Sigma announced the upcoming release of the SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary lens. As of today, the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is the smallest and lightest F2.8 standard zoom for crop-sensor mirrorless cameras. How big and heavy is the Sigma? The 18-50mm is less than 3 inches (74.5mm) long and weighing just over 10 ounces (290g)

The SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary lens will be available in the U.S. at SIGMA Authorized Dealers for a retail price of $549 near the end of October 2021.

Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary Highlights:

• 1. Large F2.8 aperture and superb image quality 
• 2. Exceptionally compact and lightweight body ideal for mirrorless cameras
• 3. Supports various shooting situations

SIGMA’s first APS-C size mirrorless zoom lens has a versatile full-frame equivalent zoom range of 27-75mm, making it ideal for a wide range of photo and video applications, including landscapes, portraits, street photography, architecture, and events. It can also be used for macro-style close-up photography due to its maximum magnification of 1:2.8 and a minimum focusing distance of just 12.1cm. The bright F2.8 aperture makes for easier hand-held low-light shooting and provides a shallow depth-of-field for high-impact results. 

Autofocus is exceptionally fast and quiet thanks to the stepping motor, which can be particularly useful when shooting video, or fast-moving subjects such as children and animals. The lens’s exceptionally small and light form factor that weighs less than 10 ounces (300g) makes it perfect as a first choice for APS-C mirrorless camera bodies.

Large 2.8 Aperture

The SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary covers 27mm to 75mm in the 35mm format and has a wide aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. While not as fast as Sigma’s 18-35mm F1.8, this lens should not have a problem achieving blurry backgrounds. A compromise, perhaps, for a smaller and lighter zoom lens. The bokeh is smooth, and so it shouldn’t distract from the in-focus subject.

The lens’s three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements and minimization of the total elements yield superb optical quality without excessive weight. The use of in-camera aberration correction further eliminates optical imperfections such as distortion and vignetting. The latest optical design technology has all been made possible at SIGMA’s only production base in Aizu, where all SIGMA lenses are built.

Super Compact and Lightweight

The SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary is remarkably compact, matching the portability of APS-C mirrorless camera bodies, think Sigma’s FP and FP L mirrorless cameras. The lens is currently the smallest and lightest in its class, boasting a maximum diameter of φ65.4mm, a length of 74.5mm, and a weight of 290g, yet still maintaining a constant aperture of F2.8. 

To keep the lens as light as possible, SIGMA constructed the body from carefully selected materials. A polycarbonate called Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) was used to construct the barrel, which is sleek, robust, and importantly has a thermal conductivity close to that of aluminum. This polycarbonate ensures stable performance and good operability when used in changing temperatures. By deliberately using metal for some of the internal structure, the parts could be much thinner and have a higher rigidity, ensuring the lens can stand up to frequent, heavy use.

Photographic Range

According to SIGMA, the 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary has fast and near-silent AF that makes it perfectly suited to a range of photographic applications, including shooting in quiet environments, recording videos, and capturing fast-moving subjects. This has been achieved by using a stepping motor as the AF actuator. Since it is small and lightweight, it can be used flexibly in situations such as hand-held shooting, which requires high mobility, gimbal shooting, one-man operation video shooting and vlogging. 

With an emphasis on making the lens as versatile as possible in a wide variety of shooting conditions, SIGMA designed the lens with a minimum focusing distance of 12.1 cm and a maximum magnification of 1:2.8, making it also ideal for close-ups. FYI, the minimum focusing distance and maximum magnification are both values at the wide end.

If you combined the SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary with the SIGMA fp, the total weight is only 1.56lbs (712g). A very lightweight camera and lens set up for sure.

Key Features

• Lens construction: 13 elements in 10 groups, with 1 SLD and 3 aspherical elements
• Inner focus system
• Compatible with high-speed autofocus
• Stepping motor
• Support DMF and AF+MF
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Petal type lens hood (LH582-02) 
• Mount with dust and splash resistant structure
• Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only)
• Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
• Every single lens undergoes SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system
• 7-blade rounded diaphragm
• High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount
• “Made in Japan” craftsmanship