Sigma 75-200mm F2.8-3.5 A-mount lens reviews
 Ronh1977#47069 date: Mar-17-2025 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | All minolta 75-210 |
| price paid: | €20 |
| positive: | Nice colors, sharp,fast |
| negative: | Heavy |
| comment: | I'm using it on the km5d, sony a300,a330, a390 and slta33. It works great on all of them. This whas a bargain for €20. Lens is realy sharp. Used it with a vivetar 2x teleconverter, and works great, 600mm on the aps-c camera's. |
; 14MP| japp#46860 date: May-26-2022 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.2 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 70-210mm beercan minolta 100-300 apo |
| price paid: | €18 |
| positive: | an f2.8 lens until 135mm great sharpness for a zoom lens (not expected) some swirly bokeh can sometimes be present |
| negative: | if the focus isn't perfectly on the subject you will get quite some ca next to the main subject till around F4 (can be corrected but still annoying) |
| comment: | this is really a great lens for the money you see this lenses being sold for the prices currently mentioned on dyxum! if you see one for cheap just take your chances. at f2.8 the images are great but you will see some ca. (after using this lens a bit i tried the offset setting on the la-ea4 and the a68, this seemed to get the focus spot on and help reduce the CA.) the depth of field is great (really thin) especially for this kind of money. it is around as big as the beercan and will be around the same sharpness at f4 as the beercan. the lens isn't as ruggedly build as the beercan but is actually pretty good for a sigma lens of this erra. i gave build a 4 because of the zoom creep this lens has and is quite annoying me sometimes. fun fact actualy: this lens will report in the exif data that this is an ''beercan'' (70-210mm f4) lens. it is actually quite strange to see that a picture is shot at f2.8 but the lens chip says it supports up to f4 ;) (update 27-3-2022) i have now used this lens for a little while on the sony a7 and am still pleased with the results from this lens. The only thing that i really want with this kinda lens is an usm motor, but this lens is from the 80's so i can't complain especially for around €30-40. (also with the below mentioned greasing 'update' the focus got faster by a bit) if you can live with the following compromises i would suggest buying this lens: - no usm motor - some chromatic aboration til around F4 - not clinically sharp at F2.8 but still a nice amount of sharpness - the push pull zoom (update 22-8-2023) having used this lens for over 1,5 years by now the lens started to have difficulty to focus. this was caused by the grease which didn't do its job to the propper amount. since the grease was for the most part still smooth i tried to add some grease to the helicoid (really little) and it worked like a charm. it just needed some love and care after almost 1.5 years of what i would call heavy usage. and after micro adjusting this lens i have to put a 5 for sharpness instead of the previous 4.5. it really is sharp and some times is feels like it is as sharp as some of my primes (which i didn't expect from this little lens). and fore the people who like some swirly bokeh, this lens some times delivers nicely (but under really specific conditions). (update 15-3-2024) using the lens at its maximum aperture is kind of a mixed bag some times. the AF really tries to get sharp but because there is some play in the design, this will result in just missed focus on some images. because the DOF is so thin on this lens and the focus ring has a somewhat short throw this makes it somewhat hard for the AF system to consistently focus on the correct subject. At around 1 stop above the maximum aperture the softness ( i don't know if it is softness or just a white glow around your subjects) around out of focus parts on your images, will disappear and make the correct hit rate of in focus images higher. so the DOF gets wider and therefore the AF system gets a much better hit rate if you close your lens one stop down. |
| pipeknight#44236 date: Mar-11-2019 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.6 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 75-300mm Big Beercan Sony 18-135mm |
| price paid: | 75 USD (used) |
| positive: | Amazing picture, bokeh is very sweet, and it gives me 2.8 until 135mm! For me it's a very good lens for shooting portraits |
| negative: | Yea, flare control isn't so good, but hood helps a lot. The other problem is the zoom creep. When I wear a camera on my neck, lens is zooming to the 200mm every time |
| comment: | Good alternative to Beercan |
| pipesmoker#25499 date: Feb-21-2016 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.7 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | MIN 80-200 2.8, MIN 100 2.8 MIN 70-210 beercan |
| price paid: | 50€ mint |
| positive: | Sharp wide open, very sharp stopped down, wonderful full metal build, slim design, nice bokeh |
