Gee, it's actually a decent performer.

Excellent close-focusing throughout the zoom range

9-blade diaphragm for smooth out-of-focus highlights

Tremendous zoom creep makes it cumbersome as a walking-around lens.

I was prepared to not like this lens. But, I wanted something all-inclusive for the usual 4x6" happy snaps of the family. Measured by that standard, this lens far exceeds expectations, delivering results that look good up to about 8x12", and you could do even better if your technique is right on.

There is surprisingly little distortion at the wide end (less, for instance, than with the cheaper Nikon 28-80 zooms), although at the long end enough pincushion creeps in to be noticeable. That is a phenomenal performance for a long-ratio zoom.

Zoom creep is prevalent, so you have to be careful when you're walking around with the camera slung from a shoulder; the zoom lock on the new Tamron is a nice touch. Compared to the equivalent close-focusing Tamron 28-200 Macro II, the Sigma offers one specification that was the clincher for me: a nine-blade diaphragm as opposed to the seven-blade diaphragm on the Tamron. Generally, more blades mean a rounder aperture and smoother bokeh. Now, since I have not used the Tamron, I can't comment on its out-of-focus highlights; I can say that the Sigma offers very smooth highlights and is a surprisingly nice portrait lens at 85-135mm. It is also surprisingly sharp at 200mm, provided you keep the shutter speed up above 1/250 and brace yourself well (stopping down even a half-stop helps lot too).

Flare is surprisingly well-damped.

The lens shade offers decent coverage, and is more-robust than my Nikon scalloped lens hoods, so that's saying something. In fact, in general the lens is decently built, with smooth controls and a good finish. I've used the word "surprisingly" now three or four times in this review, and that's about what the lens is. Surprisingly good.

For some reason, more people have rated this lens under the "Sigma 28-200 3.5-5.6 DL Aspherical HSM." There is no such animal as of yet ... the current Sigma product as of this writing (June 2001) does NOT have HSM (which is what Sigma calls their internal motor). I think someone got confused setting up the fields, and mistook "Hyperzoom" for "HSM." So, take a look at the ratings for that lens too - it's the same one.

It's cheaper than the Tamron, so I've given it five stars for value. I've downrated it a touch because of the zoom creep. Handling problems can sometimes be every bit as detrimental to your experience with a lens, than optical or mechanical problems.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

I had a Kiron 28-210 - a very sharp lens, but heavy and bulky and didn't focus close enough.

28-200mm
hood will not rotate when focusing / zooming
better AF than Pentax 35-80mm and 80-320mm
! PRICE !
sharp (again, price!)

will not AF when at 200mm / low light
the built-in flash of my MZ-7 got crazy at 28mm: needed to zoom at least @ 35mm to work

First of all, I would like to say that I submitted the same review at "Sigma 28-200 f3.5-5.6 Aspherical IF". The lens box reads: "Sigma 28-200mm f3.5-5.6 DL Hyperzoom Macro, SLD Glass, Aspherical IF.

As someone stated already (Mr. Donald, as I remember correctly), this is a new version (3.5-5.6) lens. Do not take this one as the old 3.8-5.6. IF, Aspherical, Hyperzoom, SLD glass.

This lens is wonderful. For the money it costs, it is surely the best lens you can buy.
Remember it is a 28-200mm, so you probably won't need any other lenses.
Sharp, found this one sharper than the default MZ-7 lens (35-80mm) and even sharper than pentax 80-320mm. If you don't have the money to buy a similar pentax lens, this is the one; but MAKE SURE you are buying the 3.5-5.6. Here in Brazil, I found other stores that were selling the 3.8-5.6 at the same price.

This lens is well built, robust, even better than the Pentax (35-80mm and 80-320mm).

The only problem I found is the fact that with a Pentax MZ-7 body, it will not autofocus at 200mm; also, when using the built-in flash unit, it will not set exposure correctly when at 28mm. Solved when zoomed to at least 35mm. If someone have any idea why this is happening, please email me.

Customer Service

not yet

Similar Products Used:

pentax 80-320mm

- Price
- Zoom range and Macro
- Internal focusing
- Robustness

- The zoom slowly slips away when shoting at low angle from thripod
- No zoom lockup
- Havy
- Low resolution at 200

It’s a nice lens at the first look. You can get even some decent results when shooting at range 35-130 with aperture 8. But after month, two of use it starts to be a very annoying one. The lens always slips out when holding is vertically. What is much worth, the lens tends slowly change its zoom when shooting at low or high angles from tripod. After 2 months of suffering I changed it for Tamron 28-200 with zoom lockup, which is little more expensive, but much more convenient lens.

Customer Service

no need

Similar Products Used:

- Tamron 28-200 Super II Macro
- Minolta 50/1.4
- Minolta 28-80/3.5-4.5
- Sigma 28-70/2.8 EX

I like needing only one lens for the vast majority of situations. I especially like the 28MM in tight quarters. Relatively fast, sharp, 19" macro, and was inexpensive ($169 new on the web).

Some difficulty in autofocus in dark and other specific situations, but not unlike other lens I have used.

I think its a great lens. I have had it for about 3 months and shot about 12-15 rolls of film. No problems of any significance. Great Price, good performance.

Customer Service

No need.

Similar Products Used:

70-210mm tokina, tamron.
35-80 nikon, 70-300 tamron.

"Good" all-around performance - Convenient, relatively sharp, rugged, fast-focusing

None

A "Good" all-purpose lens - if you can only carry ONE lens, carry this one! Slight drop in sharpness at focal length extremes, and at wide open aperture...but for $239, you know what you're buying...beats the Tamron hands down for accuracy.

When lens is extended, it likes to "return" to lower focal lengths if camera is tilted upward...necessitates the holding of the zoom ring, but this is attributed to design tradeoffs for lenses of this type (wide-angle to telephophoto), and shows up in Tamron series as well.

Prefer the rotating zoom ring as opposed to other manufacturers slide zoom.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 28-200 f3.5-5.6, Tamroon 28-300 f3.5-6.3