Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 35mm Zoom
Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 35mm Zoom
USER REVIEWS
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[May 11, 2007]
Heinz Anderle
Expert
Strength:
Excellent image quality stopped down to f/8 - f/11 gives clear, crisp images. Constant speed through zoom range favors manual exposure mode (I have bought a Nikon AI-S MFversion). Inexpensive to get used. Neutral color rendition.
Weakness:
Flares a bit in backlit situations (no wonder, with 13 lens elements...). Rather bulky, but this is normal for high-speed zoom lenses. Quite short focusing throw. Noticeable distortion at 28 mm. Maximum focal length is 65 mm (according to Popular Photography test). This lens was one of the finest independent manufacturers' zooms of the early 1990s. For outdoor (landscape) photography with natural depth-of-field settings, it delivers excellent results even with today's best, sharpest slide films. Since lead- and arsenic-containing optical glasses are environmentally obsolete today, this lens has been discontinued. Customer Service Not needed. Similar Products Used: AF Nikkor f/3,3-4,5 35 - 70 mm; AF Nikkor f/3,5 - 4,5 28 - 85 mm; prime lenses at 28, 35, 40, 50, 58, and 75 mm. |
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[Jun 06, 2003]
Aron Hsiao
Intermediate
Strength:
Haven't used it long enough to discover optical strenghts. Fairly inexpensive for such a heavy, rugged f2.8 zoom.
Weakness:
Very prominent green-yellow haze artifacting surrounding bright objects at f/2.8, diminishes as you stop down but doesn't completely disappear until f/11 or so. Very heavy and somewhat slow to focus compared to my other Canon EF lenses. I bought this lens based on the strength of two Sigma primes that I own and on the f/2.8 max aperture and weight, which indicated that it might be a nice near-pro lens. I've shot about 100 pictures with this lens and will be returning it immediately. I don't know if I got a defective unit or if this is a flaw in the design of this lens, but it is not really usable to me. Many lenses are a little "soft" wide open. However, this lens exhibits a kind of green-white "halo" around bright items when wide open. It's not really flare and it's definitely not chromatic aberration because depending on the brightness of the object or highlight in question, it the halo can be centimeters wide... I've never seen it before and have no idea what to call it. if I were shooting portraits of nuns, it would make them look all lovely and heavenly at f/2.8... but of course it just looks wrong anywhere else. The effect diminishes as you stop down and is gone by about f/8 but I shoot a lot of wide open and near-wide-open shots, and hardly ever make it as far as f/8. The ultimate test for me was to shoot a stack of books at multiple different stops in the sunlight and find them "glowing" so strongly with a green-yellow haze at f/2.8 that it looks like I've run the shot through a pile of Photoshop effects. The effect is reduced at f/4, looks like chromatic aberration at f/8 and is gone by f/11... but that's far too big a limitation for my shooting style. Customer Service Won't use Sigma customer service for this one; I am still within my return period and will just return it to my dealer. Similar Products Used: Various "Non-L" Canon zooms, various Tokina AT-X and AT-X Pro zooms. |
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[Nov 12, 2001]
Alexander Tsui
Intermediate
Strength:
Bright, sharp
Weakness:
Only 2 months work properly!!!! Actually this 28-70 lens is my second Sigma lens, the first one was manual focus APO 70-200 f 4 - 5.6 for Pentax K-mount (the focusing ring couldn''t be rotated when i took picture of my friend''s graduation day). After that accident i was afraid to buy Sigma lens anymore, and i changed my system into CANON EOS 100. Two months ago, i found very great price for Sigma 28-70 f 2.8, so i decided to try again another sigma lens. But the day before yesterday when i was taking some photographs of my cousin''s wedding party, my EOS100 jammed. I replace the lens with canon ef 28-105, it''s work normally! The Sigma lens was malfunction!!!!!! For today I will not buy Sigma lenses anymore for the rest of my life!!!! Customer Service Not available in Indonesia!!!! Similar Products Used: Canon EF 28-105/f 3.5 - 4.5 USM |
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[Apr 13, 2000]
Irakly Shanidze
Intermediate
Model Reviewed:
28-70 f/2.8
Strength:
Very fast lens. Extremely rapid and quiet focusing, even in low light. Constant aperture is the nicest thing about this lens. Being a predecessor of the 28-70 f/2.8 EX, this one is not aspherical, but nevertheless it is comparatively compact and delivers excellent resolution at shorter focal lengths and way bove average at 70mm. I shot a couple of available light portraits with it and was pleasantly surprised. $300 is also a strong argument in favor of this lens. A lens hood does not move while zooming, but the front element does, which prevents image cutting at focal lengths below 50mm. Decent color reproduction.
