People often search for the best Sigma lenses for Canon cameras, or the best Sigma lenses for Nikon, or (name your brand). This is with good reason. Sigma makes lenses that successfully compete in quality and functionality with all major manufacturers.
There are quite literally hundreds of Sigma lenses on the market, so narrowing down your buying decision can seem like a daunting task. We’re here to simplify it for you with our comparison of the best Sigma lenses that work on Canon, Nikon and other bodies in each of the major optical ranges.
Note that we usually include a ‘best overall’ in our comparisons. That’s impossible, since each lens focal length and aperture combination has its own best overall. We’ve organized this by lens category, prime or zoom, and focal length.
12 Best Sigma Lenses for DSLR Cameras
Best Ultra-Wide Angle Prime: Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye
- Best For: Panoramas, extreme close-ups, planned distortion
- Focal Length: 4.5mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 7.2mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight: 1.04 lbs.
What better way to add interest to your intense close-up work than with a fisheye? This type of lens deliberately distorts the corners, bending the vignetting to extremes.
It also brings a lot more of the scene into the resulting shot past the typical 180 degrees. This is a crop sensor mount lens, so on full frame cameras, adjustments to how you frame the shot will be important.
Fun subject possibilities come up with the 6-inch minimum focus distance. The lens is not weather-sealed, nor does it have image stabilization. There are no real negatives to this lens, making it a great addition for art and unique small subject work.
Best Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
- Best For: Panoramas, extreme close ups
- Focal Length: 10-20mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 16-32mm
- Aperture: f/4-5.6
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight: 1.04 lbs.
This crop sensor mount lens features an interesting focal length, spanning both the ultra and regular wide-angle ranges on APS-C cameras and giving full frame users even tighter framing opportunities.
Smaller variable apertures do not make it a particularly fast lens at either the wide or tele ends, but for most close-up work, you will have adequate or supplemented lighting. The minimum focusing distance is under 10 inches.
This lens does not have image stabilization or weather sealing. It extends to a minor degree when focusing across its range. Here you can buy a single wide-angle for multiple purposes, making it a nice addition to gear when you aren’t sure what kinds of super close-ups you want to grab.
Best Wide-Angle Prime: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
- Best For: Interiors, architecture, landscapes
- Focal Length: 30mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 48mm
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight: .95 lbs.
This crop sensor mount lens features the silent and fast autofocusing Sigma is known for, functioning on crop sensor DSLR cameras at the bottom end of the standard focal range. It is not a professional lens, but the optics are still crisp and clear. This is an extremely fast lens, allowing great light penetration with its wide aperture.
This lens is not weather-sealed. It also does not have image stabilization. It’s lightweight, features a minimum focusing of about 16 inches, and gives you an affordable entry into the wide-angle world.
Best Wide-Angle Zoom: Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM
- Best For: Interiors, architecture, landscapes
- Focal Length: 18-50mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 29-80mm
- Aperture: f/2.8-4.5
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: .87 lbs.
Technically, this crop sensor mount lens spans the range from wide-angle to standard across its zoom focal length, but that adds even more framing possibilities for otherwise difficult interior or outdoor shots.
The variable aperture is fast and bright at the wide-angle end, where you would probably need it most, and slow at the tele end, where you’d typically be shooting with more space and light around you. Its light weight makes it great for handheld work.
The optical image stabilization helps you capture images in low-light situations with slower shutter speeds. It does not have weather sealing. At a very affordable price, this is a good all-purpose lens for situations where changing gear would interrupt your creative flow.
Best Standard Prime: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
- Best For: General purpose, photojournalism
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 80mm
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight: 1.11 lbs.
This full frame mount lens is the Nifty Fifty of the Sigma line. The fast and silent autofocusing and full-time manual focusing make it a great choice for daily photography as well as photojournalism. It is an extremely fast lens, offering you great low-light opportunities.
This lens lacks image stabilization, and it is not weather-sealed. The minimum focusing distance is about 18 inches, perfect for street work. All in all, this is a perfect first prime lens addition if you’re on the fence about what to buy for general shooting needs.
