Lens test. Wide-angle to short telephoto zooms

Minolta Maxxum 28-80mm f-3.5-4.5


Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-27
Angle of view: 84-29 degrees
Construction: 14 elements in 12 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.6 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 27/8 inches
Diameter: 25/16 inches
Filter size: 62mm
Weight: 14 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood

Test: Very light with rubberized zoom and focus ring. Finished in black with clear zoom markings in white. Lens includes a macro switch which can be used at 80mm setting, but in manual focus mode only. Zoom ring is very damped with damped manual focus. Autofocus is fast. Lens is easy to hold and operate. Test slides were very sharp at 28mm and all settings with best results between f-5.6 and f-11. Lens produced similar results at 35mm and 50mm settings with no loss of sharpness visible except in corners at f-4.5. At 70mm, corners were slightly soft at f-5.6 with very sharp center. Corners were sharp at f-8 with very sharp images at f-11 and f-16. At f-22 slight loss of sharpness was noticeable. Lens produced similar results at 80mm setting. Barrel distortion noticeable at 28mm and controlled at 35mm. Lens is capable of producing very contrasty images.

Verdict: An affordable zoom capable of producing very good results. Its close focusing distance is long and macro switch can be uncomfortable to work with. Macro switch position on the lens can also be uncomfortable. It is a good choice for beginners and even advanced photographers. It covers most widely used focal lengths in a small and lightweight package. Its slow f-5.6 maximum aperture at longer settings can be a problem in low light situation. Overall Performance: 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good. 50mm: very good. 70mm: very good. 80mm: very good
Rating: 16/20

Tamron 28-80mm f-3.5-5.6 Aspherical. Available mounts: Canon EOS, Minolta Maxxum, Nikon AF-D, Pentax AF


Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-5.6. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 75-30 degrees
Construction: 7 elements in 7 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 27.5 inches
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 2.8 inches
Diameter: 2.8 inches
Filter size: 58mm
Weight: 8.4 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood

Test: Nicely made in black with large rubberized zoom ring. It is lightweight with clear distance markings. Focus ring is rubberized but narrow. Lens uses internal focusing (IF) and Low Dispersion glass (LD) elements. Autofocus is very fast. Lens produced crisp images at 28mm setting and f-3.5 with corner to corner sharpness. Results were similar at f-4 with optimum performance between f-5.6 and f-16. Distortion was noticeable. At 35mm settings results were identical to 28mm setting but with less barrel distortion. At 50mm and f-5.6, test slide was sharp with slight loss of corner sharpness. Stop down to f-8, corners were improved with optimum performance between f-11 and f-22. At 80mm, loss of corner sharpness was visible at f-5.6. Corners were clear at f-8. Best sharpness achieved at f-11 and f-16. Lens produced very contrasty images. It is very comfortable to operate and the use of IF makes polarizing filters easy to use.

Verdict: A quality lens at an affordable price. I love IF lenses. This Tamron uses Internal Focusing which makes the use of filters, especially Polarizers very easy. Large and grippable zoom ring is very smooth and holds setting well. Distance markings are confusing and difficult to use. Close focusing distance is long. This is a perfect beginners lens covering landscape to portrait shots.
Overall Performance: 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good. 50mm: very good. 80mm: good
Rating: 17/20

Note: lens was not tested at 70mm setting.

Tamron 28-105mm f-4-5.6. Available mounts: Canon EOS, Minolta Maxxum, Nikon AF-D, Pentax AF

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-4-5.6. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 75-24 degrees
Construction: 12 elements in 12 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 19.7 inches
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 2.8 inches
Diameter: 2.9 inches
Filter size: 62mm
Weight: 10.8 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood

Test: Lens features an Internal Focusing (IF) in a small and lightweight design. It features a large, grippable zoom ring similar to 28-80mm model with rubberized and damped focus ring. F-stop markings in front of the focus ring makes use of distance markings easier. It is all black with large zoom markings in white. Zoom ring holds settings well. It has a very fast autofocus and IF design is perfect for using filters. Test slide was sharp at 28mm and f-4 with good corner sharpness. At f-5.6, lens produced crisp images with great results between f-8 and f-16. Set to 50mm, lens produced very sharp images at f-5.6 and f-8 with slight loss of corner sharpness at f-5.6. Corners were clear at f-11 and f-16. Center and corners showed some loss of sharpens at 105mm and f-5.6. Center was improved at f-8 with corner to corner sharpness achieved at f-11. Optimum performance was at f-16. Slides were contrasty at all focal lengths. Lens has very good close focusing distance.

Verdict: It may not be a match for Tamron's 28-105mm f-2.8, but it costs much less. It is well made and easy to operate. Close-focusing distance is maintained throughout its range which makes the lens perfect for landscape, portrait, and even close-up shots. This is an ideal lens for wide to short telephoto photography. Needs improvements at 105mm setting at wider f-5.6 aperture.
Overall Performance: 28mm: very good. 50mm: very good. 105mm: very good
Rating: 17/20

Note: Lens was not tested at 35mm and 70mm settings. Lens was not tested at f-22.

