Sigma has announced the new Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens, Sigma’s first mirrorless zoom lens for crop sensor cameras. The lens gives an equivalent range of 27-75mm, in an ultra small and lightweight body. The lens has a maximum magnification of 1:2.8 allowing a minimum focus distance of 12.1cm.
Available in L and E-Mount, the lens can be used on full-frame cameras with crop mode enabled. It would make an ideal lens choice for the smaller L-Mount cameras such as the Leica CL, and small E-Mount cameras, such as the Sony Alpha A6600.
The lens is made up of 13 elements in 10 groups, with a 7-blade rounded diaphragm, and a 55mm filter thread. The lens weighs less than 300g at 290g, and will be availble from 29th October 2021, with a price of £429.99.
From Sigma: The all-new SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is SIGMA’s first mirrorless zoom for crop sensor cameras. With a full-frame equivalent focal range of 27-75mm, it combines exceptional versatility with an ultra small and light body, superb build quality and impressive optical performance. It also boasts a large F2.8 constant aperture that is ideal for creating blurry backgrounds, and allowing easier low-light shooting without the need for a tripod.
SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary with hood
The 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | C is perfect for a wide range of photo and video applications including landscapes, portraits, street photography, architecture and events, and it can also be used for macro-style close-up photography owing to its maximum magnification of 1:2.8*1 that allows a minimum focusing distance of just 12.1cm. Autofocus is exceptionally fast and quiet thanks to the lens’ stepping motor, which can be particularly useful for shooting video, or for capturing fast-moving subjects such as children and animals. Weighing in at less than 300g the 18-50mm is perfect as an everyday lens for a crop sensor body, or as a sub-lens for a full-frame body*2. It’s available for L-Mount and Sony E-mount cameras from 29 October 2021.
*1 The minimum focusing distance and maximum magnification ratio are values at the wide end. *2 Please switch to APS-C crop mode when used on full-frame cameras.
SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary Key features
1. Large F2.8 aperture and superb image quality
The SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary covers 27mm to 75mm in the 35mm format, and has a wide aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. This makes it easy to achieve blurry backgrounds, which is ideal for shooting attractive portraits and close-ups. The bokeh is smooth and attractive so doesn’t distract from the in-focus subject.
The lens’s three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements coupled with the minimisation of the total number of elements yields superb optical quality without excessive weight, and the use of in-camera aberration correction further eliminates optical imperfections such as distortion and vignetting. This has all been made possible by the latest optical design technology at SIGMA’s only production base in Aizu, where all SIGMA lenses are built.
SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary
2. Exceptionally compact and lightweight body ideal for mirrorless cameras
The SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is remarkably compact, matching the portability of APS-C mirrorless camera bodies. This makes it a perfect workhorse lens that is ideal for general day-to-day use. The lens is currently the smallest and lightest in its class*1, boasting a maximum diameter of 65.4mm, a length of 74.5mm and weight of 290g*2, yet still maintains a constant aperture of F2.8.
To keep the lens as light as possible, SIGMA constructed the body from carefully selected materials. A polycarbonate called Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) was used for the construction of the barrel, which is sleek, robust, and importantly has a thermal conductivity close to that of aluminum. This ensures stable performance and good operability when used in changing temperatures. By using metal for some of the internal structure, the parts could be much thinner and have a higher rigidity, ensuring the lens can stand up to frequent, heavy use.
*1 As an AF compatible, F2.8 constant aperture zoom lens for APS-C (as of October 2021, by SIGMA) *2 The values are for L-Mount.
SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary in hand
3. Supports a variety of shooting situations
The new SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary has fast and near-silent AF that makes it perfectly suited to a range of photographic applications, including shooting in quiet environments, recording video and capturing fast-moving subjects. This has been achieved by using a stepping motor as the AF actuator. Since it is small and lightweight, it can be used flexibly in situations such as handheld shooting, which requires high mobility, gimbal shooting, one-man operation video shooting and vlogging.
With an emphasis on making the lens as versatile as possible in a wide variety of shooting conditions, SIGMA designed the lens with a minimum focusing distance of 12.1 cm and maximum magnification of 1:2.8*, making it ideal for close-ups.
Combined with the pocketable full-frame SIGMA fp, the total weight is only 712g, and it can also be useful as a sub-lens for full-frame cameras (used in crop mode) to keep weight down.
The 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary, which combines a compact and lightweight body, high optical performance and a large aperture supports a variety of shooting situations, from introductory single-lens mirrorless cameras to video shooting, and is ideal for a wide range of photographic genres.
* The minimum focusing distance and maximum magnification are both values at the wide end.
SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary extended
Additional features
- Lens construction: 13 elements in 10 groups, with 1 SLD element and three aspherical elements
- Inter focus system
- Compatible with high-speed autofocus
- Stepping motor
- Compatible with lens aberration correction*
- Support DMF and AF+MF
- Super Multi-Layer Coating
- Petal-type lens hood
- Mount with dust- and splash-resistant structure
- Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only)
- Designed to minimise flare and ghosting
- Every single lens undergoes SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system
- 7-blade rounded diaphragm
- High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount
- “Made in Japan” craftsmanship
* Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections may vary depending on the camera model.
