Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM (A) Review

29th November 2013, Singapore – Following our earlier article on Sigma’s latest release; the Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM, we are back with a review after taking the this lens and its closest competitor (well) the Canon EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM out for a walk. Together with our Guest Editor, Mr. Wong Renhao, we took both the lenses out to Balestier, a sleepy old estate near central Singapore.

Before we start, I would like to remind everyone that at ourshutterjourney.com, we are only interested in real world, layman user review here, should you be looking for technical reviews and specs, please visit here.

Here we go.

Above is a Signboard off a restaurant at Balestier. On first look, both lens looks like they did the job well.
Let’s take a closer look after a 50% crop.

Apparently Both Lenses are holding up well on the sharpness department.
Let’s crop another 25% percent off. The next 2 photos will be a surprise.

From the above, we were pleasantly surprised that Sigma’s Art lens is (so much) sharper than the Canon’s L-series lens. (Those who wish to see the original photos, please feel free to email me)
And that was just the first test photo we took!

The next 2 photos was shot at a junction at Balestier road comprising of old shop houses against newer modern buildings.

Looked pretty much the same right? Let’s take a tight crop out and check out the image.

Both lenses performed pretty well in our opinion.

Let’s check out other shots.

Let’s take a closer (cropped) look.

Looking at the bokeh produced, there is visible differences. Although the Sigma has 1 addition aperture blade, the bokeh blur from the Canon 24-105mm seems smoother and creamier. Here’s another 2 shots, taken off Balestier Road at Whampoa area.

Let’s just take another crop.

Well, after looking through the set of photos produced by both lenses, here’s our verdict.

– Both Canon & Sigma’s 24-105mm F4 lenses are comparable for sharpness. But the Canon is slightly & minimally sharper in our view.
– Canon has a slightly more creamier bokeh as compared to the Sigma.
– Sigma has a better control on the CA & Corner Distortion than the Canon unit.

In Conclusion, we feel that Sigma had produced a lens that has attained the “L-Series” standard, this should send professional photographers thinking should they pay the premium to get the Canon’s “L-Series” lens. Between brand loyalty and working equipment, I am sure the Sigma will serve the needs for professionals who needs the quality but not willing to pay a premium for the red ring. On overall, Sigma has surprised us with their latest Art lens which exudes class and quality from the cosmetics to the imaging department. Fully compatible with Sigma’s USB Hub for fine adjustments and calibrations, this added convenience just sweetens the overall package.

While Canon’s aging 24-105mm soldiers on, Sigma’s new 24-105mm with its much lower asking price will find its Fans – we are very sure.

Ed.

Here’s some behind-the-scenes photos by our guest photographer Peh Wei Jian.

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IMPORTANT NOTE:
** Sigma had re-organized their whole lens line into 3 category.
They are “C” Lens, “A” Lens & “S” Lens.

C Lens = Contemporary Lens Line

Featuring the very latest technology, and combining optical performance with compactness, Sigma’s high-performance Contemporary line covers a wide range of needs. Lenses in this category are Standard zoom lenses, telephoto zoom lenses, high-magnification zoom lenses.

A Lens = Art Lens Line

Designed with a focus on sophisticated optical performance and abundant expressive power, Sigma’s Art line delivers high-level artistic expression. Lenses in this category are Large-aperture prime lenses, wide-angle lenses, ultra-wide-angle lenses, macro lenses, fisheye lenses.

S Lens – Sports Lens Line

While offering sophisticated optical performance and expressiveness, Sigma Sports line lenses deliver high action-capture performance, enabling photographers to get exactly the shots they want. Lenses in this category are Telephoto lenses, telephoto zoom lenses, super telephoto lenses, super telephoto zoom lenses.