Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN

Sigma
98 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

Nikon
67 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

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

92 out of 100 high confidence 37 reviews

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, versatile zoom range, and effective vibration reduction. Users highlight its superb build quality and excellent performance in low light, making it a favorite for portraits, landscapes, and general photography. While some note its significant weight and size, and a few mention tight filter threads or high price, the overwhelming sentiment is that it delivers outstanding image quality and is a worthwhile investment for serious photographers.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness and detail
  • Versatile 24-70mm zoom range
  • Effective vibration reduction (VR)
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Superb build quality
Cons
  • Heavy and bulky
  • High price point
  • Tight filter threads
  • No tripod collar included
  • Not compatible with older DSLRs
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Versatility 7
👍 Low light performance 5
👎 Weight and size 6
🤔 Value for money 4

Scores

Travel
Sigma
100
Nikon
57
Street
Sigma
98
Nikon
49
Budget
Sigma
97
Nikon
68
Professional
Sigma
92
Nikon
58
Macro
Sigma
88
Nikon
62
Video Cinema
Sigma
86
Nikon
57
Portrait
Sigma
85
Nikon
41
Landscape
Sigma
77
Nikon
71
Wildlife Sports
Sigma
77
Nikon
49

Specifications

Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DNNikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min18 mm24 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm70 mm
Elements1315
Groups1011
Aspherical Elements33
ED Elements13★
CoatingSuper Multi-Layer CoatingNano Crystal & Super Integrated Coatings
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/22
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountSony ENikon F
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.29 kg★1.07 kg
Filter Thread55 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Typestepping motor★Autofocus
Stabilization✗✗
Stabilization Stops—5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance121 mm★380 mm
Max Magnification1:2.81:3.7

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 af (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (86th percentile)86th %ile

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

  • Strong social proof (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong optical (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong versatility (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Below average aperture (20th percentile)20th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (23rd percentile)

Verdict

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

Scores 98 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports