Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Sigma
98 Overall Score
vs
Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm

Viltrox
86 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

88 out of 100 high confidence 91 reviews

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is widely praised as a compact, lightweight, and sharp standard zoom for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Users consistently highlight its excellent image quality, fast f/2.8 aperture, and affordable price as major strengths, making it a popular upgrade from kit lenses. Common criticisms include the lack of optical stabilization and a poorly designed lens hood, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.

Pros
  • Excellent image sharpness
  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Fast f/2.8 constant aperture
  • Great value for the price
  • Fast and silent autofocus
Cons
  • No optical image stabilization
  • Poorly designed lens hood
  • No weather sealing
  • Plastic build quality
  • Zoom ring direction opposite to Fujifilm
👍 Image quality 25
🤔 Build quality 12
👍 Value for money 18
👍 Size and weight 20
👍 Autofocus performance 10
👎 Stabilization 8

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm

78 out of 100 medium confidence 26 reviews

This 85mm f/1.8 lens from Viltrox is widely praised for its sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and solid build quality, especially given its affordable price. Many users find it comparable to much more expensive Nikon or Sony lenses for portrait work. However, some reviewers report issues with chromatic aberration, occasional slow autofocus, and a notable problem with the lens hood being stuck in the reverse position. A few also note slight softness at the edges and an abrupt bokeh transition, but overall it is considered excellent value for the money.

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Solid build quality
  • Great value for money
  • Fast autofocus
Cons
  • Chromatic aberration issues
  • Occasional slow autofocus
  • Lens hood stuck in reverse position
  • Slight edge softness
  • Abrupt bokeh transition
👍 Sharpness 8
👍 Bokeh 5
👍 Build quality 5
👍 Value for money 7
🤔 Autofocus performance 5
👎 Chromatic aberration 2

Scores

Travel
Sigma
100
Viltrox
63
Portrait
Sigma
87
Viltrox
97
Budget
Sigma
96
Viltrox
82
Street
Sigma
95
Viltrox
81
Professional
Sigma
91
Viltrox
87
Macro
Sigma
88
Viltrox
89
Video Cinema
Sigma
85
Viltrox
87
Landscape
Sigma
80
Viltrox
65
Wildlife Sports
Sigma
76
Viltrox
73

Specifications

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DNViltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min18 mm85 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm85 mm
Elements1310
Groups107
Aspherical Elements3★1
ED Elements11
CoatingSuper Multi-Layer CoatingHD nano multilayer coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/1.8
Min Aperturef/2.8f/1.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony EFujifilm X
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.29 kg★0.48 kg
Filter Thread55 mm72 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Typestepping motorSTM★
Stabilization✗✓★
Focus
Min Focus Distance121 mm85 mm★
Max Magnification1:2.81:8

Pros & Cons

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

  • Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong macro (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm

  • Strong bokeh (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong aperture (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong macro (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm is CA$362 cheaper (1.9x less).

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN0.132score per dollar
vs
Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm0.223score per dollar

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm offers 1.7x better value for money

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Scores 98 overall, wins 6 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 21 specs.

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Better at:

BudgetStreetTravelLandscapeProfessionalWildlife Sports

Viltrox 85mm F1.8 XF Mark II 85mm Better at:

PortraitVideo Cinema

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