Sigma Unveils the Smallest f/2.8 Zoom for APS-C: 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Oct 19, 2021

Sigma has announced the 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens which it bills as the smallest and lightest f/2.8 zoom lens for APS-C format mirrorless cameras on the market.

Available for both E-mount and L-Mount, the 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN is also Sigma’s first APS-C size mirrorless zoom lens, the new optic has an equivalent zoom range of 27-75mm that the company says makes it ideal for a wide range of photo and video applications including landscapes, portraits, street photography, architecture, and events. Thanks to a closer focusing distance of 12.1cm and a maximum magnification of 1:2.8, it is also suitable for macro-style close-up photography.

The lens is currently the smallest and lightest in its class (defined as autofocus compatible f/2.8 constant aperture zoom lenses designed for APS-C), and boasts a maximum diameter of 65.4mm, a length of 74.5mm, and a weight of 290 grams (about 10 ounces).

The f/2.8 aperture is constant through the zoom range which makes the lens work better for low-light situations and easier to obtain defocused backgrounds.

The lens is constructed of 13 elements in 10 groups, of which one is an SLD element and three others are aspherical elements. Sigma says that those lens’s three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements coupled with the minimization of the total number of elements in the lens overall yields superb optical quality without excessive weight. Sigma also leans on the use of in-camera aberration correction to further eliminates optical imperfections such as distortion and vignetting. This feature isn’t available in all cameras and available corrections may vary depending on the camera model.

The lens features a seven-bladed rounded aperture diaphragm, is dust and splash resistant, and features Sigma’s super multi-layer coating.

Sigma says that the 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN has fast and near-silent autofocus capabilities that makes it well suited to a range of applications including quiet environments as well as video production. The company says that the small weight and size makes it especially suitable for mounting on gimbals as it is much easier to balance.