Sigma announced its larger aperture lens 18-50mm /f2.8 DC DN . This is very small compared to Canon 18-55mm, the zoom lens is for mirrorless cameras with fast APS-C sensors and photographer Gordon Laing decided to see how it compared to Sony’s 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. Below is the Gordon Laing review.
Sigma claims that it is the smallest and lightest f/2.8 zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras on the market and the size and relative affordability make it not just a viable but a compelling option to photographers who shoot with Sony E and Leica M-mounts and any other.
Laing shared his takes by testing the Sigma against Sony’s 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 both of which he mounted on a Sony a6400 camera to see how it performs and which would be a smarter buy.
However, the Sigma lens is nearly double the price of the Sony kit lens, but since both lenses are seen as “kit” options, both are likely on the radar for new photographers who are looking to find a capable, compact, and lightweight all-in-one zoom lens.
In a landscape photography test, It is noted that the Sigma at its widest 18mm delivers sharp corners and detail throughout, while Sony, shot at 16mm, shows a dramatic difference and fails to keep up. Zooming in to 35mm on both lenses, Sony delivers a sharper image but still lags behind the performance of the Sigma.
When used as portrait lenses and shot at 50mm, the Sony lens has to increase its aperture to f/5.6 while Sigma benefits from an f/2.8 throughout the zoom range, which contributes to the differences in defocused backgrounds.
