Sigma 17 50mm F2 8 EX DC OS HSM Review | 54 Data compared

The Sigma 17-50 mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens delivers exceptional performance in the frame centre, producing sensational image sharpness even at its widest f/2.8 aperture. It features high build quality with a very solid barrel, efficient image stabilization, and a silent, fast, and highly accurate autofocus system. The lens also controls astigmatism exceptionally well and maintains decent image quality out to the frame edges, while offering an attractive warranty package. Its performance competitively matches or exceeds more expensive alternative offerings from Canon and Nikon, making it a highly valuable option for crop-sensor photographers. However, the lens does exhibit noticeable chromatic aberration and significant coma at its shortest 17 mm focal length. Edge-of-frame sharpness at maximum aperture could be improved for shorter focal lengths, and the lens suffers from slightly high vignetting. Additionally, the manual focus ring design is overly simplified. Despite these flaws, it stands as a strong, budget-friendly competitor against pricier brand-name rivals, particularly for Sony and Pentax system users who face fewer native options in this category.

The ePHOTOzine review rates the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens as a highly capable and excellent value standard zoom. It boasts outstanding center sharpness at f/2.8, solid build quality, a highly efficient Optical Stabilizer (OS), and swift, quiet autofocus via the Hyper-Sonic Motor (HSM). Conversely, the review notes significant corner softness at wide-open apertures, necessitating stopping down for better edge performance. Additional drawbacks include visible barrel distortion at 17mm, chromatic aberration in high-contrast edge areas, and a manual focus ring that rotates during autofocus.

The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens is noted for its impressive center-frame sharpness across the focal range at f/2.8 and superior build quality, including FLD glass for enhanced contrast. Key advantages include quick, quiet autofocus via the HyperSonic Motor (HSM) and effective Optical Stabilization (OS) for low-light shooting. However, the lens exhibits soft corners at wider apertures, necessitating stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 for optimal edge-to-edge sharpness. Other compromises mentioned include reversed zoom ring operation and the lack of full-time manual focus override, which requires switching to manual mode to adjust focus.

The Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is a highly capable, wide-angle zoom lens that delivers premium performance at a very affordable price point. According to DXOMARK's testing, the lens achieves an impressive overall score that remains consistently high from f/2.8 to f/4 across the entire focal range. Its main strengths include exceptional sharpness in the center, resolution that holds up well toward the edges of the field, and excellently controlled chromatic aberration throughout the zoom range. However, the lens does exhibit a few optical drawbacks, particularly at its widest setting. At 17mm, users will experience slightly too much distortion (measured at 0.75%) alongside heavy vignetting that reaches almost 2 EV in the corners. Despite these minor flaws, head-to-head comparisons show it outperforms its twice-as-expensive competitors. It beats the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 in overall sharpness, offers better field sharpness and higher transmission than the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8, and easily matches or beats alternative options from Tamron.

In this review, Lee Petersen highlights the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD as an exceptional, budget-friendly replacement for standard kit lenses on APS-C crop sensor cameras. Originally bought as a walk-around hiking companion, it quickly became a favorite due to its vibrant colors and sharp details, proving surprisingly capable even for demanding situations like northern lights and night photography. The reviewer praises its solid build quality, noting that it can withstand a beating in rough terrain, handle freezing temperatures down to -40°F/C, and resist rain despite not being fully waterproof. Additional pros include its sub-$300 price point, a helpful zoom lock switch, and a fast, quiet Hyper-Sonic Motor autofocus mechanism. On the negative side, the lens suffers from visible distortion and corner vignetting at its widest focal length of 17mm, though the author notes this can be easily minimized during post-processing. Another design quirk is its notably stiff zoom ring; however, this acts as a dual-edged sword that the author actually prefers because it prevents the lens from accidentally shifting while mounted on a tripod. Despite these...

The Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM is a standard zoom lens designed for APS-C format DSLRs, compatible with mounts including Canon EF-S, Nikon F DX, Sigma, Pentax K, and Sony A. Its standout feature is a fast, constant f/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the zoom range, making it a highly affordable alternative to first-party counterparts at less than half the price. Built with 17 elements in 13 groups—including high-grade FLD and aspherical glass elements—the lens incorporates a 4-stop optical stabilizer and a non-rotating front element that allows for easy filter use. While it has disappeared from brand-new retail shelves, it remains a highly compelling and cost-effective option on the used market. In terms of performance and handling, the lens presents a clear set of trade-offs. The primary pros include its decent overall build quality, affordable price point, and good center-sharpness, even when shooting wide open at f/2.8. However, the cons include soft image quality in the corners at short-to-mid zoom settings when wider than f/5.6, noticeable barrel distortion at the short end, and a somewhat slow autofocus speed. Additionally,...

This review evaluates four fast standard zoom lenses for Canon cropped-sensor (APS-C) cameras, focusing heavily on the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM OS, and Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 (non-VC). The reviewer found that while the budget-friendly Tamron provides excellent edge-to-edge optical sharpness that equals or beats the others between 17mm and 35mm, its autofocus system is exceptionally poor, slow, loud, and prone to hunting. This makes the Tamron ideal strictly for landscape photographers who rely on manual focus and tripods. Meanwhile, the premium Canon flagship lens delivers unmatched edge sharpness at f/2.8, fast tracking autofocus, and the most reliable image stabilization. However, the Canon suffers from poor close-up macro performance, flat contrast, a cool colour rendition, a heavy build, and a steep price tag ($1,200 CAN). The Sigma 17-50mm emerges as the most balanced, value-driven choice for general photography at $775 CAN. Pros of the Sigma include zippy and accurate autofocus that rivals Canon, highly efficient optical stabilization, superior close-focus sharpness, and punchier contrast with accurate colors. It also outpaces the Canon at narrower...

The Trusted Reviews analysis of the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM praises it as a cost-effective, versatile standard zoom, highlighting its constant f/2.8 aperture, strong central sharpness, and 28cm minimum focusing distance. While optically sound, the review notes a drop in resolution at the 50mm end and reduced image quality beyond f/11, ultimately recommending it as a solid, budget-friendly alternative to branded lenses.

The Radojuva review characterizes the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM as a high-quality, budget-friendly upgrade for APS-C DSLR cameras, highlighting its excellent center sharpness at f/2.8, effective Optical Stabilizer, and fast, quiet HSM autofocus. The lens features solid construction and well-controlled chromatic aberrations, offering a constant aperture zoom capable of replacing standard kit lenses. Conversely, the lens suffers from notable soft corners and heavy vignetting at 17mm f/2.8, along with significant barrel distortion at the wide end. Handling drawbacks include a rotating focus ring during autofocus, the lack of full-time manual focus override, and a short, less precise manual focus throw.

The Sigma AF 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM OS is a fast standard zoom lens designed for APS-C DSLRs that utilizes advanced FLD glass elements to efficiently compensate for optical defects. Built with a tightly assembled combination of metal and high-quality parts, the lens features a mono-cam system that extends when zooming, while keeping the front element fixed from rotating. A major highlight of this lens is its highly efficient Optical Stabilizer (OS), which matches the performance of genuine manufacturer systems and delivers a claimed 4-stop gain in stability. Additionally, its hypersonic AF motor (HSM) provides fast, nearly silent autofocusing, and the zoom ring offers a smooth, pleasant physical action. However, the lens has several notable drawbacks in its design and manual operation. The overall build quality falls slightly short of the high standards expected from Sigma's "Excellence" (EX) line. A disappointing design choice is that the focus ring lacks friction in manual mode and actively rotates during autofocus, eliminating the possibility of full-time manual (FTM) override in one-shot AF mode. Furthermore, autofocus speeds slow down significantly during contrast-detect Live-View...