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Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6 DC  PDF Print E-mail
Lenses Sigma
User rating
3.4
out of 5
Editor's rating
1.0
out of 5
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Reviewed by:
Editor
Monday, 04 February 2008
Average user rating: 3.4 
11 User reviews
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Lens Summary

Overview

Digital Camera Lens
18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC

Specially designed to suit the characteristics of digital SLR cameras, this compact and lightweight lens is now a reality

This zoom lens was exclusively designed for use with digital Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras and has a 6.9:1 zoom ratio. The Image circle is designed to match the size of the image sensor of digital SLR cameras.
From wide angle to telephoto, this new zoom lens can capture a wide range of subjects. As there is no need to change lenses, there is no risk of missing those great shots. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm (19.6in.) at all focal lengths and a maximum magnification of 1:5.3. A distance scale on the focus ring makes the lens convenient and easy to use.

- -

A lens specially designed to suit the characteristics of digital cameras is now a reality
Sigma's vast experience has been gained over many years in the development of advanced optical technology and film camera production. This experience was crucial to the development of the SD9 and SD10 digital SLR cameras. Sigma took digital characteristics into consideration when designing the lens power layout and created the most suitable lens.
A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical glass elements produce a high level of optical performance through the entire zoom range.
We used the most appropriate Coating for digital products to reduce flare and ghost, caused by digital SLR cameras and to produce the best Color balance.

The advanced design has resulted in a compact and lightweight lens
A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical glass elements produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. The resulting design has produced a compact and lightweight lens measuring just 77.7mm (3.1in.) in length and 70mm (2.8in.) in diameter, with a weight of 385gr (13.6oz.) and filter size of just 62mm.

Inner Focus System
The lens is equipped with an Inner focusing system, which prevents the front element from rotating making it particularly suitable for Petal shaped `hoods and a circular polarizing filters.

Zoom Lock
The lens is also equipped with a zoom lock that eliminates "zoom creep" during transit.

Lens Construction
 
15 Elements in 14 Groups
Angle of view (SD Format)
 
69.32 - 11.4 degrees
Number of Diaphragm Blades
 
7 Blades
Minimum Aperture
 
F22
Minimum Focusing Distance
 
50cm
Maximum Magnification
 
1:5.3
Filter Size
 
62mm
Dimensions
 
Diameter 70mm X Length 77.7mm
Weight
 
385g
SRP
 
£229.99

18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
 
SIGMA
   
CANON
   
NIKON (D)
   
SONY
    PENTAX
   
FOUR THIRDS

Lens Specifications

Generic Lens Specifications
Lens Type: Zoom
IS / VR / OS: None
Min Focal length (mm): 18
Max Focal Length (mm): 125
Number of Elements: 15
Element Groups: 14
Max Aperture: 3.5
Minimum Aperture: 22
Diaphragm Blades: 7
Closest Focus Distance (m): 0.5
Maximum Magnification: 1.5
Filter Diameter (mm): 62
Diameter at widest (mm): 70
Lens Length (mm): 78
Weight (g): 385

Details


 

 

 

 

 

18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
Lens Hood
Front and Rear Caps
Instruction Manual
1 Year Warranty Card

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Editor review :  Sigma 18-125mm f3.5-5.6 DC
Overall rating (weighted)
1.0
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
1.0
Editor review following shortly
Why should you care what I think?
My relationship with this item: Editor review
Conclusions at a glance
Would you recommend this Item: Undecided

User Lens Reviews

Average user rating from: 11 user(s)

Overall rating (weighted)
3.4
Sharpness
3.5
Build Quality
3.2
AF Speed
3.3
Value for Money
3.5
 

Add new review


0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Dark and slow, Saturday, 26 December 2009


