Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens - Sony E-Mount
This lens utilizes a complex arrangement of specialized aspherical and low dispersion glass elements to effectively suppress chromatic aberrations for improved clarity and color accuracy. Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coatings have also been applied to improve contrast and color rendering by reducing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions. The inner zoom & focus mechanism keeps the dimensions of the lens constant throughout the zoom range and at all focus distances. This design feature allows for almost no balance point shift and a fixed front element, making it an ideal instrument for videography, travel, and landscape photography. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available lighting conditions. Two large-diameter aspherical elements control spherical aberrations and distortion for increased sharpness and accurate rendering. Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality. 72mm front filter thread allows for the use of common screw-in filters instead of specialized setups. A stepping AF motor benefits both photographers and videographers with its fast, precise, and near-silent performance. Full-time manual focus control can also be selected. Weather-resistant construction with a brass bayonet that affords improved mounting accuracy and rigidity.
This lens utilizes a complex arrangement of specialized aspherical and low dispersion glass elements to effectively suppress chromatic aberrations for improved clarity and color accuracy. Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coatings have also been applied to improve contrast and color rendering by reducing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions. The inner zoom & focus mechanism keeps the dimensions of the lens constant throughout the zoom range and at all focus distances. This design feature allows for almost no balance point shift and a fixed front element, making it an ideal instrument for videography, travel, and landscape photography. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available lighting conditions. Two large-diameter aspherical elements control spherical aberrations and distortion for increased sharpness and accurate rendering. Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality. 72mm front filter thread allows for the use of common screw-in filters instead of specialized setups. A stepping AF motor benefits both photographers and videographers with its fast, precise, and near-silent performance. Full-time manual focus control can also be selected. Weather-resistant construction with a brass bayonet that affords improved mounting accuracy and rigidity.
This lens utilizes a complex arrangement of specialized aspherical and low dispersion glass elements to effectively suppress chromatic aberrations for improved clarity and color accuracy. Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coatings have also been applied to improve contrast and color rendering by reducing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions. The inner zoom & focus mechanism keeps the dimensions of the lens constant throughout the zoom range and at all focus distances. This design feature allows for almost no balance point shift and a fixed front element, making it an ideal instrument for videography, travel, and landscape photography. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available lighting conditions. Two large-diameter aspherical elements control spherical aberrations and distortion for increased sharpness and accurate rendering. Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality. 72mm front filter thread allows for the use of common screw-in filters instead of specialized setups. A stepping AF motor benefits both photographers and videographers with its fast, precise, and near-silent performance. Full-time manual focus control can also be selected. Weather-resistant construction with a brass bayonet that affords improved mounting accuracy and rigidity.
This lens utilizes a complex arrangement of specialized aspherical and low dispersion glass elements to effectively suppress chromatic aberrations for improved clarity and color accuracy. Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coatings have also been applied to improve contrast and color rendering by reducing lens flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions. The inner zoom & focus mechanism keeps the dimensions of the lens constant throughout the zoom range and at all focus distances. This design feature allows for almost no balance point shift and a fixed front element, making it an ideal instrument for videography, travel, and landscape photography. Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in available lighting conditions. Two large-diameter aspherical elements control spherical aberrations and distortion for increased sharpness and accurate rendering. Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality. 72mm front filter thread allows for the use of common screw-in filters instead of specialized setups. A stepping AF motor benefits both photographers and videographers with its fast, precise, and near-silent performance. Full-time manual focus control can also be selected. Weather-resistant construction with a brass bayonet that affords improved mounting accuracy and rigidity.
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The lowest price for Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens - Sony E-Mount right now is $1,065.00 at Amazon.com.au, compared across 21 retailers.
The all-time low was $553.53 on 15 July 2025 — today's price is 92% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 13 Aug 2026.
