Sigma 10-20mm problem

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Mike410

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Mike
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So this is my second Sigma 10-20mm bought from an online retailer.

First one was soft on right side - sent for replacement.

Now this one is soft on left side! It is actually worse than the first one.

When I asked the retailer for a replacement on the first one, they initially suggested I send into Sigma for calibration - which would take 2-3 weeks and I would have to send my camera body.
Having to send a newly purchased lens for repair under the huge inconvenience of waiting 2-3 weeks and having to send my camera body does not seem right.

Here are some examples shots of a brick wall using a tripod, shutter release cable, hot shoe bubble level, and ISO 100, focussed at the centre:

11mm, f5.6, f8.0, f11

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/11mm5.6.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/11mm8.0.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/11mm11.0.jpg

14mm, f5.6, f8.0, f11

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/14mm5.6.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/14mm8.0.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/14mm11.0.jpg

16mm, f5.6, f8.0, f11

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/16mm5.6.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/16mm8.0.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46277518/16mm11.0.jpg

I think you get the idea from those. It isn't as bad closed down past f11,
and surprisingly 10mm isn't too bad.

I'm worried that if I send this back for a 3rd replacement it will just be the same! That's even if they will allow me a third replacement. I wonder if there is a limit on the number of replacements you can get!?

It's annoying as there are some people that rave about this lens. Maybe I'm just unlucky with it, or 3rd times a charm?

Thanks for advice, feedback, suggestions etc.
 
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Mike410 said:
That's even if they will allow me a third replacement. I wonder if there is a limit on the number of replacements you can get!?
Click to expand...

There is no limit. According to the law it's 'not fit for purpose' and you can return it for a replacement.


Mike410 said:
Maybe I'm just unlucky with it
Click to expand...

In that case there are a lot of unlucky people out there. When I was looking for an UWA lens I tried a friend's 10-20 and got the exact same result - soft on the RH side. Was the main reason for me choosing the Canon 10-22.
 
When you finally get a good one, they are a great lens.

Is it worth returning it and going to a store for some testing?
 
You can get the canon 10-22 from Amazon direct for £576, there is a market place seller based in dundee selling them for £562. Cheapest i have seen is digitalrev for £530.

Just sayin'
 
I'm tempted to get one, but I've heard this being quite a common problem :( but yea I'd defo be sending it back again! Hope you get it sorted :)
 
maybe you should stop taking pictures of a brick wall and try some more normal shots?
 
Dale_d3100 said:
When you finally get a good one, they are a great lens.
Click to expand...

What a joke statement. :thumbsdown:

How can anything be great if you have to buy multiple copies of it before you get one that is acceptable?! :shrug:

Just buy a Canon 10-22 and avoid having to buy multiple Sigmas!
 
Jackwow said:
What a joke statement. :thumbsdown:

How can anything be great if you have to buy multiple copies of it before you get one that is acceptable?! :shrug:
Click to expand...

I have purchased a number of products over the years that have been excellent, but others have suffered from quality control issues. It does not stop it being a good product, they need to fix their quality control.
 
andy_fozzy said:
That can be just as bad:


Left hand side.............
Click to expand...

Flippin eck andy, what happened to that lens ? Never seen either a Canon or even a Sigma that bad.

My first post was kind of flippant, but it seems to be expected of the Sigma 10-20 to have to try a few copies until you get a decent one which has put me off.
Their main playing card was they were quite a bit cheaper but have gone up around £50 in the last month or so whilst the Canon has dropped a little.
 
Dave Pickett said:
maybe you should stop taking pictures of a brick wall and try some more normal shots?
Click to expand...

You obviously havent had a look at the test shots or you wouldn't be making such a statement.
 
Craft said:
Flippin eck andy, what happened to that lens ? Never seen either a Canon or even a Sigma that bad.

My first post was kind of flippant, but it seems to be expected of the Sigma 10-20 to have to try a few copies until you get a decent one which has put me off.
Their main playing card was they were quite a bit cheaper but have gone up around £50 in the last month or so whilst the Canon has dropped a little.
Click to expand...

I know mate ;)

I just wanted to prove that having the best, most expensive lenses can also sometimes not be such a good thing.
I had a number of Sigma 10-20's and none of them have ever been as bad as the Canon I had..........
 
Hi Mike

Send it back and ask for another, don't worry about the retailer and if they will let you, if it's faulty, it's faulty !!

Ideally, can you go back with it in person and swap - you can try the new out there and then ?
 
Craft said:
My first post was kind of flippant, but it seems to be expected of the Sigma 10-20 to have to try a few copies until you get a decent one which has put me off.
Their main playing card was they were quite a bit cheaper but have gone up around £50 in the last month or so whilst the Canon has dropped a little.
Click to expand...

The Canon's seemingly greater QC makes buying used more of an option aswell where its always been pretty easy to pickup for around £450ish.
 
Thanks guys, ill send it back. I can't go in person because it's an online retailer.
This is my first experience with a Sigma lens and so far I haven't been very reassured with the quality of Sigma lenses!
 
I had the older version of the Sigma 10-20mm, f/4-5.6, and was very happy with it until I joined Alamy and started to assess the images at 100% before uploading. One image, taken on a tripod with a cable release, showed some strange effects on some rocks on the left side that looked like camera shake, but that was impossible under the circumstances. On checking other images, I noticed similar problems with foliage, as shown above with the Canon lens.