Overall rating (weighted)
2.8
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
3.0
It's great that it is wide, but f/3.5-5.6 is not ideal...I know this is the nature a zoom lens, but since I bought a few primes I have developed a real distaste for Zoom lenses, especially this one. This lens has NEVER given me acceptable color saturation. It works hard to focus in low light situations,and locks up my camera with a 99 error message much too often. The 99 error message is common from what I read. The motor sometimes sounds like it's working awfully hard. Shot 30 gigs of pics in Europe 3 years ago with this lens and had to edit my fanny off to get decent color and Contrast. This was the first lens I ever shot digital with and when I didn't know the difference it was fine. A few years later though, I just don't use it much anymore and am irritated by it when I do. You just cannot spend the money on a good camera body and then use cheaper 3rd party lenses and except to be successful. The lens will be a bottleneck in your quest for great photographs. I now only use canon lens and am getting MUCH better results. HOWEVER, I will say this: if you are just starting out and pick one of these up used for cheap it wouldn't be the worst thing you could do. Although if you just dropped $1300 on a 50d then you need to step up and buy a lense of equal quality to that body.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Master of the Seventh Ray, Tuesday, 27 May 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
2.8
Sharpness
2.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
3.0
Value for Money
3.0
I've had one of these since February. The lens has a surprising dearth of reviews on the internet, which worried me a little Bit, but I found a Japanese website that had some picture samples, and they put my mind at ease. Given the low price and wide zoom range, I am still very impressed. I have taken a couple of thousand images in a mixture of outdoors and indoors locations, about two-thirds of them in a studio, using studio flash units, with the lens stopped down to f11 or thereabouts. If you're doing shots of people, the zoom range goes from a full body shot, to head-and-shoulders, to full-face, without you having to walk backwards and forwards, potentially tripping over cables etc.

I have been using it on a 1.6x crop body, and I haven't noticed any purple fringing, which was my main worry. It's a bit soft around the edges when zoomed in, and there's noticeable barrel fully wide, but - perhaps because I'm using it with a cropped sensor, or perhaps because I'm easily pleased - I have no real complaints about the image quality. There is a fair amount of flare when shooting into studio lights; the supplied lens hood fits well, but it's very small. The zoom ring feels smooth, and it goes from wide to tele easily and quickly, with just enough resistance. It's stiff and awkward to use if you point the camera up or down, but horizontally it's fine. The focus motor whirrs a bit but it's not disturbing. You have to accept the f3.5-5.6 limitation, it's pretty standard for a lens of this range.

There are a few issues against it. The lens is lightweight, but it's also quite big and bulky, especially when extended to its full length. In fact it looks a little rude when it is extended. It doesn't feel very solid. The most substantive issue is focussing. The few reviews I have read mention a "back focussing" problem whereby the lens gets the focus slightly wrong; not enough to notice in the viewfinder or on the LCD, but present nonetheless. When I half-press the shutter button, the lens focusses; if I then momentarily let go of the shutter button, and quickly half-press it again, the lens focusses a tiny bit more. It seems to take two goes to focus properly. As a consequence of this I tend to focus twice, at which point it locks in solidly. I don't have a problem with this, because I tend to focus twice with every lens, just to make sure, but you might not be too keen.

Obviously, as this is an EF-S lens, it's no use with a full-frame sensor. I have attached it to my 35mm Canon EOS 600, just to see what it is like. At 18mm it's like looking down a toilet roll tube, with a large black circular border that creates an odd quasi-fisheye effect. At 125mm there is no border, but you get loads of Vignetting. It's the kind of effect you might use once.

Overall I enjoy this lens. For the price it is very handy. From what I have read there are many better zoom lenses that go from e.g. 17-55/85mm and from 55-200+mm, and there are a lot that go from e.g. 28-100+mm, but I can't think of any that go all the way between the two extremes of very wide and fairly tele.

As a postscript, I have also tried this lens on an old Canon D30 body (not 30D) without any problems, at both zoom extents. From what I have read, some EF-S lenses have trouble with the older D30/D60 bodies, but this lens at least seems to work fine, or at least I haven't noticed any smashing noises. Yet.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Master of the Seventh Ray, Tuesday, 27 May 2008


Overall rating (weighted)
2.8
Sharpness
3.0
Build Quality
2.0
AF Speed
2.0
Value for Money
4.0
I've had one of these since February. The lens has a surprising dearth of reviews on the internet, which worried me a little bit, but I found a Japanese website that had some picture samples, and they put my mind at ease. Given the low price and wide zoom range, I am still very impressed. I have taken a couple of thousand images in a mixture of outdoors and indoors locations, about two-thirds of them in a studio, using studio flash units, with the lens stopped down to f11 or thereabouts. If you're doing shots of people, the zoom range goes from a full body shot, to head-and-shoulders, to full-face, without you having to walk backwards and forwards, potentially tripping over cables etc.

