Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
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
Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens is widely praised as a versatile all-in-one walk-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users consistently highlight its silent and smooth STM autofocus, effective image stabilization, and useful zoom range that covers wide-angle to short telephoto. While image quality is considered very good for a kit-level zoom, some reviewers note softness at extreme focal lengths, barrel distortion at 18mm, and a variable aperture that limits low-light performance. Build quality is described as mostly plastic but adequate, though the focus-by-wire manual ring and occasional stiff zoom ring draw criticism.
Pros
- Silent and smooth STM autofocus
- Effective image stabilization
- Versatile 18-135mm zoom range
- Good image quality for a kit lens
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Softness at extreme focal lengths
- Barrel distortion at 18mm
- Variable aperture limits low-light use
- Focus-by-wire manual ring
- Plastic build feels cheap
Scores
Specifications
| Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 13 | 16 |
| Groups | 10 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 1 |
| Coating | Super Multi-Layer Coating | Super Spectra Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/5.6 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 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 | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | stepping motor | NANO USM★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 121 mm★ | 390 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:2.8★ | 0.28x |
Pros & Cons
Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong macro (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong af (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
Pricing
Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 offers 1.9x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 98 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.
