Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM

Golf007sd

Well now that we know this DX lens is being priced at $799 I would like to know which one of us in considering get it.

As for me, I think if it performs within the same caliber as the Sigma 35 1.4, this is going to be awesome lens. The ability to have a constant aperture of 1.8 throughout the focal length is a huge bonus...hell we don't even have this aperture in the FX world.

Those that own the Nikon 12-24 DX f/4 or the Tokina 11-16mm DX 2.8 now have another lens to consider. Not that Nikon or the Tokina are not great lenses...I have personally shot both and like the performance of the Tokina to be outstanding and prefer it over the Nikon, yet I would love to see how this new bad boy will do on my D7000.

So what do you think?

JJ_SO

In the FX world, it would be f/1.8 × 1.5 = f/2.7 I was told when the lens was introduced at photozone.de. I replied that DOF is one thing but the amount of light collected by this lens to the DX sensor has no competition in zooms.

Anyway, there's hardly an 18mm/1.8 option in DX world. Together with the USB dock and Sigma's Foveon quality control tool, the lens is very promising. Yes, I do consider to get it although I am with 35/1.4 and 34/1.4 not on a slow side but those are two lenses. 18-35 and 70-200 would be great to travel light and covering a huge range at high quality together with D7100.

Also, the sample pictures don't look bad.

And considering... hmm, last time the 35 was released in Europe long before in the US. This time, I haven't seen a dealer here offering it. So, my budget for it targets for autumn.

(And it's a Sigma, not a Simga I mean, just for people who do a forum search, they would not find this thread, would they?)

heartyfisher

I have the Nikkor 12-24 F4 and its a nice lense. but I dont use it much.. was planing to try to start using it a bit more but the 24 mm end is not long enough for any general purpose use. It is mostly an ultrawide and will be a specialist lense.

The 18-35 could really work as the Normal lense. especially taking into account that you don't gain much light below F1.8 in the current sensors.(An F1.4 lens doens't give you much besides more DOF.)

Hurray for the DX sensor.. Sigma and other third party lens manufactures are finally taking advantage of the advantage the DX format provides in larger aperture lenses. !!
Maybe we will get a 16-50 F2-F2.8 Nikkor with our D400 !

Msmoto

@JJ_SO

Yes, Sigma....

Golf007sd

In the FX world, it would be f/1.8 × 1.5 = f/2.7 I was told when the lens was introduced at photozone.de. I replied that DOF is one thing but the amount of light collected by this lens to the DX sensor has no competition in zooms.

Wait just a minute...to the best of my knowledge the aperture on any given lens does not change when put on a FX or DX sensor. So this multiplication factor is incorrect when applied to the amount of light the lens provides the sensor...regardless if it is DX or FX.

@msmoto: Thanks for correcting my typo...dam autocorrect gets me all the time :P

JJ_SO

I just see it the same way. But some guys had the opinion it should be compared with equivalence - that meant equivalent DOF and for DX this could be calculated by multiplying by crop factor. And that a FX sensor needs 4 times more light and and and... I didn't get it, fact is, there's not such a lens for DX, very especially not at this price and not to be customized with USB dock. And since it is specified to be DX lens - what is the point talking about equivalence?

Anyway, if you like you can have a look here . But after a while I was really angry because I found it ignoring obvious benefits. I decided, if the price is reasonable I give it a go, as I was already tempted by the Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 C. And I find the price very ok.

shawnino

Whether one grasps the physics or not, this lens has no DX competition for light gathering and DOF. If the IQ is there, it's a must get for serious DX shooters who use zooms.

NSXTypeR

Wow, this lens is half the price that I expected. I wish it was slightly wider, maybe a 16mm. But this looks like a great indoors/family lens.

KnockKnock

From what I understand, in terms of light-collection (exposure) f/1.8 is f/1.8 no matter the format. However, in terms of 35mm-equivalent depth-of-field and perspective behavior, it will perform more like an f/2.8 lens. I see this as a 27-52.5 mm f/2.8 35-mm equivalent lens for DX, which has the added benefit of being f/1.8 fast, which nicely compensates for the lost 1-stop noise performance difference between DX and FX. DX may not be as forgiving in terms of those tiny pixels and diffraction, but this lens makes the D7100 look pretty good compared to a D600 using a 28-70mm f/2.8.

Msmoto

I think if one uses a specific lens for an image and the final image is blown up to the same size from various formats, that the DOF stays the same.....for a given f/stop.....

JJ_SO

The Canon G11 has a crop factor of 4.7× A shot with 30.5mm means 140mm equiv and the aperture of f/6.3 would become f/28. I doesn't seem to me like a tele shot with huge DOF. Something is wrong with this "equivalencing".

