Sigma 28 F1.8 II Aspherical   reviews

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Gairdrive   review date: May-04-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50, sony 16-50 minolta 50 1.7, Beercann, sigma 20-40 2,8

price paid:

120 EURO (used)

positive:

Solid, Sharp (from 1.8 in the center, from 4 and below on the frame) , Nice colors. very good range on aps-c

negative:

Rare, sigma body rubber...

comment:

I have the version with the distance scale window (i think the older one). I'm surprised because IT WORKS ON MY A77!!! (firmware 1.07)i buyed this copy to use it with my a550, but it work's very well with my SLT. how is this possible? i really don't know, some one had the same experience??
non back or front focus on my copy. I removed the rubber whit some alcool. but don't do it, if you try, you do it on you're OWN RISK!
very Happy for my glass. i'll never sell it!!!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: petesidewalk   review date: January-01-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Maxxum 35/F2
Maxxum 28/F2.8
Sigma 24/F1.8

price paid:

156 USD

positive:

Sharp
Compact

negative:

Colors a little different

comment:

This is a very good lens. Mine is the same earliest version with the "Sigma High-Speed Wide 28mm 1:1.8 Multi-Coated" designation and the focus scale window on the barrel. It focuses more accurately on an older film body, but seems to respond wekk to micro focus adjustment. Sharp lens that uses a 58mm filter instead of the 77mm of my 24/F1.8. Great rare lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: JohnWeaver   review date: May-02-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28mm f/2.8
Minolta 50mm f/1.7
Tamron 20-40mm f/2.7-3.5

price paid:

120 euros (eBay)

positive:

Extremely sharp
Excellent color rendition
Quick focusing
Relatively light

negative:

Skin tones a bit off

comment:

I am reporting on a previous version of this lens, the Sigma High-Speed Wide 28mm 1:1.8 Multi-Coated used on an A500 until I upgraded to an A33. The lens is not SLT compatible and Sigma cannot provide an update to make it so. The lens is an excellent performer, very solidly built with steel/metal barrel and other parts (weight: approx 360 grams / 390 with both caps). Photos are sharp in the center at f/1.8, very sharp at f/2.0 and very sharp throughout at f/4.0 or smaller. It focuses quickly in AF, seldom hunts for focus even in very low light, and focusing is spot on. I like the 28mm / 42mm equivalent as a slightly wide standard lens on APS-C. A fantastic low-light lens! What a shame I cannot use it on my SLT, am using the two Minoltas above instead. Update: I bought the Tamron for the A33, and it is good for anything except very low light. I sold the Sigma, but regret it now that I've changed to an A580. (I recently posted sample photos here, too.)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: derekw   review date: September-19-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 24mm f2.8
Sigma 28mm f1.8 EX DG
Minolta 28mm f2.8

price paid:

99 GBP NIB

positive:

Very sharp
Realistic colours
Build

negative:

AF inaccurate below f4

comment:

Firstly I should say this review is in the wrong place - mine is the first version with distance scale window and built like a tank.

Extremely sharp beyond f4 and very sharp at f1.8 to f4 when the af hits the mark.

I solved this problem by manually focussing and shooting at the selected aperture; then switching to AF for subsequent shots; the AF hits spot on every time. The only downside is that you have to repeat this for every change of aperture between f1.8 and f4.

Superb IQ with realistic colour; just a touch of PF at the widest apertures.

Way sharper than the Minolta 28 and latest Sigma (Which I sold to buy the Minolta 24)

Deserves its own place in the database. Highly recommended.

EDIT: My version has a rubberised finish with the word Aspherical below the distance window. I have just seem a plain metal version on ebay without the wording - I presume an even older version than mine.
There appears to be at least 2 earlier versions to the Sigma 28mm f1.8 II

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: svendf   review date: February-07-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 20mm 1.8 EX DG

price paid:

85 Euro(used mint)

positive:

Cheap second hand
Sharp stopped down a bit
Fast

negative:

Not wide enough on APS-C

comment:

This was my indoor lens before I bought the Sigma 20mm 1.8 EX DG.
Although it wasn't a bad lens it just wasn't wide enough for me for inside so I sold it and bought the fantastic Sigma 20mm 1.8 EX DG to replace it

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Paperinik   review date: November-06-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 28 2,8
minolta 24 2,8
minolta 20 2,8
sigma 14 2,8

price paid:

190 Eur

positive:

Fast aperture
good af(after fix)
Close focusing

negative:

Front focus(fixed by me)
build quality

comment:

Good every day prime lens on apsc.
My copy had a severe front focus that i've fixed by adding some paper under the bayonet after removing it.
This is sharp in center at 1,8 , very usable at f2,2 perfect at f4,5-5.
Flare control is poor (ghosting) but the large hood does a good job(when the sun isn't in front of you).
Distortion is well controlled, but this is not the best i've ever seen before..
I'd like to see how it performs on FF.