Weakness:
It feels kind of fragile. Hard to get a cap out if the hood is on. This is obviously no match for Minolta 28-70 f/2.8 G, but for a little money (four times less, to be specific) it delivers a lot of sharpness and speed. Customer Service did not need so far Similar Products Used: Minolta 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 AF xi aspherical |
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[Oct 14, 2000]
Andrea Poggi
Intermediate
Strength:
Very good color and sharpness especially at the centre of the field.
Weakness:
macro and af-mf switch are too small and equal. Good value for the money,good macro function. Customer Service good Similar Products Used: none in this zoom range |
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[Nov 05, 2000]
Pedro Ortiz-Roura
Professional
Strength:
Sharpness,Contrast,color
Weakness:
some distortion at 28mm This is a fine lens at a moderate price.Very light Customer Service Exelent Similar Products Used: Nikon 35-70 f2.8 |
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[Dec 31, 2000]
KEN CHAPMAN
Professional
Strength:
EXTREMELY SHARP AF VERSION OF THIS LENS. I HAVE BLOWN UP TO 20X24 WITHOUT RESERVATION. EASY TO USE FAST LENS WITH NICE FINISH.
Weakness:
NONE THAT I CAN THINK OF THIS IS BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED, FAST, EASY TO HANDLE AND REASONABLY PRICED LENS IN MF OR AF. THE RESULTS ARE THE GREATEST. TRY IT AND YOU WILL SEE FOR YOURSELF. Customer Service NEVER HAD TO USE SO FAR. Similar Products Used: NIKON 35-70 2.8 |
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[Jan 14, 2001]
Arnon Hubara
Professional
Strength:
A very sharp lens, W/O the distortion problems of it's younger relative the EX.
Weakness:
Rotating front lens, edge definition at open shutter, and resolution at close range. I had this lens when I became part time pro. When the EX came to the market I made a mistake and switched too quickly, withoout testing it. I was much more satisfied with this lens than the EX, even though it's resolution is a litle lower then the newer model specially at the close range. Othrwise GREAT lens!! I give it only four stars due to the fact that there are some new better lense on the market, but they cost also. Customer Service non Similar Products Used: Tokina AT-X 35-70 f/2.8 |
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[Feb 01, 2001]
Jorge Soares
Intermediate
Strength:
Cores
Weakness:
O foco não é interno... Lente excelenete, de grande claridade, ótimo acabemento, com nitidez de imagens e apta ao uso profissional. Customer Service Limpeza de fungos. Similar Products Used: Minolta 50 mm macro 2.8 |
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[Jan 31, 2001]
Marko Suvajdzic
Expert
Strength:
- 2.8 all the way through
Weakness:
- It seems fragile, however it never gave me any problems and I used it and abused it for 3 years now. I bought this lens when I started my masters degree in photography. I needed a one-lens-does-it-all solution on a relatively low budget. I don't think I even realized what kind of gem did I purchase until a year or two later. If you want a fast zoom, and can not afford $1,000+ for a Nikon or Canon don't feel too bad this lens can perform. High rating because it is an excellent lens for a low, low price. Customer Service Never needed it. Similar Products Used: Variety of Nikon primes and zooms. |