I am an enthusiast who enjoys taking pictures of the family. I did some research on a low light lens and found great reviews on this lens. The Nikon version is out of my price point so it was either Tamron or Sigma. I have not been disappointed with my choice.

great focal range/good for low light or no flash photography

the autofocus motor is a little loud; but not an issue for me

The Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM ($980 list) is a standard zoom lens for APS-C cameras . Like most Sigma lenses, it's available in a variety of lens mounts-Canon, Nikon, Sony/Minolta, Pentax, and Sigma in this case.

Soft wide open

The Sigma AF 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM OS is a highly competitive APS-C standard zoom lens and Sigma's best product in this class so far. It's not a flawless lens but none really is.

For shooting video this is my go to lens. I use it for probably 80% of the stuff that I shoot. The Tamron equivalent is also optically nice but the build quality doesn't feel nearly as sturdy/smooth as the Sigma and as I'm shooting video on Canon bodies the fact that the Tamron is backwards is a big...

build; image quality; price; stabilized

a bit heavy

Word of warning - my lens was purchased from Amazon UK, unfortunately the serial number is not an official UK import so it does not qualify for a UK warranty according to Sigma, sadly l have had to return it for a refund, a shame as it's a great little lens - very happy with the photos taken.

Gary Wolstenholme takes a look at Sigma's flagship standard zoom for APS-C digital SLR cameras. Sigma's 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM costs around ￡590 and is available for Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax SLR cameras that have an APS-C or smaller sized sensor.

Excellent performance in the centre between 28 and 50mm when stopped down; Effective Optical Stabiliser; Compact and lightweight for an f/2.8 zoom

Lens really needs stopping down for best results; Sharpness towards the edges; Focus ring cannot be disengaged

The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens features a nice range of focal lengths, a wide f/2.8 aperture, HSM autofocus and OS (optical stabilization) in a well-built and reasonably-priced lens.

Digital-only speedsters in the 16–55mm range are at home in the Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Tamron catalogs. All offer fast f/2.8 constant apertures and image stabilization (except for the Pentax, which puts IS in the camera).

You might think this is the lens to get, and you might be right. It gets lots of great praise across the internet, so why not get it It comes in the mail and you love it, works like a charm and produces great pictures.... oh wait, whats that Why is the right side so blurry

Cheap; Has OS that works pretty well; Seems like a good copy would be very sharp; has switches on the body to turn off OS and AF

Lens comes included with terrible QC, good luck getting a copy that isn\'t decentered to some degree AND doesn\'t have a broken AF motor out of the box; It will never focus as well as a Canikon lens; Doesn\'t work well with outer focusing points, making them useless.

I wanted a fast normal zoom to use with my D300. Based on the many reviews online it was easy to narrow my decision down to two choices, the Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 or the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8. I decided to get the Sigma since it was half the price of the Nikon and had VR.

Lighter, Less Expensive than the Nikon option; Generally very good overall sharpness and excellent in the center.

Corner softness at f/4 or less when wide