| negative: | some CA, nice colors but not as good as the MIN 80-200 2.8 |
| comment: | This lens was a very big surprise for me! I got it in a bundle, not intending so much to keep, since I own the MIN 80-200 and the beercan. I owned other 2.8- Sigmas so I was not expecting too much especially wide open but hey, this one is much different. It's underrated especially for the price it's asked on the marked. I think this one suffers for the bad reputation of some similar cheap Sigmas of this time. Except colors (and this not much) it outperforms the beercan all the way. (Being a Minoltarien for more than 25 years I can't believe what I say) Of cause the MIN 80-200 is better but much bigger and heavier and ten times more expensive. For traveling I prefer the Sigma and the pictures were never disappointing. If you can get one for a fair price: Take it, I'm sure you will be surprised of this lens too. |
| Fivepin#12002 date: Oct-16-2014 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.6 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 70-300G 70- 210 Tamron 19AH |
| price paid: | 180 CAD |
| positive: | F2.8 to 135mm Weight Price build Works well with 1.4 and 1.7 teleconverters. |
| negative: | Vignette on full frame 1.3m minimum focus. Slight contrast loss wide open (easy fix post) slight purple fringe (not as bad as my Minolta 135) Slow Auto focus not usable for sports |
| comment: | This lens purchase was a compromise. I really wanted a new 70-200 f2.8. I didn't want to pay the $1400 price or carry the extra weight. I was delighted to find an EX copy of this lens and my price includes tax and shipping. My version has a serial number starting with 1 and works on both my A77 and my A99 flawlessly. The focus on this lens is fast. The lens is sharp. Not as sharp as a prime, but really sharp. Edit: After a month of use for portraits I have to say...may very well be as sharp as my primes. Very usable wide open. Solid metal lens that is built to last. Another thing that surprised me was the focus noise. It is not as loud as the other reviews here had me thinking it would be. I am very impressed with the Bokeh of this lens as well. Very smooth. Lens focuses with a 1.7 Promaster and 1.4 Tamron converter as well. |
| fennetje#11733 date: Mar-18-2014 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 3 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | minolta 70-210 F4 minolta 70-210 F3.5 - f4.5 minolta 75-300 II sony 55-200 |
| price paid: | 140 eur |
| positive: | sharpness bokeh 2.8 speed till 135mm light & small for the given range & speed inexpensive ( but with a warning ) |
| negative: | might or might not AF on your camera AF movement is crude build quality varies ( see comments ) |
| comment: | I've had lovely results with this lens, IQ is really nice & it meets my requirements for portraiture 100%. Build quality is actually good overall, but Sigma skimped on the costs later on in the production. My first copy of this lens would auto-focus ( serial number starting with a 2 ) on my A55. Unfortunatly, it contained a plastic inner focussing gear ring, which didn't work well with the powerfull AF motor. After some use, I couldn't focus beyond a certain point. Removing the front section & putting it back half a turn further ( which renders the focus distance window useless ) mediated some of the problems, but it wasn't ideal. I knew some had brass rings instead of plastic ones, so when i purchased a second copy ( earlier make ), i could combine the front element of that with the first lens, to have an AF enabled and durable copy at last. in total I've spent something of around 140 euro's ( with shipping ) on the 2 copies, somewhat steap, but i do consider it my best telephoto zoom lens to date. |
| mondo#11711 date: Mar-1-2014 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.1 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 1:2 macro zoom minolta 100-300mm apo |
| price paid: | 105 |
| positive: | excellent light transmission, far better than average sharpness. vg but not exc contrast and color - bargain for the money, although i see fewer of these for sale more recently. |
| negative: | i'm not a fan of the push-pull zoom. |
| comment: | i've had 2 of these and they both work perfectly on my slt-a65. i suspect this is because of the chip change others in this thread have reported on that sony implemented on later cameras. i have other lenses and teleconverters that did not work on my a33 that do work on the a65. |
| ivansinger#11584 date: Jan-4-2014 | |
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sharpness: 3.5 color: 3 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 3.7 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Nikkor AF-D 80-200/2.8 Sony AF 70-300/4.5-5.6 |
| price paid: | 110 USD |
| positive: | Poor man's fast tele zoom, super cheap on ebay Near constant aperture Solid metal construction Fast AF on my A57 (biggest surprise) |
