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  Comparison # 67 
  
Lens Sharpness Comparison

Sigma 17-70 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F4/F4.5, F8
 
Comparison by Sinan Ozturk   
Sigma 17-70 is set to 50mm for this comparison. At 50mm, its widest aperture is F4 so first comparison is with their lenses widest apertures (F4 vs. F2.8).

In the second comparison Sigma 50 is stopped down to F4.5 and in the third comparison both lenses were stopped down to F8.

As you can see from the photos, there is a very significant sharpness difference between Sigma 17-70 F.2.8-4 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8 Dg Macro at 50mm. Sigma 50mm is a prime lens and moreover its a macro lens so its being sharper is normal. However I would expect a better performance from Sigma 17-70 at this focal length even if it falls behind. Unfortunately its no match regarding sharpness. Its center sharpness is not too bad and even if its still significantly behind Sigma 50, I guess most of us can still live with it. However in the corners its very weak and even stoppind down to F8 is not making any difference.

On the other hand the comparison also shows the color rendering difference between lenses. All photos are taken with the same camera (Sony Alpha A-35), with exact camera settings and under same lightining conditions so the difference between photos purely reflects lens' characteristics. The difference is clear I believe. Sigma 50mm tends to stand near blue color tone while Sigma 17-70 favors yellows a little more. If you zoom on the sky I guess you'll also agree with me.

I also think Sigma 17-70's sky rendering is worth mentioning. If you zoom around top right corner, you can tell Sigma 17-70 captured more tones of the sky in that area than Sigma 50mm. I guess this is also because of their color rendering characteristic, since Sigma 17-70 favoured yellows over blues, more subtle tones of sky appear with Sigma 17-70. I don't know if this justify its sharpness failure but still something. :-)             [Review by Sinan Ozturk]
  
  
  Comparison Photo # 1  
Photo_181Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro  
against
Photo_183 Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
F2.8 1/1250 100 50mm.    
  F4.0 1/640100 50mm.  
Photo by Sinan Ozturk  Photo by Sinan Ozturk 
100% (1:1) Crop Samples
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center
F/2.8
Brightness 83
(Almost Same)
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Border (Right)
F/2.8
Brightness 75
(Almost Same)
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center 2
F/2.8
Brightness 120
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center
F/4.0
Brightness 95
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Border (Right)
F/4.0
Brightness 79
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center 2
F/4.0
Brightness 129
(Almost Same)
Display crops in Black & White
  EXIF  
 
  Comparison Photo # 2  
Photo_180Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro  
against
Photo_183 Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
F4.5 1/500 100 50mm.    
  F4.0 1/640100 50mm.  
100% (1:1) Crop Samples
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center
F/4.5
Brightness 83
(Almost Same)
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Border (Right)
F/4.5
Brightness 78
(Almost Same)
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center 2
F/4.5
Brightness 119
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center
F/4.0
Brightness 95
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Border (Right)
F/4.0
Brightness 79
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center 2
F/4.0
Brightness 129
(Almost Same)
Display crops in Black & White
  EXIF  
 
  Comparison Photo # 3  
Photo_182Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro  
against
Photo_184 Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
F8.0 1/160 100 50mm.    
  F8.0 1/125100 50mm.  
100% (1:1) Crop Samples
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center
F/8.0
Brightness 97
(Almost Same)
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Border (Right)
F/8.0
Brightness 87
6% Darker
Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro
Center 2
F/8.0
Brightness 131
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center
F/8.0
Brightness 108
(Almost Same)
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Border (Right)
F/8.0
Brightness 102
6% Brighter
Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM
Center 2
F/8.0
Brightness 140
(Almost Same)
Display crops in Black & White
  EXIF  
 
Custom Comparison
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  Other Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM vs. Sigma 50mm F/2.8 DG Macro Comparisons  
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F9, F10, F11
Sigma 50mm 2.8 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F4, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F8, F10
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sigma 50mm 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F4, F8
  Other Comparisons of Sigma 17-70 F/2.8-4 DS Macro HSM  
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sony 16-105
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F4/F5.6, F4.5/F5.6, F5/F5.6, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Minolta 28-105
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Minolta 35-105mm.
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Tamron 18-200
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F4/F5.6, F4.5/F5.6, F5/F5.6, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Minolta 28-70 2.8 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Tokina 28-70 2.8 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 70mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sony 16-50
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F3.2, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sigma 17-70 vs. Tamron 18-200
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F3.2/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sigma 17-70 vs. Tokina 28-70 2.8
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F3.2, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sigma 17-70 vs. Minolta 28-70 2.8
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F3.2, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sony 16-105
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F3.2/F4.5, F3.5/F4.5, F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sony 18-55 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F3.2/F4.5, F3.5/F4.5, F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Cosina 19-35 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F3.2/F4, F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Tamron 17-50 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F3.2, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Minolta 28-105 vs. Sigma 17-70
Sharpness at 28mm.
Tested Apertures F3.2/F3.5, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1
Sigma 17-70 vs. Minolta 35-105mm.
Sharpness at 35mm.
Tested Apertures F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Minolta 28-105
Sharpness at 35mm.
Tested Apertures F3.5/F4, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Sony 35mm 1.8
Sharpness at 35mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F3.5, F2.8/F3.5, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
Sigma 17-70 vs. Tamron 17-50
Sharpness at 35mm.
Tested Apertures F2.8/F3.5, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8
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