Why won't this lens work on digital cameras??

Back in the dim and distant past, Sigma being a third party supplier of lenses didn't pay Canon for access to the spec and relied on reverse engineering to get their lenses to talk to the Canon bodies. Canon adjusted things from the body side which had the side effect of stopping the Sigma lenses working.

Sigma used to allow you to send an affected lens back (probably with £50) for reprogramming with a more compatible version of the firmware .... I suspect that's ancient history now though.
 
So should it work on my Canon???
 
Nope, I wouldn't bother. Sigma reverse engineer the mount, so cannot guaranty their lenses will work on any body released after the lens. Of course now they offer free re-chipping to any lenses that develop issues on new cameras, and quickly update the models they're producing, but a lot of sigma lenses from film days won't work on digital (or at least certain vital functions won't work), and sigma probably won't repair a lens of that age (even if they did, it would probably make it uneconomical compared to just buying a new lens of similar performance).

I've got a sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 that functions fine on digital until you try to stop it down, then it gives an err.
 
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You could be lucky or you could be unlucky: I've had it both ways with Sigma film lenses. I'd rely on the vendor: he'd have a wider market and therefore probably a higher price if he could confidently advertise that it would work on digital. Chances are he knows the score.
 
squishy said:
Nope, I wouldn't bother. Sigma reverse engineer the mount, so cannot guaranty their lenses will work on any body released after the lens. Of course now they offer free re-chipping to any lenses that develop issues on new cameras, and quickly update the models they're producing, but a lot of sigma lenses from film days won't work on digital (or at least certain vital functions won't work), and sigma probably won't repair a lens of that age (even if they did, it would probably make it uneconomical compared to just buying a new lens of similar performance).

I've got a sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 that functions fine on digital until you try to stop it down, then it gives an err.
Click to expand...

i have an old sigma 105 f2.8 macro that does the same thing sigma quoted less than 40 quid for a re chip at the time i inquired
they would have re chipped it for free if i could produce the original purchase receipt
without it they want paying

there are a number of sigma lenses that cannot be re chipped because of there age so it would be wise to inquire with sigma first if you see a nice lens going cheap

as for the OP's question forget the lens it's being sold at a price you could get one which would definitely work with you camera

like this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sigma-70-...ters_Lenses&hash=item2c641b5381#ht_500wt_1361

or this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIGMA-LEN...ters_Lenses&hash=item256ebaefff#ht_679wt_1344

in fact any canon eos fit sigma lens that has DG within it model title / number will be fine
 
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As I remember you will get a Error message if the chipset is not up to date.
 
Its not this lens i'm buying, i've been offered a lens just like this thats all.

I've been offered the following
Canon EOS 1000FN camera - Film
Sigma 70-300mm APO macro lens 1:4-5.6 + hard case
Sigma 28-70mm lens
all for £40? This seems like a good deal to me. any opnions?
 
if you're looking for an easy to use full auto capable film camera to go with your DSLR (that'll use some of the same lenses (note I say some, EF-s lenses wouldn't fit on it)), that's a decent little set. Just don't expect the lenses to work on a DSLR.
 
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