| negative: | Heavy, not a walkabout lens Not as sharp as more modern APO lenses in this zoom range Not contrasty enough in low light, probably due to SLT 1/2 stop light loss by design Single ring push-pull zoom design and focus is terrible ergonomics for MF video work |
| comment: | Some context for my comments: I shoot a lot of live music and performing arts events and freely admit that I've been spoiled by my Nikkor zoom workhorse on a 12MP D300, images from which have been published numerous times. In fact, I bought that particular Nikkor zoom lens to be able to take on more competitive jobs and it has paid off in spades. Buying this Sigma for the Sony A-57 was a BIG compromise, and I wasn't expecting much for the price. Three things that have surprised me were the neutral colors, flat workable contrast, and generally fast AF for sports shooting. I didn't really expect it to take the place of my Nikkor, until one video gig, my assistant grabbed it to shoot an entire event's a-roll footage! Without it, I would have been sunk and it did get the job done, but the low light footage has flat contrast and therefore is not looking particularly sharp. I'l hang onto it because it does really work, but will probably replace it once I go to a full-frame A mount. |
| Delphi#11301 date: Aug-9-2013 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-200 f4 |
| price paid: | $65.00 USD |
| positive: | Inexpensive Sharp Fast |
| negative: | Heavy Flare with stock hood |
| comment: | I had not been into photography since film but was looking to take decent photos of my kids playing sport. With only some old pentax and olympus film bodies and manual focus lenses, I was clearly not bound to any particular brand. I was, however, very limited in terms of budget. Sony seemed to offer the best option for shooting reasonably fast, reasonably long with the minolta 70-210 f4 but then I stumbled across this lens on eBay. For the price it looked too good to be true but I took the risk anyway, paired it with a refurbished a37 and had a sub $400 sports rig. Shooting basketball inside and rugby outside, the results have been very nice indeed. Color and contrast have been very solid, autofocus fast and accurate and the lens has been crisp even wide open (better again at f4 upwards). I have since borrowed a minolta 70-210 f4. With the beercan wide open and this lens at f4, the minolta perhaps shades the sigma on color and sharpness. But for sport indoors (or outside in marginal light), the f2.8 to 135mm is a more than useful offset. This lens does wear the a37 rather than the other way round and the autofocus can feel like it's trying to shake the camera off on long throws. In addition I had a touch of flare (harsh Australian sun) until I realised that I could use a larger hood with the APS-C sensor. Now not really an issue. This lens is exceptional value. It is cheaper than the beercan, is comparable in terms of performance at f4 (though perhaps just shaded) and has the option of shooting faster when required. Highly recommended for the budget sports shooter. |
| clockwork247#10866 date: Jan-23-2013 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.2 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-210 f4 Sigma 70-210 f2.8 |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Price Large Aperture Built |
| negative: | Pushpull zoom Will not AF on many sony cameras |
| comment: | I got a mint copy from keh for 80 shipped. Keh doesn't list serial numbers, I was just taking a swing at it. Well, it came as a 1XX serial number. oh no!!! But as it turned out, this thing will AF on my A37 but will not AF on my A330. So my conclusion is that when sony switch from OVF to EVF they're changing quite a bit of things inside (another example is my Nikon SB24 flash works with the A330 but not the A37). So if you have a 3rd gen SLT (A37, 57, 65 and 77), there's a very good chance that this lens will AF. I haven't had a chance to test it out too much, but so far it's actually pretty sharp wide open, I don't know about flare since I shot it in the afternoon, but the speed is nice, 2.8 all the way up to 135... then it's 3.2 and finally 3.5, good speed compare to the beercan for about the same price. The built is nice too, it's actually shorter than the beer can but slightly fatter. If you have a 3rd gen SLT i suggest hunting one down, it's well worth the money when it can communicate with the camera. |
| dbrummag#10812 date: Jan-1-2013 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 120 USD |
| positive: | F/2.8 at 75-135mm Price Solid Metal |
| negative: | None at this price |