Last updated at 13/08/2026 12:40:11
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E-Mount
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Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens (Sony E)
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originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I love the Sigma 28-70mm. For the past 18 months I've paired it with an A7iv or A7Siii. I used it mostly in a journalistic capacity with some freelance video/photo production thrown in. Regardless of the job, I've been consistently impressed by the image quality the lens produces.It often gets compared to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (a lens which I previously owned). In my personal experience, though, I vastly prefer this lens to the Tamron. There's something special about the Sigma's rendering. It doesn't feel as sterile, as clinical as the Tamron. Is the Sigma less sharp? Maybe. But in my opinion sharper does not always equal better. The images the Sigma 28-70mm renders are consistently pleasing and I enjoy the weight, form factor and build. The focus and zoom ... MoreI love the Sigma 28-70mm. For the past 18 months I've paired it with an A7iv or A7Siii. I used it mostly in a journalistic capacity with some freelance video/photo production thrown in. Regardless of the job, I've been consistently impressed by the image quality the lens produces.It often gets compared to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (a lens which I previously owned). In my personal experience, though, I vastly prefer this lens to the Tamron. There's something special about the Sigma's rendering. It doesn't feel as sterile, as clinical as the Tamron. Is the Sigma less sharp? Maybe. But in my opinion sharper does not always equal better. The images the Sigma 28-70mm renders are consistently pleasing and I enjoy the weight, form factor and build. The focus and zoom rings are smooth and comfortable to use.One final note - I consider myself more of a 'prime guy' and prefer not to use zooms unless I have to. This lens really challenged that preference. I like the images it produces so much that I've left it on my camera in lieu of switching to some of my GM lenses. I really can't recommend it enough.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
This is a great lens for the price and the size/weight makes it a great choice for travel... if you get a good copy of the lens.The specific copy of the lens I received unfortunately had some autofocus issues and it struggled to capture a sharp image. The manual focus worked great, but since I couldn't resolve the autofocus issue, I had no option but to return it.I'm guessing I most likely just received a bad copy of the lens. But, I decided not to risk it and ended up swapping it for the Tamron 28-75 instead. And, honestly, I couldn't be happier. The Tamron works perfectly and I've had no issues with image quality.Sigma has always been a favorite of mine, but I was pretty disappointed in the quality of this particular lens. It would be hard for me to ... MoreThis is a great lens for the price and the size/weight makes it a great choice for travel... if you get a good copy of the lens.The specific copy of the lens I received unfortunately had some autofocus issues and it struggled to capture a sharp image. The manual focus worked great, but since I couldn't resolve the autofocus issue, I had no option but to return it.I'm guessing I most likely just received a bad copy of the lens. But, I decided not to risk it and ended up swapping it for the Tamron 28-75 instead. And, honestly, I couldn't be happier. The Tamron works perfectly and I've had no issues with image quality.Sigma has always been a favorite of mine, but I was pretty disappointed in the quality of this particular lens. It would be hard for me to recommend it to anyone based on my experience.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I'm an amateur photographer and I shoot family (in a home studio with strobes, spontaneously indoors with ambient light, outside and on vacation). I previously used Sony 35 mm f1.4 GM, sigma 24-70 2.8 art and tamron 28-75 version 1. I shoot RAW. Got this lens Feb 2022 for Sony A7IV.I prioritize reasonable sharpness, fast accurate autofocus (toddlers on the run!), good color rendition (for minimal edits), versatility, good light gathering to keep ISO below 10,000 in spontaneous situations, small size and reasonable durability (I don't work for National Geographic!)Versatility and light gathering are excellent. I don't need a super zoom - I have 33MP to play with so I can crop as needed. With the great high ISO performance of my A7IV, I don't miss my f1.4 GM. And ... MoreI'm an amateur photographer and I shoot family (in a home studio with strobes, spontaneously indoors with ambient light, outside and on vacation). I previously used Sony 35 mm f1.4 GM, sigma 24-70 2.8 art and tamron 28-75 version 1. I shoot RAW. Got this lens Feb 2022 for Sony A7IV.I prioritize reasonable sharpness, fast accurate autofocus (toddlers on the run!), good color rendition (for minimal edits), versatility, good light gathering to keep ISO below 10,000 in spontaneous situations, small size and reasonable durability (I don't work for National Geographic!)Versatility and light gathering are excellent. I don't need a super zoom - I have 33MP to play with so I can crop as needed. With the great high ISO performance of my A7IV, I don't miss my f1.4 GM. And 28mm is wide enough for general purposes and even tight group selfies with a flip out screen.Color rendition and contrast are Sigma good - same as the MUCH HEAVIER 24-70 art. Maybe GM is better in terms of colors. I don't like the Tamron warm tint which I heard is unchanged in version 2.This lens is ridiculously small and light. As small as the 35 f1.4 GM. The Tamron sticks out too long. Perfect for chasing toddlers and walking with family until your legs give out.Autofocus could be slightly faster but it's accurate - but I don't feel like I've missed shots with the right settings. Same keeper rate as other lenses for my purposes.Sharpness is very good not phenomenal wide open. But too much sharpness in portraits, I've learned, can look...weird. Stopping down brings sharpness up to "professional" levels.When I shoot family portraits in my in house studio with controlled lighting, it's perfect.Just my two cents.