I have been using it on a 1.6x crop body, and I haven't noticed any purple fringing, which was my main worry. It's a bit soft around the edges when zoomed in, and there's noticeable barrel fully wide, but - perhaps because I'm using it with a cropped sensor, or perhaps because I'm easily pleased - I have no real complaints about the image quality. There is a fair amount of flare when shooting into studio lights; the supplied lens hood fits well, but it's very small. The zoom ring feels smooth, and it goes from wide to tele easily and quickly, with just enough resistance. It's stiff and awkward to use if you point the camera up or down, but horizontally it's fine. The focus motor whirrs a bit but it's not disturbing. You have to accept the f3.5-5.6 limitation, it's pretty standard for a lens of this range.

There are a few issues against it. The lens is lightweight, but it's also quite big and bulky, especially when extended to its full length. In fact it looks a little rude when it is extended. It doesn't feel very solid. The most substantive issue is focussing. The few reviews I have read mention a "back focussing" problem whereby the lens gets the focus slightly wrong; not enough to notice in the viewfinder or on the LCD, but present nonetheless. When I half-press the shutter button, the lens focusses; if I then momentarily let go of the shutter button, and quickly half-press it again, the lens focusses a tiny bit more. It seems to take two goes to focus properly. As a consequence of this I tend to focus twice, at which point it locks in solidly. I don't have a problem with this, because I tend to focus twice with every lens, just to make sure, but you might not be too keen.

Obviously, as this is a "designed for digital" lens, it's no use with a full-frame sensor. I have attached it to my 35mm Canon EOS 600, just to see what it is like. At 18mm it's like looking down a toilet roll tube, with a large black circular border that creates an odd quasi-fisheye effect. At 125mm there is no border, but you get loads of vignetting. It's the kind of effect you might use once.

Overall I enjoy this lens. For the price it is very handy. From what I have read there are many better zoom lenses that go from e.g. 17-55/85mm and from 55-200+mm, and there are a lot that go from e.g. 28-100+mm, but I can't think of any that go all the way between the two extremes of very wide and fairly tele.

As a postscript, I have also tried this lens on an old Canon D30 body (not 30D) without any problems. From what I have read, Canon's EF-S lenses have trouble with the older D30/D60 bodies, but Sigma's EF-S-esque DC lenses seem to work fine, or at least this particular lens worked fine.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Great general purpose lens, Sunday, 09 September 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
3.0
For work I take a lot of photos with my Canon EOS 20D, and I needed an all-around, general purpose lens. The Sigma 18-125mm is a useful tool that offers good macro usage, nice wide-angle shots (with little vignetting), and is just a good all-purpose lens.

The zoom mechanism is a little louder than I'm used to, but it isn't distracting. The lens, as far as feel, is sturdy but lightweight.

Overall, this is an excellent all-purpose lens.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

All around great lens, Thursday, 15 March 2007


Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
3.0
Although it's not the fastest lens, it's great for outdoor shooting. I love the range that it gives me so I don't have to lug around lots of focal lengths. I use this more than any other lens. And for the price, it's an excellent buy.
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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

Doesn't focus, Tuesday, 12 December 2006


Overall rating (weighted)
1.0
Sharpness
1.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
1.0
After using that lens for 2 years, I had to sell it. It simply doesn't focus properly, and this is for all the lenses, not just the one I bought, as I checked others in the store afterwards. Simply zoom in onto your picture you will notice that what looked to be focused is not. I bought another one from another manufacturer, and make comparison over a month trial, and indeed the lens doesn't have a very accurate focus. Plus the range doesn't exist in my other manufacturers because it's not easy to build a high quality lens for a cheap price with such a high range.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Very versatile lens with acceptable shortcomings., Wednesday, 10 August 2005


Overall rating (weighted)
4.0
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
3.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
4.0
The good:
Excellent value. Has a very wide range so I can do wide landscapes, great macro shots, and everything else in between. The lens is also very light and compact. Makes a great walkaround lens. I went on a 3 week trip with this as my only lens, and I was very happy with it. AF is a twitch off, but close to perfect. All pics are super sharp.