Eventually I sold all my Sigma lenses, as the images from some of the others were not too good either, especially the 18-200 zoom with OS, when viewed full size, and I bought a couple of Canon lenses in their place - 24-105 f/4L IS and 70-200 f/4L IS, with which I am very pleased.

I am not sure that I will ever buy third-party lenses again, although I've heard Tamron are quite good, but I've never had or tried one.
 
DH59 said:
I had the older version of the Sigma 10-20mm, f/4-5.6, and was very happy with it until I joined Alamy and started to assess the images at 100% before uploading. One image, taken on a tripod with a cable release, showed some strange effects on some rocks on the left side that looked like camera shake, but that was impossible under the circumstances. On checking other images, I noticed similar problems with foliage, as shown above with the Canon lens.

Eventually I sold all my Sigma lenses, as the images from some of the others were not too good either, especially the 18-200 zoom with OS, when viewed full size, and I bought a couple of Canon lenses in their place - 24-105 f/4L IS and 70-200 f/4L IS, with which I am very pleased.

I am not sure that I will ever buy third-party lenses again, although I've heard Tamron are quite good, but I've never had or tried one.
Click to expand...

To be fair to Sigma, you can't compare the 18-200 super zoom with a pair of Canon L lenses!
 
Never had a problem with my Sigma 10-20mm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjkcanon/tags/sigma1020mm/

I would say give a 3rd one a try. Then if there are issues get your money back, as the supplier could have an issue with their sourcing.

Makes you think twice about buying online. There is nothing like going to a store and trying out before you buy.

Good Luck.
 
I'd suggest returning that one for a full refund. Then take your camera and laptop into a camera shop and do some good testing before accepting anything.
Personally I'd recommend Tokina 12-24mm - mine was excellent (now FF).
 
odd jim said:
To be fair to Sigma, you can't compare the 18-200 super zoom with a pair of Canon L lenses!
Click to expand...

Very true. But it was a lens with some good reviews, and I wanted a travel lens at the time. It was only when I decided to start a photography business (following redundancy) and I viewed the images at 100% that I was aware it was not going to stand up to being a lens good enough for this purpose.

That aside, the 10-20mm zoom was definitely off on the left side.
 
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The seller 'Procamerashop.co.uk' wanted me to send the lens in so they can test it 'properly'. They gave me an address of a camera repair shop to send lens to. Procamerashop now says the lens has been tested and is not faulty. They will give me a refund but will not refund the postage of £7 I paid sending the lens to the camera shop for testing.

According to the Sale of Goods act, I should be entitled to a refund of postage as well I believe.

They can easily just be saying the lens was not faulty to avoid having to pay return postage!

Im not sure how a faulty product is defined, as in if a consumer says it is faulty or is unsatisfactory and the retailer says it isn't who is right??

The whole process has taken ages and Procamerashop.co.uk replies to emails only once a day if that, which is frustrating.

I will definitely not be using them again.
 
Was it a third-party repair shop that carried out the test?
If so then you could ask them to submit the test report for your inspection.
If a third-party test has been carried out and it was found to be not faulty I think you would do well to get a refund let alone postage refunded.
 
gramps said:
Was it a third-party repair shop that carried out the test?
If so then you could ask them to submit the test report for your inspection.
If a third-party test has been carried out and it was found to be not faulty I think you would do well to get a refund let alone postage refunded.
Click to expand...

Yes it was a third party repair shop.
According to the distant seller regulations I can get a refund even if I just changed my mind, within 7 days.
I had contacted the retailer within 7 days of receiving the lens to report the fault so should be entitled to a full refund.
 
gramps said:
This might help Distance Selling Regulations
Click to expand...

Thanks, I did have a quick check of it beforehand.

"Refunds
The retailer must refund the full amount including the delivery
costs as soon as possible after the consumer cancels, and in
any case within 30 days at the latest. You cannot insist on the
goods being received by you before you make a refund."

"Returning goods
If the goods are faulty or do not comply with the
contract, you will have to pay for their return whatever the
circumstances."

My concern was that the retailer said after their testing that the lens was not faulty. According to the test photos I took, the lens was definitely not satisfactory. I do not feel it is right to have to pay return shipping for a product that is not "fit for purpose". If considerable blurriness is within the acceptable Sigma tolerances for the 10-20mm then it should be stated in the product description on the retailer site as "be advised, considerable blurriness on the left or right side of this lens is acceptable and not considered faulty".
 
I guess you are on a non-starter if a third party has declared no fault but as you say the Distance Selling Regs seem clear on the postage refund so a strongly worded letter might be the way to go.
 
I don't think £7 is worth you time chasing, put it down to experience.

Are you going to try a Sigma from another seller or go for a different lens?
 
I have sent them an email quoting the distance seller regulation points. Hopefully that should help them see the situation better.

I don't think I'll go for the Sigma again. Two times is enough to convince me to choose another lens.
 
I would like to report that my complaint has now been resolved to my satisfaction.
 
Didn't realise there was an issue with the Sigma 10-20 mm. I have had mine for about 6 years - maybe the older ones were better? Not noticed any more edge softness than to be expected - though I am no expert. For anyone interested, the shots here were taken recently with work shared between (mostly) the Sigma 10-20 mm and a Canon 24-105 mm L...

Roslin Glen

Is there a difference in IQ?

Col

BTW: No need to point out the one where I missed correcting the chromatic aberration... :D
 
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