I need to get the bad out of the way first, just to scare off the people who really shouldn't buy this lens unless they're willing to accept the negatives of a high-quality lens for a low price. No matter how much the product description tells you, you won't believe it until you hold it: This sucker is HEAVY. Beyond heavy, this thing weighs more than my 80D with a battery and memory card in it. If you don't have a decent tripod, this is VERY bad, as it's going to make the camera very front-heavy. You should have a good tripod though. Second, it's extremely long. This lens ends up being roughly as long as my 55-300mm basic Canon zoom. This is incredible, as it maxes at 35mm. This lens is fairly pricey for what is essentially a kit lens replacement, though we'll get into that in the "good" section, which is going to be much, much longer. Finally, it utilizes a 72mm filter ring. 72mm! 58 is what you get with the *standard* Canon lenses, and my 50mm pancake lens is a 49mm attachment, which is, frankly, pretty tiny.
So, that's the bad stuff to scare off the people who won't really enjoy this lens due to some minor aesthetic and convenience issues. First off, the weight is actually something I appreciate. There is a LOT of glass in this lens, justifying that purchase price in high-quality optical glass alone. The length is partially due to the somewhat-unique system it utilizes for zooming, which is the next big positive: This lens does not change lengths when you zoom or focus. If you attach, say, a polarizing filter or a hood to block out glare, it will NOT turn with the zoom or the focus. As such, the body of the lens is pretty-much self-contained. There are basically no exposed moving parts. This is incredible, and a great feat of engineering. I'm not sure how exactly it works internally, but it does the job, and you won't need to adjust your polarizer to match your zoom or your focus, which is, needless to say, a huge quality of life improvement.
Next up, you are reading it right: This lens is capable of f/1.8 throughout the entire (admittedly short) zoom range. Something I wasn't certain about until I tested it just now: yes, it has the same aperture setting range throughout the zoom, which goes from f/1.8 all the way down to f/16. You can zoom from 18 to 35 without the aperture changing at all. This is the ONLY lens I have that I can say this about. As many of you have probably already noted with your 50mm lenses, f/1.8 is GORGEOUS for portraits, and this camera does not fail to deliver on that. The other question I asked a friend of mine who recommended this lens and have confirmed: NO you're not stuck with 1.8. You can go from 1.8 down to 16 at any time.
The weight and length are concerns, but also huge benefits for handheld shooting in some ways. The camera feels more solid in your hands at around 5lbs with a high-quality DSLR and this lens added together. The length of the lens also gives you a great grip for handheld shots. Unfortunately, this creates a necessary evil due to the mixed good/bad part: the rings.
The focus and zoom rings are incredibly sensitive and very easy to turn, but at the same time, quite accurate. Unfortunately, for hand-holders, this may be an issue, at least on the zoom if you're not careful. I have, more than once, zoomed in or out of a photo because my palm lightly brushed over the zoom ring. It is VERY easy to nudge, which is both good and bad, depending on your use. Just be aware that it has a really solid feel, but is really easy to adjust, even by accident. It's also not electronically-driven like the Canon nifty-fifty lens, so you can adjust even with the camera completely off. No mechanical whine as you focus unless you're doing auto focus.
Speaking of whine, this thing is nearly whisper-quiet. Even taking video without an external microphone, you can almost never hear this thing unless it's very quiet around you, and even that's only with the autofocus. Zooming, if you're smooth and gentle, is effectively noiseless.
The zoom is also really precise. The markings on the zoom are very accurate, and like most lenses, include going "past infinity". The infinity marking is right on the money though, and using this thing for astrophotography is a dream.
A few things to note for people who, like me, have never bought a third-party lens before: 1.) The marking for lens alignment is a white dot, but it goes with the red dot on your camera. Super-basic stuff, but it can be a bit frustrating at first. 2.) This lens is meant for crop-frame cameras, and while 35mm doesn't seem like much zoom, it's pretty pulled-in. Even at 18mm, you'll get more detail and closeness than you might imagine. 3.) You will REALLY want to read up on the dimensions and weight, and figure out a good place in your camera bag for this thing. It really is pretty much as long as the 55-300mm that probably came with your package, and easily weighs twice as much as that lens. I found a good place for it, which is effectively the same place as my zoom lens.