| comment: | I bought this lens on Ebay, copy number 10062xx taking a chance that it just might AF with my a65. To my delight, I put it on that body and it focused straight to infinity. From what I have put together from others, all copies of this lens seem to be fully functioning on a65 and a77 bodies, not just copies 1016xxxx and later. If you get this lens to AF with your body, you have a lens of easily $500-700+ value. Not the quality of a G lens, a little better than an APO version of Sigma's f/2.8 70-210mm. Image quality is good at f/2.8 but improves at f/4 (like about every lens). I would suggest buying a copy if you have an a65 or a77. I use it most to photograph high school sports. |
| Blegate#10505 date: Sep-11-2012 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.1 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 57 (used) |
| positive: | Fast lens 2.8~3.5 Sturdy Sharp. Built well |
| negative: | Lens creep AF on current Sonys works but no fluid |
| comment: | Got this off eBay recently and to my surprise it works very well with my Sony alpha 65. Serial number 10160xx AF can be a little touchy if the subject is moving but perhaps this might be from the camera sensing moving- need more testing. The lens is sturdy which means it is heavy when compared to a modern day lens. It's actually built with metal! I'm enjoying this lens and suggest other try them out. I've now got the means to get indoor sports shots and/or football in the evening. Happy camper. |
| Freyr#10062 date: Mar-29-2012 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 3.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron - SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di USD |
| price paid: | 50 EUR (used) |
| positive: | - cheap - f2.8 ~135mm - quite sharp |
| negative: | - some Purple fringing - only average flare control - AF Problems |
| comment: | When I bought this lens 5 months ago I was fully aware of the chance that it might not work properly with my a100, although it was one of the later ones. Unfortunately I was right, as the AF wouldn't work, so I ended up with a 75-200/2.8-3.5 MF lens. Still, in my opinion it was 50 eur well spent, as both the sharpness and the colours are quite good (that is if you nail the focus right where you want it, of course). This forced me to think and helped me improve my focusing skills. The fast aperture makes this lens quite suitable for portraits - I often zoom to 200mm, focus and then push it back (push-pull zoom) to 135mm. I was quite surprised, however, when I tried it on an A77 and the AF worked like a charm, despite all odds. (when I say 'like a charm', I have to note that when it comes to focus it feels as if someone's wrestling inside- it vibrates quite a lot, but on the A77 the AF was very, very fast). Naturally, the lens has its flaws - fringing, for example. Also, you need a lens hood if you are to use it in bright sunlight. Overall, however, I think this is a small price to pay given the fact that it's very cheap and the performance you get for such money is astounding. [edit:] I tried it on a Maxxum 5000 and it really shines on film :) |
| mattsonylover#9968 date: Feb-23-2012 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | sigma 18-125mm Minolta 70-210mm F4 Minolta 50mm f1.7 sony 18-55mm sigma 400mm f5.6 |
| price paid: | £75.00 |
| positive: | sharpness colour build quality push pull zoom ! |
| negative: | slow AF some CA |
| comment: | as mentioned over here, early serials is not going to work on Sony bodies, however, I re-chipped it by using another chip from old lens. the AF is slow but not that bad, you can still get decent pictures with it. the lens is sharpest at 135mm with f2.8 but 1 stop would make a difference in the picture quality. I love the fact that I have constant aperture of f2.8 between 75-135mm, that makes it a nice lens for portrait. well you can have lots of fun for little money ! I would recommend it but bear in mind its not one of those expensive lenses for action, sport and best optics, its just a budget lens with f2.8 ! |
| onnumara#9909 date: Feb-10-2012 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 3 distortion: 3 flare control: 4 overall: 3.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 150 USD |
| positive: | Great colors and sharpness. |
| negative: | AF slow |
| comment: | missing |
| eddiem45#9511 date: Oct-19-2011 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 3 flare control: 4 overall: 3.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 300mm f4 prime Minolta 50mm f1.7 Minolta 35-70mm f4 |
| price paid: | 125 USD |
| positive: | 2.8-3.5 in a 200mm Works great on Maxxum 7000 |
| negative: | problem with working on A200 and A580. |
| comment: | Seems to make really good pictures on my film camera, but cannot get it to work on my DSLR's...serial #2022XXX..was told it would work on either my A200 or my A580 but it will not...I'm hoping the teleconverter I ordered will allow it to work on my DSLR's. |
| gussman#9508 date: Oct-17-2011 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 28-135 Sigma 70-200 2.8 |
| price paid: | 75 € |
| positive: | weight sharpness AF aperture of 2.8! |
| negative: | AF hunts sometimes |