Sigma 28-105mm f-2.8-4 AF Aspherical. Canon EOS, Minolta Maxxum, Nikon AF-D, Pentax AF, Sigma


Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-2.8-4. Minimum f-22-32
Angle of view: 75-24 degrees
Construction: 12 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 19.7 inches
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 3.2 inches
Diameter: 3 inches
Filter size: 72mm
Weight: 13.2 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood

Test: An IF wide to short telephoto zoom with a fast f-2.8 aperture at wider setting. Lightweight and black with white zoom and distance setting, but small. Zoom ring is narrow but holds settings well. Autofocus is fast with damped manual focus ring. Lens is sharp at 28mm and f-2.8 with clear corners. At f-4, test slide was crisp with very high sharpness between f-5.6 and f-22. Optimum performance was at f-16. Barrel distortion was noticeable. Test slides were very sharp at 35mm setting and all f-stops with crisp corners. Lens produced superb results at f-11 and f-16. Lens was very sharp at 50mm setting and f-4. At f-5.6 test slide was sharp with very good corners. It produced excellent results between f-8 and f-16, and very good at f-22. At 105mm setting and f-4, center was sharp with soft edges. Stop down to f-5.6, corners were improved. Edge to edge sharpness was achieved at f-8 with optimum performance between f-11 and f-16. Slides were contrasty at all focal lengths.

Verdict: A nice IF design from Sigma. Lens was easy to handle and comfortable to hold. I prefer larger zoom rings. Close focusing distance is good and IF design is a great addition. F-2.8 is not constant but keeps the cost down. I was very pleased with the results. You get quality results in a small package and have all the most widely used focal lengths. It has a fast autofocus but manual focusing should be more damped. A great buy for beginners and advanced amateurs.

Overall Performance: 28mm: excellent. 35mm: excellent. 50mm: excellent. 105mm: very good
Rating: 18/20

Note: Lens was not tested at 70mm settings. Lens was not tested at f-22.

Nikon 35-80mm f-4-5.6D AF

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-f-4-5.6. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 62-34 degrees
Construction: 8 elements in 7 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 12.5 inches
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 2.7mm
Diameter: 2.6mm
Filter size: 62mm
Weight: 23.8 Oz

Test: Very well made and compact in all black body. Rubberized zoom ring is very damped with focusing ring placed to the front. Focus ring is also rubberized and damped but narrow. Autofocus is very fast with distance markings in white (m) and yellow (inch). Lens produced very good results at all f-stops and 35mm settings. Test slides were sharp and contrasty with optimum performance at f-11 to f-22. At 50mm setting, slides were crisp at f-5.6. Set at f-8, lens produced sharp images with very good corner sharpness. Between f-11 and f-22, this Nikkor is capable of large blowups. No loss of center or corner sharpness was visible at 80mm setting except at f-5.6 which showed soft corners. At f-8, images were crisp with optimum performance at f-16. Slides were very contrasty. Lens handles very well and its compact size makes it easy to carry.

Verdict: An affordable standard zoom lens. This lens can produce sharp, contrasty images at all focal lengths and f-stops. It is solid and easy to work with. Focus ring is narrow which can make manual focusing a bit difficult. Zoom ring turns very smoothly and holds settings well. Personally, I prefer wider than 35mm in a wide to short telephoto zoom. However, the range of focal lengths and quality of this lens makes it a very good choice for outdoor and studio work.

Overall Performance: 35mm: excellent. 50mm: excellent. 85mm: very good
Rating: 17/20

Do you want some great bargains?
Equipment I test are either borrowed, demos at camera stores (used outside the store), rental, or purchased.  I look for bargains on used and new products. When I find a good deal, I purchase the camera or lens for testing and my own pleasure. I then auction the camera and lens on line for the price I paid. I only purchase used equipment that are in very good condition or brand new cameras and lenses at reduced price. If you like, you can fill out the form below to have your name added to my list of buyers. When I'm done testing an equipment, I will e-mail you prior to listing it for auction. I will include the minimum price and the condition of the camera or lens as well as page URL so you can see the picture and more detail information on the equipment . If you like to purchase the equipment, you must e-mail me within 48 hours and include the maximum price you are willing to pay. Please note that I will only respond to the highest bidder which is kept confidential. Only the highest bidder will receive an e-mail. I have purchased both used and new equipment at very low prices. For example, I bought a Tokina 80-400mm f-5.6, brand new on sale for less than half price at an electronic store that was going out of business: A Tamron 28-300mm f-3.8-5.6 Super demo model in excellent condition on clearance also at half price. Some short zooms I have tested here, were purchased in a trade show at unbelievably low prices. I do not have bargain cameras and lenses at all times and can't tell you what I may have in the future.