he has gone out and bought one as well.I must try to unweld the 100mm macro from my K-r so i can get this back on, but the weather has been so crap at the moment it is hard to get out with the ultra wide.
Might pay to put a filter on it to protect that front element.

Some of the Pentax tweaks for distortion and chromatic aberration are turned off when you pop a Sigma lens on. They do help Pentax lenses but do slow down the processing.

I enjoy my 10 -20 when abroad or on the coast. As you say macro weather (or bird watching)

That makes sense. I couldn't work out why it would be. Considering some of the distortion correction might be turned off it's a heck of nice lens. I found it difficult to take it off the camera to be honest. I put the 18-250mm on a few times, but soon put the 10-20mm back

I sort of wondered about a filter to protect the front lens, but my experiences with them haven't been particularly great regarding image quality.

These were all at f8 or f9 except for one which was f11 and interior one which is f5.6

Hi again Chris,

I would have thought a filter across an objective lens that big (and it is big isn't it?) would attract flare. I leave the shallow hood on all the time which also offers a bit of knock protection. Use outside of 90 degrees to any architecture does produce some interesting angles. My favourite use at widest is portrait landscapes of lakes and beaches.

Nice pics of italy, this lens is really good when you get used to using.

Hi Bill

I leave the hood on all the time too and so far (1 week!) haven't had any near misses. I can see the sense of filters, but not at the expense of image quality. I know it's a perennial argument.

These pics look nice & sharp & I like the colours a lot.

Is this the slow or fast version of the lens?

Older, slower version, but I didn't find any problems with low light, especially with the K-r's high ISO abilities. The indoor statue shot was at ISO 500 and I have others at ISO 1000+ which are also fine. I have the K-r set in 'Reversal Film' mode, which apparently replicates old slide film. It seems to give particularly good colours.

Pompeii. Great place. I last went in 1980. the 10-20 is alos a lens I'd like to get one day.

It's not hugely essential as I have a DA10-17, DA14 and 17-70 siggy, so a lot is covered, but the 10-20 does ahve a nice character.

I expected to be underwhelmed by the place and overwhelmed by other tourists, but the reverse happened. I actually preferred Pompeii to Herculaneum in many respects and we got there early and managed to stay ahead of most of the other tourists.

I'd have loved to have been there at sunrise/sunset, but it opens too late and shuts too early at this time of year.

I seriously considered the 10-17mm, but felt it might be a step too far with my relative inexperience. The 10-20mm seems a bit more forgiving. I still have some strange shots, mind.....

Strange shots are good IMO - You don't need experience to have fun with the 10-17. Quite the reverse in fact. Most shots I take with my 10-17 I don't even look through the view finder. You're hardly likely to miss the subject matter with such a wide FOV

10-17 would be heaven at Pompeii. Put camera on ground in between the columns on timer.

here's an example I did at the 7-7 flase flag memorial in London last year





and the same at Canary Wharf

Your strange shots are good. My strange shots included making my 8 stone son look like 18 stone with a beehive hairdo. I've threatened to put it on Facebook next time he annoys me

Actually using the 10-17 at 10 about 2mm in front of someone's nose makes for great big nose shots

I like these - I have been toying with obtaining a wider lens and these aren't helping me keep my cash

Must resist -