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Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary - Review / Test Report |
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Lens Reviews -
Fujifilm X
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Page 1 of 3
Review by Klaus Schroiff, published March 2023
Introduction
Sometimes, albeit rarely, a new lens seems to defy conventions. Straight f/2.8 standard zoom lenses tend to be rather bulky and heavy - even in APS-C format.
e.g. The Fujinon 16-55mm f/2.8 has a size of 83.3 x 106 mm and weighs 655g, and the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G isn't much smaller.
So meet the new Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary coming in at just 285g and a size of merely 61.6x76.8mm.
Of course, this comparison is slightly unfair. After all, the Sigma isn't quite as wide - these 2mm make a difference - and there are also some mm of focal length "missing" at the long end.
However, even so, this is an extremely compact representative of its species. And at just $550/500EUR, it costs less than half of the Fujinon/Sony E lens.
As you can see below, it's not "too small" when used on a bigger Fujifilm body, so the handling remains just fine.
The Sigma lens is a member of the Contemporary lineup. Thus, it targets amateur rather than professional users.
The outer barrel is made of Sigma's TSC ( Thermally Stable Composite) material. You may also call it good quality plastics ( polycarbonate ).
However, the lens feels sturdy and very well-built. There's nothing wobbly even when extending it to its 55mm setting.
The weather sealing is rather basic, with just a rubber sealing at the mount to protect it from dust and moisture.
Both the zoom and focus ring are very smooth. A petal-shaped (plastic) lens hood is part of the package.
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary uses a stepping motor for autofocusing. It is pretty fast and noiseless.
Manual focusing works, of course, "by wire" thus you drive the AF motor when turning the focus ring. This works nicely, and it's very precise.
It's also worth noting that the lens can focus down to an object magnification of just 1:2.8 (at 18mm) so basic macro photography is also possible.
| Specifications |
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| Equivalent focal-length | "27-76mm" (Full Format) |
| Equivalent aperture | "f/4.2" (Full Format) |
| Optical construction | 13 elements in 10 groups (1x SLD & 3x aspherical elements) |
| Number of aperture blades | 7 (rounded) |
| min. focus distance | 0.18m-0.38m (max magnification: 1:2.7 (WIDE) / 1:4.1 (TELE)) |
| Dimensions | 61.6x76.8mm |
| Weight | 285g |
| Filter size | 55mm |
| Hood | petal-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied) |
| Other features | dust & moisture-resistant mount |
| Mount | Fujifilm X, Sony E, L-mount |
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