Review on Sigma 258306 105Mm Macro Camera by Katie Atencio

I'm not usually a close-up photographer but somewhat limited the ability to use my long zooms for car racing, which is what I wanted try something I could do at home. This is the first macro lens I own (although I've used several over time) and it drew me in with its image stabilisation, f/2.8 maximum aperture and realistic macro image reproduction (f/1). The price was also very attractive. I've used this quite a bit over the last 12 months so here's my review. I mainly use it on a grip equipped Nikon D500 or Nikon D4. Construction - This lens has a polymer frame and metal mount. It's quite heavy and I find it well made and easy to use. Sharpness/image quality - Very good. It's not as good as the Nikon 105mm macro lens, but it's half the price. Sometimes I need to sharpen it, but overall it's sharp enough for my needs. It is prone to chromatic aberration and this needs to be managed very carefully when lighting to avoid purple fringing which is very noticeable and then difficult to correct. Handling - The front of this lens is a bit heavy. The switches are easy to use. I am satisfied with this lens on the Nikon D500 which is equipped with a grip. It's well balanced, but I think it can be a little awkward to use with a small Nikon camera like the D3500. It makes strange noises when focusing, which is a bit annoying. I think it's the autofocus motor. Although focusing is fast. I didn't need autofocus calibration on my camera. image stabilization. Honestly, this is the worst aspect of this lens. This is bad and may not be a feature of the lens. If your tripod/ball head is good enough, I recommend turning off image stabilization. It won't help you if it's enabled, and it can also affect the image quality. Conclusions - I'm no expert on macro photography, mainly due to my inexperience with macro lighting. This is a very good lens for the price. It handles the camera very well and is well built. It makes a strange noise when focusing, which is a little annoying, but focusing is fast and focus compensation was not required on my camera. The only real downside is the image stabilization, which I found to be poor. It's better to have a good tripod and ball head than to rely on stabilization. This is a great lens for the price and competes well with the Nikon 105mm Macro and Sigma Art 105mm. Experienced macro photographers and professionals may prefer to use more expensive lenses, but it's worth it for me and my needs.