Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Contemporary Lens

The Sigma 18-200mm 3.5-6.3 DC HSM OS lens is the second addition to the Contemporary line from Sigma’s Global Vision. The Sigma 18-200mm lens was designed for APS-C sensors and features a new matte black finish, thermally stable composite material in its construction and smaller and lighter design then previous models. With exceptional performance, this 18-200mm camera lens does not sacrifice image quality for versatility. Having the ability to shoot from wide angle to telephoto is highly useful particularly for travel photography, landscape photography, street photography, portrait photography and nature photography. An improved minimum focusing distance of 14.7 inches paired with the use of Special Low Dispersion glass, the 18-200mm excels at bringing out great detail in close-up photography as well. A Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet, accurate and fast autofocus and an optical Stabilizer (OS) helps compensate for camera shake. Make this lens your all-in-one lens to handle any shooting scenario.

A standard superzoom that offers outstanding optical performance throughout the zoom range. The definitive ultra-compact all-in-one lens for the high-megapixel era.

The ideal match for today’s compact digital SLRs. A standard superzoom lens that offers outstanding optical performance throughout the zoom range.

Among zoom lenses with a zoom ratio of 7x or higher, this lens is one of the most compact available.

The ultra-compact 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is about the same size as a typical standard zoom lens. Yet it offers outstanding optical performance throughout the zoom range, fulfilling the needs of the high-megapixel era. It is the most compact and lightweight lens among APS-C format interchangeable superzoom lenses with an optical stabilization function. With its full suite of the latest SIGMA technologies, it expresses the essence of our high-performance Contemporary line. Thanks to its compact package, outstanding performance, and refined build, it’s the ideal all-in-one lens, excellent for travel photos, snapshots, family portraits, photojournalism, and virtually every type of photographic scene.

The full realization of the Contemporary product concept for you to hold in your own hands and appreciate with your own eyes.

Featuring the very latest technologies and combining optical performance with compactness, Contemporary line lenses are the perfect choice in a wide variety of photographic situations. Leveraging its advanced technologies, SIGMA has solved the difficult problem of keeping size and weight low without compromising optical performance. These are lenses that you will use every day, covering wide-angle, telephoto, and macro needs.
 

Ready for every scene, from true macro to distant telephoto, this lens sets a new benchmark for standard zooms

Developed to offer high performance, compact and lightweight portability, and full macro capability.

In 2005, we launched the 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC, a high-performance standard zoom lens exclusively for digital cameras. Since then, we have continuously updated this lens with our latest technologies. The original version offered wide-angle and telephoto capability in a single unit while being the most compact and lightweight lens in its class. In 2007, we added OS (Optical Stabilizer) functionality, and in 2011, we made the lens body even more compact. In further updating the lens for our new product lines, our goal was to create a compact and lightweight standard zoom lens for everyday use that also offered superzoom and macro capability. The end result is an introductory interchangeable lens that is perfect for a vast range of photographic scenes.

Featuring a minimum focusing distance of 39cm and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3, this lens offers true macro capability for close-up shots. Use it to photograph fashion accessories, cuisine, flower arrangements, and much more—with no need to change the lens. With a minimum working distance of 14.7cm, you can put distance between yourself and the subject, avoiding shadows from the lens and camera body. For this reason, it’s an excellent choice for capturing flowers in natural light. For further convenience, the maximum magnification ratio at each focusing distance appears on the side of the lens barrel-providing a guide to the size of the subject on the image sensor. Uncompromising in every aspect of lens design, SIGMA has even chosen not to place the product name on the front of the lens to prevent reflection of the letters during close-up photography. 
 

Optical Stabilizer

SIGMA's own unique OS (Optical Stabilizer) function is incorporated. It offers superior stabilization, which makes it possible to compensate for camera shake even in macro range photography where a small blur can be easily identified.

Note: The closer the lens is to the object, the less effective the OS function is. Note: The OS function is not available with Sony or Pentax mounts

4.6mm smaller in diameter than its predecessor, this lens combines the compact form of a genuine kit lens with high performance

Developed to offer high performance, compact and lightweight portability, and full macro capability.

Aiming to create the ideal everyday lens, we designed this lens to be as compact as possible. By using double aspheric lens elements and making the motor even more compact, we have achieved a barrel diameter of 70.7mm—4.6mm smaller than the predecessor’s diameter of 75.3mm. Moreover, as compared to its predecessor, the new lens features an 11% lower total volume.

To create a compact, high-performance lens ideal for a wide variety of photographic scenes, we needed to design a more compact OS (Optical Stabilizer) unit and optimize the lens power distribution and overall layout to achieve a more compact barrel. In this lens, we used TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), which is an excellent match for metal parts. In addition to contributing to the high-precision construction of the lens, TSC makes possible slimmer zoom rings, scale rings, and other parts.

TSC (Thermally Stable Composite) 

Conventionally it is considered essential to leverage the qualities of metal and polycarbonate in camera and lens layout design. A first for the industry, the barrel of the new series of SIGMA lenses features a new TSC (Thermally Stable Composite)* that offers minimal thermal shrinkage combined with exceptional hardness. It also offers 25% greater elasticity than polycarbonate. Since its thermal shrinkage is low, TSC matches well with metal parts, further contributing to the high-precision construction of the lens.

