Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
Altura Photo Professional Lens Series QZ0296 8mm
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
Altura Photo Professional Lens Series QZ0296 8mm
This manual fisheye lens is praised for its excellent value and fun, creative potential, especially for landscapes and astrophotography. Users find the learning curve short, though focusing through the viewfinder can be tricky and some report a loose fit on certain Nikon bodies. Overall, it delivers good image quality and a vast depth of field at a very low price point.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Fun creative potential
- Good image quality
- Vast depth of field
- Short learning curve
Cons
- Manual focus can be tricky
- Loose fit on some Nikon bodies
- Difficult focusing through viewfinder
- Large lens case
- Not for frequent use
Scores
Specifications
| Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Altura Photo Professional Lens Series QZ0296 8mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | fisheye |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 8 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 8 mm |
| Elements | 13 | — |
| Groups | 10 | — |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | multi-layer lens coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3 |
| Constant | ✓★ | — |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Canon EF |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.29 kg★ | 0.52 kg |
| Filter Thread | 55 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | stepping motor★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 121 mm★ | 9.14 m |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.8★ | — |
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
Altura Photo Professional Lens Series QZ0296 8mm
- Strong stabilization (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong aperture (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Strong bokeh (79th percentile)
- Strong social proof (70th percentile)
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average build (24th percentile)
- Below average macro (29th percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
Pricing
Altura Photo Professional Lens Series QZ0296 8mm offers 1.5x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 98 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 9 of 21 specs.