| Focal Length | 16 to 28mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E-Mount
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens (Sony E)
Delivery $5.90
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens - Sony E-Mount
Delivery $9.90
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens (Sony E) - BRAND NEW
Free delivery
Brand New Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens (Sony E)
Free delivery
I love the Sigma 28-70mm. For the past 18 months I've paired it with an A7iv or A7Siii. I used it mostly in a journalistic capacity with some freelance video/photo production thrown in. Regardless of the job, I've been consistently impressed by the image quality the lens produces.It often gets compared to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (a lens which I previously owned). In my personal experience, though, I vastly prefer this lens to the Tamron. There's something special about the Sigma's rendering. It doesn't feel as sterile, as clinical as the Tamron. Is the Sigma less sharp? Maybe. But in my opinion sharper does not always equal better. The images the Sigma 28-70mm renders are consistently pleasing and I enjoy the weight, form factor and build. The focus and zoom ... MoreI love the Sigma 28-70mm. For the past 18 months I've paired it with an A7iv or A7Siii. I used it mostly in a journalistic capacity with some freelance video/photo production thrown in. Regardless of the job, I've been consistently impressed by the image quality the lens produces.It often gets compared to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (a lens which I previously owned). In my personal experience, though, I vastly prefer this lens to the Tamron. There's something special about the Sigma's rendering. It doesn't feel as sterile, as clinical as the Tamron. Is the Sigma less sharp? Maybe. But in my opinion sharper does not always equal better. The images the Sigma 28-70mm renders are consistently pleasing and I enjoy the weight, form factor and build. The focus and zoom rings are smooth and comfortable to use.One final note - I consider myself more of a 'prime guy' and prefer not to use zooms unless I have to. This lens really challenged that preference. I like the images it produces so much that I've left it on my camera in lieu of switching to some of my GM lenses. I really can't recommend it enough.
This is a great lens for the price and the size/weight makes it a great choice for travel... if you get a good copy of the lens.The specific copy of the lens I received unfortunately had some autofocus issues and it struggled to capture a sharp image. The manual focus worked great, but since I couldn't resolve the autofocus issue, I had no option but to return it.I'm guessing I most likely just received a bad copy of the lens. But, I decided not to risk it and ended up swapping it for the Tamron 28-75 instead. And, honestly, I couldn't be happier. The Tamron works perfectly and I've had no issues with image quality.Sigma has always been a favorite of mine, but I was pretty disappointed in the quality of this particular lens. It would be hard for me to ... MoreThis is a great lens for the price and the size/weight makes it a great choice for travel... if you get a good copy of the lens.The specific copy of the lens I received unfortunately had some autofocus issues and it struggled to capture a sharp image. The manual focus worked great, but since I couldn't resolve the autofocus issue, I had no option but to return it.I'm guessing I most likely just received a bad copy of the lens. But, I decided not to risk it and ended up swapping it for the Tamron 28-75 instead. And, honestly, I couldn't be happier. The Tamron works perfectly and I've had no issues with image quality.Sigma has always been a favorite of mine, but I was pretty disappointed in the quality of this particular lens. It would be hard for me to recommend it to anyone based on my experience.
