D200, Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6
This is the first in a series of short lens reviews that I'll be posting over the next few weeks.
The Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 is Sigma's consumer DX UWA zoom. It's relatively compact, relatively cheap and surprisingly good.
I've owned 3 copies of this. The first with my original D300 back in 2008/9, also used on a D40, the second with my D200 in 2014, also used with a D3200 and the current copy, used with a D90, D300 and even with a D800 in 1.2x and DX crop. It will cover 1.2x crop from ~12mm through 20mm, it never covers a full 35mm frame.
Best aperture is f8 in my experience, and I pretty much tend to set it to f8 and leave it. I'll occasionally open up to f5.6 or wider when shooting handheld in lower light.
I find colour to be nicely saturated, contrast is quite good even with a point source in the frame, edge performance is good at f8, adequate at f4-5.6. It will flare with point sources in the frame and sunstars are not a strong suit. Handling is good, the focus & zoom rings are good for a consumer lens and the size is small enough to handle well even on a D3200 or D40. It's a fun walkaround lens on a D3200 in the city.
It's a personal favourite of mine and one of the core lenses of a minimalist DX kit for me. I recommend it with one caveat, if you have an AF-P compatible DX body the Nikon 10-20 VR AF-P is smaller, cheaper, stabilized and optically comparable. If you have a body without AF-P support and/or shoot FX with 1.2x crop, get the Sigma.
Sigma also offers a larger f3.5 version. Get that if you need f3.5, or better corners in the f4-5.6 range. Otherwise I wouldn't both, the slower and smaller version is a better deal.
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