An interesting legacy lens I re-acquired recently was an excellent condition two-ringed Sigma Zoom-Gamma 21-35mm 1:3.5~4, a lens I had before, sold because it was developing haze within its elements. The copy is in excellent overall condition, clean and tidy all around, with excellent condition glass, and different from the first copy, which came with an Olympus OM mount, this one had a Nikon-F mount. The two-ringed version of the lens updates the earlier and original push-pull zoom, the Sigma Zoom 21-35mm 1:3.5~4.2, released in 1986.
The two-ringed Zoom-γ, a solid built with 7 elements in 7 groups, was the first wide-angle zoom produced for the SLR camera market. This version was released in 1979 and enjoyed a rating of Sharpness (8.5), Aberrations (8.5), Bokeh (9.0), Handling (9.0), and Value (9.0) at PentaxForums.
Fitted to the Nikon D200, the lens is equivalent to a 31.5 to 52.5mm zoom on a 35 full-frame camera, a versatile range suitable for full-body portraitures, landscapes, and street photography. At the long end of the zoom, at 52.5mm, the focal length is still within the standard of a 'normal lens' where images are seen with natural perspectives similar to what the eye sees.
The lens, well used and near enough to be in the forties now, is still exemplary of a robust build, with a smooth focusing ring and zoom functions. The aperture ring is quite stiff, though. With the zoom markings on the inner barrel faded and barely visible, I was neither too keen to do a zoom walk with the lens set at its 21, 24, 28, and 35mm focal lengths.
For the vintage enthusiast, the Sigma Zoom-Gamma AF 21-35mm 1:3.5~4, despite its variations, is still worth looking at as an option with a low-end start on the auction market. The combination of solid build quality, potential longevity of use, decent optical performance when stopped down, and historical significance as one of the first wide-angle zooms for the SLR camera market makes it a worthwhile consideration for collectors and users.
The Nikon D200, introduced by Nikon in 2005, is an advanced/enthusiast-level digital SLR camera positioned between entry-level and high-end models in Nikon's lineup. The camera has a robust magnesium alloy body, fitted environmental seals, and a 10.2MP APS-C CCD sensor, considered advanced for its time.
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