Chris loves the tiny size and fast speed of the new Sigma 18-50mm F2.8, but it's not without some compromise. Find out where this lens excels – and where it falls short – in our DPReview TV review.
Finally watched this video. This could be a good travel lens for my Sigma fp L (or any L mount camera for that matter). The fp L will give me 24mp APS-C images too. Focal length range is 27mm to 75mm (FF equivalent). Too many of us drink too much coffee or else we have very hard lives that we can't hold the camera still enough to get along without stabilization at these focal lengths. Besides, the other L mount bodies have it inside anyway, so the shaky hands crew can still get good mileage out of this lens in L mount. Now, I need to figure out how to get the money to buy it. This is the hard part!
If only Sigma released the APS-C Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN for X-mount! Fuji's own 16-55/2.8 while being a very good lens is huge, heavy, and pretty expensive.
And the 16-55 does not have optical stabilization either. I wonder why Sigma seems to be slow to enter the Fuji third party lens marketing area. Could be lots of reasons that we will never know.
I think this is really an alternative to the Sony 18-135 OSS. It is comparable in price, and this comes down to constant F/2.8 and likely better image quality vs more than twice the range on the tele end and OSS. So it would have been nice to compare the image quality to get an idea of how much of a factor that is.
Profoundly expensive, lacking wide coverage, crippled by aberrations you cannot cure, hmmm, not good. I use Sigma primes on my a6000, good ones, and none were anywhere near this price at all. Are prices rising as the adult population in the affluent gear-buying countries dies off of Covid? Less of a market they want to maintain margins nonetheless??
It's a 2.8 zoom which is pretty sharp corner to corner across the range at all apertures. Also small and light and with reasonable bokeh. Where else can you get that for less money?
It has NO image stabilization at all, and cannot be used without a gimbal for video on APS-C cameras without built-in image stabilization (write your own list). Profoundly expensive it is therefore, because you will not be at all happy using it in preference to others WITH image stabilization. I own several aXXXX series cameras: NONE have image stabilization either, so my guess is you will want to buy another one with IS, possibly the later Sigma version?
Besides everyone who buys a go-to walk-around zoom feels the lack of wider-angle coverage sooner or later, so why bother with such stuff? Sigma made one years ago already, renowned it was for chromatic aberration too, and it did macro- is it the same design, I wonder?
@jagganatha: Canon's EF 24-70 2.8 lenses were unstabilized, twice the size and weight and more than twice the cost, designed for bodies without IBIS and were amongst the most popular pro lenses ever made. IS is not important for some kinds of work, and if you need it, you can use the lens with an IBIS body.
Yes its an APS-C lens. But would have been great if you placed it on a 135 format camera to see how well it covers and if usable. Some of Sigma's lenses have surprising coverage.
It's tough love for us Nikon users :-/ . A few articles on another lens I couldn't believe someone was arguing for Nikon lens on for Nikon system and nothing else (because 3rd party lenses were a mistake).
So many lens choices for E mount, love the performance (had a A6000) but can't stand anything else about it in terms of ergonomics.
Bingo. Not being a fan of video, I went directly to the sharpness and it's sharp in the corners. None of the usual excuses how the softness is typical or gets a little better by f/8.
What makes the corner sharpness even more significant is that (a) it's a relatively cheap lens, (b) it's a Sigma and (c) it shows that a lens scaled down to mirrorless size can still be very good.
If you also enjoy portraits, the Tamron 17-70 might be for you. In non-specular bokeh situations (i.e. daytime, no tiny lights peeking through the background), the bokeh is good enough, and even at night with specular highlights, you have to pixel peep to really find it that disturbing. In fact, I see complex bokeh balls in TV and movies all the time, and nobody cares, or it's even used as an asset to make the scene more interesting.
Not that Canon Will do it but i really hope they Will do like Sony and let other companys make lenses without haviing to do like with the ef lenses. Sure sigma and tamrons autofocus works good on the ef line but it Will take some time to make all new rf lenses. Both brands are releasing awesome lenses to Sony
Why do you guys at DP Review use the Noct as weight reference? It's a rare lens, so not the most familiar measurement unit to a large portion of the public. Why don't you use instead a 24-70 2.8 (it's more or less the same weight across all the brands)? Or other objects?
Currently using Sony's 2.8/16-50 SSM in combination with the LA-EA5 on the a6600. It all works well, AF speed, eye-focus, optical quality, everything except size and weight. Certainly tempted, but working on my GAS syndrome, so won't pre-order. Still, for travel it offers a lot.
The XF 18-55/2.8-4 is no slouch since 2012, and a excellent Kitlens.
/edit I don't like the non-metal barrel, and too huge Lens Hood, it should being smaller, compared to the Lens barrel. For the money, it does should have much less CAs. It should feature also an Aperture Ring.
Sorry Chris, a nice & compact Hood should be a really a tad smaller Hood diameter - i do think the proportions doesn't fit here optically, it's too big, the hood. I've enough Zoom lenses, and the Hood is usually a bit smaller to match the zoom lens. Just look at the Lens with the mounted hood from the side - the hood is a bit too huge for the Lens.
And the Sunstars look good, but the flares, ghosting aren't that cool. Never had these this way with my Tamron 17-50/2.8 on my D80, D90 & D7000.
Like it much on my E1, T1 Bodies, the XF 18-55/2.8-4
It's basically the same size and weight as the xf 18-55, but having both lenses in the system would give us the option of fixed 2.8 aperture vs stabilization. n
Yes, for 500 EUR ione can't go wrong with the new Sigma 18-50/2.8, a bit high distortion, a bit LoCA, and Flares, but nice and small size...better bokeh than the Tamron 17-70/2.8 if one does compare from the current samples & videos.
We put the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 on a Sony a6600 and took it around to some of our favorite Seattle photo spots. Check out our sample gallery to see if this fast, compact lens can deliver the goods.
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