Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8: first-ever zoom lens with f/1.8 constant aperture

Golf007sd

I think it is time for us to start a nice healthy discussion regarding this new lens by Sigma. Please share your thoughts.

As for me I'm very pleased to see that, specially in the world of DX, Sigma is stepping up and offering a very nice fast wide-angle lens; moreover, a lens that has a constant aperture of 1.8...a feature that is not even available in FX/FF line of lenses. If the price is right and it performs within the same caliber of the Sigma 35 1.4...this is going to be hot selling item. I'm really looking forward in seeing some shots from this lens in full res.

Oooh and it looks very sexy to

MikeGunter

Hi Golf007sd

If the price is right and it performs within the same caliber of the Sigma 35 1.4...

And therein lies the rub...

I think the discussion awaits those two points.

My best,

Mike

JJ_SO

As soon as I get it I put some shots in.

For me it's just "the thing" as standard lens for D7100 - I'm fast wide-angle fan. My experience with 35/1.4 justifies a preorder, what I just did. Given the long term waiting for the USB dock, I think, I can save enough in 2-3 months to get it

Now I enter the sweet phase of looking happily forward to it.

starralazn

I personally don't like the last generation sigmas ( before the art series ). The art series looks nice,
but rather, i'm more interested in the response from Nikon

SquamishPhoto

Im wary of their previous attempts at DX wide angle f1.8 primes, but Im happy to be surprised. :]

JJ_SO

I'm simply thinking: They set their own benchmark very high with the 35, the 30 appears already to be a good DX lens. Although I wait with cheering for some trustful tests instead the youTube "first hand" whatsoever vids as some produce a lot of hot air and close to none helpful information.

Sigma has done some interesting products and with the USB-dock something very new. The specs of this lens now contain also very interesting facts, it looks very nice and I know, how careful and cleverly designed the lens caps and hood are compared to Nikon's "good enough" ones. I'm very pleased about the color rendering and the transmission rate of the 35 and I'm always happy to mount it because it's great to use. If they do something similar with that one: what could I want more?

TaoTeJared

Looking at the MTFs it's not the 35mm 1.4 at all - Not bad though all considering. Really heavy vignetting open which is not great for much. Max f-stop is f16 which tells me they (as a new Sigma usual) pushed the "optimum" down to open it up and I'm willing to bet diffraction will start around f8 if not lower. That is not good for landscape wide angles. That is all I can see from what they announced. Could be a interesting tool for DXrs especially those who shoot concerts and the like.

PB_PM

Indeed, this appears to be wide angle for event work, to be shot at F2-F5.6, which isn't a bad use for such a lens.

Godless

Im wary of their previous attempts at DX wide angle f1.8 primes, but Im happy to be surprised.

What DX wide angle f/1.8 primes do you mean? Sigma 20/1.8, 24/1.8 and 28/1.8 are FX primes.

SkintBrit

Has there been a recent change of management at Sigma? because rightly or wrongly, I had made the conscious decision to only buy Nikkor glass, now it seems however that their recent offerings are genuinely great value (when compared to OEM equipment, and can hold their own, and in some instances surpass in the image quality stakes. What's changed? Why have they not produced glass like this till recently? I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'd actually quite like their new 120-300mm f2.8!

NSXTypeR

This seems like the dream DX wide angle lens for me. Hope the price isn't too crazy though.

Nikon seriously needs to update the 17-55 2.8 or it will get left in the dust.

No love for us DX users.

TaoTeJared

Has there been a recent change of management at Sigma? ... What's changed? Why have they not produced glass like this till recently? I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'd actually quite like their new 120-300mm f2.8!

Yes there was. The founder/CEO passed away in the last two years and there is a new CEO. In his first address to the media he said they would move towards this direction making higher end optics. Obviously lens design takes longer than this to create, but if I recall correctly, he has been in a position to push the company in this direction for about 4 years now. It's fun to see more affordable higher end options are growing for the industry. It can only help hold back the speed that OEM lenses are increasing in price.

MikeGunter

Hi all,

@SkintBrit "because rightly or wrongly, I had made the conscious decision to only buy Nikkor glass" Me too, and over the years, that has served me wrong. But there has been the occasional piece of good glass that has been spectacular.

To me, this means that Nikon needs to get it's corporate head out of it's corporate rear end and make competitive products that work great at great prices or it will go the way of companies that made great products but could keep up.

@NSXTypeR "No love for us DX users" Nikon, IMHO, seems to want to throw a few kit lenses and older lenses at DX users. It's a bum's rush - we have no love anymore, there's nothing there for us to buy.

@TTJ, hopefully that's the case (that the cost of lenses will be available and at a lower cost). I'm not sure.

I think NIkon's long game is to drop interchangeable lenses for DX, at least for the more interesting focal lengths, faster, wider, longer, primes, actually any that anyone reading this would really want to buy. The rumors forum might disagree and wish to discuss on a separate thread - it might be premature to discuss now - but my gut tells me that DX will become a 'hobby' format in Nikon's eye, it certainly seems so now - however and whatever that might be described as.

FX is for more serious photographers and what Nikon wants to 'brand' itself for the SLR (although it makes its money with Coolpix - ironic ain't it).

My best,

Mike

donaldejose

I am hoping for the best. With the D7100 and the soon-to-come D400 Nikon will have two very capable DX sensors just looking for better DX glass. Hopefully, Nikon and third parties will supply them in the next few years.

SquamishPhoto

Im wary of their previous attempts at DX wide angle f1.8 primes, but Im happy to be surprised.

What DX wide angle f/1.8 primes do you mean? Sigma 20/1.8, 24/1.8 and 28/1.8 are FX primes.

Are you sure about that?

PB_PM

@SquamishPhoto The old wide Sigma primes are "DG" (full frame) not "DC" (crop frame) within the Sigma lineup.

heartyfisher

Just glad that 3rd party lense manufacturers are now taking advantage of the DX format a to produce larger aperture lenses that nikon and Canon are unwilling to do to protect their "Pro" F2.8 FX lenses. .. Hopefully Nikon will start a new line of Pro DX lenses soon.. Say a bunch of F2.0 Zooms ! :-)

Wesley

Looks great for the DX users that were waiting on a Nikon 24mm 1.8 and owns a 35mm 1.8
Now you can get 1.8 aperture with the convenience of a zoom that has both focal lengths.

If it was 16-35mm that would have been perfect!