Simga 16-28 vs Tamron 17-28 - Minimum Focus Distance and Focus Breathing Differences

When I got the Sigma 16-28 f 2.8 for my Sony A7iv, there was a noticeable difference in their minimum-focus-distances as well as their focus breathing. This was enough of a difference that it means I can't use the Sigma in the same way I use the Tamron, which is a bummer.
But, I wanted to do these tests to show you the differences so you can see those differences and make up your own mind.
I hope this information helps. Cheers!!
Below are some affiliate links to most of the gear I use to make my videos, happy recording!
Sigma 16-28 F2.8 for Sony E-Mount: amzn.to/45MB9pn
Tamron 17-28 F2.8 for Sony E-Mount: amzn.to/42nJu01
Camera 1 used to film this video:
Sony A7iv: amzn.to/3XRzHgC
Sigma 16-28: amzn.to/45MB9pn
Camera 2 used to film this video:
amzn.to/3Mv3lEd
Lens: amzn.to/3jKpPDr
Secondary Lens: amzn.to/3vGizOP
External Recorder: amzn.to/3Alvid5
Audio Gear I use:
Awesome shotgun mic that's also a USB Mic: amzn.to/3j1nW5b
Industry Standard Headphones, Sony MDR-7506: amzn.to/3FOfoIG
Rode Wireless Go II: amzn.to/3dr9gwO
Current Studio Monitors: amzn.to/3OkO21U
Subwoofer: amzn.to/3V2IbQQ
Secondary Monitors: amzn.to/3GnwQXz
Other cool camera gear I use:
My key Light: amzn.to/3WM9HnO
Diffuser 1 for Key light: amzn.to/42hBmy4
Diffuser 2 for Key Light: amzn.to/43kxcqh
Manfrotto Pixie Tripod: amzn.to/3F8aepK
Smallrig Mini Tripod: amzn.to/3JQd0Ud
Articulating arm for my microphone: amzn.to/3f8Km2p
Backup and Cheap Microphone - Movo VXR10: amzn.to/3G9EUbi
ep:101
#sigma #tamron1728 #sonya7iv
K&F Concept Camera Tripod (Goes up to almost 7 feet!!): amzn.to/3f7x3zi
External Monitor, Atomos Shinobi: amzn.to/3tfxTSH

[@starletdancetv]

I just purchased the Tamron 17-28 before I watched your video. Now, that I have watched this video, I am sure I made a good decision. Subscribed!

[@MarcusHutsell]

Good to know! And thank you, happy filming :)

[@tralfmusic]

Wow, man. subscribed - you really went out of your way to be diligent and accurate. I've been going back and forth between these two (don't wanna fork over for the Sony version) and I think I'm sold on the Tamron now. I have 2 other Tamron lenses and I love them - they seem to make high quality, comparable glass at a much sexier price point. Cheers!

[@JensMowatt]

The more videos I watch the more I'm realizing that the 17-28mm is a pretty incredible buy for the price. Great sharpness, low focus breathing, good autofocus, and just wide enough that it gets the job done for most gigs. Definitely happy that I ordered one.

[@MarcusHutsell]

I own 3 Tamron lenses and I’ve been very happy with all of them! Lighter and cheaper. Sure, maybe the GMaster series from Sony is “better,” but for my needs, my budget, and what I used these lenses for, the Tamron’s are “better” for me. No complaints really. Happy recording!

[@JensMowatt]

@@MarcusHutsell Exactly! What is best is always individual to your needs, and your budget. I'm glad that I saved myself $2000. I can spend that on more lights, more lenses, and maybe a vacation. I just needed a wide angle that gets the job done at a decent price, and the Tamron does just that.

[@beallouseanne920]

My english is terrible. sorry.. This is the best test I’ve ever found in youtube. I recently sold tamron 17-28, instead I left sony 20mm f1.8 G. But that was mistake. I didn't know how good a lens Tamron was. sony 20mm f1.8 is good lens ish. But I realized what I need is a zoom lens. Thank you.

[@MarcusHutsell]

Hi there. You’re very welcome and I’m glad my video helped! And your English is great! I only speak English, so you’re doing better than me. Happy Recording!

[@LeandroLinares]

It was refreshing to watch a lens review focused on real-world scenarios instead of just the same that's all over youtube. I've been trying to decide bw these 2 lenses for a while and this is the only useful video I watched so far that answers the questions that I have. Great work.

[@MarcusHutsell]

Thank you so much! I actually want to do another comparison video on these 2 lenses (I've had a script written for about a year), but this video was more important for me at the time. Anyway, I'm glad it helped. Cheers!

[@TheDIYFilmmaker]

Thank you so much. This is the best comparison I’ve found. I was thinking changing my Tamron for the Sigma, but I will definitely stay with the Tamron. Cheers!

[@MarcusHutsell]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Chris_Lan]

hey I bought the Simga 16-28 before watching this video and cancelled the order right after. Because mostly make videos, MFD and the focus breath is a huge deal breaker. I am VERY glad that I saw this video.

[@Chris_Lan]

Now i'm deciding between the tamron 20-40 and 17-28. I like 20-40's size and i basically need to decide is the extra 3mm is important for me.

