Hello list members, I just bought a Rebel 2000 camera kit with Canon 28-80 Zoom lense. I read in many reviews the kit lense is of poor quality. I am planning to buy a Sigma AF 28-200 F3.5-5.6 Aspherical Hyperzoom Macro. Can you give you expert comments on this lense.

-- Shanmuga Raj (psraj@infineum.com), April 19, 2002

Answers

The Sigma 28-200 Hyperzoom is not the best 28-200 lens being sold today. That honor (Can you call this an honor?) could possibly go to Tamron's slick little compact version... ...perhaps. That Tamrom is probably about equal in image quality to your cheap Canon in the 28-80mm range. That doesn't mean that the Sigma is a bad lens. It isn't, and the Tamron isn't that much better, but there are lots of compromises made in the production of wide ranging zooms. Especially when they are made to a low price point.

If you want improved image quality for low to midrange cost, get a Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon 24-85, 28-105, 28-135, or a Tamron 28-135. All nice lenses with good to excellent optics. There are others. and Sigma even makes some, but those are my picks for cost/quality.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), April 19, 2002.

Oops. That Tamron should be the 24-135 not 28-135.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), April 19, 2002.