The bad:
Noisy, slow autofocus compared to the kit lens as well as the 28-135 IS USM. No full time manual focus, and the switch for AF/MF gets switched to MF a lot when I take it out of my bag. There's also some vignetting around the corners that's noticeable in really bright scenes.

All in all, I still think it's a great value and I definitely recommend it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

A great lens at a great price, Tuesday, 28 June 2005


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
4.0
after reading through all different reviews on what lenses to get for my Rebel XT, i decided to go with this one, and I love it! The color is great, and the quality of the picture is definitely better than the 18-55mm Canon lens that came with the kit.

like other reviewer said, if you're lookin for everyday lens at an affordable price, then this is a great lens for you. With its quality, and zoom range, you can't find any lens that is better than this unless you're willing to spend 500+.


UPDATE: After less than a year, the focusing mechanism went out of whack. when i switch to manual focus, the camera still wouldnt let me take pictures- eventually, the camera just give me an error code 99 and refuse to do anything with it. sent it in for service, and was returned to me in 3 weeks due to backordered parts. the lens now works great.
overall, i can't complain about the warranty service becuase i was not in a hurry to get it fixed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

Great lens / versitility / good all around lens, Monday, 06 June 2005


Overall rating (weighted)
4.8
Sharpness
5.0
Build Quality
5.0
AF Speed
4.0
Value for Money
5.0
I got the lens a little over a week ago and think it is a great lens. A lot of people don't compare apples to apples. You can't compare a lens in this price range / class to one that is hundreds more (or lesser priced either).

Take a look at comaprisons of the Tamron 18-200 and the Sigma 18-200 and judge for yourself. In class and cost it is a very good lens I believe (my opinion).

both are not 'L' lenses / IS lenses / usm / etc. It is much better than a lot of 'kit' lenses and the price is reasonable for most and the pictures I have taken are rich in color and contrast and are not as soft as some say. Almost every review I have read on all lenses except the professional very expensive and very good glass lenses say the reviewed lenses are soft at this range or that range, better at this range or that range.

You need to decide what you really want for carry around (and price obviously). What ranges are good, are you willing to accept some differences at both ends of the lens range to be able to cover all the ranges in one lense. If not you should look at purchasing multiple lenses.

To me it is like a tool when repairing a car, an adjustable wrench will do most jobs for you and do them well, but if you use the exact size box/open end wrench it will probably be much better. If the adjustable is more versitile / acceptable go for it.

Others I have shown my pictures to say the photos are clear and vibrant. I have used Tamron lenses for a long time (over 30 years) and like them, but after reading reviews and seeing examples of pictures on the web I am very pleased and happy that I purchased the Sigma 18-200 lens and would recommend it.

Again these are all MY opinions and everyones eye, needs, and requirements are different.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4 stars f/ quality (if good sample); 1 star f/ Sig, Friday, 08 April 2005


Overall rating (weighted)
1.8
Sharpness
2.0
Build Quality
1.0
AF Speed
1.0
Value for Money
3.0
This is one of those "it's great BUT ..." reviews. If you don't care about the BUT part, feel free to add a star or two to my rating above.

First, a little background. I'm been an amateur photographer for almost 20 years, 80% of which was spent with SLRs. The 300D is my first digital SLR, but my 5th SLR and my 8th or 9th camera. Currently, I have 4 other lenses for my 300D, all holdovers from when I used my 35mm Canon Elan. The lenses are 50 1.8, 70-210 3.5-4.5, 28-105 3.5-4.5, and an 85 1.8.

Now to the Sigma. The user posts at dpreview's forum and elsewhere say it's pretty sharp IF you have a good sample. Those with bad samples report that this lens tends to front-focus, i.e. the actual focus point is closer than the desired focus point.

