Product Description

This high zoom ratio lens is exclusively designed for Canon digital SLR cameras and capable of covering a wide range of focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto. Two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements and two hybrid aspherical lenses offer the utmost correction for all types of aberrations, and enables this extended range super zoom lens to be housed in a compact and lightweight construction of 70mm (2.8") diameter, and 78.1mm (3.1") in length, and weighing just 405g/14.3oz. The new lens coating reduces flare and ghost, which is a common problem of digital cameras and also creates an optimum color balance. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 45cm (17.7") at all focal lengths and has maximum magnification of 1:4.4. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which prevents the front of the lens from rotating, making it particularly suitable for using circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. The overall length of the lens does not change during focusing, ensuring convenient handling and ease of use. A zoom lock switch eliminates 'zoom creep' during transportation, a convenient addition when traveling Minimum focusing distance of 45cm (17.7) at all focal lengths Dimensions - D - 2.8 x L - 3.1 Weight - 14.3oz

Product Details

• Brand: Sigma
• Model: B0007U0GYS
• Dimensions: 3.10" h x 3.10" w x 3.30" l, .85 pounds

Features

• High zoom ratio (11:1) lens designed for Canon digital SLR cameras
• 18 to 200 mm focal length
• 2 Special Low Dispersion glass elements; 2 hybrid aspherical lenses
• Compact, lightweight construction
• Lens coating reduces flare and ghosting

From the Manufacturer

This high zoom ratio lens is exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras and capable of covering a wide range of focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto. Two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements and two hybrid aspherical lenses offer the utmost correction for all types of aberrations, and enables this extended range super zoom lens to be housed in a compact and lightweight construction of 70 millimeter (2.8 inches) diameter, and 78.1 millimeters (3.1 inches) in length, and weighing just 405 grams / 14.3 ounces. The new lens coating reduces flare and ghost, which is a common problem of digital cameras and also creates an optimum color balance. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 45 centimeters (17.7 inches) at all focal lengths and has maximum magnification of 1:4.4.

The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which prevents the front of the lens from rotating, making it particularly suitable for using circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. The overall length of the lens does not change during focusing, ensuring convenient handling and ease of use. A zoom lock switch eliminates 'zoom creep' during transportation, a convenient addition when traveling.

• Exclusively designed for use with digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras
• High zoom ratio 11:1
• Compact and Lightweight construction with diameter of 70 millimeter (2.8 inches), length of 78.1 millimeters (3.1 inches) and weight of 405 grams / 14.3 ounces
• Minimum focusing distance of 45 centimeters (17.7 inches) at all focal lengths

Note to customers: Vignetting will occur if the lens is used with digital cameras with image sensors larger than APS-C size or 35mm SLR cameras.

Customer Reviews

Ok for the price, but not for professional printing
I purchased the Sigma 18-200 for use with a Canon Xt because I needed a wide zoom range and was on a tight budget. For the price this lens is OK. The auto-focus is slower than I anticipated, despite the reviews that say so. The lock on the one I purchased seemed stuck and the barrel kept coming out on it's own while walking. The first pictures I took with it were a great disappointment. I recently started a small pet photography business and also work for a local paper as their sport's photographer. I use a Sigma 70-200 2.8 for sports and it works great at an affordable price. As soon as I uploaded the test shots of the Sigma 18-200 I realized that despite my ISO being at 200, there was unbelievable grain (shot in daylight) as well as an overall muddy look to my pictures. It may have just been my lens. I tested it out against the kit lens (18-55) and the nifty fifty (50mm 1.8) and the Sigma was the worst in quality. I print pictures for my clients and I could not imagine sending a shot of such bad quality to print. Like I said, it may have just been the one I received, but the quality was just not good. I returned it and got the Tamron 28-75 2.8 for a couple of bucks more and could not be happier with it.

Great All Around General Purpose Lens
This lens provides adequate telephoto and a nice wide angle in one package. I've used it on both the Canon XT and XSi and it works great. It is the one lens I just leave on.

An OK lens for the price; autofocus is hit and miss - and noisy.
I received one of these for Christmas...so I've had it for 6 months now. I've taken thousands of shots with it, on both a Canon Digital Rebel XT (350d) and a Canon EOS 20d.

The bottom line...I like the lens - but the focus is not that great. Abour 35% of your shots are blurry due to inaccurate auto-focus.

Specifics...

1) At 200MM (Max telephoto), you will see some blur if you don't use a high shutter speed and hold it steady. This means that just placing your camera on the green "point and shoot" mode, or even "P" mode may not give you a fast enough shutter speed to keep from having blur unless you are in bright daylight. So....here's my technique: at 200MM you may want to bump up your ISO (film) speed to 400 or 800, then use Tv mode (Canon settings I'm talking about - manual shutter speed control) to get a fast shutter speed. I also hold the end of the lens (the petal filter) with my left hand and lean against a solid object or have a good foot stance - or use a tripod. All of this is not any sort of lens defect; rather, it is typical of using a long tele lens that does not have Image Stabilization (IS). You can get IS from Canon, but be ready to lay down some $$$ and carry multiple lenses...more on that later.

2) Noisy autofocus. Yeah, true, it is louder than other lenses, but so what. It is not any louder than the fake autowinder sound my Rebel XT makes. I find its focus quick and only sometimes accurate - except in low light. Although, I will say my 20d does much better than my 350d did with this lens in low light. But, honestly, I don't think the low light autofocus is any worse than the Canon 18-55 kit lens I initially ised. It hunted a lot too in low light, and often would not lock - necessitating manual focus. The manual focus on the Sigma works great in low light, or, to keep autofocus, you can use an external flash for IR focus assist and it locks right up - but it is not always accurate.

Other than the Tamron, you WILL NOT find as versatile a lens as this one, especially at this price point. Optical quality is great on my lens. You can do better - but with two lenses. My solution to have this kind of range if $$$ was no object would be the Canon EF-S 17-85MM f4-5.6 IS USM and the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM...this would add image stabilization and 100MMs more range, but at much more cost, and you would have to carry two lenses.

I specifically bought this lens to have a compact, one lens solution. If you read all the reviews you can find, the general consensus is that the Sigma is better than the Tamron 18-200. Plus, the end barrel does not rotate, so you can use a circular polarizer. Show me a lens that has better bang for the buck in a one lens solution, and I'll buy it.

Update: I got sick of the blur with the Sigma. The focus is just not reliable enough. I bit the bullet and bought a Canon 28-70 F2.8L USM. Yeah, it is moe than double the cost of this lens and it is huge and weighs a ton, but the quality of the image is unbelievable.