Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd

	Ephotozine ‘Chromatic aberrations are kept well below the single pixel level throughout the aperture range and across the frame, a commendable performance. Combined with good contrast and the digital coating that Sigma now use to reduce incidences of flare and ghosting, neither of which reared their ugly heads, the lens performed well above the standard ‘kit’ lenses in this focal range.’

	British Journal of Photography ' Combine the 17-70mm range with a macro focusing and you have one extremely versatile lens. And this is exactly what Sigma have done with one of its latest releases.' 'Focusing is internal, which prevents the front element from rotating – a handy feature when using a polarising filter of filter holder.'

	Digital Photographer 'First of all, it’s quite compact. It has a neat cylindrical shape, it looks right and balances up well even on the smallest DSLR body. Second, the controls have a firm, precise feel with none of the play and looseness, which makes cheaper lenses feel, well, cheap. Most importantly of all, this lens offers a useful optical improvement over a typical kit lens. It’s nicely designed, it handles well and it’s versatile. Most of all, it produces very good picture quality with little distortion or chromatic aberration and that, after all, is the deciding factor for most photographers.’

	Amateur Photographer ‘Image contrast is medium-high, which reduces the tendency to highlight burn-out. This is one property where a design specifically for digital cameras may perform better than one for film. Detail had the convincing sparkle which lights up the monitor on initial downloading’ ‘The close focusing provided on this lens will add a good deal to the variety of subjects it can cover. It handles well and easily. In all, a workmanlike lens giving high value for its asking price.’

	What Digital Camera ‘The focus and zoom ring are comfortable and quite secure, with a locking device to prevent the zoom slipping from 17mm when the lens is dangling from a camera strap. When using the lens to copy a set of coins, the zoom remained in place, showing that the stiffness of the zoom array is impervious to gravity, but is not so stiff as to prevent quick zooming in normal use.’ ‘Images were sharp with crisp contrast and good colour. Whether I used the lens as a macro or as a standard, I never had cause to complain about the results.’

	F2 Freelance and Digital ‘…build quality is approaching the feel associated with the EX DG lenses, and like every Sigma lens I’ve used, it features a metal mount and fits smoothly on the body.’ ‘ …there is almost nothing on the market to match the range of abilities this lens provides at the price.’

	Photography Monthly ‘Offering such a broad range of wide-to-short-telephoto focal lengths, this standard zoom represents a worthwhile upgrade for the discerning photographer. All the usual limitations of using a cheap standard kit zoom are gone with this Sigma design, which proves fast and handhold-able in low light, delivering consistently high performance through its range. It’s robustly made and quiet in operation, snapping onto focus with a positive action. The range of focal lengths is slightly longer and wider too – increasing its versatility not only for day-to-day shooting, but also macro and portraits.’

	Digital Photo ‘It has a robust feel with a good quality finish and the lens mount is metal, while a rigid rubberised finish on both the zoom and focusing rings provide a trouble-free action. For an inexpensive step up in both versatility and quality over your kit lens, the Sigma DC 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 is worth a look.'

	Digital Camera Essentials ‘What’s especially noticeable though, is how little chromatic aberration there is. Chromatic aberration can be fixed using software, but it’s far better not to have any in the first place. Overall this is a very likeable lens, it’s nicely designed, it handles well and it’s versatile. Most of all, it produces very good picture quality with little distortion or chromatic aberration – the deciding factor for most photographers.'