Could Sigma’s new 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN mean an APS-C L mount camera is on the way?
Oct 19, 2021
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Sigma has announced its new 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Interestingly, it’s available in two mounts. Sony E and Leica L. Yes, that’s right, an APS-C f/2.8 zoom lens with an L mount. I highly doubt Leica shooters are going to be buying this one, so could it mean that either Sigma or Panasonic has an APS-C L mount camera on the way?
The Sony E mount release is logical and obvious. But I’m not sure I see the point in releasing this lens in an L mount version if there isn’t an APS-C l mount camera coming from either of them. I could be wrong, but I can’t see too many Leica shooters picking this one up.
Sigma says their new 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is Sigma’s smallest and lightest f/2.8 constant aperture zoom lens for APS-C cameras. It’s even smaller than Sigma’s 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens for DSLRs and a hair over half the weight. Of course, the new lens doesn’t contain any kind of stabilisation – which is usually a big weight factor – so you’re relying on your camera’s IBIS (or a gimbal for video).
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is an APS-C lens that offers a field of view equivalent to 27-75mm on a full-frame body. Sigma’s marketing the lens for travel and day-to-day shooting, having a minimum focus distance of only 12.1cm, a bright f/2.8 aperture and a weight that isn’t going to make a massive impact in your bag. But, it should also work well for pretty much anything you’d use a 24-70mm f/2.8 for on a full-frame lens.
This isn’t the first APS-C L mount lense that Sigma has announced, having previously released 16mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses in L mount flavour and yeah, ok, so you can run the Sigma fp and Sigma fp L in APS-C crop mode, but an 18-50mm f/2.8 zoom feels like Sigma’s preparing us for something.
| Focal length | 18-50mmmm |
| Max aperture | f/2.8 |
| Min aperture | f/22 |
| Lens mount | Sony E, Leica L, Fuji X |
| Format | APS-C |
| Angle of view | 31.7-76.5° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 12.1-30cm |
| Optics | 13 elements in 10 groups |
| Aperture blades | 7, rounded |
| Focus type | Autofocus |
| Stabilisation | None |
| Filter size | 55mm (front) |
| Dimensions | 65.3 x 74.5mm |
| Weight | 290g |
| Launch Price | $549 |
If Sigma or Panasonic was planning to release an APS-C L mount camera, that’d be pretty interesting. And if one of them is working on it, exactly who it would be is anybody’s guess. Sigma still needs to impress with full-frame to keep people happy until they finally release a Foveon. Panasonic’s still pushing pretty hard on Micro Four Thirds with the GH6 expected soon and APS-C would definitely steal some of that thunder.
It could, of course, just be that Sigma’s releasing all their new mirrorless lenses in L mount, including the APS-C ones, whether people want them or not.
The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is available to pre-order now for $549 for Sony E and Leica L mounts and
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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One response to “Could Sigma’s new 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN mean an APS-C L mount camera is on the way?”
Leica T and TL are cheap now. And new sigma lens is good for these cameras.