*TSC (Thermally Stable Composite) offers thermal expansion characteristics similar to those of aluminum. Parts made with TSC deform less, making possible lens construction of extremely high precision. As compared to polycarbonate containing 20% glass, a commonly used material, TSC offers approximately 70% higher elasticity. As compared to polycarbonate containing 30% glass, it offers 25% higher elasticity. (Comparison is between SIGMA-produced components.)

A refined, integrated design made with the photographer in mind.

All lenses in SIGMA's new Contemporary line come with a hood with a high-quality rubberized connector and feature a newly designed lens cap and AF/MF switch, and are designed for intuitive use and superior functionality.Inside, HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) delivers high AF speed and extremely quiet performance. An enhanced algorithm offers even smoother automatic focusing.
  

High-precision, rugged brass bayonet mount

The brass mount combines high precision with rugged construction. Its treated surfaces and enhanced strength contribute to the exceptional durability of the lens.

Superior image quality througout the netire zoom range

From infinity to macro distances, this lens delivers superior and stable optical performance.

Not just compact and lightweight, our Contemporary lenses offer the highest level of performance. This lens features high-refractive-index SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements, which help minimize transverse chromatic aberration in the telephoto range. In addition, double aspheric lens elements also help minimize optical aberrations while contributing to the lens’s compact package. The end result is outstanding image quality throughout the zoom range, from macro to telephoto distances.
 

Flare and ghosting reduction

From an early stage in the lens design process, flare and ghosting have been measured to establish an optical design resistant to strong incident light sources such as backlighting. SIGMA's Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting to help photographers produce sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions.

Exclusive low-dispersion glass

The degree to which light is refracted by glass depends on the light's wavelength. This fact causes different colors of light to focus at slightly different points. The result is chromatic aberration, the color fringing that is particularly noticeable in telephoto lenses. Most chromatic aberration can be removed by combining a high-refractivity convex lens element with a low-refractivity concave element. Yet residual chromatic aberration known as “secondary spectrum” may still remain. To minimize this secondary spectrum, which can be a serious issue with conventional lenses, SIGMA lenses feature up to three types of exclusive low-dispersion glass offering superior performance: ELD (Extraordinary Low Dispersion), SLD (Special Low Dispersion) and FLD (“F” Low Dispersion). In particular, FLD glass offers ultra-low dispersion in combination with high transmittance and the anomalous dispersion characteristics of fluorite. Meticulous deployment of these types of exclusive low-dispersion glass and optimization of power distribution gives SIGMA lenses superlative image rendition undiminished by residual chromatic aberration

An all-new, all-premium lineup

Superior functionality across the lineup, thanks to SIGMA's proprietary new A1 MTF measuring system.

There are three requirements for outstanding lenses: fine design, precise manufacturing and inspection that ensures compliance with all specifications. SIGMA lenses are born of well-thought-out design concepts and sophisticated, advanced Japanese manufacturing technology; the final clincher is our lens performance evaluation. We used to measure lens performance using conventional sensors. However, we've now developed our own A1* proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Applying this system, we check each lens in our new lines at our Aizu factory, our sole production site. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of our quality control inspections, allowing us to deliver consistently high lens performance. Our MTF system has the capability to test lenses for full-size 20+ megapixel 35mm digital SLR cameras.

*A1：Aizu １

46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensor

The 46 effective megapixel (4,800 × 3,200 × 3 layers) and 44 recording megapixel (4,704 × 3,136 × 3 layers) 23.5 × 15.7mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor captures all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location, ensuring the capture of full and complete color. Using three silicon-embedded layers of photo detectors, stacked vertically to take advantage of silicon's ability to absorb red, green and blue light at different respective depths, it efficiently reproduces color more accurately, and offers sharper resolution, pixel for pixel, than any conventional image sensor. Since color moiré is not generated, the use of a low-pass filter is not required, meaning light and color, generated by the 46-megapixel APS-C X3 direct image sensor is captured with a three-dimensional feel. 

Ultra-high precision and quality—all made in Japan

Optimizing quality with our integrated production system, SIGMA is focused on making things right, with our own hands and our own techniques. We are now one of the very few manufacturers whose products are solely "made in Japan." We like to think our products are somehow imbued with the essence of our homeland, blessed as it is with clean air and water, and focused, hard-working people. We pride ourselves on the authentic quality of SIGMA products, born of a marriage between highly attuned expertise and intelligent, advanced technology. Our sophisticated products have satisfied professionals and lovers of photography all over the world, because our manufacturing is based on genuine craftsmanship, underpinned by the passion and pride of our experts.

A lens customizable to your needs

Exclusive software and SIGMA USB dock make customization simple.

For our new product lines, we have developed exclusive SIGMA Optimization Pro software that allows the user to update the lens firmware and adjust focus position and other parameters. The user will be able to connect the lens to a computer with a special USB DOCK and use easy-to-operate on-screen controls to create personal lens specifications.
 

Performance Data

What's in the box:

• Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM
• Front Cap LCF III 62 mm
• Rear Cap LCR II
• Lens Hood LH676-01