There wasn't really any lens in its price range that had the reported sharpness, and if I received a bad sample, I could have Sigma fix it, so why not, right? After all, owners of this lens reported it's sharper than the 300D kit lens, and while not quite as sharp as the Canon 17-85, it's less than 1/2 the price. (I bought mine before the Tamron 18-200 came out.)

When I received my 18-125, I was very happy with the build quality. It's a solid lens with smooth zooming action, and an included removable hood. The lens doesn't have Canon's nice USM's silent and ultra-quick focusing, and the Sigma's focus ring moved when focusing so watch where you leave your fingers, but otherwise no complaints.

But first, I had to make sure my sample didn't have the front-focusing issue. Since the DOF is narrower the closer the focus distance, I did all of my focus/DOF tests in the house and of nearby subjects outdoors. The focus point did seem closer than the desired subject but not closer enough to knock the subject outside the DOF so I accepted it. After all, the pictures were nice and sharp, even wide open, if you don't look too closely at the corners. So I was happy.

Then a month after I got the lens, my wife was in an "adventure race", where I shot hundreds of photos, all with this lens. Most were sharp but the ones of my wife far away (>50m) were noticeably less sharp. Looking more closely, I see that intermediate objects, e.g. the grass, in tele shots with the Sigma appear sharper than my wife. Rats! Does my sample have the front-focusing problem or did my 300D somehow focused on the closer objects?

ASAP after we got home, I took my Sigma out for some controlled tests, along with my 70-210 set at 125mm f5.6. Dozens and dozens of shots later, it's clear my Sigma has the front-focusing problem, but only noticeable with shots of subjects beyond ~50 meters, getting worse and worse with distance.

I pack it up and send it to Sigma's repair center, along with a note detailing the problem and how it only is apparent with tele shots of distant subjects. The lens comes back unrepaired with a sentence on the repair ticket saying the focus and DOF tests passed "ok", and a reference to the included CD. I load it and there are only 2 pics of 2 different test patterns, apparently indoors and only a few meters from the camera.

I call Sigma service, talked to a bunch of people, finally got routed to the head of the repair center, an apparently very busy man who implies it's my camera that's faulty and also that I didn't provide enough info to let them know the problem, i.e. I should have included sample pics. I mention I included a detailed explanation and his reply is, I kid you not, the techs are busy and don't have time to read people's letters!

Getting nowhere with them on the phone, I go home and shoot about 50 photos of a carefully selected scene with the Sigma and my Canon lens above, burned them all to a CD, write a more detailed letter, and send everything to Sigma.

2 weeks later, the lens comes back. Unrepaired. Again. The note says "infinity" focus and DOF tests passed "ok" and to see the pics on the included CD. I look at the 6 photos on the CD - 3 at 18mm and 3 at 125mm - and, unbelievably, the subject was a Sigma sign mere meters from the photographer, with distant trees in the background out of focus, of course.

Clearly we have a disagreement on what "infinity" or even "distant" means.

I will send the lens in a 3rd time but this experience has been so horribly frustrating, I know I will never buy another Sigma lens again.

If you buy this lens, make sure to immediately test the lens with close AND distant subjects as above, and return it immediately to the retailer if you have a bad sample. Good luck!
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

I like it at the wide end, Saturday, 09 October 2004


Overall rating (weighted)
4.5
Sharpness
4.0
Build Quality
4.0
AF Speed
5.0
Value for Money
5.0
For comparison I've used the Canon 28-135 IS, the Tokina 24-200 (I know, junk), the Canon 28/2.8, Canon 50/1.8, and Canon 18-55 EFS.

The Sigma 18-125 is very good at the wide end, much better color and sharpness than the Canon 18-55, in my opinion (but that's not saying so very much either).

At the telephoto end, there is not as much contrast as you would hope, but the colors and sharpness are pretty good.

I like this lens at the wide angle, and that's what I use it for. I find I don't use telephoto so much any more, and I'm not sure I'd use this lens if I did. The 28-135 with its IS system is much better.

The 28-135 was not wide enough for me, plus it is heavy and large, so the 18-125 is my current walk-around lens. I trade off between it and the 28/2.8.

My next lens will probably be the Sigma 18-50/2.8.
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