Sigma 18-125mm F3.5-5.6 DC A-mount lens review by spada

spada#6556 date: Dec-8-2009
sharpness: 3 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 3 flare control: 3 overall: 3.6	tested on: film camera: APS-C: 6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP; 16MP; 20MP; 24MP full frame: 12MP; 24MP; 36MP; 42MP; 61MP
ownership:	I used to own this lens
compared to:	18-70mm kit lens Sigma 17-70 Tamron 17-50
price paid:	$160
positive:	Range Solid build, solid lens hood Zoom lock switch
negative:	Slow focus Soft corners Extends far at only 125mm inaccurate focus
comment:	I had the same experience as a previous reviewer in that I brought it with me on a cruise last year, hoping that it would be a perfect vacation all-in-one lens, and ended up going back to my kit lens for the remainder of the vacation. When I got home, I tested the lens out on my book collection in my bookshelves, and found that I had to manually focus the lens to get a proper focus, and even when I got it to be as sharp as I could, the kit lens was MUCH sharper with better contrast throughout all apertures. Only when I hit f/11 did it get close to the kit lens in sharpness. Distortion with sunset photos needed to have heavy correction, and flare is pretty darn bad. I sold this lens and bought a Sigma 17-70 immediately afterwards and was BLOWN AWAY with the pictures out of the 17-70 in comparison to the 18-125. If you want an all around zoom lens, go with the Sony/Tamron 18-250mm, or stick with the kit lens combo of 18-55/70 and the 55-200mm.