Sigma HSM - What does it mean?

Han5y

Han5y

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Hi

Found a Sigma 17-70 2,8-4,5 DC on a camerasite her in norway, and the guy says its not HSM. I now looked at the web for what the HSM stands for, and i cannot find it. So the question is, what does it mean? Some kind of Image stabilisator, or what?


Han5y
 
it means the lens does not have a focus motor so when use some cheap bodies that don't have auto focus motor, the lens won;t auto focus.

i.e nikon 3100, 5100

If body have focus motor then you can use the lens in auto focus mode because your camera motor will drive the lens to auto focus.

"Ignore my comment because it causing too much confusion and wrong facts". Sorry about the confusion.
 
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badboy1984 said:
it means the lens does not have a focus motor so when use some cheap bodies that don't have auto focus motor, the lens won;t auto focus.

i.e nikon 3100, 5100 or canon 550 etc.

If body have focus motor then you can use the lens in auto focus mode because your camera motor will drive the lens to auto focus.
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Sorry but that's completely wrong. HSM is the type of motor drive in the lens as in the link above.
 
arad85 said:
http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/support/faq_lens.htm#lens
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As above, its the type of focus, like canons USM

badboy1984 said:
it means the lens does not have a focus motor so when use some cheap bodies that don't have auto focus motor, the lens won;t auto focus.

i.e nikon 3100, 5100 or canon 550 etc.

If body have focus motor then you can use the lens in auto focus mode because your camera motor will drive the lens to auto focus.
Click to expand...

Totally ignore this, completely wrong
 
badboy is not completely wrong, if you had an entry level Nikon such as D40/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 and you bought a Sigma non HSM lens it would not AF as the body does not have an AF motor..

but seeing as OP is Canon this does not apply, you will AF fine with a non HSM Sigma, but you might get a faster/smoother AF with a HSM Sigma.
 
strumstrum said:
badboy is not completely wrong, if you had an entry level Nikon such as D40/D60/D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 and you bought a Sigma non HSM lens it would not AF as the body does not have an AF motor..

but seeing as OP is Canon this does not apply, you will AF fine with a non HSM Sigma, but you might get a faster/smoother AF with a HSM Sigma.
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Thanks for putting this right for me. I use Nikon only so not too much familiar of canon. I only treat sigma HSM like Nikon's AF-S. Non AF-S lens on a cheap nikon body it won't auto focus because no AF motor on camera. My original comment onlly apply on Nikon cameras so Canon users are ok and won't have to worry about auto focus.

I've update my other comment already, so the OP can ignore my comment.
 
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Thankyou all for the answering :) So the HSM doesnt mean so much for the picture quality, or is it just for faster AF? If so, i could survive buying a non-HSM lens, i beleve:LOL:
 
Han5y said:
Thankyou all for the answering :) So the HSM doesnt mean so much for the picture quality, or is it just for faster AF? If so, i could survive buying a non-HSM lens, i beleve:LOL:
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Means nothing for the picture quality directly no, just how fast (or on Nikon if at all) it focuses.

Some Sigma HSM lenses are considered better than thier non HSM counterparts, but thats usually down to the upgraded optics in the lens when its been redesigned for the HSM motor.
 
HSM is nice to have as it allows full time manual focus.
 
I have just bought this exact lens for my 50d and so far, it's great!
 
The original Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5 only had HSM in its Nikon incarnation. The newer f/2.8-4 OS HSM version is available for all mount types.

From what I've heard, the original is the better lens optically so if you can live without the stabilisation and better focus motor go for that. I used to have one and it was a very good bit of glass.
 
HSM (see also SDM, USM, SWM, SWD etc depending on the manufacturer) is simply a different type of electric motor to the conventional electromechanical type. They are typically much quiter, but not necessarily quicker. Usually less moving parts.
 
Nice, thanks for the answers! Just bought a Sigma 17-70 2.8-4.5 non-hsm for 130£ posted, so i guess it would be a BIG upgrade for my 350D (or soon Canon 40D as it soon arrives my home) from the Canon 18-55mm :)
 
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