George Schaub

In the pages that follow we are proud to share our thoughts and reactions to events at this year's photokina. If you've never heard of photokina it's held every two years in Germany and has established a tradition as the gathering point of...

When Sigma introduced their new super-wide zoom in late 2016 I was eager to give it a try. Among their Art lens offerings, the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM lens ($1,599, MSRP) serves as an upgrade to their 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 (still available at an MSRP of $949) with a constant f/4 aperture; a nine-bladed diaphragm; FLD glass elements; an updated HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) that uses 1.3x the torque for fast and smooth autofocus operation; 16 elements in 11 groups construction; and what Sigma claims is “the largest aspherical element in the industry” to minimize distortion, ghosting, and flare. The angle of view ranges from 84 to 122 degrees, with mount compatibility for Canon, Nikon, and Sigma DSLRs.

There’s something about a fixed focal length lens that brings the photographer out in me. It forces me to move in and back from compositions without resorting to a zoom. Yes, there are times when a zoom is most appreciated—especially the fast constant aperture zooms now available—but a prime puts me in a mindset that a zoom has yet to match.

The Sigma APO 150-50mm lens is a moderately fast, super-telephoto zoom designed to work with both APS-C and full-frame DSLR cameras. It offers quite useful close focusing (7.2 ft) and two modes of what they deem "optical stabilization" (OS.) Weighing in at 67.4 oz you always know its there, but then again this is one impressive piece of...