Sigma 24-70mm or Tamron 28-75?

[snakeman]

Stuart,

I love my Tamron 28-75. I picked mine up at a local shop used for $300 USD and it has hardly left my camera since. It is very sharp and very fun to use.

For some reason, I can't get a photo to simply load in this page but the link below will open a picture I took in my backyard.

This was handheld, wide open then taken straight out of the camera with no PP.

Good luck with the decision

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Thanks for the input Huff..cannot see that link..it comes up with google error???
I have to agree with you about sigma,they have some cracking lenses in their line up now and I have owned a few of them..another one which I think is over looked is the 100-300mm f4,I sold my 70-200mm for this and tbh I prefer the images out of it as well..the 70-200mm was great but I reckon this is better.
Thought I had decided on the sigma yesterday and shop had one left but it was the display model and sorry but not paying top whack for a lens that has been sat on a shelf collecting dust and mauled by god knows how many people!

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

They wouldn't give you a decent discount on a display? Most shops will give 10% - 20% off displays depending on if they have the box, how long its been on the shelf, and its overall conditions... they'll usually give even deeper cuts if it's the display and they'll no longer be carrying it.

 

[shadow]

I used to own the Sigma 24-70 and liked it very much. It's color was warmer than most of my nikons but it was SHARP!!!!. I bought and sold it on ebay for roughly $240 or so (don't really remember.)

I didn't sell it because I was dissatisfied, I sold it because I like shooting with primes better, and have switched almost exclusively to primes. It seems when I used it I was mostly at the widest end of the lens, and didn't think it was wide enough. So now I use a 20mm AI, 28mm AI, a 35mm AI, a 50mm AF, and 85mm AF in it's place.

Here are some samples. (They are all multi image panos)

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The sigma was sharp. It was also very large and very heavy. It put a strain on my amateur tripod head. It was physically longer than the Sigma 70-300 I used to own.

If I didn't get the "prime" bug, I would probably still be using it.

 

[snakeman]

Thanks Neal some lovely examples there..Stephen the shop is called Jessops and basically they are a huge chain of shops here in the UK and they won't discount anything!..I asked and they said no,its only just been put out but I don't believe that.

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

I think the equivalent of Jessops in the USA would be Wolf/Ritz/Kitz... but they'll still discount anything that's not new-in-box (floor sample, open-box returns).

 

[snakeman]

No such luck over here mate..they can keep it..I'll go elsewhere.

 

[Kerzo]

I have the 24-70mm and absolutely no complaints with it - here are a couple of test shots from a few months ago with no PP and no in camera sharpening, wide open at 70mm...

Original (resized)

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50% crop

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100% crop

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I picked mine up for £180 from Ebay and it certainly was money well spent for me! It is big and it is heavy but I find it has a good balance and it stays on my camera most of the time, focusing is quick and not too noisy also!

 

[snakeman]

Thanks Ryan..certainly looks sharp. Is yours the macro version?

 

[Kerzo]

Yup it is the macro version, from what I can remember the non macro version actually has a closer focusing distance though! This is as close as you are going to get.....

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Not 1:1 stuff but it does ok!

 

[snakeman]

Well my girlfriend has said to get it anyway as they have said we can take it back anytime we like if not happy with it so going to go collect it now.

 

[snakeman]

Yep nice shot Ryan..not fussed with the macro as I have my tamron for that.
Did you find it soft at 2.8?..I know most lenses are soft wide open but have heard about this one being particularly soft?

 

[Kerzo]

As I said above, those test shots were at 2.8 - there is no doubt that it's slightly softer wide open (when you look at crops) but once you stop down a bit it really is sharp!

 

[snakeman]

oops sorry mate..teach me for skipping through too quickly..lol
Well I'm looking forward to trying it out this weekend..off to a wildlife park Sunday so will give it a good try out.

 

[snakeman]

:biggrin: :biggrin: Well not really tried it out but will say first impressions are very good!! Build quality is superb. Certainly feels like you have your money's worth. One complaint is the zoom ring which is VERY stiff at the mid section..Have taken a few snaps and must admit although not an extensive test it looks good to me. I think sometimes you can go too far and actually seek faults if you get what I mean.Very happy with it at the mo..will get some proper shots tomorrow and share.

 

[Kerzo]

If you are used to Nikons then I can see why you think it is stiff, mine has either loosened up from use or I have just forgot what it was like!

 

[snakeman]

:biggrin: Nah its very stiff..seems ok until you hit mid range then its really stiff.Not complaining though,rather that than have it feel like I was stirring a bucket of custard!

 

[snakeman]

Hardly a test but this is exactly what my lens saw for the first time tonight!..lol..Not one for intricate tests but these were pretty much wide open and I'm happy

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[Stephen Hopkins]

Looks pretty sharp, especially the shirt-sleeve... looks like a good copy of a great lens! Congrats!

 

[snakeman]

Thanks Stephen..The shorts were blowing around a bit in the breeze so not really the best example of what the lens can do..but on the other hand these are genuine snap shots 5 mins after I got the lens. Think I will be happy with it..not too bad for wide open I think.

 

[Huff09]

Thanks for the input Huff..cannot see that link..it comes up with google error???

Stuart,

I skimmed through the thread, but it looks like you decided on the 24-70 Sigma. Sorry about the sample from my Tamron not coming up correctly earlier, but it looks like you got an excellent copy of your lens anyway and I'm sure you are going to enjoy it.

For what it's worth, here is that picture I tried to post earlier. Again, this is the Tamron 28-75, wide open with no PP, just straight out of the camera.

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