Sigma 18-300mm F35-63 Contemporary Dc Macro Os Hsm Lens for Canon Review

You tin't expect the same performance from a superzoom lens similar the Sigma 18-300mm F3.five-half-dozen.three DC Macro Os HSM Contemporary ($579) as yous tin can from a prime lens or a shorter high-quality zoom like Sigma'due south ain 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro Os HSM. But the convenience of an all-in-1 zoom is non to be discounted, and the eighteen-300mm is a solid option for photographers who desire broad angle coverage, telephoto reach, and close focus adequacy without having to swap lenses. But it's on the pricey side for a lens that isn't going to evangelize meridian-quality images, and for that reason nosotros rate the Sigma's less expensive, less ambitious xviii-200mm F3.5-6.iii DC Macro Bone HSM Gimmicky slightly college.

Pattern
Despite its long zoom range, the 18-300mm is fairly meaty. Information technology measures four by 3.1 inches (HD), weighs 1.three pounds, and supports 72mm front filters. Because the lens is designed to lucifer the image sensor found in consumer SLRs, it's much smaller than like superzooms for full-frame bodies, including the AF-South Nikkor 28-300mm f/iii.5-v.6G ED VR ($295.32 at Amazon Canada) (4.5 by 3.3 inches; 1.8 pounds). To give you an idea of the zoom range in real-world terms, look at the adjacent two images. The moon is a small dot when the lens is set to its widest, and in clearer view at 300mm.

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Sigma sells the eighteen-300mm for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, and Sony SLRs. The Pentax and Sony versions omit image stabilization, every bit that is handled in-body in those photographic camera systems, only the other versions of the lens include it. All versions include a reversible lens hood. Like near SLR lenses, the eighteen-300mm is finished in blackness. Its barrel is hard composite, similar to other lenses in Sigma's line of Global Vision lenses, which are easily identified by their Fine art, Contemporary, or Sports designations.

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The barrel does extend when the zoom is set across 18mm. That'south typical for a consumer-grade zoom. What's slightly singular is the design of the focus ring. It's narrow and sits at the very forepart of the portion of the barrel that doesn't extend. About focus rings don't move when the camera is fix to autofocus, but this one does. On the plus side, the focus distance scale (listed in anxiety and meters) is able to be printed straight on the focus ring. But I had to finish myself from resting my fingers on the narrow band when shooting with the lens—on more than one occasion I establish myself belongings on to it, preventing the autofocus organization from properly doing its job.

The zoom band is much wider than the focus ring, and where the focus has a molded texture to it, the zoom is covered in rubber with a similar knurled cease. Information technology's comfortable to plough, and several focal lengths (eighteen, 28, 35, 50, 80, 135, 200, and 300mm) are marked. A lock switch is included to keep the lens set at 18mm, preventing it from creeping out when your camera hangs at your side or effectually your neck.

In addition to the lock, there are ii switches on the barrel—i to change betwixt autofocus and transmission focus, and the other to turn the image stabilization organization on and off. You'll want to go out it enabled when shooting handheld, and plough it off when using a tripod.

The lens can focus as close as 15.3 inches. At wide angles that doesn't give it much magnification capability—as yous tin see from the markings on the telescoping portion of the lens barrel. Simply at 300mm, the zoom projects objects onto your camera'due south paradigm sensor at i-third life size (1:3) when working at the minimum altitude. You can add the Sigma AML72-01 Close-Up Lens filter ($45) and improve that to ane:two, but you volition lose the ability to focus on distance objects with the filter attached. Sigma occasionally bundles the filter with the lens at no added cost.

Prototype Quality
I tested the sharpness of the lens paired with the 24-megapixel Canon EOS 80D. Nosotros desire to meet images that hit 1,800 lines per picture meridian on Imatest'due south center-weighted scoring metric, a figure that the 18-300mm sometimes failed to manage. At 18mm, f/3.5 results are solid, with a 1,871-line center-weighted score. As you motility further away from the eye, however, results are not as proficient. The middle third of the frame shows nearly 1,650 lines and the edges but 1,135 lines. Results are nigh identical at f/four. At f/v.6 the overall score ticks up to 1,947 lines, and the middle 3rd is crisper (1,719 lines), but edges are notwithstanding dingy (1,379 lines). Edges are ameliorate at f/8 (1,502 lines) and f/11 (one,590 lines), but the average score hovers around 1,950 lines in both cases. Moving across f/xi, regardless of focal length, does more to hurt paradigm quality than to help it.

At 50mm, the maximum aperture is narrowed to f/5. Images are a bit crisper—two,012 lines at f/v, 2,175 lines at f/8, and two,199 lines at f/11—and the midparts of the frame hold up well to scrutiny. Edges are notwithstanding soft, though—one,175 lines at f/v and i,502 lines at f/8—until you go down to f/eleven, where they improve to 1,846 lines.

