Standard zoom for APS-C 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN
A review and Photo example of the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN with Leica CL.
Table of contents
Gallery
- The example photo was taken using a LEICA CL typ7323 camera.
There is no gallery selected or the gallery was deleted.
Review
1.Overview
The Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN1 is a standard zoom lens for APS-C size sensor mirrorless cameras.
Sigma lenses simply list their specifications in a way that is easy to understand but confusing, making it easy to get confused when minor changes are made or lenses with similar specifications are released.
The official name of this lens is SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary, with the following specifications: made by Sigma, 18-50mm zoom focal length, F2.8 maximum aperture (same for all focal lengths), DC=APS-C, DN=short flange back for mirrorless cameras, Contemporary=low-priced lens.
The only controls on the lens are the zoom ring and focus ring, and there is no distance indicator, giving it a clean appearance.
2.Usability
When I used the SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN with the LEICA CL typ7323, the autofocus (AF) rarely missed the target focus position for normal subjects, and I never had to touch the sparse focus ring. For cats in the back of grass, where AF is poor, the focus is set on the grass in the foreground, so manual adjustments are required.
I’m sorry I don’t have any actual measurements, but comparing with my past memories, the AF is faster and more accurate than the Vario-Elmar TL 18-56mm.
It is also fully compatible with the 24-megapixel sensor, providing sharp images. The minimum shooting distance is 0.12m at the wide end of 18mm, which is close enough, making this a very versatile lens.
When I got it, it was like a bonus with the LEICA CL typ7323, but it’s a lens that lets you experience Sigma’s technological capabilities in the 2020s.
I didn’t notice any loss of contrast or flare in backlit situations with the lens alone, but it comes with a plastic flower-shaped lens hood (LH582-02).
When zoomed towards the telephoto end, the lens length is at its maximum, and the direction in which the zoom ring of the Sigma rotates is opposite to that of the Leica and Panasonic, but if you’ve used lenses from a variety of manufacturers, the direction of rotation of the zoom ring doesn’t bother you so much. This specification seems to be unpopular with people who only use lenses from a specific manufacturer.
3.Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN, the system weight including the lens and LEICA CL typ7323 body is about 600g. Unlike the LEICA S series and HASSELBLAD X2D-100C that I usually use, which tend to be heavy systems, it is very light and well-made as a camera for walks, and I found it very useful.
The image quality was also sufficient for taking snapshots on a walk.
Specification and Competitor
A competing lens is the Leica Vario-Elmar TL 18-56mm, which is almost the same size. The differences between the two are listed in the specifications table, but there are three noticeable differences:
- The Sigma’s focal length at the telephoto end is 6mm shorter (Sigma = 50mm, Leica = 56mm)
- The Sigma has a constant maximum aperture, while the Leica has a variable maximum aperture and is slightly darker.
- The price difference is about 4 times for new lenses, and about 2 times for used ones.
An aperture value of F2.8 is the standard for large-aperture zoom lenses in Japan, but compared to prime lenses, F2.8 is a fairly slow lens, so I think the marketers of the past who marketed constant F2.8 lenses as large-aperture lenses must have thought it through carefully.
| Lens name | 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary | VARIO ELMAR TL |
| Focal length(mm) | 18-50 | 18-56 |
| Max aperture | 2.8 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 16 |
| Lens Construction | 13elements in 10groups | 10elements in 7groups |
| Leaf blade | 7 | – |
| Min distance(m) | 0.12〜0.31 | 0.3〜0.45 |
| Lens length(mm) | 74.5(L-Mount) | 60 |
| Lens diameter(mm) | φ65.4(L-Mount) | 63 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 55 | E52(52mm) |
| Weight(g) | 290 | 256 （レンズのみ） |
| Release date | 2021.10.29 | 2014.4 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | Open(58,000 Yen) | 200,000(Yen) |
Reference links
Update
- 2025.6.30
- 2024.04.07
- 2023.08.24
Affiliate link
- Amazon Affiliate Link/Keyword=Sigma
- Amazon Affiliate Link/Keyword=Sigma lens
- Amazon Affiliate Link/Keyword=Sigma books
Leave a Reply