Wide-to-Telephoto Zooms

What I have always wanted is a compact, sharp, and affordable 20-600mm f-2.8 zoom with macro capability. Imagine covering all your shots with just one lens. Manufacturers are now producing wide to telephoto zooms that can rival fixed focal length and other zoom lenses. The newer 28-200mm and 28-300mm zooms are sharp, compact, and affordable. These optics are great for those who want to travel light but still be able to cover everything from wide-angle to telephoto shots. A few years ago, I would not have recommended this type of zooms as they were not optically as sharp as other lenses. Currently made all-in-one zooms are capable of producing quality images and they will get even better in the near future. Manufacturers can now produce lenses which are optically superior to those made only a few years ago at much lower cost to the consumers. You can replace several lenses with one of these newer wide to telephoto zooms. A 28-300mm zoom will replace eight fixed focal length lenses. The main draw back to all-in-one zooms is the slow maximum aperture of f-5.6 or f-6.3 at the longest setting . All-in-one zooms have variable apertures. This means that maximum aperture changes as you zoom from wide-angle to telephoto. For instance, a 28-200mm f-3.5-5.6 has a maximum aperture of f-3.5 at 28mm setting but f-5.6 at 200mm. I'm not too concerned about maximum aperture with wide-angle lenses, but with telephotos I need all the speed I can get to freeze movement and reduce camera vibration. One way to correct this problem is by using faster film. Current ISO 200 and 400 films are so good that I'm beginning to see less reason to shoot anything slower. One area where all-in-one zooms need improvement is at their longest setting. Center and corner sharpness still need improvement at 200mm and especially at 300mm. This has always been a problem with all zoom lenses. You can't stop down too much to improve overall sharpness as it results in slower shutter speeds.

Canon has the best lens in this class. Introduced several years ago, the 35-350mm f-3.5-5.6L is sharp and very solid lens. It is not a compact lens and definitely not cheap. Lens weighs about three pounds and costs $1800. Canon's 35-350mm was a great achievement in lens technology when it was first introduced. It still remains a capable professional lens. Nikon has a compact lens in this class. Nikkor 28-200mm f-3.5-5.6 weighs only a pound and is less than four inches long. Lens is very sharp and well made with close focusing distance of 2.8 feet. The cost for the Nikkor 28-200mm f-3.5-5.6 is $500. It is a good investment considering its quality and the number of lenses it can replace. As of this writing, (August 2001) Minolta does not make a lens in this category. Pentax offers 28-200mm f-3.8-5.6 AL zoom which is very compact and well made. This lens can focus down to 1.7 feet which is great for a lens of this type. Pentax 28-200mm costs around $600. Tamron has two models: 28-200mm f-3.8-5.6 and 28-300mm f-3.5-6.3. Both lenses use LD glass for improved sharpness. The 28-200mm is very compact and costs $280. This is the best selling wide to telephoto lens. If you want extra millimeters, Tamron's 28-300mm deserves serious consideration. It weighs 20 oz and is less than 4 inches long. Quality of this lens combined with all the focal lengths it covers will cost you $450. Sigma has two lenses to challenge Tamron at lower prices. The 28-200mm f-3.5-5.6 uses SLD and aspherical lenses for producing sharp images with internal focusing. Lens is very light weight and compact. It weighs 18 oz and is 3.5 inches long. Sigma's 28-300mm version also uses SLD and aspherical glass. It focuses to 2 feet, weighs only 20 oz, and measures 3.7 inches. Sigma's 28-200mm costs $250 and the 28-300mm is about $330. Tokina 28-200mm f-3.5-5.6 is not only light and compact, it focuses to 4.5 inches! Now that is close focusing. Lens is just over 4 inches long and weighs a pound. For $210, this zoom is a great deal. The newer 24-200mm Tokina f-3.5-5.6 has the widest range in this class of lenses. It is well built weighing 2 pounds and 3.5 inches long. This zoom costs $420.

If you are interested in owning one of these lenses, first decide how much focal length you need. You can buy your own camera brand zoom or go for a generic version. EOS owners should definitely consider the 35-350mm Canon if they can afford the price. Otherwise, Tamron or Sigma 28-300mm are the alternatives. Both models are optically similar at more affordable prices. Nikon owners can take advantage of the wonderful Nikkor 28-200mm. The price you pay for this lens is well worth it. If you need some extra wide millimeters, then Tokina 24-200mm is the only choice. Tamron and Sigma 28-200mm are good choices at almost half the price of the Nikkor. Pentax users can save a lot of money by choosing one of the generic models or spend the extra dollars to get improved sharpness at the longer setting with the Pentax model.

All of the lenses mentioned here are optically good and can produce very good results if used properly. Use a tripod especially at longer focal lengths. All-in-one zooms are not for everyone. As a matter of fact, you should have other lenses in your bag even if you own a wide to telephoto zoom. Equipment fail or can get damaged. It is important to have a backup.
If you want a wide to telephoto zoom, you no longer have to wait. You get a lot of focal length and quality glass at reasonable prices. As always, buy the best you can afford.