Best Standard Zoom: Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM
- Best For: General purpose, photojournalism
- Focal Length: 24-105mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 38-168mm
- Aperture: f/4
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 1.95 lbs.
Zoom lenses often push the boundaries of various focal lengths, and this full frame mount option is no different. At the wide end, it functions as a wide-angle lens. It ranges through standard into short telephoto on full frame cameras, and on crop sensor bodies, it even reaches into medium tele.
The fixed aperture value is slow for wide-angle shots but fast at the tele end. Optical image stabilization makes it a great solution for low-light shooting. If you want a great multi-purpose lens that will work equally well for full frame and crop sensor cameras, this is you best choice.
Best Short Telephoto Prime: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
- Best For: Candid, street, portraits
- Focal Length: 85mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 136mm
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight: 2.49 lbs.
If you’re looking for a professional level lens that’s great for portrait work, this full frame mount is a great choice. It is extremely fast, and superb for low-light situations. It also has full time manual focusing.
It is not weather-sealed, and it does not have image stabilization. With a minimum focusing distance of just under a yard, you won’t be getting as close to your subjects. However, if you plan to make photography your profession, it’s a great addition to your photography gear bag.
Best Short Telephoto Zoom: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S
- Best For: Candid, street, portraits
- Focal Length: 70-200mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 112-320mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 1.74 lbs.
This zoom steps across the line from short tele to medium range for full frame bodies, and for crop sensors, it extends to the boundary of super tele as well. The fixed aperture value means it is bright and fast across the range, too.
It offers image stabilization, making those low-light and slow shutter situations easier to handle, even in handheld work.
The minimum focusing distance is a yard and a half, making this a good choice for wedding or event photography. A focus distance limiter and full-time manual focusing also contribute to this lens’s usability. Weather sealing ensures it’s a good outdoor selection, too.
Best Medium Telephoto Prime: Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM
- Best For: Close range action and sports, 1x magnification
- Focal Length: 150mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 240mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 2.54 lbs.
This super-fast lens is a macro with a magnification of 1x. This means the appearance of your subjects will be even closer to life-size in your resulting image, a big plus for action and sports, while the minimum focus distance of 15 inches makes close-up work a breeze, too.
In both real focal length and crop sensor equivalent, this lens shoots in the sweet spot in center of the telephoto range, giving you plenty of framing options unlike any other.
While it does not have weather sealing, this lens does have optical image stabilization, making it easier to freeze sharp details even when you’re a distance away. The focus distance limiter allows you to set your range of focusing, making the autofocusing work even faster. You’ll compensate for the substantial weight by using the tripod collar, making this lens a great all-around choice for telephoto lens work overall.
Best Medium Telephoto Zoom: Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
- Best For: Close range action and sports
- Focal Length: 120-300mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 192-480mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 6.50 lbs.
This full frame lens lives in the sweet spot of medium range tele for full frame cameras and extends into super tele for crop sensor bodies. The high aperture value means it is fast and bright across its focal range. Couple that with the optical image stabilization for premier low-light and slow shutter work.
This is a weather-sealed lens, making it a good selection for outdoor action work. Its minimum focusing distance is over 8 feet, but close-ups are not the purpose of a medium tele zoom. Use the tripod collar to steady your load and enjoy those distant range shooting settings.
Best Super Telephoto Prime: Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S
- Best For: Distant sports, wildlife, action
- Focal Length: 500mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 800mm
- Aperture: f/4
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 7.30 lbs.
If making a living as a sports, action or wildlife photographer is your gig, this full frame lens offers you everything you’ll need to bring the distant subjects in close. It features both weather sealing and optical image stabilization for sharper images. The tripod collar will bear the weight of your work with ease.
Yes, this is a heavy lens on both the scale and on the wallet. It is worth it, though, if the unique and rare are shots you do not want to miss. The aperture value handles most standard lighting well, giving you opportunities across the shooting spectrum. Added value in the focus distance limiter to control your range and full time manual focusing makes it difficult to say no to this lens.
