Customer Reviews

Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8-4.0 Aspherical Lens for Konica Minolta SLR Cameras

5 star:		(4)
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2 star:		(1)
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I have always been a fan of Minolta bodies and Sigma lenses - they work great together (currently I have a Minolta Maxxum XTsi). This lens is certainly no exception. In fact, this one is the best lens I've had. I was so impressed with this lens, that I have all but stopped using any other lens. The aspherical capabilities allow me to get in real close to my subject and come out with a very clear photo.

This lens turned out to work far better than I expected. It really is a fine piece of work. I prefer to use it in manual focus mode because all the mechanical parts are smooth and precise, unlike most cheap AF zooms these days. The AF part is noticeably faster than Nikon's entry-level 50mm lens.

I've been taking photos with an SLR for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, I've always been on a tight budget and could never afford the best lenses.

I've owned this lens for about eight years now. It is THE lens that remains on my Nikon 99% of the time. I've used it in some gritty situations - in Iraq, Brazil, the California desert and all across the US as I traveled.

I have to disagree with an earlier reviewer who stated you "need" another lens. I have a Nikon made zoom that goes past 200mm and I think I've used it three times at most. This Sigma is my work horse. Its wide angle is perfect for landscapes and close ups. The longer range is just what you need for portraits. I don't shoot sports or wildlife so anything beyond 105 is overkill for me.

One of the great features of this lens is the 2.8 aperature at 28mm. You're forced to use 4.0 or smaller as you zoom, but this is still fine for portraits and a blurred background.

If you're still using a 35mm and you're on a budget this is a great lens to have. It hasn't failed me yet in eight years.

A friend of mine asked me to shoot her wedding (so she could save some money). I obliged, but panicked due to my lack of equipment.

After much research on Amazon and various other sites, I decided to go with this lens. The first couple of times you work the zoom mechaism, there is some "stiffness" but that eventually fades, leaving a silky smooth feel. The zoom ring has a nice, high quality rubber coating for added control.

Sizewise, it's fairly compact and light. I also own a Sigma 28mm F1.8 aspherical lens (no zoom) for the same camera and they are about the same size, length wise, and similar in weight. I found the overal auto-focus time to be a bit slow...but that's likely a byproduct of the older camera body rather than the lens.

Overall, it was a great buy. The pictures came out beautifully! And the company that this product ships through turns out to be a fairly reputable company. Highly recommended.

Don't overlook this lens. It does not have the longest zoom range available. But the F2.8 maximum aperature, the very serviceable 28-105mm range, the weight and size, the high quality of material and optics, and the price make this a pleasure to use and carry. If you want to carry only one lens, you need a longer range than this one has. But if you are going to carry two or more lenses, this one deserves to be in your bag.