Sigma 28-135mm f/3.8-5.6 DL Aspherical IF Macro Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

PTJohn
( Expert)

Review Date
August 31, 2004

Overall Rating
3 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.25 of 5,
12 votes

Review 1 of 48

Price Paid: $100.00 from eBay

Summary:

I recently switched from Minolta to Canon and then from film to digital. This lens worked well enough on my EOS 1N film camera, delivering acceptable results. As has been previously noted, it is a bit soft at times and with light fall-off and distortion at the extremes. The easy fix? Don't shoot at the extremes :) With a lens in this price range, don't expect perfection and learn to live with the short-falls. That being said, this lens has proven to be less than adequate on my 10D. The flare is almost uncontrollable, causing me to leave it in my bag most of the time. I am a Sigma fan but in this case, I am trading it in on a Canon 28-135mm IS. I like this focal length as my carry lens and I need something with higher quality.

Strengths:

Cost and versatility

Weaknesses:

Lens flare when using digital body

Similar Products Used:

None

Customer Service:

Excellent

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Rating
Reviewed by:

maroodzaidi
( Intermediate)

Review Date
April 1, 2004

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Review 2 of 48

Price Paid: $120.00 from Photo Express LHR

Summary:

I have purchased this first Sigma lens in my life. I was a little worried about the quality of the lens first. but when I shoot the Images, the quality is much better than I thought. Surely no comparison with Canon L Series, but the image sharpness and colour balance is very good.

Strengths:

compact size. Macro and Good Zoom Range.

Weaknesses:

Slow focusing cannot focus in dark (compare to Canon EF, I have)

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-135 IS USM Canon 28-105 USM

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Rating
Reviewed by: Kefestvog
(Intermediate)

Review Date
October 15, 2003

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
4 votes

Review 3 of 48

Price Paid: $150.00 from smilephotovideo.com

Summary:

I'm always happy with the results of this lens. Those who complain about the build quality are comparing it to lens costing 100's of dollars more. For the price it's plenty strong. I had no problems with the lens and it was the only one I took with me for the year I was in Kuwait and Iraq. I never had any mechanical problems and this was when it was exposed to sand and dust everyday. It's a very versitile zoom range. I took pictures of everything over there and rarely did I wish that I had brought other lenses. The main problem I had was in shooting some of the palaces in Iraq. There is noticable dostortion at either end of the zoom. Still that can be somewhat corrected on the computer. Other than that the pictures are snappy and great. If you need a light system- this lens and an slr do the trick. This lens is the reason I looked at other Sigma products.

Strengths:

Nice zoom range. Good Color.

Weaknesses:

Distortion at either end of the zoom.

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 28-200mm zoom, Tamron 28-80mm zoom

Customer Service:

n/a

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Rating
Reviewed by: Del
(Intermediate)

Review Date
August 31, 2003

Overall Rating
2 of 5

Value Rating
2 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5,
19 votes

Review 4 of 48

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

After reading the reviews posted here I bought the lens and used it on a Canon D60. It worked fine and was good for a general purpose lens. However, it and my D60 fell 2'2" from my desk to the carpeted floor and the lens broke. Actually the lens became dislocated at the zoom junction. The seperation was wide on one side and no seperation on the other side. The zoom or focus would no longer work. It was jammed tight. I did have insurance on it and was able to purchase another lens.

Strengths:

Good for general purpose lens.

Weaknesses:

Will not take any abuse.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 70-200 f2.8 Sigma 300 f4 Canon 28-105 f3.5-4.5 Canon 75-300 f4-5.6 III Canon 28-70 f3.5-4.5

Customer Service:

Did not use it.

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Rating
Reviewed by: wau
(Professional)

Review Date
August 13, 2003

Overall Rating
3 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.43 of 5,
7 votes

Review 5 of 48

Price Paid: $240.00 from adorama

Summary:

A capable consumer grade lens with versatile zoom range. There is distortion at either end, it's soft in the corners and at the long end, and there's light fall-off in the corners wide-open. But the glass produces nice pictures when stopped down, and if you're into people pictures, the softness and distortion may not be an issue. Build quality is a little weak, but it's seen a lot of use and considering its low price, it's been an overall good value.

Strengths:

- versatile zoom range - macro is handy (at 135 only) - IF - handy lens hood - performance can be good stopped down - a good general photography zoom lens

Weaknesses:

- soft wide-open, in the corners, and at 135 - distortion at both ends - light fall-off in corners wide-open - some flare - not the greatest bokeh - build quality (lots of plastic, significant zoom creep, and has started making "stretched metal spring" noises when zooming) - heavy, slow AF

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 28-80 3.5-4.7, Pentax 28-70 2.8

Customer Service:

haven't tried

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