NOTE: This lens is only available with Nikon F (FX), Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Best Super Telephoto Zoom: Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
- Best For: Distant sports, wildlife, action
- Focal Length: 150-600mm
- Equivalent Focal Length: 240-960mm
- Aperture: f/5-6.3
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight: 4.25 lbs.
If capturing images of giraffes on the Serengeti or the penguins in Antarctica are on your itinerary, this full frame mount super tele is for you. You’ll be using the tripod collar for support as you bring those action shots in as this lens is very heavy. It features optical image stabilization, making sharp result easier to achieve.
The low maximum apertures on this variable lens make it slow at both ends of the range. It is weather-sealed for worry-free outdoor use. The lens extends across the focusing range, but that probably won’t matter for your far-distance experiences.
The Complete Sigma Lenses for DSLR Cameras Buyer’s Guide
What You Should Know About Sigma Lenses
How does Sigma master the camera optics market? The answer is simple – reverse engineering. Take apart any lens on the market today and a smart engineer can figure out how to reconstruct its optics and design.
Sigma does this part well while finding ways to manufacture a lens that costs less. Throw in their ability to add a mounting ring that fits almost any camera system, and they’ve leveraged their ability to corner the third-party lens market. Their glass is on par today with the lenses we’ve come to expect from the big names, and in some cases, they surpass them.
Sigma on Canon Cameras
Sigma is often the number one recommended third-party lens for Canon because they’ve done a good job of supplementing the focal ranges where Canon has a gap. (The one exception to this is the brand-new EF-R mount for the new mirrorless line – guess the Sigma engineers haven’t put in the long days on this yet.) Sigma also focuses on digital cameras, so that leaves out the EF-M manual focus 35mm film bodies.
Sigma lenses for Canon are labeled as EF or EF-S mounts. EF lenses (full frames) and EF-S (crop sensor) can be used interchangeably on both types of DSLR cameras with an adapter ring. Framing adjustments will need to be made when the smaller crop sensor lens is applied to a full frame body.
Add the boom of digital photography to the extensive body line Canon has, and you have a market Sigma is not afraid to capitalize upon. There are almost 80 Sigma lenses in the EF/EF-S list, and more are being added all the time. This makes Sigma a great choice for your Canon needs.
Sigma on Nikon Cameras
Similar to the Canon story, Sigma has stayed abreast of Nikon’s NIKKOR advancements to fill the gaps in their lens line. Notable exceptions are the mirrorless camera bodies, where there are no Sigma lenses that fit either Nikon 1 or Nikon Z (new full frame) mounts. If Nikon F is your mount, though, there are choices to make.
NIKKOR has two F type mounts – DX and FX. FX fits its full frame sensor cameras, and DX fits the APS-C bodies. They can be used interchangeably.
When an FX lens is used on a DX body, the image will be automatically cropped to fit the smaller sensor size. For DX lenses on an FX, the light reaching the larger sensor will not fill the image space, so the image is automatically zoomed in tighter and the edges of the image seen in the viewfinder are lost. It’s best to match the sensor and lens size, and with Sigma’s selection, that’s easy to do.
Sigma on Micro Four Thirds Cameras
Sigma offers a short list of lenses for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) bodies like Panasonic and Olympus. This makes sense, since these manufacturers use interchangeable mounts, and each have robust collections of lenses.
Note also that MFTs are mirrorless cameras, and the structure and design of these lenses is different from full frame and APS-C. Just as Sigma is not competing in the Canon or Nikon NIKKOR mirrorless worlds, they haven’t dipped their toes into the waters here either. In all likelihood, the market for the DSLR cameras isn’t robust enough to warrant the effort.
Sigma on Sony Cameras
Here’s the notable exception to the Sigma mirrorless lens drought. The Sony Alpha line (Sony E mount) is highly popular, with each new camera addition finding a fan following and market share almost immediately. While Sony has an extensive line of native lenses, Sigma has found a share of this market too.