| comment: | this copy (2000478) works (almost) flawlessly on my A850 AF sometimes hunts (reducing sharpness to 1 point instead of several helps) but that is something getting used to main thing: a lens with 2.8 till 150 mm and 3.5 till 200 for just 880 gr and such a quality and such a price: a real bargain very much a travelzoom with acceptable weight |
| gwbert#9498 date: Oct-13-2011 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Big beer can Many Tamrons 105/135/200mm primes |
| price paid: | $30 |
| positive: | - Very solidly built - Excellent colour - AF plenty fast enough - Push-pull zoom very fast - suits me as I do action photography - Sharp |
| negative: | - Heavy, but that's what u get for solidity & fast aperture - zoom lock would be nice. I'll make one. |
| comment: | For info, I've just risked $30 on buying #1002218. Very nice order, no marks. Was told I was wasting my cash as it was too early to work on digital, but now arrived & works fine on my A550. Fast AF, all functions work as expected. Lucky boy. Will paste review on functionality when I've given it a good work-out. Update : Now taken several hundred pix in anger. Well pleased. Much better than expected in operation & image quality. I use a Tamron 28-200 as my walk-around lens, but this one will always be with me on fast-action sports shoots & anything low-light. Recommended. |
| REVENGE#7648 date: Jul-1-2010 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 3 overall: 4.2 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 75 USD |
| positive: | Sharp at 70-135mm f2.8 until ~135mm Solid metal build quality |
| negative: | Giant front focusing element Push pull zoom creep Soft at 200mm Flare Heavy |
| comment: | The high probability of finding a non-AF copy of this lens has driven its price way below what it should be worth. Consider its specs on paper: this is a lens in the same weight / size class as the Beercan, is 1 - 1/4th of a stop faster at all focal lengths, and costs on average 1/3 as much. In my opinion, the existence of this lens and the Minolta 70-210mm f3.5-4.5 completely negates the value of the Beercan. While the Minolta 70-210mm f3.5-4.5 is both light and sharp, this Sigma is heavier but provides good low light coverage. If you're hunting for an AF copy of this lens, consider asking the seller the following questions: what is its serial number, and what camera body was it used with? If the lens has a serial number beginning with a 2 and/or was used with the 3000i/5000i/7000i/9000i series of bodies, then you very likely have a winner. There are nonetheless, quite a few negatives to consider: the lens is both slowest and softest at 200mm. The giant front focusing element has a lot of mass and extension, so both AF speed and accuracy can be compromised. Hoods are thread on only, and you will NEED a hood if you want to shoot in the sunlight. Overall, don't get this lens unless you need low-light coverage. UPDATE: I briefly tested this lens on an SLT-A65. I can confirm that AF works correctly (and speedily, much better vs my A200), but I cannot say whether or not the aperture mechanism works correctly on the SLTs. I have also tested it on an NEX-5n via the LA-EA1, and in that combo the aperture does work properly. |
| JeremyT#6266 date: Oct-24-2009 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 3 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 3.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | SAL 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAL 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8 |
| price paid: | 80 USD |
| positive: | - Fast - Sharp - Cheap |
| negative: | - Heavy - Zoom creep - May need to rechip - Flare - CA when wide open - "Bokeh" can be a little "harsh" |
| comment: | Mine is labeled "Access Tempo," and it was NOT compatible with modern bodies. Therefore, I purchased a chip from James Lao. My 'price paid' includes the chip. This lens is a gem. It's faster than the beercan and it's quite sharp wide open on my A200. Stopping down to f/4 shows improvement but I seldom feel like it's necessary. This is my poor man's 'sports zoom.' I shot a little bit with bright light and I saw some flare. I don't have a hood, and any hood would need to screw into the filter ring (yuck). Stopped down to the same apertures it seems to be sharper than the SAL 55-200mm, but the more modern 55-200mm kills it with respect to flare and CA. Mechanically this thing feels like a piece of crap. It weighs way more than modern consumer zooms, and when fully extended there's more play than I'd like. It's a push/pull zoom mechanism and my copy shimmies and shakes when it autofocuses. What the heck though, it's cheaper than dirt and it takes great pictures. If you can find one that you know works for cheap, GET IT, you won't be sorry. If you have one that needs to be rechipped, don't pay as much, and plan on spending 65 USD (and some time) to get it working. It's worth it! * UPDATE March 2010: This lens continues to impress me on the A700, where focusing speed is improved. I tend to leave the chip set to a focal length in the middle and SSS seems to work just fine throughout its range. I much prefer this to the beercan and it greatly reduces my temptation to buy an expensive f/2.8 zoom. |