[@MarcusHutsell]

Hey there. Yeah, I use the Sigma so much less, I'm thinking of selling it. I used it the other day in my garage on my "C-Stand Storage" video, and that longer minimum focus distance on the sigma "got me" again when I was holding some items close to the lens.....I had to back off again. i actually have the Tamron 20-40 as well. And I often wonder why I bought the 20-40.....however, I actually keep the 20-40 on my camera more often than the 17-28 these days. It's a toss up, I often wonder if simply selling all 3 and just getting a 16-35 f2.8......but that's still a chunk of change, and a hefty, hefty lens. Keeping the 17-28 or the 20-4 on my camera certainly lightens my bag. Aaaaanyway, the 20-40 is a really great lens as well. It's a bit more versatile than the 17-28, but mainly if you're going to be filming OTHER things, like taking pictures of other stuff, or videoing someone else, because you have a bit of extra zoom. When self-filming, I find 20 mm is the minimum for wide-view, 20mm works well in my home office when the camera is mounted to MY right and slightly above my laptop. Aaanyway, I really like all of my Tamron lenses. Can't go wrong. Cheers!

[@Chris_Lan]

@@MarcusHutsellwow I appreciate the insight!!! I agree on the 20mm for self filming. I think I’ve decided on 17-28. Here’s some context. I have the sigma 28-70 which is great, good MFD, no FB. But 28 is not wide enough for my use case like self vlog. Basically my thought process is 17-28 and 28-70 will cover everything I need indoor. I have a 24mm2.8g for walk around lens with my a7cii. Anyways, I was wondering if we could connect somehow through any social?

[@sydneydance]

This was really interesting. Great to see the difference from a practical perspective. I like how you showed how different these lenses operated for someone actually working with them using examples. This is not just a standard review video with very shallow practical examples of operation. Thanks for sharing! Also, interestingly, the minimum focus distance for the new GM II 16-35mm lens is 22cm. So somewhere between the Sigma and the Tamron. I think the Tamron is a bit ahead with its minimum focus distance capabilities. Question though, did you experience much focus breathing when just filming yourself? Neither of these lenses have breathing compensation enabled (thanks Sony, not), so am wondering which operates better and I noticed your studio set up is not super bright, so would be interesting to know how each lens performed focus breathing wise when filming human subject(s).

[@hecjvaldez]

Thanks a lot for doing these comparison!! Very useful ! 🙏

[@MarcusHutsell]

You’re welcome!

[@razafiarisonmichael4421]

Thank you for the information share and testing. I agree with your review, we need more videos like this before buying the products. There is too much commercial videos nowadays. I own the Sigma and I'm happy with it because I mainly use it for landscape photography. However being able to focus closer makes the lens more versatile. I own the Tamron 20mm 2.8 and I really love it for the price. Here is what makes Tamron better : - Versatility (focus distance perspective) : good for product and details photography - Fully weather sealed - The light/shadow transitions are more pleasing to the eye - colors are more pleasing to the eyes What makes Sigma better : - Better sharpness, contrast and details (landscape, cityscape & architecture photography) : good for big prints

[@MarcusHutsell]

Hi there. Thank you, and you are welcome. And thank you for your perspective and notes on Tamron vs. Sigma. I've been very happy with all of my Tamron lenses (I own 3 Tamron lenses) and other than that longer-minimum-focal-distance of the sigma, I really like the Sigma as well. With as much money as I've spent on these cheaper 16-28 and 20-40mm......I probably could have and should have gone with a 16-35 f2.8!! oh well...... Cheers!

[@johnlocke3481]

Dang! You just saved me from getting the sigma. Thank you!

[@MarcusHutsell]

You're welcome! The sigma has a great image, but so does the Tamron, and even a couple of weeks ago when I reached for the Sigma for that slightly wider view........I ended up trying to hold things up to the camera and wondered why it wasn't focusing...........because I was too close! So yeah, I keep going back to my Tamron. I'm glad the video helped, cheers!

[@Chuchuphinh]

thank you

[@MarcusHutsell]

You're welcome :)

[@quarantinos]

Are you at 17mm on both ?

[@MarcusHutsell]

Hi there, I'm at 16mm on the Sigma and 17mm on the Tamron, so, both lenses at their widest field of view. I failed to mention that in the video I now realize. It looks like the Tamron will change its minimum when you zoom in. The Sigma's info doesn't state, and I haven't tested that.

[@sydneydance]

@@MarcusHutsell I was thinking about this myself and glad that someone already asked. The minimum focusing distance officially for the Tamron at 17mm is 19cm compared to Sigma's 25cm (not sure if this changes as you zoom in, presumably not as that's the only spec on their website). So that's 6cm which is almost 2.5 inches at the widest end, so you were spot on with your estimate in the demo there! 👌

[@albiealexanderii1547]

you audio is so good what is your setup here?

[@MarcusHutsell]

Hi there. Thank you so much. So, on this video I was using my Rode VideoMic NTG, running straight in to my Sony A7iii or A7iv, whichever camera I was filming with from the side shots. Or running into my GH5 if using the front shots. (I film different parts of this in different months so my set up changed here and there.) In my video edit, I did very little processing to the audio. I took the audio over to Adobe Audition and did a VERY light amount of noise reduction to get rid of a little bit of hiss and background noise, and then just did a little bit of EQ in Davinci resolve. The raw audio is not much different from what you hear on the video. Love that mic!

[@onotaro4740]

It seems that Tamron has a smoother bokeh.

[@MarcusHutsell]

possibly!