Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
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
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens is widely praised for its compact size, sharp image quality, and minimal distortion, making it a favorite for landscape, architecture, and real estate photography. Users appreciate its wide field of view and solid build, though some note vignetting at wide apertures and a few report sample variation or infinity focus issues. Overall, it offers excellent value for an ultra-wide manual lens, especially for APS-C cameras.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Sharp image quality
- Minimal distortion (Zero-D)
- Wide field of view
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Vignetting at wide apertures
- Infinity focus inconsistency
- Sample variation (sharpness)
- Manual focus only
- High price for some
Scores
Specifications
| Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 9 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 9 mm |
| Elements | 13 | 15 |
| Groups | 10 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 3★ |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | Frog Eye Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Nikon Z |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.29 kg | 0.21 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | 49 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | stepping motor★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 121 mm | 120 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.8 | 1:7.7 |
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 aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm
- Strong macro (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Below average af (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D 9mm offers 1.4x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 99 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 21 specs.
