Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
What Buyers Say
Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
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
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
The Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, lightweight design, and outstanding value for money. Users consistently highlight its impressive image quality, with sharp details and pleasing bokeh, often comparing it favorably to much more expensive lenses. While the autofocus is generally reliable for portraits and stills, some users note it can be noisy and not as fast as native Fuji lenses. A few isolated concerns about dust ingress and the plastic build have been mentioned, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Lightweight and compact design
- Excellent value for money
- Pleasing bokeh
- Good low-light performance
Cons
- Noisy autofocus (some users)
- Autofocus slower than native lenses
- Plastic build
- Dust ingress reported
- No physical aperture ring
Scores
Specifications
| Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 56 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 56 mm |
| Elements | 13 | 11 |
| Groups | 10 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1 | 1 |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | multi-layer coatings |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Fujifilm X |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.29 kg | 0.19 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 52 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | stepping motor★ | autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 121 mm | 56 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.8★ | 0.11X |
Pros & Cons
Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong macro (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
- Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Below average social proof (17th percentile)17th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm offers 2.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 98 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 21 specs.