I own the very old, thirst generation with a glass window on the distance meter.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 2 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Fuzzphoto   review date: November-05-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50 mm f/1.7
Sigma 50 mm f/1.4

price paid:

Eur 60

positive:

- Large aperture
- Compact
- Close focusing
- Full frame

negative:

- Average build quality, AF mechanism very weak
- Not very sharp wide open, but not bad either given the price

comment:

I bought this lens second hand with a broken autofocus mechanism, but I managed to repair it. Some parts of the mechanism are made of plastic, and were simply worn. This lens is obviously not made for heavy use. But now that I've repaired it, it still doesn't focus correctly. It has pretty severe back focus, which would require in-camera focus adjustment to correct, a feature supported only by the Sony Alpha 850 and 900. Several others have had back focus problems with this lens, so logic suggests that at least one version of this lens is simply incompatible with modern Alpha cameras. The image you see in this database is of my actual copy. If you run into one that looks exactly the same, chances are it has the back focus problem.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 3 

flare control: 5 

user: yannick   review date: August-09-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50 1.7
SAL 1870

price paid:

170 CHF Mint

positive:

Sharp
Maximum Aperture
Build
Hood

negative:

Distortion

comment:

I bought this lens to have a fast Normal Lens on APS-C.
I like what I got, Images are Sharp for what I expect of a 28 mm Lens. They are sharper than anything I had at 28 mm so far.
I leave it always on my camera when I don't need the ultra-wide angle or a tele.
Together with my 50 mm 1.7 it is on the best way to replace the Kit lens.
What I like about this lens, compared to the 50 1.7 is the Hood and the focus Ring. It's rare nowadays to have such a big focus ring. The Hood is great compared to the one on the Minolta 50mm 1.7.
What I don't like is the distortion. Maybe it is because it is supposed to be a Wide angle Lens (At least on Film) but for a Normal Lens, and that's what it is on APS-C, this is a lot of distortion.

(Edit: The hood isn't that good after all, I mean, It is big (bigger than the Minolta 50mm one, but, It does not easily goes on and of)

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: frigo75   review date: May-08-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

-Minolta 50/1,7
-Tamron 17-50/2,8

price paid:

100 EUR

positive:

-Sharp
-good Colours
-good Bokeh

negative:

-AF could sometimes be more accurate

comment:

Perfect for APS-C. 50mm is too long for inside.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: karaatanasov   review date: March-28-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Minolta 50 / 1.7
- Minolta 18-70/3.5-5.6 (kit)
- Minolta 35-105/3.5-4.5 (classic)

price paid:

90 Euro

positive:

- Sharp
- Wide aperture
- nice colors
- nice bokeh

negative:

- Severe back focus (on my copy)

comment:

Great optics, but vary bad incurable back focus.

Sigma will not repair it!

I love this lens for the colors and bokeh and sharpness. Really great optics. Too bad focus is never right.

I hope I get a camera with focus calibration one of those days to be able to use this beauty.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: alang   review date: December-30-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50/1.7 RS

price paid:

250 Euro

positive:

-sharp
-well build
-size
-useful wide open
-cheap compared to Minolta lenses

negative:

Colors not as good as on minolta 50/1.7. (But easy to adjust)

comment:

It's a perfect walk around lense (42mm). Perfect size and even in low light situations very useful.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: AllAboutAlpha   review date: July-29-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

nothing compare too at this price range

price paid:

115 € (nearly new)

positive:

very quick AF, very, very sharp, COLOURS like MINOLTACOLOURS

negative:

nothing

comment:

I LOVE THAT LENSE !!! I own the very old, thirst generation with a glass window on the distance meter. With this lense (on APS- Cam) I feel like fotographing with an Min. 50/1.4 (or 1.7) on a 35mm Cam.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: jakubh70   review date: March-23-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

MAF 1,7/50

price paid:

150EUR

positive:

Fast, internal focusing, compact, good for low-light situations, 42mm on digital makes it "standard" lens, 58mm filters. Very good picture quality from F4 on.

negative:

Flare, some corner softness wide open (less than MAF 1,7/50), some CA at widest apertures.

comment:

MFD is 0,3 m so it is also useful for macro shots. Usable sharpness even wide open, goes very sharp from F4. Flare is a common problem even with the hood on. Soft corners at wide apertures. Some barrel distortion. Corner CA can be noticed, especially at widest apertures. Bokeh is not quite good. I think that newer Sigma 1,8/28 mm EX (77 mm filter) is better but also much heavier and more expensive. This lens takes 58mm filters like Sigma 70-300 (APO Macro, DG, Super, DL etc.) and Sigma 105 macro. Build is nice. Very fast AF. Bokeh is not that great, as usual with wideangles. Anyway, interesting lens for the price.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 3 

user: elban   review date: March-17-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 35mm f2

price paid:

130 EUR (near mint)

positive:

compact
light
cheap
fast AF
maximum aperture

negative:

colors a bit dull
suffers from flare
backfocus (at least on my copy)

comment:

This lens is not very common. It looked a bargain to me at that price, so I bought it.
Unfortunately my copy has haze (or some kind of fine dust) inside, leading to reduced contrast on some situations.
AF is fast but my copy (and it could be a general problem as far as I know) has bad backfocus.
I called the sigma service center and they said the backfocus problem is not fixable.
Anyway sharpness is not great but ok for the price, colors are not minolta's but again they are ok for the price. There is pronounced vignetting and decreased corner sharpness at maximum aperture.
Build is fine, hood is good but may slip off when reversed.
I will probably send the lens back, but I'm sad because I liked the size, the weight, the maximum aperture and of course the price!