I'm an amateur photographer and I shoot family (in a home studio with strobes, spontaneously indoors with ambient light, outside and on vacation). I previously used Sony 35 mm f1.4 GM, sigma 24-70 2.8 art and tamron 28-75 version 1. I shoot RAW. Got this lens Feb 2022 for Sony A7IV.I prioritize reasonable sharpness, fast accurate autofocus (toddlers on the run!), good color rendition (for minimal edits), versatility, good light gathering to keep ISO below 10,000 in spontaneous situations, small size and reasonable durability (I don't work for National Geographic!)Versatility and light gathering are excellent. I don't need a super zoom - I have 33MP to play with so I can crop as needed. With the great high ISO performance of my A7IV, I don't miss my f1.4 GM. And ... MoreI'm an amateur photographer and I shoot family (in a home studio with strobes, spontaneously indoors with ambient light, outside and on vacation). I previously used Sony 35 mm f1.4 GM, sigma 24-70 2.8 art and tamron 28-75 version 1. I shoot RAW. Got this lens Feb 2022 for Sony A7IV.I prioritize reasonable sharpness, fast accurate autofocus (toddlers on the run!), good color rendition (for minimal edits), versatility, good light gathering to keep ISO below 10,000 in spontaneous situations, small size and reasonable durability (I don't work for National Geographic!)Versatility and light gathering are excellent. I don't need a super zoom - I have 33MP to play with so I can crop as needed. With the great high ISO performance of my A7IV, I don't miss my f1.4 GM. And 28mm is wide enough for general purposes and even tight group selfies with a flip out screen.Color rendition and contrast are Sigma good - same as the MUCH HEAVIER 24-70 art. Maybe GM is better in terms of colors. I don't like the Tamron warm tint which I heard is unchanged in version 2.This lens is ridiculously small and light. As small as the 35 f1.4 GM. The Tamron sticks out too long. Perfect for chasing toddlers and walking with family until your legs give out.Autofocus could be slightly faster but it's accurate - but I don't feel like I've missed shots with the right settings. Same keeper rate as other lenses for my purposes.Sharpness is very good not phenomenal wide open. But too much sharpness in portraits, I've learned, can look...weird. Stopping down brings sharpness up to "professional" levels.When I shoot family portraits in my in house studio with controlled lighting, it's perfect.Just my two cents.
I'm not big on pixel-peeping. I haven't found many surprises over the years. I once owned three different Nikon F wide-angle zooms at the same time, and try as I might I could not find much difference in the image quality among them.However, when I received a Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN from B&H a couple of days ago, I had to test it. I put a Sony A7C on a heavy Manfrotto and used my usual testbed: an entire wall of books. I tested the Sigma lens at 28, 35, 50 and 70mm -- f2.8 through f16.I didn't expect much; was surprised by the results. The Sigma gave close-to-excellent to excellent resolution ACROSS the image at 28mm f2.8, and became quickly better at the higher f-stops. I got similarly very good to excellent results across the image at 35, 50 and even at 70mm. ... MoreI'm not big on pixel-peeping. I haven't found many surprises over the years. I once owned three different Nikon F wide-angle zooms at the same time, and try as I might I could not find much difference in the image quality among them.However, when I received a Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN from B&H a couple of days ago, I had to test it. I put a Sony A7C on a heavy Manfrotto and used my usual testbed: an entire wall of books. I tested the Sigma lens at 28, 35, 50 and 70mm -- f2.8 through f16.I didn't expect much; was surprised by the results. The Sigma gave close-to-excellent to excellent resolution ACROSS the image at 28mm f2.8, and became quickly better at the higher f-stops. I got similarly very good to excellent results across the image at 35, 50 and even at 70mm. I have never seen a lens perform better across the image.I proceeded to mount a Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f2.8 ZA on the camera and did the same test. I then compared the Sony results to Sigma's results when set to 35mm. To put it bluntly, the Sigma put the Sony Sonnar to shame. The Sigma's results at f2.8 were better across the image than the Sony's results were at f11.When I compared both lenses' f2.8 results, the Sony simply could not compete. It could not quite match the Sigma for crispness even at the center; in the middle areas the Sony was noticeably inferior; and at all four corners its results were downright blurry, while the Sigma remained only slightly less crisp than it was at the center.Maybe I have the world's best Sigma 28-70 f2.8 and the world's worst Sony Sonnar 35mm f2.8. I'm simply stating my surprising results.