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In that location's a noticeable downturn in clarity at 100mm. The maximum aperture is at present f/v.six, and the lens manages simply 1,691 lines when shot wide open. It improves to ane,919 lines at f/eight and 2,078 lines at f/11. Edges are very soft—just 900 lines at f/5.6, 1,248 lines at f/8, and a more acceptable 1,698 lines at f/eleven.

And the lens is worse at 150mm. At f/vi.3 information technology shows but 1,386 lines across the frame, with edges that are very blurry (757 lines). There'south minor improvement at f/8—a ane,574 line boilerplate with dingy edges that autumn a fleck shy of the i,000-line marker. The story is better at f/11, but even and then the lens hits but 1,830 lines and edges autumn shy of 1,500 lines.

There'southward noticeable improvement at 200mm. At f/6.3, the lens scores ane,873 lines. If y'all're paying attention information technology won't exist a surprise that the edges are not good, though, showing just 1,127 lines. Stopping down to f/8 (2,021 lines) and f/11 (ii,050 lines) goes a long way to sharpen the eye and midparts of the frame, but yous'll still be left with 1,222 lines and one,482 lines (respectively) at the periphery.

There's another dip in operation at 300mm—that'due south not surprising as long zoom designs often suffer at their extremes. At f/6.3, the zoom scores 1,623 lines on the sharpness exam, with a crisp center that gives way to a disappointing middle third (1,350 lines) and blurry edges (823 lines). Stopping down to f/8 does zip to help the periphery, just it does boost the average score to ane,741 lines and nets amend results in the middle third of the frame (1,625 lines). You'll want to finish down to f/11 for the best results—i,879 on average, with midparts that testify one,850 lines and edges that autumn just shy of 1,300 lines.

Sharpness isn't the only compromise you brand to achieve this level of zoom in a lens. Baloney is also prevalent—at that place's 3.2 percent barrel baloney at 18mm, which causes straight lines to exist captured with an outward bend. Information technology gives way to pincushion baloney, which causes those aforementioned lines to bow inward, as you lot zoom—in that location's 2.2 percentage at 50mm, 1.6 per centum at 100mm, well-nigh ane percent at 150mm and 200mm, and ane.4 percentage at 300mm. If you work with an image editing awarding like Adobe Lightroom ($295.32 at Amazon Canada) this baloney is easy to remove—there's a lens profile that will straighten those lines with a single click.

Lightroom can besides correct for dim corners and edges. When shooting with the 18-300mm at its maximum discontinuity you'll notice that the illumination is non fifty-fifty across the frame. I used an ExpoDisc and Imatest'south Uniformity tool to evaluate the severity of this effect. It's at its worst at 18mm—at f/3.5 the corners are about 3.v stops dimmer (-3.5EV) than the center, and sides lag backside past 1.five cease. Narrowing the aperture to f/v.6 brings the sides within acceptable tolerances, but corners still show -two.5EV when compared with the center—narrowing the aperture further doesn't do anything to alleviate this at 18mm.

The lens is a better performer in this regard when zoomed in. At 50mm f/5, 100mm f/5.6, 150mm f/vi.3, 200mm f/half dozen.iii, and 300mm f/6.3 the corners are nearly ii stops dimmer than the center, just the sides are inside a end. Narrowing the discontinuity to f/8 brings the corners inside a finish at all of those focal lengths.

Conclusions
Long zoom ratios come up with compromises in optical quality, and that'south very true of the Sigma xviii-300mm F3.v-6.iii DC Macro Bone HSM Contemporary. The lens is compact and low-cal, covers a very wide range, and offers a solid i:iii macro magnification ratio at its longest focal length. Simply it'southward not equally abrupt as shorter zooms or prime lenses, has a narrow maximum aperture that limits low-cal gathering and depth of field control, and is on the pricey side at $579. If you're in the market for this type of lens, Sigma's 18-200mm comes with many of the same caveats, and doesn't quite have the aforementioned telephoto reach, but does cost merely about $400. If y'all're not willing to make as many compromises consider pairing Sigma's excellent 17-70mm Contemporary zoom with the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.vi IS STM ($295.32 at Amazon Canada) or a similar lens for your SLR system of choice. Yous won't have the convenience of an all-in-one lens, but yous will savor crisper images and more than consistent performance from a ii-lens kit.

Sigma xviii-300mm F3.five-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Gimmicky

Cons

The Bottom Line

Sigma's xviii-300mm F3.v-half-dozen.iii DC Macro OS HSM Contemporary lens covers an incredible zoom range, merely makes compromises to do so.

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