The Sigma 70-210mm f/2.8 APO is about average for its focal length and aperture in terms of size and weight. The Sigma 70-210mm f/2.8 APO as the name suggests incorporates specialized glass to reduce chromatic aberrations. The lens is constructed of 17elements in 13 groups with 3 SLD glass elements. Two versions of the lens were made around the same time, apparently one with a 77mm filter diameter that supposedly vignetted some and one with an 82mm filter diameter made later; the version I have appears to be the 82mm filter diameter lens. I am not sure which years which version was made and the only dates of manufacture I have is 1992-1995 range, but that might be only the 77mm version or it might be both. The total length of the lens is 192mm with a weight of 1300g (2.9lbs). The lens has a close focusing distance of 6ft/1.8m with a maximum reproduction size of 1:7.2 at 210mm.
Size comparison with hood on to Zuiko 50mm f/1.8
The lens is an internal focus/zoom design so the lens never varies in length nor the front element rotate. The lens is a two touch design with a separate zoom and focus rings. The zoom elements are quite heavy and shooting at more then about 45 degrees up or down will cause zoom creep (towards the long end +45 and the short end -45) A light touch on the zoom ring will prevent this. The lens has a very sturdy tripod collar that rotates freely when released and locks down solidly. The design is very easy to remove, you loosen the collar lock nut and then pull it to release the collar and reattaching is just as easy. The tripod collar is just about the perfect size to provide a good rest to the heel of your hand when shooting with the lens.
Hood reversed
The aperture range on the lens is from f/2.8 to f/22 in half stop steps. The aperture ring is snappy, but not to hard to rotate. The lens zooms easily and the focus takes a quarter turn to go from infinity to closest focus and also rotates easily. The lens hood is a bayonet type hood (plastic, but quite sturdy) that attaches outside of the filter ring on the bayonet lugs. The attachment is very firm and not likely to dislodge. The hood can be attached backward for storage.
Comparable lenses in OM mount are the Tamron Adaptall-2 80-200mm f/2.8 and the Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8.
The lens is pretty sharp wide open as the example pictures below show.
70mm f/2.8 1/125s 210mm f/2.8 1/250s
210mm f/2.8 1/250s
hello:
Just wondering if the zoom ring supposed to be really Loose? I got mine off eBay…used to have one for Nikon MF.
Depending on what you’d consider really loose, it could be. It isn’t what I would consider really loose on mine, but I wouldn’t call it all that well damped either, a little in between. It does have lots of zoom creep if I point it more then 60 degrees up or down. By a lot of zoom creep, I mean it’ll drop to either 70mm or 210mm unless I keep a finger on the zoom ring. The focus is a bit better damped on it.
On coming on to this site, I have discovered that this Sigma 70-210mm lens, is the same as the one I bought it as a “Vivitar Series 1, 70-210mm 2.8 Zoom Lens”, s/h from Mifsuds in 2008. Filter size is 82mm. The serial number starts with 201.. It is in mint condition and produces good to great images throughout the zoom/aperture ranges. Both Rings, “Zoom” & “Distance”;- are positive & firm, and There is no lens creep. The lens works very well in all levels of light when used with a 2x Vivitar 7 element Converter, and only in low light is there a problem with hunting, when used on my KonicaMinolta5D. When I got the lens, the plastic hood did not come with it, instead a screw-in rubber-type was supplied by Mifsuds. Anyway, this has worked out much better for storing in the kit bag. In short this lens did not get much use in the past. There are changes afoot to amend this. This lens was got at a bargain price. It was/is worth every cent.
i am looking at one to buy. what is the lens worth . picture quality?
The lens I bought, as you can see, isn’t in great shape cosmetically (great optically/mechanically) and I bought it for about $290 from the Czech republic a couple of years ago. I’ve seen them on Ebay since go for around $240-350 to give you a range.
The picture quality is outstanding. Of my telephoto lenses it is my second sharpest behind my late version Zuiko 85/2. Better than my vivitar series 1 70-210/3.5 and zuiko 135/3.5. Even wide open it is pretty sharp. No complaints at any focal length or aperature. It does get heavy after awhile though
Hi there, I was googling the size of the tripod mount ring ( collar ) of this lens and bumped into your blog. I was wondering what size the collar is and also its bayonet type hood as I was looking to buy these. I just bought this lens here in UK for £99 Nikon mount. Many thanks!
Best regards,
Nilo
I’ll try to remember to measure for you and reply. The filter ring is 82m, if I had to guess the inner diameter of the bayonet hood is probably 87mm.
For the tripod collar I think it is 72mm, but again, I’d have to measure to figure it out.