Let me start this review by saying I've been a photographer for over 50 years. I am NOT a Pixel Peeper but when it comes to lenses I know and appreciate good glass.My wife and I have several trips planned to go to Europe over the next year or so. I decided I wanted to shoot Full Frame for these trips and wanted to travel light. I had my Lumix S5 for 2 years but with the new S5 MK II with Phase Detection Hybrid AF (FINALLY) I traded it in with the 20-60 Kit Lens for the S5 MK II Body only to build a new "Travel Kit". (A side note, I never really understood that 20-60mm Kit lens, it was neither wide enough and just never long enough and at f3.5 only at 20mm, f5.6 after that, it was not very fast. I also did not like the barrel extension for such a limited range ... MoreLet me start this review by saying I've been a photographer for over 50 years. I am NOT a Pixel Peeper but when it comes to lenses I know and appreciate good glass.My wife and I have several trips planned to go to Europe over the next year or so. I decided I wanted to shoot Full Frame for these trips and wanted to travel light. I had my Lumix S5 for 2 years but with the new S5 MK II with Phase Detection Hybrid AF (FINALLY) I traded it in with the 20-60 Kit Lens for the S5 MK II Body only to build a new "Travel Kit". (A side note, I never really understood that 20-60mm Kit lens, it was neither wide enough and just never long enough and at f3.5 only at 20mm, f5.6 after that, it was not very fast. I also did not like the barrel extension for such a limited range lens). I did keep my Lumix 70-300 f4.5 which is an extraordinary lens.I bought this Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 to compliment my other recent purchase of the Sigma 16-28mm f2.8. These two lenses combined give me an ideal focal range from 16-70mm in a compact, light weight form factor.Like the Sigma 16-28 here are the Pros of this lens:Compact, lightweight lens with excellent constructionIncludes some weather sealing at mount, enough for my needs, While traveling for pleasure I don't shoot in torrential downpours. ...who does?Super Fast, Smooth and Quiet Autofocus for both Photos and VideoHigh magnification figure for very nice close up shotsExcellent flare resistance yet it still produces decent starburst effects when wantedCA is well controlledExcellent sharpness and contrast across the frame even wide openWeight under 500g which for me is a Big PLUSVery Pleasant BokehThe ability for the S5 MK II In-camera distortion & vignetting correction makes this lens even better.So with the S5 MK II at under 750 grams w/ Battery, the 2 Sigma lenses combined at 920 grams I've got a Travel Kit that weighs well under 4lbs. This might even make me decide to add my Lumix 70-300 to the kit.I've only take a couple of dozen test shots around our home and town and can say I am very pleased with this lens. Excellent overall quality and value!
I just now upgraded to the new Lumix S5 MKII from the original S5 mostly because of Lumix finally switching to Phase Detection Hybrid Autofocus System as well as several other big improvements. In doing so I am putting together a Travel Oriented Kit for European Travel we have scheduled for April/May and in the Fall.I never really understood or liked the 20-60 lens that was bundled with my S5. I felt is was an odd focal length combo, not really ultra wide and certainly not a telephoto. So I sold it with a plan to replace it with some lenses that will have a much better range and compliment each other.After doing much research and watching reviews I decided on this Sigma 16-28 Contemporary Series. Here's why:Compact, lightweight lens with solid ... MoreI just now upgraded to the new Lumix S5 MKII from the original S5 mostly because of Lumix finally switching to Phase Detection Hybrid Autofocus System as well as several other big improvements. In doing so I am putting together a Travel Oriented Kit for European Travel we have scheduled for April/May and in the Fall.I never really understood or liked the 20-60 lens that was bundled with my S5. I felt is was an odd focal length combo, not really ultra wide and certainly not a telephoto. So I sold it with a plan to replace it with some lenses that will have a much better range and compliment each other.After doing much research and watching reviews I decided on this Sigma 16-28 Contemporary Series. Here's why:Compact, lightweight lens with solid constructionIncludes some weather sealing at mount which is adequate for my shootingInternal zoomingBroad zoom rangeVery Fast, quiet autofocusSmooth and quiet video AF workGood up close performanceExcellent flare resistanceCA is well controlledExcellent sharpness and contrast across the frame even wide openWeight only 450g which is a criteria for my Travel needs.I plan on adding the other Sigma Contemporary Series 28-70mm for the very same reasons.This combo for me is perfect, in essence giving me a focal range of 16-70mm with just 2 lenses.I already own the Lumix S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 MACRO which further extends my overall focal length range. (This lens is still much lighter than both the Lumix and Sigma 24-70's)A 3 lense travel kit is ideal and this combo really gives me everthing I could need in a light travel camera bag.My early test shots have convinced me that this lens was the right decision. It focuses super fast, is super sharp even at the corners, Chromatic Abberation is Non Existent. The price is right!