| jakubh70#6207 date: Oct-9-2009 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-210 F4 |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Solid build, cheapest fast telezoom available, quite good sharpness, bokeh |
| negative: | Colors are not that great, rotary filter ring, push-pull zoom goes loose in time |
| comment: | I compare it to beercan because it seems to be its closest competitor. Apart of some "halo" effect wide open, this is quite sharp lens, arm to arm with beercan and - last but not least - 1 stop faster from 70 to 140 mm. Colors are not that nice as with Minolta lens but still very good, CA control somewhat better. Takes 67mm filters, dedicated hood must be screwed in filter ring. If I had to choose to keep this one or beercan only, I would be confused which is better! |
| mrsvan#4850 date: Feb-12-2009 | |
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sharpness: 1 color: 1 build: 4 distortion: 1 flare control: 1 overall: 1.6 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony DT 4-5.6/55-200 |
| price paid: | 79 USD (ebay) |
| positive: | All in metal - built to last. |
| negative: | Is not compatible with a350. |
| comment: | I was looking for a brighter lens than my kit Sony DT 4-5.6/55-200, but I did not want to pay the price for a 2.8 70-200... I stumbled upon this lens on e-bay, but at the time I was not aware that certain old Sigma lenses had a chip compatibility problem with the newer Sony bodies. My lens is serial number 1010736 and it definately does not work with my a350. When I attach it to the camera body, I get a "no lens attached" warning on my display! So I disassembled it: Made with Slideshow Embed Tool |
| dxqcanada#4778 date: Jan-31-2009 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 3 build: 3 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 3.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony SAL 75-300mm Sigma AF 70-300mm APO |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Bright lens. Fast focusing. |
| negative: | Build (see comments). |
| comment: | We have had this lens for about 15 years. We have used it on a number of Minola Maxxum bodies and just recently the Sony Alpha a100. It is a great lens for lower lighting and is very sharp even wide open. The all metal construction is very tough ... I have many dents on it to prove it. It can be found cheap on eBay in comparison to other f/2.8 lenses. After some years the internal screws became lose causing the lens assembly to wobble... I had to disassemble the lens and tighten the screws (the hardest part was putting the front element back in the correct position). |
| perslucht#4683 date: Jan-14-2009 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 3 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 3.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 70-210mm f/4 |
| price paid: | 105€ |
| positive: | Sharpness Bokeh |
| negative: | Push-pull Heavy Rare Bit useless lens hood |
| comment: | I owned this lens before I bought a beercan. I realy like this lens because of the Bokeh. It may not be the sharpest but the images are a bit creamy, it's very nice. If you can get one for cheap, get it! If it's near 130 Euro, don't get it, get a 70-210 or something. |
| petesidewalk#4128 date: Sep-23-2008 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | K/M 75-300 Big Beercan K/M 35-70 4 Sony 18-70 Kit Lens K/M 50 1.7 K/M 70-210 4.5-5.6 K/M 70-210 4 Beercan K/M 28 2.8 K/M 28-80xi K/M 28-135 4-4.5 K/M 35-70 3.5-4.5 Tamron 200-400 5.6 LD NEW Sigma 75-200 2.8-3.5 K/M 80-200 2.8 HS G Sigma 75-200 2.8-3.5 |
| price paid: | 140 USD |
| positive: | sharpness fast AF filter size small sharp great color awesome price |
| negative: | a little heavy hard to find |
| comment: | This lens is a steal. It is sharp throughout the range, it focuses very quickly and is well balanced on the A100. It's front element is gorgeous and it has nice bokeh and great range. The push pull zoom is different but useful and it stays at F2.8 until 135mm. I think this is a great lens and is sturdy as well as compact. The image quality is stellar for the money. A little prone to flare, but a good hood eliminates the problem. |
| Cliff#3657 date: Jun-1-2008 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | beercan, Tokina 35-200mm SD, newer Sigma 70-210mm APO |
| price paid: | $250 (in 1992) |
| positive: | fast, sharp, color |
| negative: | heavy, push pull zoom & creep |
