My new angst - Canon 28-135 IS or Sigma 18-125 OS

[PoohJen]

Hooray!!! The new Sigma 18-125 f/3.5-5.6 AF DC OS HSM is FINALLY being released on April 10!!! I've been waiting for months for this lens to replace my broken Sigma 18-125 non-OS.

But...

I think I'm ready to bite and get the Canon 40D. At Amazon, the body-only price is only $200 less than with the Canon EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

So...Sigma for $400 or the Canon for $200.

Maybe that seems like an easy choice. But:

- I really liked my Sigma (got plenty of use; I think it got sand in it)

- I like the 18mm range

- I've read so many problem stories about the Canon, especially blurriness.

ok, so I know I'll probably go with the less expensive 'kit' lens - the Canon. But I'm interested in hearing your perspectives!

 

[DVC Jen]

I love my canon 28-135 I use it most of the time. It is a fantastic lens.

 

[Shutterbug]

I have that same lens 40D kit. Its not nearly wide enough from what I want and I am not particulary impressed with IQ. I am already looking to upgrade to the 17-40 L f/4 and then to the 70-300 IS USM. Then a 50 prime.

 

[SueInBoston]

I had the same dilemma of body or kit, as I already have lenses from my XT. I ended up getting the kit and putting the 28-135 on the XT for my daughter to use. Do you have a budding photographer in your household?

 

[jann1033]

i have had 2 copies of the 28-135, the first lots of problems the second very good and i use it as my walk around...i'm happy with it...the only sigma i ever had was horrific so i guess my experience has been the opposite of yours, which kind of shows, sometimes it's more the lens copy you get than anything else imo
just for the record, neither copy was particularly soft, the first the IS went and then it wouldn't focus and when they fixed it it had purple fringing out the wahzoo, the second one I've had longer and haven't had any of the problems...if i compare it to my one and only L, naturally it is not as sharp but it has way less pf than my tokina 10-17 which was rated 10 on fredmiranda. i think sometimes when some hear "kit" it automatically translates to "junk" and even though i think Canon should have put a nice 18-70 ish L is lens with the 40d for the same price as the pack now, ( ) if i needed a lens in that range i wouldn't hesitate to buy the canon 28-135

 

[pjacobi]

Do you know *why* the 28-135 lens is kitted with the 30D/40D?

The 30D was originally kitted with EFS 18-55, just like the Rebel line. When the Sony Alpha was introduced, Canon had to respond to the in-body IS feature of the Alpha without effecting cost.

The solution of the Canon marketing department was to kit the 30D/40D with the cheapest IS lens available. That just happened to be the 28-135 with older generation IS, left over from film cameras. Problem solved! Executives give themselves raises!

Choose your lens based on your own needs. Don't let the Canon marketing department make the decision. There are lots of better options available.


-Paul

 

[Golf4food]

I'm in the same boat - hoping to upgrade to a 40D - and have used a Sigma 18-125 non-OS for over two years now and love it's versatility. With all the mixed reviews I've heard of the Canon 28-135 I think that the new Sigma would be my choice.

 

[alan]

I can't speak for the image quality between the two lenses. But I bought a Canon G9, which has a "wide" end that is similar to the 28-135mm lens on a 40D.

Next day, I went with the family to a local castle. I found that I couldn't take the wide-angle shots I wanted; the lens just wasn't wide enough.

Next day it went back, and I replaced it with a compact that had a wide angle equivalent to 18mm on a 1.6 crop.

Everyone is different, but I found that I really wanted that wide end.

regards,
/alan

PS After a dreadful experience with the non-OS Sigma 18-200mm, I bought the OS version and it isn't bad at all

 

[PoohJen]

Thanks for all the great replies!

Yes, Alan, I'm afraid the 28 won't be wide enough.

and, neat observation re: the IS, pjacobi.

what to do, what to do. Maybe I should try to get my current Sigma fixed!

 

[jann1033]

by the "it's old so it stinks" reasoning, if you follow that don't ever buy a 70-200 f4( released the yr after the 28-135) and i think the the 70-200f2.8 might even be older ...course both of those lenses are considered to be excellent but, hey you'd hate to use an old film lens on a digital camera...
you can always get the kit and then when the sigma gets released see how the reviews are and either sell the 28 or maybe the reviews will stink. there is also a tamron 18-250 that is supposed to be really good...the f is the same as the others but i don't think it has is and is around$500..but it's brand new