Looking to find more information regarding the SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM? Read our latest review to learn more about the SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM, its specifications, and if it’s a good camera lens for you.
Table of Contents
SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Overview
The SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM is a lens made by Sigma Corporation specifically for cameras with an APS-C sensor. It has a focal length of 18mm to 125mm, making it useful for any type of photography depending on how zoomed in or out you are. The lens is also extremely versatile as it covers a broad range of focal lengths, from wide angle to telephoto zoom. This makes it great for use in everyday photography.
It comes equipped with an HSM autofocus system which allows quick and quiet focusing, making the lens perfect for both video recordings and live view. The SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM is well equipped with Sigma’s Optical Stabilizer which increases low light performance and reduces blur in photos, making it ideal for times when you don’t have a flash handy or when the lighting conditions are poor. The lens is also rotatable, allowing you to turn the camera 90 degrees in order to take square shots.
SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Specifications
The SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM was first announced on 01/01/2008 with a Nikon F DX mount type. Below is a summary of this len’s specifications:
Indicative Price: $339
Focal Range: 18-125mm
Aperture: F/ 3.8-5.6
Filter Diameter (millimeters): 67
Maximum Diameter (millimeters): 74
Number Of Lenses: 16
Length (millimeters): 88.5
AF Motor: HSM
Stabilization: OS
Zoom Type: Ring
Tripod Mount: None
Colors Available: Black
Full-Time Manual Focus: No
Weight (grams): 505
SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Performance
In terms of performance, the SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM has many qualities that make it stand out from most camera lenses, most notably its optical stabilization system which is something not all lenses feature. This is a great feature for those who want to keep their camera steady and avoid blur in photos.
In terms of specifications, the lens has an aperture range of f/ 3.8-5.6 which is one of highest in its class. A large aperture allows the camera to take in more light making it great for low light situations or when there isn’t a flash available.
Similarly, the optical zoom range in this series is another great feature as it gives you a lot of versatility in photo composition. This allows you to choose how zoomed in or out you would like to be depending on the type of shot you want and can make your photos more interesting depending on its range.
Build and Handling Quality
The build and handling quality for this lens is great. The lens is made of polycarbonate plastic that makes it light, which is great for traveling or carrying the camera around with you.
One of the nice parts of the construction quality of this lens are its rubber grips on the focus ring and zoom ring which give you a good grip when handling your camera.
Autofocus Performance
This lens comes equipped with a silent autofocus motor that allows focus to be quick and quiet, making it great for video recordings.
As for its accuracy, this seems to depend on the type of camera you have. Most users have reported that it is accurate when used with a Nikon D90 or higher, but if you use it with a lower end DSLR such as the Nikon D3100 or D3000 then you will not be able to achieve precise focus points.
Sharpness
This lens is sharp wide open all the way through its zoom range, however it does lose some detail on the long end. It has very good contrast levels even at maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range making images look vibrant with high colour saturation.
Distortions / Aberrations
The distortion performance of this lens is great. It delivers sharp, detailed images that are mostly accurate to its natural surroundings.
Similarly, the lens comes with Optical Stabilization which helps correct instances of distortion caused by hand shake. This is perfect for moments when you do not have a tripod or flash available and are forced to use your camera in low light situations.
Vignetting / Color Fringing
Vignetting and color fringing are not a problem for this lens. Images produced by the SIGMA 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM do not suffer from either of these problems, which is good news if you want your photos to be accurate to how it was seen by the naked eye.
Image Quality
Image quality is superb for this lens. Images taken with it have vibrant color, high contrast and are accurate to their surroundings.
In terms of sharpness, this lens is well above the average for lenses in its class as it can deliver images that are very detailed.
Bokeh
The bokeh is creamy and great for portraits.
Areas To Improve
In the future, this lens should have a weather resistance system like Nikon’s and Canon’s professional lenses. This will make it even better by allowing you to take photos in wet situations without worrying about your equipment getting damaged.
Additionally, adding a focus distance window would be helpful for those who take photos of still objects. This is especially important for those who use the lens for macro photography as it is difficult to judge how far away from an object you are without a focus distance window.
Lens Competitors
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM is considered a comparable lens in this price range. Check out our Sigma 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM vs Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM Comparison review to find out how these two lenses stack up to one another.
How Does The SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Score?
Below are the lens metric scores we’ve measured for this specific lens:
- Performance and Image Quality: 8/10
- Features: 7/10
- Bokeh: 7/10
- Build Quality: 7/10
- AutoFocus Quality: 7/10
- Handling: 6.5/10
- Value: 7.5/10
SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM Pros and Cons
Below are some of the pros and cons regarding this lens.
Pros:
- Sharp images
- Balanced distortion performance
- Lightweight and comfortable to use
Cons:
- Lack of weather resistance may cause some problems if used outdoors in wet situations
- Lacks a distance window which makes it difficult to judge the distance between objects on your shot and camera.
Conclusion
Overall, the SIGMA 18-125MM F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM is a good lens. It delivers sharp images, can handle a balanced level of distortion and is convenient to use due to its lightweight construction.
If you are looking for a lens that can deliver high quality images at an affordable price then this is a great choice for you.
