Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF Review Round-Up

If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.

Photo Zone

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in lens land and the Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC is no exception here. The resolution figures are generally quite decent and regarding the extreme zoom range you may accept the very pronounced distortions present throughout the zoom range as well as a few other shortcomings. Unfortunately the AF accuracy leaves something to be desired with this lens especially towards the long end of the zoom range. Typically such a type of lens is used by beginners on entry level DSLRs where a rather dark viewfinder combined and an average AF system don’t really help here. So if you’re interested in this lens it’s a good idea to take your DSLR to your trusted photo dealer around the corner to check whether the camera’s AF system is really up to the task. If so it is a good compromise between quality and zoom range. READ FULL REVIEW

Other Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF Reviews

SLR Gear

If you need to just put one lens on your camera and leave it there, yet still want to cover a focal length range from wide angle to a pretty long tele, this lens is a very good, affordable solution, offering better optical performance than its competition over much of its range. READ FULL REVIEW

Camera Labs

Delivering a focal range equivalent to 27-300mm, the Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC is a highly versatile lens. Its massive 11.1x zoom range allows you to capture both wide landscape shots and decent close-ups of distant subjects such as wildlife without worrying about carrying additional lenses. Unsurprisingly a lens with this kind of focal range is rarely going to perform as well as one with a shorter range, but we were impressed overall by the results possible. Certainly unless you’re into extreme wide or telephoto work, or demand the ultimate quality, you could really be very happy with one of these lenses. Indeed many photographers could fit one and never take it off again – and that’s not only highly convenient but also greatly reduces the potential for dust to enter the camera body. So an 18-200mm could be the ideal lens for you, but since the Sigma and Tamron models essentially cost the same, which one should you go for? Or is it really worth spending double on the Nikkor version? Ultimately there’s not a great deal to choose between the Tamron and Sigma 18-200mm lenses. A handful of our results favoured one over the other, but neither took a decisive lead overall. Since the prices are essentially the same, we therefore have to call it a draw, and leave the final decision between which personally looks and feels better in your hand. The Nikkor 18-200mm is clearly a superior lens in many respects, but only you can decide if its benefits justify paying twice the price of the Tamron or Sigma. READ FULL REVIEW

Photo Review

Sigma’s new 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC zoom lens is marginally heavier than the similarly-featured Tamron lens we reviewed in issue 25 but also somewhat smaller in size and considerably cheaper. Designed specifically for current DSLR cameras with ‘APS-C’ sized sensors (1.5-2.0 field of view crop), this lens has internal focusing, which prevents the front from rotating, making it ideal for use with angle-sensitive accessories like polarisers and graduated filters. READ FULL REVIEW