Re: Mid-Range Zoom
 

I have a Sigma 70-300 as well and for the money it's a great lens.

Re: Mid-Range Zoom
 

I picked up the Sigma 70-300 today. F3 hasn't touched down yet but I put this lens on my still camera. Wow. Considering this lens is close to free in the cine lens world this lens is a spectacular deal. If you haven't put it on a still camera yet, you are in for a treat. The AF speed is razor quick. For those considering this lens, the feel of the barrel mechanics and bokeh are good for the price.

Re: Mid-Range Zoom
 

It's funny the way it's turned out.

We now have 35mm sized sensors in video cameras, and find ourselves over the moon when we discover that it's possible to use a zoom lens that will travel through the zoom range without loosing focus!

At less than half the cost on an Arri 16 SR3 film magazine, we can work with cameras sharing similar optical characteristics as a half million dollar Panavision motion picture camera. In so many ways, large-sensor video a brilliant advance, but I feel that zoom lenses designed for stills cameras have limited application on a large-sensor video camera in certain shooting situations.

You have to spend big for a decent video zoom lens with good reason. f1.8 is quite usual at the wide end and it's built to be f1.8 aperture right through the range. It can't be any other way can it? Otoh, I'm just loving discovering all the old lenses that people have had stashed away. Keep them coming.

Re: Mid-Range Zoom
 

Just got my 28-70 f2.8 Nikon. Lovely! - and not as heavy as I expected. much smaller than my 80-200.
So now I have tokina 11-16, and Nikon's 17-35, 28-70 and 80--200. Preliminary quick and dirty test showed that all look to have similar color and contrast - not too different perhaps than Zeiss ZF.
Better tests to come.

I would like to try the 24-70 for the wider range but stayed away because people here complained about being restricted to the MTF iris control.

time to get off the computer and start shooting this thing.