I have been wanting a wide angle lens for my 400d for quite a while now, problem is that they are not that cheap.  In Australia they retail at around $760 in the shops so it is quite an investment to make.  If you choose to go for a canon model then add a few hundred extra to that price. As I am going home to Northern Ireland in the very near future for a holiday I decided that now is the best time to get one.

The deciding factor was when I checked out the price in the US.  The Australian dollar is very strong against the US at the moment and makes it ideal to import. A strong dollar and the fact that the US has it a lot cheaper than here, $260 cheaper to be exact made this an easy option to make. Within a few days of placing an order in the US my Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 HSM DC arrived and I must say I am really impressed.

Having a lens that is 8mm wider may not sound that great but it makes a massive difference, especially around the city and places where it is hard to get a little further away from the subject.  The Canon 400d has an APS size sensor which means that you have to take into account the crop factor when buying a lens.  The sigma is equivalent to 16mm on a standard 35mm camera but this is still pretty wide.

There have been quite a few reviews that I have read about this lens in relation to quality control issues like softness on the left side of the picture, but I have had not such problems with mine.  In fact my lens is extremely sharp and pretty sturdy, it also sits very well in my hand as it is quite heavy and solid.

I have not had that long to play with this lens yet but my first impressions are very good indeed, I love having a wider perspective and it opens up a lot more possibilities.

I have noticed a few instances of flare, even with the use of the supplied lens hood but this is not very common and can be eliminated by being a bit more studious when taking the shot.

Interior shots are now much more fun to take and you can be a little more creative with your shots, I am really looking forward to using this more indoors.

All in all I think this is an excellent lens, sharp, sturdy and a great addition to my kit.