Sigma Contemporary 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
What Buyers Say
Sigma Contemporary 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
This Sigma lens is highly praised for its versatility, image quality, and value for money. Users particularly appreciate the fast f/2.8 aperture at the wide end, effective optical stabilization, and close-focus capability. While some note a trade-off in sharpness at the telephoto end, most find it a significant upgrade from kit lenses and recommend it for everyday photography.
Pros
- Fast f/2.8 at wide end
- Excellent image stabilization
- Great close-focus capability
- Good value for the price
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Soft at 70mm wide open
- No full-time manual focus
- Heavier than kit lenses
- Battery drain with OS
- Vignetting and barrel distortion at 17mm
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD lens is widely praised for its sharpness, versatile zoom range, constant aperture, and effective stabilization, making it an excellent all-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users appreciate its solid build quality and value for money, though many note it is noticeably heavier and larger than typical kit lenses, which can feel unbalanced on smaller camera bodies. A few reviewers mention minor issues like chromatic aberration at the longer end and noise from the aperture blades at certain settings, but overall sentiment is very positive.
Pros
- sharp image quality across zoom range
- constant f/2.8 aperture
- effective image stabilization
- fast and quiet autofocus
- versatile 17-70mm focal range
Cons
- heavy and large for APS-C body
- chromatic aberration at 50-70mm
- aperture blade noise above f/5.6
- short zoom throw initially stiff
- no aperture ring on Fuji version
Scores
Specifications
| Sigma Contemporary 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM | Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | macro | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 17 mm | 17 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 70 mm | 70 mm |
| Elements | — | 16 |
| Groups | — | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3 | 3 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | — | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.52 kg★ | 0.54 kg |
| Filter Thread | — | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | HSM | RXD |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 221 mm | 190 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.7 | 1:4.8 |
Pros & Cons
Sigma Contemporary 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong macro (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong social proof (74th percentile)
- Below average build (24th percentile)
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Strong optical (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong macro (86th percentile)86th %ile
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.