Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM

[boufa]

I did not see this lens in the archive so I thought I would post my first impressions. This is NOT a review. I am just sharing my first shots from the lens and letting you be the judge.

Here are the details. First this lens gets confused for several other Sigma lenses. There is a 17-50 and an 18-50 with a fixed 2.8. This lens has a variable f-stop from 2.8 to 4.5. It is a crop sensor lens, with OC (4 stops) and with HSM. It clearly is not the top of the line HSM. It is a little loud (for HSM) but not in real world conditions. I paid $189 shipped.. new. I got it to gain some lens speed, faster focusing and wider everyday lens and OC for more flexibility. My goal is to find a birthday party and Disney World lens. For a snapshot lens I think it has the potential to be very good. (I do not, and never did own the kit lens, so I cannot compare)

The lighting on these samples is poor (intentionally). It was late evening and almost all of the pictures are in the shade of the setting sun. All shots are unedited unless noted.

NOTE: I accidentialy took these at ISO 800.. they are a little grainy.
Handheld @ 1/5th of a second 45mm (a borderline keeper, but also the second photo I took after taking the lens out of the box.)

http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v22/p245211730-6.jpg

Flower shot for detail
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v13/p307141936-4.jpg

Detail/crop
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v13/p53423573-4.jpg

[boufa]

continued...

18mm
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v19/p398111663-4.jpg

50mm
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v13/p181245747-4.jpg

50mm f4.6
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v21/p343537426-4.jpg

Another flower and flower detail/crop
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v13/p315987528-4.jpg

http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v18/p239743862-5.jpg

[boufa]

last one...

This one was an experiment to see if I could put together several things and make it work. I have always tried to get certain action shots, but the camera/lens/photographer shortfalls have always prevented it. So this sequence was done strictly to see if the action could be captured.

These are 2 consecutive frames, taken without releasing the trigger on the camera. The focus was maintained using AI Servo mode on my 40d. (its a fast little dog and rarely do I get 1 of these types of shot in focus much less 2 (and more) in a row).


50mm f7.1 1/250th
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v25/p471813454-4.jpg

http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v25/p304361698-4.jpg

1 shot ultra cropped..
http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/v25/p421559986-4.jpg

[Badfisherman]

Thats some good info for me. Thanks for posting that.

[WylunCustoms]

thanks for posting this! i've been thinking of getting this for a long time.. just hesitant to pull the trigger or just buy the canon 18-55is kit lens... i used to have the kit lens but i sold it when i upgraded my body... now i miss it lol..

[TACOSAURAS]

Just picked up this lens, set up on my 7D and it does not keep f/2.8 through the range, only at 18mm. This sucks. I wish I knew more about lenses before I bought it. But still a pretty cool and sharp lens. Very noisy in focusing. sounds like a tank on approach.

[boufa]

I was thinking about naming this lens, since many of the other Sigma Lenses have names.

We have
Wigma .. wide angle sigma (10-20)
Sigmonster - The huge 300-800
Bigma and Bigma II - 50-500 (and the OS version)
Bigmos - the 150-500 (named because it was similar to the Bigma but had OS... of course now the Bigma has OS, so I guess that one only worked for a while)

So I was thinking Kitma, since this seems to be Sigma's answer to the Canon kit lens 18-55.

I like the lens. I am very sure I can do better with it, and I will try to post more photos soon. Of course I just purchased my Bigmos, so we will see what time allows.

[Jay-Bird]

I like it, I had the non IS kit lens on my 20d, so for 200 bucks, 2.8 own low, figured I could not go wrong.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/jstandridge23/6798b6bd.jpg

I will use it on my 60d, when it gets back from Japan. I let my sis borrow it for a few months for her Rebel Xt.

[boufa]

I might be the only one who owns this lens... o.k. there are a few others, but I am suprised at how few. I realize that it is nearly the same as the kit lens in specs, but I really like it. Having never had the kit lens, this one does the job really well.

Hand held, f4.5 1/20th @ 50mm through the plexiglass with out a flash. I don't remember the range, but I am pretty sure this was at (or close to) the minimum focal distance.

http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/s1/v57/p1145698754-4.jpg

[Jay-Bird]

I might be the only one who owns this lens... o.k. there are a few others, but I am suprised at how few. I realize that it is nearly the same as the kit lens in specs, but I really like it. Having never had the kit lens, this one does the job really well.

Hand held, f4.5 1/20th @ 50mm through the plexiglass with out a flash. I don't remember the range, but I am pretty sure this was at (or close to) the minimum focal distance.

http://www.towpathphoto.com/img/s1/v57/p1145698754-4.jpg

Nice and sharp! I can't wait to get mine back. I have all sorts of stuff I want to shoot with it.

[EverydayGetaway]

I'm surprised by the lack of love for this lens! I bought this after returning the Canon "kit" lens and was extremely pleased with it. The build quality is excellent and after some basic PP the IQ is generally very good too. For $200 it's hard to beat as a walk around lens for a crop body.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8301894557_4ec2660750_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8080/8302949534_4465e85aaa_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8302950586_c637ea66f9_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8302952452_fe8dcab3c7_b.jpg