Sigma 18 200mm F3 5 6 3 II DC OS HSM Review | 54 Data compared

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM as a lightweight, well-built, and cost-effective lens offering high value with impressive center sharpness at 18mm, excellent flare resistance, and a quiet autofocus motor. However, the lens suffers from significantly reduced sharpness at the edges of the frame at 200mm and a limited f/6.3 maximum aperture at the telephoto end.

The LensTip review of the Sigma 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM evaluates the second-generation megazoom lens, highlighting significant physical down-sizing compared to its predecessor alongside a versatile 11.1x focal length range. The prominent advantages discovered in the testing include highly compact dimensions for its class, very good image quality in the centre of the frame, and good edge sharpness within the shorter 18-55mm focal range. Additionally, the optics demonstrate controlled chromatic aberration, lower wide-angle distortion than its competitors, well-corrected astigmatism, minimal coma, and a helpful 3-stop optical image stabilization system. Conversely, the review exposes several distinct limitations, particularly regarding optical trade-offs and performance at longer focal lengths. A major disadvantage is the weak image quality on the edges of the frame from 100mm to 200mm, alongside severe vignetting across the entire zoom spectrum. Furthermore, the lens struggles with weak performance when shooting against bright light, exhibits higher telephoto distortion than rival lenses, and suffers from a surprisingly audible, slower autofocus mechanism despite the integration of a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM).

📸 Sigma 18-200mm OS II Review The Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM is a highly compact, lightweight travel zoom lens that features an advanced optical design with 18 elements in 14 groups, including premium FLD, SLD, and aspherical glass. Upgraded with an ultrasonic autofocus mechanism and a metal bayonet mount, the lens offers a stable, tight telescopic plastic tube that extends to 16 cm at its maximum focal range. It provides a wider aperture range than a standard 18-55mm kit lens, making it an appealing, versatile all-in-one upgrade for amateur photographers. ⚖️ Pros and Cons Breakdown Pros: Smallest and lightest physical profile in its class. Pros: Upgraded, silent ultrasonic autofocus mechanism. Pros: Non-rotating 62mm front filter thread. Pros: Improved 3-stop real-world image stabilization. Cons: Slower maximum aperture than Canon and Nikon rivals. Cons: Aperture drops very quickly to f/4.0 by 26mm. Cons: Uneven zoom ring resistance in mid-range focal lengths. Cons: Loose manual focus ring with tiny 40-degree rotation. Cons: Audible internal clatter from the OS mechanism.

📸 Sigma 18-200mm II Review Summary The Sigma 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM delivers a praised performance in the frame center, easily exceeding decency levels across all focal lengths even at maximum relative aperture. Tested on a 10-megapixel Nikon D200 matrix, its center resolution closely mirrors its predecessor's strong capabilities. The biggest upgrade is found on the frame edges, where image quality improved significantly; unlike the older model, this version avoids heavy softness at the shortest focal lengths when wide open. It manages to maintain a more even resolution profile across the board, which is highly impressive considering the manufacturer simultaneously reduced the lens's physical size and dimensions. Pros: Center Sharpness: Excellent resolution in the frame center across all focal lengths, even wide open. Edge Improvement: Drastically better edge-of-frame performance at shorter focal lengths compared to the older version. Form Factor: Even resolution delivery achieved despite a reduction in physical lens dimensions. Cons: Telephoto Drop: The edge performance at the maximum 200mm focal length changed for the worse, turning out a tad weaker than the original lens. Mid-Range...

The Sigma 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM is a highly versatile, all-in-one superzoom lens praised for its incredibly compact and lightweight design. According to the LensTip review, it delivers excellent image quality in the centre of the frame across its entire focal range, alongside a highly accurate autofocus system that missed only 4% of the time in studio tests. Optically, the lens stands out for its well-corrected aberrations, including low coma, negligible astigmatism at shorter focal lengths, and a remarkably low level of barrel distortion at the 18 mm wide-angle compared to its direct competitors. Furthermore, its optical image stabilization operates efficiently, offering up to 3 EV of compensation for smoother handheld shooting. However, the lens has several notable drawbacks that compromise its performance at the telephoto end. The image quality degrades significantly at the edges of the frame within the 100-200 mm range, and it suffers from massive vignetting across all focal lengths. Additionally, it exhibits poor flare resistance against bright light and suffers from high pincushion distortion at longer focal lengths. While the lens features an...

This Sigma lens offers a versatile focal range in the smallest physical dimensions of its class, making it a highly compact option for travel photographers. The optics deliver very good image quality in the frame centre and manage well-corrected astigmatism, low coma, and minimal wide-angle distortion. Mechanically, it features a decent autofocus motor and built-in image stabilization offering up to 3 EV of efficiency. Performance is generally superior to the Canon equivalent, while matching the optical standard of the competing Nikkor at a lower launch price than its own predecessor. However, the lens suffers from clear optical flaws, including weak image quality on the frame edges when zoomed in between 100mm and 200mm. Users will encounter massive vignetting across the entire focal range and poor performance when shooting against bright light. Additionally, distortion at longer focal lengths is higher than what competing brands offer. While it makes significant advancements over its predecessor, it faces stiff competition from the Tamron 18-270mm, which provides a wider focal range for a slightly cheaper price.

The Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM is a versatile, compact 11.1x zoom lens for APS-C cameras, featuring effective Optical Stabiliser (OS) and a quiet Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) with a durable metal mount. Key advantages include an internal focusing system and a 18mm zoom lock, though the maximum aperture reduces quickly to f/6.3, limiting low-light performance. Optically, the lens presents a compromise, exhibiting notable barrel distortion at 18mm, significant vignetting, and chromatic aberrations at extreme focal lengths. While central sharpness is acceptable when stopped down, the design suffers from soft corners and, despite the locking switch, noticeable zoom creep.

The DXOMARK review evaluates the Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM Nikon, a stabilized super-zoom lens released in October 2011. Tested on a Nikon D500, the lens achieved an overall DXOMARK Score of 14, with its optimal performance occurring at a focal length of 18mm at f/4. The review highlights that while the technical specifications remain highly similar to its predecessor, the optical stabilizer (OS) and Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) maintain the lens's positioning as a highly flexible, all-in-one travel option. The review identifies distinct optical pros and cons through its specific metric scores. On the pros side, the lens displays strong control over vignetting, measuring at a modest -1 EV, alongside a well-managed distortion profile restricted to 0.7%. However, the cons are prominent in its sharpness limitations, pulling a low score of only 6 P-Mpix, and a restricted transmission score of 5.9 TStop, which signals reduced light efficiency. Additionally, it registers a chromatic aberration profile of 8 µm. Ultimately, these metrics showcase a highly versatile focal range that makes notable trade-offs in edge-to-edge sharpness and light gathering performance.