So if size and weight are key, the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary is the clear winner, albeit whilst offering 5mm shorter reach than the Tamron 28-75mm.

As a standard zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras with F2.8 brightness throughout the zoom range (Source: SIGMA, as of February 2021) We didn't see any major issues with lateral chromatic aberration for this lens. There's a truly minute amount of it, perhaps 2-3 pixels wide on a 42MP image (that's a half a millimeter on a 40" x 60" print) that clears up easily if you enable CA corrections in-camera or in your Raw converter.On cameras where lens aberration correction is controlled with ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ in the camera menu, please set all aberration correction functions to ‘ON'(AUTO). Stopping down to F5.6, we see a slight improvement in sharpness at wide-angle and a bigger improvement at telephoto, since the lens is softer wide open at 70mm than it is at 28mm. You'll appreciate this improvement in sharpness more if you're shooting with a high-resolution camera. We tested with both the 42-megapixel Sony A7R III and 47-megapixel Panasonic S1R; with a 24-megapixel body, that difference would be much less noticeable. DSLR Cameras Canon EOS DSLR Cameras Nikon DSLR Cameras Digital Compact Cameras Instant and Single Use Cameras Instant Cameras Instant Camera Film Single Use Cameras Instant Printers And since it is so lightweight, balance is very good. Regardless of the mount variant you choose, it shouldn't feel front-heavy on any body you might want to pair it with.

This lens provides the same high-level optical performance and precision as Sigma's 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art but in a much lighter, more portal and more manageable shell. The lens is 359g lighter than its counterpart and this is mainly due to the use of a TSC Polycarbonate (TSC) in its construction. This can bring about some concerns about processing accuracy, but rest assured, there's been no compromise with this lens build. This type of polycarbonate provides a similar level of thermal shrinkage as aluminium and this helps reduce the difference between thermal shrinkage of the lens's metal and non-metal parts. This results in stable performance, even when transiting between extreme temperatures. What's in the box? It's significantly lighter, by 44% in fact, and slightly shorter than its big brother, the outstanding Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art, which weighs in at 830 grams and measures nearly 12.5cm in length.

The Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a compact, lightweight and affordable lens with a fast constant aperture

It's aimed at photographers and videographers who want a bright walkaround zoom and the bokeh possibilities that a wide aperture brings but who don't want the size, weight and cost typical of many F2.8 zooms. Travel and landscape photographers in particular will find its modest size and weight appealing, and it also offers potential as a portrait lens or for video capture. But if what you need most of all is portability and you understand the compromises necessary to achieve it, the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN is hands-down the smallest and lightest of the bunch and still offers solid image quality. The Sigma 28-70mm is similar to that of Sigma's 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art lens, but being that slightly less wide-angle allowed for a significant reduction size and weight of the lens and yet, it still features an advanced and complex lens structure. The lens is comprised of 16 glass elements in 12 groups. This includes the use of three Aspherical, two FLD and two SLD elements. The FLD and SLD glass together offer some of the highest levels of low dispersion with extremely high light transmission, resulting in thorough axial chromatic aberration and sagittal coma aberration correction that cannot be achieved in-camera.

DSLR Lenses Canon Fit Lenses Nikon Fit Lenses Lens Accessories Lens Caps Lens Hoods Lens cloths and cleaning kits Lens AttachmentsVignetting is not a concern for the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8. It's only really noticeable at telephoto, and even there is minor and easily corrected. Bokeh When it comes to distortion, we need to discuss the Leica L-mount and Sony E-mount versions of the lens separately. That's because if you're an L-mount shooter, distortion is corrected automatically in both JPEG and Raw files, but if you're shooting Raw on the E mount variant on a Sony body and using Adobe software, there's (currently) no correction applied for distortion. Distortion isn't an issue for the L-mount version thanks to automatic correction, but Sony E-mount variants show some barrel distortion at wide-angle and prominent pincushion at telephoto. Rendering of blurred areas is always something I like to test and compare so here’s the 28-70 2.8 at 70mm, shot from the closest focusing distance at this focal length, quoted as 38cm. Zoom Consultations – Not sure what camera or lens to buy? Book a 1:1 Zoom call and I can answer your questions and give pros and cons of similar products.

As you might expect, the featherweight Sigma 28-70mm F2.8's body is predominantly constructed from polycarbonate, although it does still have a metal mount and build quality is good. And while it isn't fully weather-sealed like its nearest rivals, the mount still includes a seal that should help protect your camera body from the elements, if not the lens itself. Used Optics Used Binoculars Used Scopes Used Accessories Used Accessories for Canon EOS Cameras Used Accessories for Nikon Cameras Used Accessories for Fujifilm Cameras Used Accessories for Micro 4/3 Cameras Used Accessories for Sony Alpha Cameras Used Camera Bags, Cases and Straps More Used Equipment Now for the quality at landscape distances, starting with the lens at 28mm f2.8, and like all my shots in this review, it was taken with the Sony A1 using the default lens corrections, so Shading and Chromatic aberration compensation set to Auto and Distortion set to Off. A lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8 is fairly good in low light, though obviously not as good as lenses with even larger maximum apertures. In many cases, cameras will focus with the lens aperture wide open and then close it down to the preset aperture choice at the moment of capture. A lens with a smaller maximum aperture is going to be at a disadvantage in low light conditions because the physical aperture is smaller than alternative lenses, meaning that less light can reach the sensor. F2.8 is what I would call a “medium” maximum aperture, but it is wide enough that one should be able to shoot weddings or events with the lens and get solid results. Both the Sigma and Tamron f2.8 zooms are designed not only as lighter and more affordable alternatives to 24-70mm f2.8 models, but also as step-ups from budget kit zooms like Sony’s own FE 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 which costs roughly half their price but suffers from a dimmer and variable aperture that’s two whole stops slower at the long-end. Okay let’s see what the new Sigma’s all about.As you move into the corners, the sharpness remains fairly consistent, with softening only really appearing in the very extremes. The biggest issue though is vignetting, or darkening in the corners, even with shading compensation turned on. Closing the aperture one stop to f4 greatly alleviates vignetting, while closing another stop or two also boosts the sharpness in the far corners. The SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary offers a new and improved photographic experience for mirrorless users needing a fast-aperture, standard zoom lens. Its premium, intuitive build makes it as exciting to use the lens as it is to see the incredible images it can produce, inspiring you to start achieving your creative potential. Sure, it has some caveats in the image quality department. Most notably, corner sharpness isn't stellar at telephoto while wide-open; close-up telephoto shots wide open can have a soft dreamy look , and it's also quite prone to cat's eye bokeh effect. But honestly, depending on your subjects, those may not be major concerns for you. And image quality is otherwise solid, with very good sharpness across much of the focal range, pleasing bokeh, and good resistance to aberrations and ghosting.