Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR

by Sigma

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000UC5YSQ
• Item model number: B000UC5YSQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Sigma's 18-50mm EX series macro lens is specially designed for Nikon digital SLR cameras with a minimum focusing distance of 20 cm (7.9 inches), making it suitable for a wide variety of subjects. The lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range, along with a maximum magnification of 1:3 for close-up macro photography. The interior, meanwhile, incorporates both glass-mold and hybrid aspherical lens technology to deliver superior peripheral brightness and extremely high image quality. Add in Special Low Dispersion (SLD) and Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ESD) glass elements and you have a lens that can correct all types of color aberrations while providing a high level of optical performance at every interval.

The lens also offers a super multilayer lens coating that reduces flare and ghosting, a common problem among many digital cameras. Users will also appreciate the inner focusing system, which provides a fast autofocus speed while preventing the front of the lens from rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and the petal-shaped lens hood (included). The Sigma 18-50mm lens--which measures 3.1 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches long--weighs only 15.9 ounces and carries a one-year warranty.

Product Description

Sigma's 18-50mm EX series macro lens is specially designed for Nikon digital SLR cameras with a minimum focusing distance of 20 cm (7.9 inches), making it suitable for a wide variety of subjects. The lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range, along with a maximum magnification of 1:3 for close-up macro photography.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Image Quality, Low Cost, Great Build!, March 11, 2009

By 

Darrell R. Young "Darrell Young - Author" (Knoxville, TN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR (Electronics)

This is evidently Sigma's third release of this lens, and it now includes HSM (HyperSonic Motor) so that it will work on cameras like the Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D3000, and D5000. These cameras have no built-in body autofocus (AF) motor. The AF motor is built into the Sigma lens, instead.

The easy way to make sure you are getting the HSM version is to check the sales ad for the filter size. The older lenses had a 67mm filter, while the new lens has a 72mm filter and lens cap. Looking at the lens, it seems a little shorter in length, yet slightly bigger around compared to the older lenses, due to the larger glass.

In shooting with this lens, I find the image quality to be simply superb at f/5.6 and f/8. At f/8 it is every bit as good as some of my Nikkor prime lenses. I don't make that statement lightly! I am a strong user of single focal length prime lenses. The reason I bought this lens is because I own the Sigma 10-20mm super-wide, and found its image quality to be excellent at f/8, also. I am a tripod-based landscape shooter, so I am mostly concerned with maximum sharpness, low chromatic aberration, and nice contrast. The newest Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 EX DC HSM lens delivers on all those fronts. It is a lightweight carry lens for everyday "normal" use.

Opening the lens up to f/2.8 lowers sharpness, especially in the extreme corners. The nice thing, though, is that my Sigma is about as sharp wide-open, as my Nikkor 24-120mm VR lens is at f/5.6. It is quite usable and impressive at f/2.8 and even has very low vignetting, which is an unexpected bonus. Stopping down to f/4 brings this lens into a high-sharpness range that gets progressively better to about f/11. After that significant sharpness is lost due to diffraction (light being diverted by the edges of the aperture blades). At F/22, this lens seems less sharp than when wide-open. I consider the maximum-quality usability range of this lens to be between f/4 and f/11. The larger and smaller apertures are there when you need them, but with some loss of sharpness.

The short focal length range (18 to 50mm) is necessary to keep image quality under strict control. Most "professional" lenses will not have a large focal length range, since it is very difficult to correct for lens issues over a broad range of lengths in one lens.

The Macro feature on this lens is quite usable. I was carrying a 60mm Micro Nikkor in my daily carry bag, but no longer do so. While not true macro, it is very close, and allows me to get up to within a couple of inches of my subject at 50mm. Quite impressive!

Pros:
Light-weight and small size
Solid EX build
Very high sharpness between f/4 and f/11
f/2.8 when you need it!
High contrast
Fast and Quiet AF - HSM Style
Macro that works pretty well
Low price

Cons:
Short focal length range
Loss of sharpness in edges at f/2.8
Diffraction unsharpness quite noticeable at f/22
Mild vignetting (light falloff on edges) wide open.

I've been using this lens for several weeks now, and would buy it again! No lens is perfect, and I don't expect this one to be. However, it easily meets my needs for a very sharp lens that will replace my use of several prime lenses. It adds little weight to my digital Nikons, so I can take it with me everywhere. It has become the daily "carry" lens on my Nikon D300. The images I have created with this lens, so far, have made me very happy. I enthusiastically recommend it!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blows kit lens out of water, March 8, 2008

By 

Sir Coogs A Lot - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR (Electronics)

I've had the pleasure of having this lens for about a week and have to say I'm very impressed by the constant f/2.8 aperture that it offers. In normal indoor lighting and ISO of about 400 or even 200 I can shoot some very nice shots without flash.

Your first reaction when you get this lens is it's freaking huge! It has a 72mm lenscap which is almost 1.5 times bigger than the kit. It also weighs much more because it uses more metal and glass. For handheld shots that's not a problem and in my opinion can actually help stability a little. For tripod pictures however, I will need another tripod because it just makes the camera too heavy. You'll also want to hold on to your kit lens when you are hiking and don't want to carry a heavy lens.

I am a D40 user so I didn't have too many choices that autofocused. the 50mm prime lens that I bought before did was not easy to focus manually and I wish I would have bought this first.

*update*, I've had this lens for almost a year now and have upgraded my body with the Nikon D90 and this lens is still my most used lens and I noticed the price was lower too so it's a true bargin. I briefly tried the Nikkor 17-55mm DX f/2.8 (the one that costs more than 3 times the sigma) just to see whether the grass is greener on the other side and the first thing I missed was that I couldn't get as close to my subjects the way I can with the sigma. I'm sure the Nikkor is better in other areas but at 1/3 the price, you'd love the Sigma. This will be my last DX zoom lens until I upgrade to full frame.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Kit Lens Replacement!, February 15, 2008

By 

R. Reed (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Macro Lens for Nikon DSLR (Electronics)

I was looking for a replacement to the very good AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm kit lens that came with my D40. I was looking for a walkaround/travel lens that was relatively inexpensive and in a compact package that would give me better low light/natural light capability. Since the D40 requires lenses with built in AF motors, this Sigma was pretty much my only option unless I wanted to spend more than twice the money for the larger and heavier Nikon 17-55 2.8 or wait for Tamron to release their comparable 17-50 2.8 (w/ internal AF motor) - which I've read is another great lens.

I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Build quality is superb (compared the the plasticky Tamron), the HSM motor is quiet and fast, and IQ has been very good so far. I haven't run the lens through its paces yet, but I'm looking forward to. This lens gives me the natural light capability that I've wanted and the shallow depth of field I couldn't get with my kit lens.

If you're on the fence, I'd say pull the trigger. This is a great lens for the money.

**** Update Jan 2009 ****
I've had the lens now for nearly a year and I've been very pleased. The constant 2.8 aperture has really been great. I will say HOWEVER, it seems as if some of the photos are coming out a bit soft. I suspect a front focusing issue inherent in many Sigma lenses, so I'm sending it in (under warranty) for repair. Hopefully this resolves any softness issues with the lens.