Sigma & Tamron 2.8 lenses ... Reviews please

gothgirl

gothgirl

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These are the lenses I'm considering at the mo , I'm looking for a faster and sharper replacement to the kit lens

I'd like to hear reviews from people that have actually owned the lenses - especially on canon and CROP bodies please

Would love any sample images too

Thank you

Sigma AF 18-50 F2.8 EX DC


Tamron AF 17-50 F2.8 Di II


Sigma 28-70 F2.8 EX


Tamron SP AF 28-75 F2.8 XR Di LD Macro


Sigma 17-50 F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
 
I now own the bottom two on your list. The sigma was the lens I have on my 70d most of the time. My main irritation with it is the OS. It undoubtedly works, but you need to give it a moment to settle, or its blurred. Haven't tried the tamron on a crop yet, but was happy with it on a ff body (some noticeable vingretting though, which you might not have on a crop body). It's a nice weight, but no OS.
 
All of those lenses are potentially quite decent or utterly appalling. I've never owned a Sigma zoom that could focus accurately more than 25% of the time. I'd take either of the Tamrons over those Sigmas with the caveat to see plenty of test shots and ask if there are any focus issues.
 
Been researching the exact same thing myself. The QC issues surrounding Tamron and Sigma worry me though. I assume if there's a problem it's dealt with under warranty?
 
Sigma 17-50 F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is what I use on my D7000.
I know it's not a Canon, but it's a great lens for me. Bought New in the summer and no focus issues whatsoever.
 
This is the Tamron 17-50 albeit the VC model
5849539525_beb631930b_o.jpg


5394610136_77ecdac652_o.jpg



7001466073_e61ca23309_o.jpg


All shot on my 40D
Sorry I don't have any wide open to hand as I'm in the middle of re organising all of my files .
Aren't you in Wakefield ?
You can always have a play with mine if you want ? I'm only about 20mins away in Leeds .

John.
 
BigJohn said:
This is the Tamron 17-50 albeit the VC model
5849539525_beb631930b_o.jpg


5394610136_77ecdac652_o.jpg



7001466073_e61ca23309_o.jpg


All shot on my 40D
Sorry I don't have any wide open to hand as I'm in the middle of re organising all of my files .
Aren't you in Wakefield ?
You can always have a play with mine if you want ? I'm only about 20mins away in Leeds .

John.
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That's a smashing offer but it seems quality control is lens to lens

as suggested above I'll get in touch with the sellers and ask about any issues and make sure they're covered under the warranty
 
Currently Use the sigma 17-50 on your list on a 550d for portraits and landscapes and I would say it is ace. Portrait example

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1451842910.333685.jpg

And a landscape

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1451843013.451354.jpg

It's not a full time manual override lens but I personally never use that on my other lens that has it; the hood clicks in place excellently and a very smooth zoom ring. I'm chuffed with mine. Sharp wide open but surely this depends and the be you buy.
 
id say go for one which goes wide, ive got the sony 16-50f2.8 and the extra width over a 18mm is nice :)
 
Tamron non VC is the best out of that bunch.

I used the Sigma 18-50 for years and never missed a beat, also sigma customer service are pretty good.
 
Having owned a Tamron 17-50 2.8, Tamron 28-75 f2.8 and currently own a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 i can't agree on anyone showing concerns regards QC or focus issues, all 3 have been spot on

The first Tammy 17-50 was bought 2nd hand, then i went FF and bought the 28-75mm (Grey Import), then went back to crop and bought Sigma 17-50mm new from Jessops, never had an issue with any of them and IMO are great value for money and a well worthy upgrade over a kit lens
 
rpsmith79 said:
Having owned a Tamron 17-50 2.8, Tamron 28-75 f2.8 and currently own a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 i can't agree on anyone showing concerns regards QC or focus issues, all 3 have been spot on

The first Tammy 17-50 was bought 2nd hand, then i went FF and bought the 28-75mm (Grey Import), then went back to crop and bought Sigma 17-50mm new from Jessops, never had an issue with any of them and IMO are great value for money and a well worthy upgrade over a kit lens
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Nice to hear this. Just trying to sort a good deal on the very same Sigma and depending on how good it is, may even sell the 35mm 1.8!
 
I have the Tamron 17-50 and it is a great lens for static or slow moving subjects, but I find the AF struggles to keep up with anything fast moving - it is much slower focusing than my Canon glass. This might not be a concern to you but it is worth bearing in mind. I regularly use mine for circuses and I have to pick the acts and angles to give it a chance to focus, whereas the other lens I use for it, the Canon 70-200 f/2.8, nails the focus every time.
 
I own the last (Sigma 17-50 f2.8) and use it on my Pentax K3. No issues with at all....sharp across the frame (far more so than my Pentax 16-50 which costs about 3x as much) and very decent IQ with absolutely no AF issues at all. It is the lens that stays on the camera at least 80% of the time! :) Would recommend it to anyone!
 
gothgirl said:
Ive gone for the sigma 18-50 2.8

Will review when it arrives :)
Click to expand...
Probably the worst of the bunch sigma only really sorted the fast walkabout for crop cameras with the OS version and still haven't sorted a decent standard fast zoom for full frame which amazes me!

From your list I'd have taken the sigma OS lens unless money was tight then it would have been the tamron equivalent without VC
 
a1ex2001 said:
Probably the worst of the bunch sigma only really sorted the fast walkabout for crop cameras with the OS version and still haven't sorted a decent standard fast zoom for full frame which amazes me!

From your list I'd have taken the sigma OS lens unless money was tight then it would have been the tamron equivalent without VC
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I found the complete opposite. The 17-50mm OS I bought was a dog IMO and returned quickly, the 18-50 was a stellar lens and one I kept for a good while, plus I liked the close focussing of the lens. I have also owned three Tamron 28-75mm lenses and the two I had with my D7000 were both excellent and the one I recently bought for my D750 was also a dog, there was no sharpness until f5.6/8. Bit pointless buying a f2.8 lens if you cant use it wide open.

There are some variances on some of these older lenses, but when you get a good one, they're good.
 
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As above , the sigma had the focal range I wanted and was the most reasonably price

And in the research I've done it seems that there's more people singing sigmas praise than tamrons when it comes to these lenses

But as there is such 50/50 opinions on the 3rd party lenses... , it seems it really is lens to lens

I checked with the seller and all are guaranteed

So I decided if they're all covered go for the reasonable price one , if it's a "good copy" great, if not I'll send it back and try another

At least buying from a shop I have some comeback if I'm not happy with the lens
 
The Tamron 17-50 2.8 was the single best bang for buck I ever bought. It was as sharp as the 50mm prime I had at the time. Bought it used for €220 and ended up selling it on for the same, lost nothing, had great fun using it on my old D90.
 
Not had a chance to test in low light but so far I'm happy

It's a lot bulkier than the kit lens , which I don't mind at all.

It also seems to be a little stiffer on zoom , and a smudge slower autofocusing but manageable

Took a simple shot of a gecko earlier , nothing fancy just shoved on the nearest surface and used onboard flash and it's a nice sharp image (well DOF considered at fixed 2.8 it's sharp where I want it to be )

Will post it later :)
 
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