Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras

by Sigma

Product Details

• Item Weight: 11.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001E7PEY
• Item model number: 510-205
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 28, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Sigma's 17-35mm f2.8-4 EX is one of the EX Series lenses. It combines a fast f2.8-4 maximum aperture with ultra wide angle zoom lens of 17-35mm. It incorporates aspherical lens elements in the front, as well as rear lens groups, to correct spherical aberration. It also incorporates internal focusing to prevent deterioration of the optical quality at close distances and to eliminate rotation of the front barrel during focusing. A "perfect hood" is provided. The lens materials used in this new lens are lead and arsenic free ecological glass.

Aspherical lenses
Lens elements that are not spherical can reduce the total number of elements required in a lens design. They can deliver better performance while reducing weight and size. Aspherical lenses maximize optical performance while minimizing lens size and weight. Aspherical lenses help reduce some of the problems usually associated with wide angles and zooms, such as lens flare and edge distortion. They also help deliver higher quality telephoto images.

Specifications:

• Lens Constructions: 14 groups, 15 elements
• Angle of View (Diagonal): 103.7º-63.4º
• Number of blade in diaphragm: 8
• Minimum Aperture: f32-45
• Minimum Focusing Distance: 19.7 inches
• Magnifications: 11.5x
• Filter Size: 82 millimeters
• Dimensions (Dia x Length): 3.5 by 3.3 inches
• Weight: 14.1 ounces

Product Description

A super wide-angle zoom lens with a 104 degrees angle of view, and large aperture. This lens is ideal for Digital SLR Cameras. Includes 4 Year Service Plan (1 year international warranty plus 3 years extended warranty). Item Specifications: Product Description: Sigma EX wide-angle zoom lens - 17 mm - 35 mm Weight: 19.8 oz Length: 3 in Min Focus Range: 10.6 in Lens System: Wide-angle zoom lens Lens Aperture: F/2.8-4.0 Focus Adjustment: Automatic, manual Focal Length: 17 mm - 35 mm Mounting Type: Minolta A-type Lens Construction: 13 group(s) / 16 element(s) Filter Size: 77 mm Special Functions: Wide angle, zoom

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good for the price, November 4, 2008

By 

S. Gray "Steve" (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Not a bad lens. Fairly well built, but I do occasionally have a touch of chatter when I manually focus. The autofocus is fast, and the lens is reasonably sharp. Like other Sigma EX lenses, it has a nice exterior finish, and it feels pretty solid. I originally got it for my 40D, and it works well there. When I added a 5D (Mk I) body, I noticed a little vignetting at the wide end, but that's not unexpected on a FF body.

I've since gotten a Canon 24-105mm f/4L, and if I want to do more really wide angle stuff, I'd consider a prime. But for the money, and the convenience, this was a good starter wide angle zoom.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good resolution at 17mm, May 24, 2008

By 

Vyacheslav Lanovets (Russia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras (Electronics)

My impression is that from the resoution standpoint the lens is intended to be used at 17mm. This agrees with test results I found on the Web.

According to these tests this lens has better distortion @17mm than Nikon or Tamron and compares to Canon(L) 17-35/2.8. And I in fact can see that barrel distortion @17mm is very small, at least when used on a cropped camera.

Made a test shot with a sun in the corner. No flare, contrast is good. This surprised me a lot.

Focus ring does allow precise manual focusing.

Build is solid, but the cap is troublesome, but can be replaced by original Sony 77mm cap ($11).

Resolution at 17mm: good in the center wide open. Edges are good 1 stop down. Extreme corners 17mm/f5.6 only. I was satisfied with architecture shots made with f/8 aperture. I used 12mpx body and I compare results to Sony 50/1.4 and 100/2.8M not a kit lens. That's why the rating is only 4.

This is my first Sigma lens. I heard about varying quality of Sigma products, so I am considering myself lucky with this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A wide-angle zoom for certain situations, February 1, 2008

By 

Brendan A. MacWade (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Minolta and Sony SLR Cameras (Electronics)

That's the best way I can put it. The Sigma 17-35 is a compact (3" x 3") and light (14 ounce) wide-angle zoom lens. It performs best in certain conditions:
- On cloudy days or when the sun is behind the photographer. This is because I found it to be prone to serious lens flare
- When there are no objects close to the photographer, as distortion at the edges is very noticeable
- When there is a nearby object (a car's wheel, a fire hydrant, for example) that the photographer DOES want to appear extra large and distorted
- Indoor wide-angle shots (I admit, this lens is great for that)

This is not a good lens for architecture, as there is too much distortion. For architecture shots, please see the Tamron or Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

So I would call this a niche wide-angle zoom. In terms of durability and construction, it is pure Sigma - it is very well built and should last a lifetime. One thing that I love about Sigma is the feel and the finish.

[...]

Given that the price has dropped significantly over the years, this can be a good addition to your lens collection, even if you already have the Tamron 11-18 as I do. If I do a photo shoot in a park or cemetery on a cloudy day, this lens comes with me, along with my primary, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC SLD ELD Aspherical Macro Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras