SIGMA 18-300mm f/3.56.3 DC Macro OS HSM C

The bigger Sigma lens offers extended reach

Outclassing every other lens in the group, apart from the Tamron 16-300mm, this Sigma goes all out for telephoto reach, equivalent to a mighty focal length of 480mm on a full-frame camera. The trade-off is that it’s noticeably bigger and heavier than Sigma’s 18-200mm lens on test, at 79x102mm and 585g.

In style and build, this ‘Contemporary’ class lens is very similar to its smaller 18-200mm Sigma sibling. Again, it’s based on TSC barrels and a metal mounting plate, has a seven-blade diaphragm, and is compatible with Sigma’s optional USB Dock for applying firmware updates and fine-tuning. Both lenses also have a 0.33x macro rating, available at the closest focus distance of 0.39m. Sigma also offers an optional ‘close-up lens’, which screws into the filter attachment thread for increasing macro magnification to 0.5x.

As well as aspherical and SLD elements, also employed in the Sigma 18-200mm, this lens adds top-grade FLD (Fluorite-grade Low Dispersion) elements with the aim of further boosting sharpness and contrast, while driving down colour fringing.

Performance

As in the Sigma 18-200mm lens, the motor-based rather than ring-type ultrasonic system helps with downsizing but is a little sluggish and audible in operation. Living up to its claims, however, the addition of FLD elements really does help to boost sharpness, which only drops at the longest extremity of the zoom range.