I bought this with the intent of possibly replacing my Sony 16-35 GM. I planed my whole kit around it. I love that lens, its my favorite. But its bulky, heavy, I baby it, and I'm always worried I will mess it up.Well, I received this on a Tuesday and I was in Mexico City by Thursday, I gotta say.. this thing is amazing. picture quality is perfect for what I need about 90% of what the GM offers. I don't do paid work, and its only for my own enjoyment. With that being said, I lost that enjoyment lugging around an A3 w/ the GM.With the Sigma, I just carry it around and worry a lot less about bumps and theft, and having to constant worry. I think that's the biggest difference; the ease of mind offered.Do I miss the extra few mm's? nope. The focusing distance is ... MoreI bought this with the intent of possibly replacing my Sony 16-35 GM. I planed my whole kit around it. I love that lens, its my favorite. But its bulky, heavy, I baby it, and I'm always worried I will mess it up.Well, I received this on a Tuesday and I was in Mexico City by Thursday, I gotta say.. this thing is amazing. picture quality is perfect for what I need about 90% of what the GM offers. I don't do paid work, and its only for my own enjoyment. With that being said, I lost that enjoyment lugging around an A3 w/ the GM.With the Sigma, I just carry it around and worry a lot less about bumps and theft, and having to constant worry. I think that's the biggest difference; the ease of mind offered.Do I miss the extra few mm's? nope. The focusing distance is shorter on this thing so taking more walk and gun shots are easier... tested in crossing a busy crosswalk in from of Bellas Artes. My significant other was crossing the street and all I needed was a few steps of separation from me to her to get the shots. A difficult thing to do considering the amount of people walking (think Tokyo, or NY). I'll reassess and see if there's too much of a gap between this and my other lens.
Very sharp lens for this price range, even at wide open. The lens is light enough that can be attached to the camera all the time. Distortion is very obvious if correction is turned off, but that should not be a problem(this is also fairly common for a ultra wide angle zoomed lens) since on-camera live correction works flawlessly and there is already correction profile on Adobe Camera Raw.I was also looking at 16-35GM before purchasing this lens. The performance at 35mm of 16-35GM is lottery, which worries me a little bit. As for Sigma 16-28, I do lose the extra reach from 28mm to 35mm. But since I am using it on A7R4, the missing focal length can be compensated with cropping if I really need it.Note that although the front filter thread of this lens is 72mm, ... MoreVery sharp lens for this price range, even at wide open. The lens is light enough that can be attached to the camera all the time. Distortion is very obvious if correction is turned off, but that should not be a problem(this is also fairly common for a ultra wide angle zoomed lens) since on-camera live correction works flawlessly and there is already correction profile on Adobe Camera Raw.I was also looking at 16-35GM before purchasing this lens. The performance at 35mm of 16-35GM is lottery, which worries me a little bit. As for Sigma 16-28, I do lose the extra reach from 28mm to 35mm. But since I am using it on A7R4, the missing focal length can be compensated with cropping if I really need it.Note that although the front filter thread of this lens is 72mm, you still need something larger than 72mm filters if you would like to stack CPL and ND.
