Range, sharpness, macro feature. Autofocus quite quick to lock.

Slower aperture maximum like most zooms. Built well, but not like a tank.

Used Kodak Advantix Black and White to test lens.
Very sharp and contrasty images at all apertures from 28mm to 135mm.Very pleased with performance.
Sharper than normal consumer grade zooms. Very sharp prints to 8 by 10 size after scanning.

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Canon 358-80
Canon 80-200

Sharp for a zoom.
Light, but very sturdy build.
Ergonomically comfortable for the hand.
Responsive zoom ring.

Manual focus ring not so great.

I'm not a big fan of zooms. I'm also not a big fan lens manufacturers other than Nikon and Tokina. I have always been very wary of Sigma. When I gave my old N70 to my wife to use for photographing the kids, I decided to purchase a cheap zoom with a wide range. So despite my hesitancy, I purchased my first ever Sigma lens, which happened to be only my third zoom. When it arrived, I was immediately impressed with it's light, yet rugged design.

At my son's birthday party, I decided to forgo the N70, and try the new Sigma out with my F100 and SB-26. I was stunned when I picked up the prints. The lens captured excellent color and the image quality was quite impressive. The sharpness was immediately obvious. I couldn't believe that a zoom with such a dramatic focal length range could produce such impressive images.

My experience with this lens convinced me to save $300 and purchase the Sigma 105 f/2.8 Micro instead of the expensive Nikon equivalent. Am happy with that lens as well.

The 28-135 focal lenght is a great range for family photos, as well as events where I don't want to drag along more than one lens. With the exception of being slower than my Tokina 28-70 f/2.6~2.8, I prefer using the Sigma zoom.

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Tokina ATI Pro II 28-70 f/2.6~2.8

Light, compact, versatile, good image quality, macro.

Pincushion distortion at longer focal lengths.

I bought the Sigma 28-135 to replace my Tamron 28-200 which was never sharp enough for me at the longer focal lengths. For me, 28-135 is the ideal range for an all-purpose zoom; any time I want to go wider than 28mm or longer than 135mm I'll be reaching for a prime rather than a zoom in most cases.

I bought this lens mostly for shooting running events (cross-country and road races) for my web page, as a wide-to-tele zoom is the best way to capture the action in these events and not miss anything while switching lenses or cameras. Still, I find myself often using this lens for more "serious" photography.

I'm very impressed with this lens' sharpness and color rendition; seems quite a bit better than my old Tamron over 100mm. The 1/2 life-size macro capability is icing on the cake and I was pleasantly surprised with how good it is. Definitely a useful bonus on a do-it-all lens and makes this Sigma a real contender for occasions when you can only carry one lens with you.

Its only shortcoming is the pincushion distortion it exhibits at longer focal lengths. Architectural photographers can cross this lens off their lists right now. When shooting structures or other straight lines, his pincushion distortion is quite apparent at 135mm but is gone by 50mm. For the work I do, it's virtually a non-issue, but even landscape photographers need to be careful sometimes: If your scene includes a really flat horizon (like the ocean or a lake, for example) and you're shooting at a longer focal length, putting the horizon significantly above or below the center of the frame will cause it to be bowedat the edges. So if you're shooting a seascape you need to either keep the horizon in the center or shoot at, say, 75mm or wider (which is where most of this kind of photography is done, usually). It's a fairly minor shortcoming given this lens' considerable strengths.

The build quality seems very good for such an inexpensive lens and I'm pleased with how much smaller it is than my old 28-200. Nice wide zoom range, very useful macro capability, sharp, compact and light weight. If it were faster and didn't have that pincushion distortion it would be the perfect lens...but it would cost four times as much then, wouldn't it? At around $200.00 it's a steal.

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Tamron 28-200

Very good sharp, excellent zoom.

none

This len excellent for general use. I used this len for shooting wedding without any problem with Nikon F100. Acceptable for 11X14 enlarge. I very please recommend this len for anyone.

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Nikon 28-70AF2.8, Nikon 70-180AF

Extended zoom at high end 135 vs 80 or 105.
Internal focus-front end is stationary.
Fast auto focus-nice feel to manual focus

Mine has loosened over the last year-will extend zoom if allowed to hang down.

This is the zoom lens range I wish I had bought with all my first camera purchases. I shoot kids sports about 75% of the time-from 3rd or 4th grade through HS. Zooms that high sided at 80-105mm were 'not enough'. Switching to a longer prime or zoom were too limiting for action or too much zoom for the situations I worked in.
Right after I bought mine I suggested that this site needed to review this lens. Once it was set-up I was invited back to enter my two-cents. Here it is.
If you are buying a new camera body, and you lean to zoom lenses THIS is the 'normal' one you should buy!!!!! I put mine on a Pentax ZX-10 or a Pentax PZ-1p. And I take it everywhere-work, school, church, zoo, aquarium, and just to walk around the block. I have never been disappointed with the results.
Dropped it once in a padded case-destroyed a circular polarizer-lens continues to work fine-moderately tough! Have had it 'stolen' by rowdy teenagers and coaches so they could play photographer. Great results! Let my 9 year old take some shots of his grandparents and an aunt, had to have him pick it out of the roll because the results were SO very good.
It will be the first lens on any camera I buy for a gift or as a replacement.
If there is a better balance of range and cost I am not aware of it. And then there is the macro feature-aim it at a new quarter and move in close. You may be disappointed in the quarter but not the lens!
It's the work horse of my equipment.

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Several brands (all major) 20 something to 80/105.

excellent range, ruggedly built,exceptionally sharp at all focal lenghts.

sometimes slow in autofocus indoors in low light situations.

I am a professional photographer involved in High school and College yearbook photography, Photojournalism(newspaper), and Weddings. I use this lens as my prime lens for 90% of my work. I was truly surprised at its remarkable sharpness and color fidelity. The Macro is excellent, I often use it during wedding work for photos of te rings place inside a flower, and have never been diappointed. Excellent value for the price.

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Minolta

Wow. I had the standard Nikon basic lenses with my F80 camera. I was not impressed with the images I was taking. I didnt like the colours or the depth of field, I had tried all sorts of films etc but in the end i bought the Sigma lense after reading about it on here. I was going to buy the nikon 28-105 but im glad I saved the money. This lense has improved my shots by 100%. The quality is just amazing.

None that I've found

Fantastic lense at a great price

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Nikon 28-105

Shapr colors. Cheap. Macro ability. Good zoom range.

If I could have afforded it I would have went with the 24-135, but I don't think that's a fault of the lens. Soft corners sometimes.

This lens is a great value for the price, I think. The color definition is great. I love the sharpness, but wish it was sharper all the way to the edges and corners. But for the price I don't think it gets any better.

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