At 13.8X, this digital-only 29-400mm equivalent (on DSLRs with 1.6X lens factors) offers the broadest zoom range of any Sigma lens. Joining Sigma's first digital-only superzoom of 2004, the 18-200mm, this $530 (street) lens adds optical stabilization (OS), four elements of super-low-dispersion glass...

I bought this as a general purpose lens for my D90. I had been using a Nikon Nikkor 28-80mm lens. This is a huge upgrade for me in picture clarity and zoom. OS works great and there isn't much zoom creep as is complained in some review on the web. I am very happy.

Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Fast / accurate auto-focus; Strong Construction

Full zoom light loss

Like all super zoom lenses, the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Lens features a to-die-for focal length range . Sigma packages this 13.9x (250mm divided by 18mm) focal length range in a very well built , modestly-sized , reasonably-priced APS-C-only lens with quiet, fast AF and optical...

I bought this lens to travel with so I don't have to carry multiple lenses and am very happy with it. I used the Tamron 19-270 equivalent for a few days and found it to be poor quality, didn't want to spring for the Nikon 18-200, and didn't like the midrange distortion that reviews show in the Sigma...

Versatile

Need Separate Flash

Very convenient lens. Get this one with my 500D is a nice combo. No need to change between the 17-55 IS and 70-200 L as before. I can leave the two lenses at home and travel light with only one lens. IQ is OK.

Very useful zoom range; fast and near silent focus; reasonably sharp from 18-80 mm

Very convenient lens; Get this one with my 500D is a nice combo; No need to change between the 17-55 IS and 70-200 L as before.

The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM, perhaps unsurprisingly, seems very much to be a case of 'take the 18-200mm OS , make it longer', and exhibits much the same characteristics as the older design.

Huge 13.9x focal length range; ideal general purpose and travel lens; Good image quality in the wide to short telephoto range; Fast; quiet autofocus; Low distortion (for a superzoom; Good build quality; smooth zooming action and no zoom creep

Very inconsistent sharpness through the zoom range - extremely soft at 135mm; Soft corners at almost all focal lengths; Image stabilization not as effective as on similar lenses; especially at telephoto end

Huge 13.9x focal length range, ideal general purpose and travel lens; Good image quality in the wide to short telephoto range; Fast, quiet autofocus; Low distortion (for a superzoom); Good build quality, smooth zooming action and no zoom creep;

Very inconsistent sharpness through the zoom range - extremely soft at 135mm; Soft corners at almost all focal lengths; Image stabilization not as effective as on similar lenses, especially at telephoto end;

The WDC Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC SLD OS HSM lens review discovers whether this is be the best all-round, third-party DSLR superzoom lens on the market.

Effective optical stabilisation

Focusing ring rotates in AF

Sigma's lens was tested here using a Canon EOS 40D, on which it focused reasonably quickly (but not remarkably so) and very reliably. Sadly, but not unusually for a lens of this type, the focusing ring rotates and there is no option to apply adjustments when the lens is set to AF mode.

Effective optical stabilisation

Focusing ring rotates in AF