Altogether, for the price, this lens is basically unbeatable for both video and photography. If you need a replacement for that blurry, plastic kit lens that came with whatever Canon DSLR crop-frame camera you have, this is almost assuredly the right one for the job. It's about 15mm shorter on the zoom range, but if you don't already have a 50mm prime lens, you really should just get one. They're also incredibly useful. I would recommend it easily.
I'm still improving, slowly, but I'm going to add some shots from this thing with the 80D, doing a little color adjustment with no major edits beyond that here. I'm not going to pretend the photos I am posting are camera-to-Amazon, because pretty much nobody does that. I hope anyone seriously interested in photography, whether a professional or an amateur like me, picks this thing up.
Oh, and one thing to mention: This review is for the "certified refurbished" model of the lens. I strongly doubt there's any difference between that and the brand-new version, but maybe I'm missing out on something by saving some $100 on the lens. Who knows? No scratches or even real cosmetic issues that I found, so it's hard to even care that it's a refurb.
Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 DC HSM Lens for Canon APS-C DSLR Cameras (Renewed)
4.7 | 114 ratings
Price: 528.14
Last update: 01-23-2025
About this item
Versatile Zoom Range: The Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 DC HSM lens features an impressive 18-35mm focal length range, equivalent to 27-52.5mm on APS-C cameras, making it suitable for various shooting scenarios from landscapes to portraits.
Exceptional Low-Light Performance: With a remarkable maximum aperture of f/1.8, this lens excels in low-light conditions, allowing for faster shutter speeds and better overall image quality.
Advanced Autofocus and Manual Control: Equipped with a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor and full-time manual focusing capability, this lens offers smooth, accurate, and responsive focusing performance, giving you complete control over your shots.
Robust Construction: Featuring a durable build with aspherical and Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements, this lens delivers exceptional image quality while maintaining a compact and lightweight design.
Exceptional Low-Light Performance: With a remarkable maximum aperture of f/1.8, this lens excels in low-light conditions, allowing for faster shutter speeds and better overall image quality.
Advanced Autofocus and Manual Control: Equipped with a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor and full-time manual focusing capability, this lens offers smooth, accurate, and responsive focusing performance, giving you complete control over your shots.
Robust Construction: Featuring a durable build with aspherical and Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements, this lens delivers exceptional image quality while maintaining a compact and lightweight design.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 4.8 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1.79 pounds |
| ASIN | B01FWFW9S8 |
| Item model number | 210101 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars
114 ratings
4.7 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #852 in Amazon Renewed (See Top 100 in Amazon Renewed) #30 in Renewed Camera & Photo #32 in SLR Camera Lenses |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | June 20, 2016 |
| Manufacturer | Sigma |
Top reviews from the United States
DragonXeroI need to get the bad out of the way first
DragonXero
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2017
So, that's the bad stuff to scare off the people who won't really enjoy this lens due to some minor aesthetic and convenience issues. First off, the weight is actually something I appreciate. There is a LOT of glass in this lens, justifying that purchase price in high-quality optical glass alone. The length is partially due to the somewhat-unique system it utilizes for zooming, which is the next big positive: This lens does not change lengths when you zoom or focus. If you attach, say, a polarizing filter or a hood to block out glare, it will NOT turn with the zoom or the focus. As such, the body of the lens is pretty-much self-contained. There are basically no exposed moving parts. This is incredible, and a great feat of engineering. I'm not sure how exactly it works internally, but it does the job, and you won't need to adjust your polarizer to match your zoom or your focus, which is, needless to say, a huge quality of life improvement.
