Sigma 8-16. Someone in the forum has experience?

I shoot UW with a Nikon D300 in Sealux CD300 housing and domeport 180F with fish eye Nikkor DX 10.5. I would try with a wide-angle linear zoom l (no fish eye, and therefore immediately I reject the Tokina 10-17). Sigma 8-16 I think has some good features: I read good overall and optical performance and also a minimum focusing distance of only 24 cm, which should eliminate the need for additional lenses. Someone in the forum has experience? Thank you.

I use one on a Sony A55 crop sensor. Check my username on Flickr (rtrski, same as here) for example shots. I leave the EXIF in all my shots so you can verify settings that way as well as whether the particular shot has been cropped by the pixel count.

A couple of my personal favorite examples - not necessarily the sharpest focus on the main subject, just the overall field of view etc. (always would like to make the shot perfect, but of course never do). Note also that I'm shooting with a custom minidome by Underwater Camera Stuff (uwcamerastuff.com), so take that into account when judging corner sharpness. I could get better with a big 8" dome, certainly...but I just don't like travelling with those.

Selected faves are more or less in reverse chrono order (latest first). At least one is a 'CFWA' type shot - the dome was almost touching the scorpionfish, maybe 3-4cm clearance maximum (I eased in slowly so it didn't bolt).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtrski/8712548154/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtrski/8711456025/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtrski/8711535871/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtrski/6858491341/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtrski/6858500869/

Remember that the 8-16 has a domed front element, so you cannot use diopters or filters on it - you need to make sure your dome alone gives you the corner sharpness you're after. The front element moves a little bit across the zoom and focus range, but not much, maybe 1cm travel total. I'm also very pleased with this lens above water.

I used it on a Canon 60D and also on a D800. I don't have any of the D800 pics online but the 60D pics are in the review of the 60D housings in the archives.

With the Canon, the corners were good at 8mm@ f8 with a big 9+" domes. I did try it with an 8" port and the corners weren't as sharp. It's not perfect but pretty much as good as it gets for rectilinear lenses. There is the usual barrelish distortion at the corners for such a wide lens. It is a very good lens for wrecks and such. A lot better than the 12-24 version for FF.

I should add that I checked 3 copies before finding one I liked. Sigma does have a bit of a QC issue. 3 lenses had different results @ different focal lengths. I chose the best @ 8-12mm, as that's the sweet spot for issues if any.

I use it in my sea&sea MDx D300 housing with Fisheye dome port (acrylic 240mm)

Is a good lens, great deep of field and very funny

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^{HI Drew, I have read your kind response to my question about the sigma 8-16 mm. You may also use it with the Nikon D800? Possible? the lens is a lens for APS.C (DX) ...}

Yes. It works in DX mode on the D800. You will need a big dome for best corners.