Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 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 56/1.7 XF 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 56/1.7 XF 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 | 4★ |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | high-definition nano-multilayer coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.29 kg | 0.17 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 52 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | stepping motor | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 121 mm★ | 550 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.8 | 1:9.09 |
Pros & Cons
Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
- Strong macro (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong aperture (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm
- Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong optical (71st percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm offers 1.8x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 99 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.
