Sigma Releases the New 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM

Along with the 2 new lenses released by Nikon (24-85mm and 18-300mm) 2 weeks ago, independent lens maker Sigma announced the release of their own super-zoom lens 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM.

This lens is especially designed for travelers and back-packers due to its weight which is 470g compared to the non-macro 18-250mm lens which weighs around 623g. It is also shorter by 1.3cm and .5cm smaller in diameter.

Sigma boasts that this lens is different because it was manufactured using special polycarbonate material called Thermally Stable Composite (TSC). Here are some of the details of this new Sigma lens.

PRIMARY FEATURES:

• 13x high zoom ratio with a filter size of 2.8 inches diameter
• One Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass and three aspherical lens glasses, compensate for camera shake and correction of color aberration
• Super Multi-Layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting
• Hyper Sonic Motor to ensure fast and quiet auto-focusing
• Macro Capability: Maximum Magnification ratio of 1:2.9
• Using Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) material used only by Sigma (TSC, which is incorporated into the lens barrel has a high elasticity and exhibits little variation in its structure in extreme temperature conditions)

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Lens Construction: 16 Elements in 13 Groups
• 7 round-blade diaphragm to create round blur to out of focus areas
• Diameter x Length: 2.9 by 3.5 inches (non-macro: 3.1 by 4 inches)
• Weight: 470g (non-macro: 623g)
• Incorporated double-sided aspherical lenses

(Full Specs Here)

This new lens will have mounts for Sigma, Sony, Nikon, Canon and Pentax. Canon mounts will be the first to be distributed this July. You can buy this one for USD 450 or PHP 19,000.