Sigma’s popular 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras is coming to Canon EOS R system cameras.
While Canon has multiple excellent APS-C EOS R series cameras, including the EOS R7, R10, and R50, the company has been criticized by some photographers for a lack of native APS-C RF-S lenses. Now that Canon has welcomed some third-party manufacturers into the RF-mount ecosystem, Sigma is stepping up to answer the call.
Offering a roughly 29-80mm equivalent focal length and a fast, constant f/2.8 aperture, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is well-suited to various photographic applications, including travel, landscape, and portraiture.
The 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN C lens is not new, having been released for E and L-mount cameras in October 2021, but that doesn’t detract from its importance for Canon shooters with APS-C bodies. One can use full-frame lenses on a crop-sensor camera, which eliminates the potential size, weight, and cost advantages of native APS-C glass. As of now, Canon itself has just three RF-S lenses: the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM, and the RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM. They aren’t bad lenses, but they feature slow apertures. Technically, a couple of RF-S Dual Fisheye lenses are also in the works, but those don’t factor into this discussion.
Since the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN C has been around for a few years, its features, specs, and real-world performance has been extensively evaluated already. However, for Canon owners who may not have been paying attention to a non-RF lens, it’s worth a brief overview.
The lens is the smallest and lightest in its class (f/2.8 standard zoom lens for APS-C cameras), weighing just 300 grams (10.6 ounces) and measuring a mere 74.5 millimeters (2.9 inches) long. It accepts 55mm filters, has a seven-bladed aperture diaphragm, and features 13 elements across 10 groups, including three high-precision glass-molded aspherical elements.
The lens incorporates a stepping motor for its autofocus system, promising quick, quiet, and accurate focusing performance. Like so many modern lenses for mirrorless cameras, Sigma has built its 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN C lens with video in mind, promising stable and smooth focusing for moving pictures. Further, the lens can focus as close as 12.1 to 30 centimeters (4.8 to 11.9 inches) across its zoom range, resulting in a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.8 to 1:5.
Sample Images
Pricing and Availability
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens is available to order now for $599, a $50 premium over existing versions for E, L, and X mount cameras. The lens is expected to start shipping on July 11.
It’s also not Sigma’s only lens coming for Canon APS-C mirrorless cameras. The company has said its 10-18mm f/2.8, 16mm f/1.4, 23mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4, and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses will arrive in RF mount this fall. Tamron will also bring its 11-20mm f/2.8 ASP-C lens to RF mount cameras sometime in 2024. By the end of this year, the Canon RF-S system will be in significantly better shape than at the end of 2023.
Image credits: Sigma