| comment: | This lens was produced under license from Carl Zeiss Jena where they were called Zeiss Jenazooms. There was a full line of these and they were also marketed as Sigmas. Others on Dyxum are the 75-300mm and 70-210mm, both are APOs and push/pulls. It's been a workhorse, and cheap these days. It's a better balance on the bigger Alpha than on my old 7000i. Color is warm, saturated, very similar to older Minolta lenses but with a little greener balance. It's faster than the Beercan, a full stop at 75mm. Focus speed, flare and CA are similar to the Beercan. They're about the same length, the Sigma is a little fatter and heavier. They're buds and the Sigma comes out in lower light. Woodworker, please read the statement on the front page of the lens database about compatibility, and do something with your rating. Earlier copies of this lens (and some others) have older chips that do not work with newer cameras. Go back to the seller. Older 3rd party lenses must be tested on 5/7Ds and Alphas before anyone can assure compatibility. Please see also mounting comments in earlier reviews. Make sure the mount release button snaps up when the lens mounts. For me this lens was what tipped the balance when deciding whether to jump ship or hang with A mounts. Canikon IS f2.8 mid range zoom lenses cost more than the camera body. With SSS and high ISO I can shoot hand held in natural light that was beyond my dreams when I got it long ago. If you like that kind of photography get one of these and enjoy it. Like all lenses it's got it's warts, but where it shines it's a great value. |
| signal2noise#3348 date: Mar-8-2008 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Very sharp, excellent glass, quality build. |
| negative: | Could use a bracket as the slide zoom may move when remote shooting |
| comment: | I have had this lens for many years, use it extensively with my Maxxum 9000 film camera. It is one of my favorite and most-used lenses. Digicam users may not like the weight of the lens, but on a 7D, it has a well-connected and balance feel, much like the feel of heavier film cams. |
| adriandb#3204 date: Jan-24-2008 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 3 flare control: 3 overall: 4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Minolta 100-300 xi 4.5-5.6 Minolta 28-105 xi 3.5-4.5 |
| price paid: | 102 US (used) |
| positive: | Sharp, well-built |
| negative: | heavy |
| comment: | Works fine with the A700 I recently purchased (serial #1000xxx). I was concerned that I would have problems with it because of the low serial #; don't think that will be the case. It also will AF with a 2X TC. I will give this lens a workout this weekend (shooting basketball games indoors). AF is quick with this lens, even with the push-pull zoom. I'll see what happens during the bball shoot. I'm giving the build a 4 because of a little wobble at the back of the lens due to the overall weight; it could benefit from a mount of some kind. Overall, I think it's a best buy. |
| bcostel#2771 date: Sep-24-2007 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron AF 70-300 F4-5.6 Minolta 70-210 F4 (beercan) |
| price paid: | 50 USD(used) |
| positive: | Sharp. Well build. |
| negative: | None |
| comment: | For his price and his age it's a very good lens. Is fast and the focus it's ok (sometime it will hunt but if you "learn" how to use, it will perform very well). Highly recommend. My serial nember is something like 200xxxx. |
| 1hander#2735 date: Sep-16-2007 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.1 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 70-210 f4 beercan |
| price paid: | free |
| positive: | sharp great colors fast focus collects lost of light |
| negative: | a bit heavy (no biggy for me) push pull zoom no hood |
| comment: | I got this for free in a tamron lens buy. serial number oddly enouph is 1016xxx, its not supposed to work on the a100 but boy does it. I thought it would be a bust, but i was pleasantly surprised to find that it is in fact a very very good piece of glass. The build is all metal and very sturdy, i love it. Not very fond of the push pull zoom, but i can deal with it. It is a bit on the heavy side, heavier than the beercan but ive grown used to it. The focus on my copy is fast as hell, it rarely over or undershoots, but recovers quickly when it does. My copy is sharp , sharp, sharp... contrast is good, colors are really good. I didnt notice any CA or flare even without a hood but i was shooting from under covering and i didnt challenge it mucxh with sunlight. I did notice that this lens lets in lots of light, so shutter speeds are really high if you need them. The photos are very usable a 2.8 but get really good at f4 and smaller. If you can get your hands on one easily and dont want to spend alot, this lens is good....really good. Even though i am a beginner, i recommend it highly. |
rating summary
- total reviews: 35
- sharpness: 4.34
- color: 4.20
- build: 4.43
- distortion: 4.11
- flare control: 3.51
- overall: 4.12
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