Paying Attention to Sigma Mounts
Sigma has quite literally hundreds of lenses available today. They do this by selecting a focal range and aperture combination that is a gap in the current market. Then they figure out how to fit it to major brand mounting systems.
This is where the reverse engineering is important, because major brands have proprietary methods of autofocusing and image stabilization. This compatibility happens via the ring that connects the lens to the body. Understand which pins and connections need to match what in terms of electronics, and Sigma can market the same lens to Canon, Nikon, and other full frame and crop sensor bodies.
That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re buying the Sigma lens for your brand and mounting system. If you buy a Canon mount lens and try to use it on a Nikon camera, it won’t fit.
Sigma’s Naming Convention
Once you read this, you’ll have the Sigma system nailed. Keep in mind that Sigma, like everyone else, puts the focal range (#mm prime or #-#mm zoom) and aperture (f/# fixed and f/#-# variable) in the name. After that, the fun starts.
The first category relates as much to optics as it does to function. C (contemporary) are the budget-friendly quality lenses, A (Art) have high-end optics, and S (Sport) is for fast action. EX is the designation for high-end optics on older models of Sigma lenses.
DG is full frame, and DC is crop sensor (APS-C). Past this, the most critical to understand is OS (optical image stabilization), which is particularly good to have if your camera body does not have it. HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) is the fast and silent ring-type ultrasonic autofocusing system, available on all lenses on our list.
Categories of Lenses and What They’re Used For
We can’t avoid a discussion about the ranges of focal length and what they are best used for when you’re shooting in any lens discussion. Remember that if you’re shooting a crop sensor (APS-C) camera, you’ll need to adjust the effective (or equivalent) focal length. (See the FAQs for a discussion about crop factor.)
Sigma Lens | Category | Best For | Focal Length | Equivalent Focal Length |
Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye | Ultra-wide angle prime | Panoramas, extreme close-ups, planned distortion | 4.5mm | 7.2mm |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM | Ultra-wide angle zoom | Panoramas, extreme close-ups | 10-20mm | 16-32mm |
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM | Wide-angle prime | Interiors, architecture, landscapes | 30mm | 48mm |
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM | Wide-angle zoom | Interiors, architecture, landscapes | 18-50mm | 29-80mm |
Wide-Angle Lenses
Wide-angles have short focal lengths, creating a shortened effect in your image. Realtors often use them to present the full room of an otherwise cramped space, while outdoor photogs like them for shortening the distance between a subject and the background. They can be used to both sharpen a background or blur it, depending on your camera settings.
Sigma Lens | Category | Best For | Focal Length | Equivalent Focal Length |
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | Standard prime | General purpose, photojournalism | 50mm | 80mm |
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM | Standard zoom | General purpose, photojournalism | 24-105mm | 38-168mm |
Standard Lenses
If you’ve ever heard the raves about Nifty-Fifties (50mm), you understand the sweet spot this mid-range focal length occupies, the closest approximation of how the human eye sees. Standard lenses often come with wide fixed apertures or wide ranges, making them good for low-light situations. They live in the unique realm of being good all-around lenses, functional for everything from landscapes to portraits.
Sigma Lens | Category | Best For | Focal Length | Equivalent Focal Length |
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art | Short telephoto prime | Candid, street, portraits | 85mm | 136mm |
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S | Short telephoto zoom | Candid, street, portraits | 70-200mm | 112-320mm |
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM | Medium telephoto prime | Close range action and sports, 1x magnification | 150mm | 240mm |
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM | Medium telephoto zoom | Close range action and sports | 120-300mm | 192-480mm |
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S | Super telephoto prime | Distant sports, wildlife, action | 500mm | 800mm |
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C | Super telephoto zoom | Distant sports, wildlife, action | 150-600mm | 240-960mm |
Telephoto Lenses
If you want to bring distance closer and magnify its size, you’ll be using a longer focal length lens, which is the telephoto family. Think lions on the plains or players on sports field, times when you want a close-in type of shot but can’t get near the subject, or portrait work when you want a very blurry bokeh surrounding your subject.