Is this lens optically perfect? Absolutely not. The 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art is pretty much better at all focal lengths except at the wide end. However, this lens is really light for a mid-range zoom, and excels in some areas where the Art version does not.For photography and at normal distances, this lens is perfectly sharp from about 28mm all the way to 50mm. Image Quality is great all around the board, but I would try to avoid 70mm unless the subject is about 20 ft away from you. 70mm is usable and acceptable if you don't plan on cropping or blowing up the image for large prints.The one downside of this lens is that up-close IQ is actually quite terrible, regardless of focal length. You can stop down the aperture up close for improved results, but you won't see ... MoreIs this lens optically perfect? Absolutely not. The 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art is pretty much better at all focal lengths except at the wide end. However, this lens is really light for a mid-range zoom, and excels in some areas where the Art version does not.For photography and at normal distances, this lens is perfectly sharp from about 28mm all the way to 50mm. Image Quality is great all around the board, but I would try to avoid 70mm unless the subject is about 20 ft away from you. 70mm is usable and acceptable if you don't plan on cropping or blowing up the image for large prints.The one downside of this lens is that up-close IQ is actually quite terrible, regardless of focal length. You can stop down the aperture up close for improved results, but you won't see any improved performance at 70mm until f7.1.As for video - well this is where the lens really shines. No focus breathing at any focal length, the zoom turn is nice and smooth, and the focus ring is really quite damp and precise. Focal length doesn't matter as much when shooting video with this lens, since you're not pixel peeping when it comes to video.I love this lens for being so light and compact for full-frame bodies, and the compromises made for photography are fully acceptable. I might not use this lens for professional photography work, but for casual shoots or as a back-up zoom this lens is great. I would definitely recommend this lens for video shooters though, unless you must have the 24mm focal length.
Give the small size and weight, and the price, it sure has compromise. But after use it long enough I can not find a better replacement. I have used Tamron 28-75 verson one and version two, Sigma 24-70 and this 28-70. Each lens has its strong point. To me Tamron version two and sigma 24-70 has no real weakness regard image quality. But this sigma 28-70 also has some advantages. First It is the lightest f2.8 standard zoom lens. It is close to half the weight of many brand's 24-70 f2.8. And it is compact as well. Make it a great lens for long day video work. Second it has the smoothest zoom ring I ever used. Man you can really pull out some zoom in and out in video that looks like you have a servo zoom lens. It is that good feel. Tamron 28-75 is not on par at this ... MoreGive the small size and weight, and the price, it sure has compromise. But after use it long enough I can not find a better replacement. I have used Tamron 28-75 verson one and version two, Sigma 24-70 and this 28-70. Each lens has its strong point. To me Tamron version two and sigma 24-70 has no real weakness regard image quality. But this sigma 28-70 also has some advantages. First It is the lightest f2.8 standard zoom lens. It is close to half the weight of many brand's 24-70 f2.8. And it is compact as well. Make it a great lens for long day video work. Second it has the smoothest zoom ring I ever used. Man you can really pull out some zoom in and out in video that looks like you have a servo zoom lens. It is that good feel. Tamron 28-75 is not on par at this regard. Third it looks parfocal to me. Forth it has very minimal focus breathing. Fifth the flare resistant is very good. So what is the compromise. Frst it is not 24mm. Second the dark edge is very noticeable even when I shooting video 16:9. Third and it is the almost a deal breaker to me. Miserable close up image quality at 70mm. I shoot a lot of food, I find my image looks so soft. I never had that impression when I had sigma 24-70 or tamron 28-75. So I did some quick test. Man at 70mm f2.8, the close up image quality is really bad. Even at f8 it is still not as good as other lens. From 28-50mm, the close up performance is a lot better. But consider I am a hybird shooter, video is just as important as photo.And this lens offer so many strong performance regard the video features. I just simply can not find a better replacement. You might say new sony 24-70 is better. But from reviews I watched, it is not like new Sony will surpass sigma 28-70 in every feature.
| Focal Length | 16 to 28mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