Symphotic

A quick review: you are quite correct to say focal length never really changes with sensor size. A 50 mm focal length lens is always 50 mm, so if the f number is 1.8, it will be 1.8 no matter what sensor you put it over. The only thing that changes is tha smaller sensors crop more scene, so someone came up with the arbitrary 35mm film (FX sensor) equivalent scheme of describing the crop of sensors smaller than 35 mm. We could just as well describe 35 mm as a cropped 6 x 6. If we did, we would be calling a 50 mm lens a 21 mm equivalent when used on FX!
But the f stops would remain the same because these are defined as the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the diameter of the aperture, both of which are properties of the lens only, not the sensor.

heartyfisher

The Canon G11 has a crop factor of 4.7× A shot with 30.5mm means 140mm equiv and the aperture of f/6.3 would become f/28. I doesn't seem to me like a tele shot with huge DOF. Something is wrong with this "equivalencing".

Yup i think you are right.. but its for a rough estimate only. I think the DOF multiplication is off by quite a bit. Actual DOF reduces in DX vs FX. but relative DOF does increase (ie for the same FOV).

heartyfisher

Whether one grasps the physics or not, this lens has no DX competition for light gathering and DOF. If the IQ is there, it's a must get for serious DX shooters who use zooms.

Yes, sure is tempting. I have been considering a review of my lenses.. start afresh ie sell the ones i dont use and get the ones I know I will be using more. and this 18-35 F1.8 may just find a place in the lineup. Wonder how it will fare on a D600 :-) esp for low light DX shots :-) !! Wouldn't that make it the best value Low light DX setup ?

Andrewz

This sounds like a great lens and will fit nicely in my kit. Just one thing, the press release has this funny statement that I've seen in a couple of preview articles "The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power."

This is what I've been missing in all my lenses "expressive power"! I wonder if DXO mark will start measuring that?

heartyfisher

LOL!

Msmoto

"The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power."

I think this is what we call, "lost in translation." More LOL

NSXTypeR

"The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power."

I think this is what we call, "lost in translation." More LOL

It's professional marketing mumbo jumbo!

heartyfisher

Hope you all don't mind me rambling a bit as I try to work out my next purchase ... .. I have been considering getting a D600. Mainly for the High iso performance. (I have a fun low light shoot planned, in a theater, in September) I also read some where on the internet in a D600 review(blog post) that it pairs well with the old 35-70 F2.8 that I already have. So I started to really review the D600 specs comparing it to the D7000 that i have.

It seems to me that I can get almost exact equivalent Low light and system performance from.
(a) D600 & Nikkor 35-70 F2.8 - I pay the price of a D600
(b) D7000 & Sigma 18-35 F1.8 - I pay the price of the Sigma

The Pro and Cons seem to be.
1) Savings of about $1000-$1200. for option (b)
2) With option (a) i have 2 cameras with very similar handling in 2 formats thereby doubling the FOV options of my lenses. I get the low light performance increase on all my other lenses as well ! ( i have a 200-400 F5.6 that could get much more use!)
3) With (b) I invest in glass rather than a body. and the D600 body does not seem like a good investment given the current issues with oil-spots. I can still wait to get the the D600NS when it arrives .. I would expect it later this year or early next year. !! The 18-35 F1.8 on the D600NS would be one awesome Low Light DX kit !
4) With (b) i finally get a Low aperture Normal (i dont have any F2.8 or lower lenses in the "normal" range).

5) Finally, I really don't need it ;-) save my money.. for the next awesomeness
* ( d400 ?!? )
* Samyang 24mm F1.4 Manual focus.

Ok confused myself again.. sigh ...

JJ_SO

Low light fun shots with manual focus (Samyang) ? ^#(^

After what I read about the 18-35/1.8 (no CA, very sharp wide open) my desire for it raise again. D400? Sure. Maybe after the next 1100+ posts in that thread.

heartyfisher

The samyang is for astro photography.. it has very well controlled coma. :-) and I am happy with manual focusing in good light. :-)

JJ_SO

... (I have a fun low light shoot planned, in a theater, in September) ...

24 wide open is not that much fun to focus manually. I didn't know you're into Astrophotography, sorry.

JJ_SO

Now I saw the lens at a local dealer here: Canon version 990,-, Sony Version 1130,- and Nikon 790,- (Swiss francs) Canon version available the others aren't, so the price will probably change. But the variation is massive.

heartyfisher

Saw the lens yesterday(canon mount).. its nice and heavy.. should work well with my D7000 as i find it a bit too light sometimes. Will see how it (the urges) goes when September comes around :-) May just use the old 50mm 1.8D instead :-).

Was thinking ... this 18-35 F1.8 sure does shift the whole DX/aps-c sector up a bit!

heartyfisher

So who is getting one? anyone have one yet ?

heartyfisher

oh.. ok.. not available till mid august ... ">

Cool! just in time for the D400 ! ) ) ) ) )