Head-to-head · Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary vs Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about landscape, astro, and travel photographers who want professional-grade wide-zoom image quality without paying Sony GM pricing — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary

4.6

$899

The Sigma 16-28mm is the value zoom with the same 16mm wide end as the Sony GM II. At 450g and $899 it competes directly with the Tamron 17-28mm — and the deciding factor is usually filter compatibility and the matter of an extra millimeter wide vs an extra few millimeters tele. Inner zoom design is a real advantage for gimbal users. Image quality is excellent throughout the range, sharper than expected at the corners.

Strengths

— 450g weight with inner zoom design — center of gravity stays constant for gimbal use
— 16mm wide end matches the Sony FE 16-35mm GM II
— Five FLD elements and four aspherical lens elements for sharpness

Watch-outs

— 16-28mm range is narrower than the Sony GM II's 16-35mm
— Shorter zoom range than the Tamron 17-28mm by 1mm at each end (effective)
— Sigma's Contemporary line is positioned below the Art line in build quality

$899 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Wide-Angle Lenses for Sony E-Mount

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

4.7

$899

The Tamron 17-28mm is the value champion. At $899 it's less than half the Sony FE 16-35mm GM II's price, with image quality that holds up at every focal length except the missing 28-35mm range. For landscape, astro, and architecture shooters who don't need the GM II's edge-case features, this is the right Sony E-mount wide zoom buy. Lighter than the Sony GM II by 127g and far cheaper than every other pick in this lineup.

Strengths

— 420g — 23% lighter than the Sony FE 16-35mm GM II at less than half the price
— 67mm filter size accepts standard filter kits (vs Sony GM II's 82mm)
— Excellent corner-to-corner sharpness with virtually no color fringing

Watch-outs

— 17-28mm range is narrower than the Sony GM II's 16-35mm
— RXD motor is slower-focusing than Sony's XD Linear motors in the GM II
— Build quality feels less premium than the Sony GM lenses

$899 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary

Direct competitor to the Tamron 17-28mm at the same price. Wider on the short end (16mm vs 17mm), narrower on the long end (28mm). Inner zoom design is the differentiator vs the Tamron for video and gimbal work. Less expensive than the Sony FE 16-35mm GM II by ~$1,400.

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD

Best value pick. Narrower zoom range than the Sony FE 16-35mm GM II (17-28 vs 16-35) but at less than half the price. Compared to the Sigma 16-28mm, slightly less wide on the short end but similar pricing and build philosophy. Less focal flexibility than the Sony GM II but lighter and cheaper.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary	Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD
Max Aperture	f/2.8 constant	f/2.8 constant
Weight	450g	420g
Zoom Design	Inner zoom (constant length)	—
Elements	5 FLD + 4 aspherical	—
Focal Length	16-28mm	17-28mm
Filter Size	72mm	67mm
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame)	Sony FE (full-frame)
AF Motor	Stepping motor	RXD
Min Focus Distance	0.25 m	0.19 m
Length	—	99mm

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