Teles are bulkier and heavier than standard lenses because the optics to make this adjustment require a greater distance from the sensor and more optical glass.
FAQs about Sigma Lenses
If your budget DSLR camera kit came with starter lenses but you can’t afford to add more brand names to your gear arsenal, consider great Sigma as your alternative. They fill many gaps, and the resulting images will be clear and sharp if you’re an educated shooter. Still, though, people have questions about using third-party products and making a lens purchase choice, so we’re here to answer some of the most common ones we hear.
Sigma Lens | Category | Image Stabilization | Weight |
Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye | Ultra-wide angle prime | No | 1.04 lbs. |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM | Ultra-wide angle zoom | No | 1.04 lbs. |
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM | Wide-angle prime | No | .95 lbs. |
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM | Wide-angle zoom | Yes | .87 lbs. |
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | Standard prime | No | 1.11 lbs. |
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM | Standard zoom | Yes | 1.95 lbs. |
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art | Short telephoto prime | No | 2.49 lbs. |
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S | Short telephoto zoom | Yes | 1.74 lbs. |
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM | Medium telephoto prime | Yes | 2.54 lbs. |
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM | Medium telephoto zoom | Yes | 6.50 lbs. |
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S | Super telephoto prime | Yes | 7.30 lbs. |
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C | Super telephoto zoom | Yes | 4.25 lbs. |
What’s the Sigma difference in materials used?
This doesn’t always matter to everyone, but in case it does for you, let’s understand how Sigma does it for a lower cost and lighter weight. Choosing plastic over steel in the casing is a major reason (though this can be said of brand names too). Glass is glass, though, and the way lenses function, it’s nearly impossible to shortcut that other than the manufacturing of the glass.
For the most part, native lenses are mass-produced at the same rate as Sigma uses, but brands might not make as many (creating scarcity) while Sigma makes a lot of them (marketplace abundance). Sigma can create an assembly line for a single lens but add different adapters and sell it to a much larger potential marketplace. It’s economics, with the larger potential market providing a higher incentive for Sigma to invest in more production.
Is a prime lens better than zoom?
Primes give you one focal length to work with, while zoom gives you flexibility across a range. Those who claim primes are better say you know exactly what focal length you’re shooting at all times. This can translate into sharper control of your image results. Many primes are also fixed aperture, further boosting that tight control.
Zoom advocates say the possibility to adjust your focal range for perfect framing wins out over the tight control. In fact, in the hands of someone who understands how to frame and shoot an image, zooms can be superior. You can fill your screen with your subject, meaning any adjustments you make in post-production won’t sacrifice bytes of sensor-captured details.
Another advantage of zooms is that they can bridge the focal ranges of different categories of lenses. You’ll find some that span from wide-angle to tele on our list. If you’d rather not be changing lenses mid-shoot, having that capability can be a real plus.
What is crop factor and how does it affect focal length?
Crop factor becomes important as we look at the ranges of lenses and what they are best used for. A full frame sensor in a camera captures the same dimensions of image as 35mm film. A lens on a full frame camera has a crop factor of 1, meaning the focal length of your lens acts as exactly the number it’s sold as; a 50mm works as a 50mm.
Crop sensor cameras ‘crop’ the image to something smaller. On Canon, the APS-C crop factor is 1.6, and on Nikon, 1.5 (check your camera specifications if you’re using another brand). This translates into a higher effective lens focal length; a 50mm shoots as a (50mm times 1.6) 80mm, and subjects therefore appear closer than a full frame.
It’s therefore important to understand what kind of sensor you have. Full frames take the focal length of the lens as gospel, while APS-C sensor users need to consider the higher effective focal length when they’re shooting. If your lens lives at the edges of the focal range you need for a particular type of photography, pay attention to the calculation (we’ve presented them in the comments).
Is fixed aperture better than variable?
This may be a matter of shooting preference as much as any real difference. A fixed aperture lens allows the same amount of light into the lens no matter what the focal distance is. This eliminates one shooting setting you have to contend with, allowing you to dial in your other factors for a better image (supposedly).
