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Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary - Review / Test Report - Sample Images & Verdict |
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Lens Reviews -
Fujifilm X
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Page 3 of 3
Sample Images
Click on an image to download the full-size variant.
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 18.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/5.6 |
| Exposure | 1/27s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 18.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/8.0 |
| Exposure | 1/27s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 36.8mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/1400s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 50.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/550s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 18.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/7.1 |
| Exposure | 1/210s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 34.9mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/180s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 21.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/5.6 |
| Exposure | 1/250s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 18.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/7.1 |
| Exposure | 1/320s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 20.4mm |
| Aperture: | f/5.6 |
| Exposure | 1/400s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 47.5mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/900s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 50.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/1250s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 50.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/1100s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-H2 |
| ISO Speed | 125 |
| Focal Length | 18.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/8.0 |
| Exposure | 1/400s |
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| Make | FUJIFILM |
| Model | X-T30 |
| ISO Speed | 400 |
| Focal Length | 50.0mm |
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
| Exposure | 1/140s |
Competition
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary (shown to the left below) is not without competition - even size-wise. There is, of course, Fujifilm's own behemoth - the Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR (center) - loved for its performance, less so for its bulk and price tag. A more comparable lens may be the Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS (to the right) - an oldie but goodie. It may be a little slower at the long end but unlike the Sigma, it features an OIS, which can be an advantage on the diminishing number of Fujifilm cameras without in-body IS at least. Performance-wise, it's probably a tad worse (we only tested it on 16 megapixels back in the day). Then there's the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD (not shown). While it IS a highly attractive option (soon to be reviewed in E-mount in this theatre), it is substantially longer. It is worth a thought if you don't mind the bulk and the somewhat higher price tag.
Visual comparison courtesy of camerasize.com.
Verdict
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DN DC Contemporary is a pretty obvious choice if you want to have a lightweight, fast standard zoom lens without breaking your bank account. On Fujifilm's 26-megapixel APS-C sensor, it is pretty sharp throughout the zoom range.
However, it's worth noting that the corner performance at 18mm is visibly worse when using the lens on 40 megapixels - this will apply to most zoom lenses, though. For the secondary image aspects (image distortions, CAs, vignetting), it relies heavily on digital corrections - probably due to the same compact design that makes the lens so appealing. The RAW figures aren't overly impressive in these respects, especially with respect to vignetting. However, even so - from an end-user perspective, this isn't overly relevant. While you may spot the effects of auto-correction when looking closely, the final quality of the image is still very fine. The quality of the bokeh is pretty good for a standard zoom lens, although you shouldn't expect prime lens quality here.
The build quality is perfectly fine. The lens is tightly assembled without showing any wobbling when fully extended. Sigma's TSC material feels nicer than other plastics that we have handled (I'm looking at you, Tamron). The dust- & moisture sealing is a bit on the basic side, but it's better than nothing. As already mentioned before, it's a tiny lens in the grand scheme of things, and we hope to see more Sigma lenses follow this design philosophy - after all, being smaller is a value proposition of APS-C format systems compared to full format. The AF is speedy and noiseless - no complaints here. For image stabilization, it relies on the camera. This is commendable because keeping a consistent lens alignment is difficult enough on standard zoom lenses.
While there are a few caveats, we really liked this small little fellow. It strikes a really nice balance between decent optical quality, solid construction and a very attractive price tag.
Mechanical Quality:
★★★★★
What does this mean ?
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