NEW Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 for APS-C

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

2 hours ago, cpclee said:

I can't say I know exactly what I'm looking at.  I was referring to the bottom left corner.  Towards the very extreme corner there is a wee bit of softening.  The other corners look really good to me.

The bottom left corner is too close to be in focus i guess. I would not expect extreme corner sharpness from software distortion correction anyway but even at full aperture the Sigma 18-50/2.8 works pretty decently from this viewpoint. Focus at f/2.8 on the bottom right corner below, FF & 100% crop.
https://tinyurl.com/2e32d5ax
https://tinyurl.com/22x6ty5k

[cpclee]

3 hours ago, lct said:

The bottom left corner is too close to be in focus i guess. I would not expect extreme corner sharpness from software distortion correction anyway but even at full aperture the Sigma 18-50/2.8 works pretty decently from this viewpoint. Focus at f/2.8 on the bottom right corner below, FF & 100% crop.
https://tinyurl.com/2e32d5ax
https://tinyurl.com/22x6ty5k

This looks very good especially for closeup and f2.8.  

My experience with the Leica 18-56, which I haven't had long, is that at 18mm, f3.5 and near the minimum focusing distance, sharpness and contrast extend almost the entire way into the corners.  Three of the four corners have barely discernable drop in performance (perhaps just a wee bit in contrast if you really look for it) while in the fourth, bottom left corner there is a bit of softening but you literally have to go to the very edge.   In any event the performance is at such a high level that it probably eclipses most M lenses and is up there with the 24-90 for the SL. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by cpclee

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Marac]

I used to spend hours & £'s on pixel peeping, zooming & searching for faults & reasons to moan about a lens....

Now I just take pictures.

But that's me.

[cpclee]

2 hours ago, Marac said:

I used to spend hours & £'s on pixel peeping, zooming & searching for faults & reasons to moan about a lens....

Now I just take pictures.

But that's me.

Point well taken, though I do think technical performance is not so irrelevant when discussing a 3rd party lens with some advantages over Leica's without sacrificing very much.  

[lct]

I like sharing what i see when i buy new lenses as i think it can be useful to others, but that's me .

[lct]

4 hours ago, cpclee said:

Three of the four corners have barely discernable drop in performance (perhaps just a wee bit in contrast if you really look for it) while in the fourth, bottom left corner there is a bit of softening but you literally have to go to the very edge.

Mainly a matter of DoF i guess, as suggested by Boojay above. Even at f/8 a 26mm lens focused at 20m can hardly be sharp at 1 or 2m.

Edited November 17, 2021 by lct

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

4 hours ago, cpclee said:

In any event the performance is at such a high level that it probably eclipses most M lenses

Not sure i would say the same about software distortion correction but i'm no techie at all. Interesting to notice that even with sharp M wides the CL can correct for distortion.

[aksclix]

There are compromises on both sides.. the Leica 18-56 with its variable aperture offers nothing special.. yea it’s sharp and has good optics but that’s about it? Sigma 18-50 offers a decent portrait option, great close focusing capabilities, much better low light performance.. so, it’s more of an all-rounder.. if there is even a debate about corner sharpness between the two lenses then sigma’s job is already done there because it’s close enough for there to be a debate! 

Edited November 17, 2021 by aksclix
Typo

[lct]

Couple of test pics for those interested. 
Digital CL + Sigma 18-50/2.8.
All pics at f/2.8 unless otherwise mentioned in exif data. 
No added sharpness nor vignette or color fringing correction. 
Opcodes removed on some pics ("_1" in file name) to adjust framing and/or distortion. 
C1120087_1_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/syswb8np
C1120080_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/465f3k7u
C1120110_1_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/39epby6f
C1120162_1_si.jpg (closeup) https://tinyurl.com/r5bujxdc
C1120157_si.jpg (closeup) https://tinyurl.com/y452mtm7
C1120170_1_si.jpg (flare) https://tinyurl.com/57fr8zwx
C1120142_si.jpg (flower) https://tinyurl.com/38ycmy7a
C1120060_1_si.jpg (garden) https://tinyurl.com/bu83mdcs
C1120071_si.jpg (leaves) https://tinyurl.com/3uh5mkrw
C1120120_si.jpg (leaves) https://tinyurl.com/8j3tp3m4
C1120075_si.jpg (tree) https://tinyurl.com/k6enhtf4
C1120119_si.jpg (tree) https://tinyurl.com/sc4ktfnc

 

[cpclee]

8 hours ago, lct said:

Couple of test pics for those interested. 
Digital CL + Sigma 18-50/2.8.
All pics at f/2.8 unless otherwise mentioned in exif data. 
No added sharpness nor vignette or color fringing correction. 
Opcodes removed on some pics ("_1" in file name) to adjust framing and/or distortion. 
C1120087_1_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/syswb8np
C1120080_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/465f3k7u
C1120110_1_si.jpg (bokeh) https://tinyurl.com/39epby6f
C1120162_1_si.jpg (closeup) https://tinyurl.com/r5bujxdc
C1120157_si.jpg (closeup) https://tinyurl.com/y452mtm7
C1120170_1_si.jpg (flare) https://tinyurl.com/57fr8zwx
C1120142_si.jpg (flower) https://tinyurl.com/38ycmy7a
C1120060_1_si.jpg (garden) https://tinyurl.com/bu83mdcs
C1120071_si.jpg (leaves) https://tinyurl.com/3uh5mkrw
C1120120_si.jpg (leaves) https://tinyurl.com/8j3tp3m4
C1120075_si.jpg (tree) https://tinyurl.com/k6enhtf4
C1120119_si.jpg (tree) https://tinyurl.com/sc4ktfnc

 

Very impressive.  The "real world" shots definitely prove the quality of this lens.

[cpclee]

I'd be interested to see Sigma come out with a faster counterpart to Leica's 55-135 zoom.

[aksclix]

2 hours ago, cpclee said:

I'd be interested to see Sigma come out with a faster counterpart to Leica's 55-135 zoom.

I’ve been seriously hoping they would… ever since I laid my hands on the 18-50.. a smaller 70-300 like the Panasonic for FF would be awesome!! 

Edited November 21, 2021 by aksclix