However, if you understand how to use your aperture setting and your camera body allows you to set specific values, you can achieve the same things with a variable aperture. You can therefore adjust the opening of the lens for light extremes, fine tuning adjustments based on your environment.
Fixed apertures are most often found on prime lenses, while variable apertures are typically used on zooms, potentially complicating your overall ability to control aspects of your resulting image.
Selection Criteria for Sigma Lenses
Since we wanted to offer a best-of lens at each focal length and type, our comparison is a bit longer than usual. Note that we’re telling you if the lens on the list comes with mounting adaptations for various brands of cameras and mount types. Other unique features are noted in the comments.
Sigma Lens | Category | Best For | Focal Length | Equivalent Focal Length | Aperture | Image Stabilization | Weight |
Sigma 4.5mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye | Ultra-wide angle prime | Panoramas, extreme close-ups, planned distortion | 4.5mm | 7.2mm | f/2.8 | No | 1.04 lbs. |
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM | Ultra-wide angle zoom | Panoramas, extreme close-ups | 10-20mm | 16-32mm | f/4-5.6 | No | 1.04 lbs. |
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM | Wide-angle prime | Interiors, architecture, landscapes | 30mm | 48mm | f/1.4 | No | .95 lbs. |
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM | Wide-angle zoom | Interiors, architecture, landscapes | 18-50mm | 29-80mm | f/2.8-4.5 | Yes | .87 lbs. |
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | Standard prime | General purpose, photojournalism | 50mm | 80mm | f/1.4 | No | 1.11 lbs. |
Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM | Standard zoom | General purpose, photojournalism | 24-105mm | 38-168mm | f/4 | Yes | 1.95 lbs. |
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art | Short telephoto prime | Candid, street, portraits | 85mm | 136mm | f/1.4 | No | 2.49 lbs. |
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S | Short telephoto zoom | Candid, street, portraits | 70-200mm | 112-320mm | f/2.8 | Yes | 1.74 lbs. |
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM | Medium telephoto prime | Close range action and sports, 1x magnification | 150mm | 240mm | f/2.8 | Yes | 2.54 lbs. |
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM | Medium telephoto zoom | Close range action and sports | 120-300mm | 192-480mm | f/2.8 | Yes | 6.50 lbs. |
Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM S | Super telephoto prime | Distant sports, wildlife, action | 500mm | 800mm | f/4 | Yes | 7.30 lbs. |
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM C | Super telephoto zoom | Distant sports, wildlife, action | 150-600mm | 240-960mm | f/5-6.3 | Yes | 4.25 lbs. |
Best For
Each lens type can be used for a variety of purposes. We list the most common uses. Feel free to experiment outside the suggestions though, because sometimes that creates the most interesting photography results.
Focal Length
This is the range of the lens, displayed as #mm. A prime lens has a single focal length. A zoom has a range of numbers. We make the crop factor adjustment for you and note that in the comments.
Equivalent Focal Length
If you shoot a crop sensor (APS-C) camera, pay attention to this calculation of the equivalent focal length of this lens on your camera. The value is for Canon (#mm times 1.6). (Use 1.5 is you shoot with a Nikon crop sensor body.)
Aperture
Discussion continues to swirl around whether fixed or variable aperture is better. Both can be included in prime and zoom lenses.
Some pros argue that a fixed produces better image capture control, but others will say that in the right hands (educated ones) variable allows a flexibility not otherwise available. Aperture is listed as f/#, and the bigger the number, the smaller the opening light can enter through.
Image Stabilization
Optical image stabilization is not available on all lenses, nor is it in all camera bodies. You want it in at least one place, particularly if you shoot in low light or other conditions where hand shake is a possibility. A “yes” indicates this lens has it.
Weight
The good news is that Sigma lenses are usually lighter in weight than their market competitors. This is due to their construction materials and overall design. Add this weight to your camera body to understand what you’ll be holding in your hand, and remember that the higher the focal range, the longer the lens will be.
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Thanks for sharing some great information on the range of Sigma lenses.
24-35mm f/2 Art lens?