Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary
Announced February 24, 2025
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary is a versatile, compact, and affordable all-in-one zoom lens designed for APS-C users who prioritize travel convenience. While it offers an expansive focal range and effective stabilization, it requires accepting compromises in low-light performance and edge-to-edge sharpness.
Weighted from 15 reviewer scores
Pros
- Fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus
- Effective optical image stabilization
- Compact, lightweight, and portable build
- Extremely versatile and wide zoom range
- Durable weather-resistant construction
Cons
- Soft image quality and sharpness drop-off at longer focal lengths
- Presence of distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberration
- Slow variable aperture limits low-light performance
- Lack of physical switches for focus and stabilization
- Stiff and heavy zoom ring operation
- Launch price $699 (USD)
- Focal length & aperture 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7
- Mount & coverage Sony E, Canon RF, L-Mount, Fujifilm X APS-C
- Stabilization Optical IS, 6 stops (CIPA)
- Close focus 17 cm (0.5x)
- Filter thread 67mm
- Autofocus motor HLA
- Weight & size 615g · 73.8 x 121.4 mm (2.91 x 4.78 in)
What the Reviewers Say
All 15 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 8/10
Sigma has given us an eminently convenient optic that combines ruggedness, compactness, and versatility into one package.
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[I]f you’re an APS-C user looking for the most versatile all-in-one lens available, the conclusion is simple – go out and buy the Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS right now.
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The remarkably compact, lightweight, physically high-performing, and affordable Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary Lens is a great all-arounder, a super convenient and fun lens to carry around the yard, park, or beach, and it is an especially superb travel lens… [...]
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[D]espite its weaknesses, it's still easy to see the appeal of a lens like this.
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[...] Sigma has produced a very well-made, well-built, well functioning lens that delivers image quality that I think the user case that it's designed for are going to be very pleased with.
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[A] great all round optic at an affordable price.
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This is that one lens that someone who isn't, I'm not going to say not serious about photography, but they're not looking to be pro and they don't need the best of the best with on-or-serve results and they're just happy with the results they're going to get.
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Despite being fairly compact and lightweight, it has a huge zoom range, good weather-resistant build quality and impressive all-round performance, ticking all the right boxes for a ‘superzoom’ lens.
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It's simply the best all-in-one zoom available for each system for which it's made [...]
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[B]uilt for the shooter who wants to travel light without sacrificing range. It's not for the bokeh purist or the extreme low light situations, but if you need one lens to do it all, this might be it.
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It's rare to find a lens this flexible, portable, and enjoyable to shoot with — especially at this price point.
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The Sigma 16-300mm is undoubtedly the best travel lens that many users will ever need. It is compact and lightweight, with excellent image quality in the centre of the frame, even wide open.
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If you just want to buy yourself one camera, one lens, but you want to do a broad range of photography, then a super zoom is a really good option. And this, in my opinion, is a really good super zoom.
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If flexibility is what you're after, this is a great lens.
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[...] I think this is the best all-purpose lens I found so far in APS-C. So for me, yes, it is recommendable.