Next up, you are reading it right: This lens is capable of f/1.8 throughout the entire (admittedly short) zoom range. Something I wasn't certain about until I tested it just now: yes, it has the same aperture setting range throughout the zoom, which goes from f/1.8 all the way down to f/16. You can zoom from 18 to 35 without the aperture changing at all. This is the ONLY lens I have that I can say this about. As many of you have probably already noted with your 50mm lenses, f/1.8 is GORGEOUS for portraits, and this camera does not fail to deliver on that. The other question I asked a friend of mine who recommended this lens and have confirmed: NO you're not stuck with 1.8. You can go from 1.8 down to 16 at any time.
The weight and length are concerns, but also huge benefits for handheld shooting in some ways. The camera feels more solid in your hands at around 5lbs with a high-quality DSLR and this lens added together. The length of the lens also gives you a great grip for handheld shots. Unfortunately, this creates a necessary evil due to the mixed good/bad part: the rings.
The focus and zoom rings are incredibly sensitive and very easy to turn, but at the same time, quite accurate. Unfortunately, for hand-holders, this may be an issue, at least on the zoom if you're not careful. I have, more than once, zoomed in or out of a photo because my palm lightly brushed over the zoom ring. It is VERY easy to nudge, which is both good and bad, depending on your use. Just be aware that it has a really solid feel, but is really easy to adjust, even by accident. It's also not electronically-driven like the Canon nifty-fifty lens, so you can adjust even with the camera completely off. No mechanical whine as you focus unless you're doing auto focus.
Speaking of whine, this thing is nearly whisper-quiet. Even taking video without an external microphone, you can almost never hear this thing unless it's very quiet around you, and even that's only with the autofocus. Zooming, if you're smooth and gentle, is effectively noiseless.
The zoom is also really precise. The markings on the zoom are very accurate, and like most lenses, include going "past infinity". The infinity marking is right on the money though, and using this thing for astrophotography is a dream.
A few things to note for people who, like me, have never bought a third-party lens before: 1.) The marking for lens alignment is a white dot, but it goes with the red dot on your camera. Super-basic stuff, but it can be a bit frustrating at first. 2.) This lens is meant for crop-frame cameras, and while 35mm doesn't seem like much zoom, it's pretty pulled-in. Even at 18mm, you'll get more detail and closeness than you might imagine. 3.) You will REALLY want to read up on the dimensions and weight, and figure out a good place in your camera bag for this thing. It really is pretty much as long as the 55-300mm that probably came with your package, and easily weighs twice as much as that lens. I found a good place for it, which is effectively the same place as my zoom lens.
Altogether, for the price, this lens is basically unbeatable for both video and photography. If you need a replacement for that blurry, plastic kit lens that came with whatever Canon DSLR crop-frame camera you have, this is almost assuredly the right one for the job. It's about 15mm shorter on the zoom range, but if you don't already have a 50mm prime lens, you really should just get one. They're also incredibly useful. I would recommend it easily.
I'm still improving, slowly, but I'm going to add some shots from this thing with the 80D, doing a little color adjustment with no major edits beyond that here. I'm not going to pretend the photos I am posting are camera-to-Amazon, because pretty much nobody does that. I hope anyone seriously interested in photography, whether a professional or an amateur like me, picks this thing up.
Oh, and one thing to mention: This review is for the "certified refurbished" model of the lens. I strongly doubt there's any difference between that and the brand-new version, but maybe I'm missing out on something by saving some $100 on the lens. Who knows? No scratches or even real cosmetic issues that I found, so it's hard to even care that it's a refurb.
Images in this review
nick seybertExcellent addition for every photographer
Todd JDefinitely Lives Up to the Hype
marc vegaLove it!
Samuel MylesGreat Lens for Developing Photographers
MattLove it but one con.
Amazon CustomerOne of the best quality and built sigma APS-C lens
Amazon Customer
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2017
However, it does not have IS which was the breaking point for me. Other than that, it's so close to perfect. If IS is not a problem for you, this is the lens you should own.
Images in this review
Tim Long