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

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

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...

There is an underlying desire in every travel or street photographer to be able to carry one lens to cover all contingencies.

Handling and features Performance Verdict Specification This 13.8x superzoom lens is compatible with Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Sigma DSLRs that have an APS-C sized sensor or smaller.

Very good performance for a superzoom; Effective optical Stabilisation; Compact size; Light weight; Good build quality

f/6.3 max aperture at 250mm is relatively slow; No full time manual focus override (which isn't really much of an issue

Very versatile walk around lens. just like carrying 18-55 + 55-250 with a tripod.

good built quality; effective OS; HSM motor; very good IQ between 18-80

quiet heavy; average IQ between 135-200

A one-lens solution like this 18-250mm Sigma optic is a very popular option with photographers, because you only need to attach the one lens to your camera and you can enjoy a whole range of shooting options.

The barrel has a large zoom ring and a small manual-focusing ring at the front, with a zoom scale marked at 18, 24, 28, 35, 50, 80, 135, and 250mm. The three switches on the barrel include Zoom Lock, AF/MF, and stabilization ON/OFF.

Photographers often have to compromise when it comes to third-party lenses, particularly ones that cover such extreme focal lengths as the 18-250mm. This Sigma model is excellent value for money, offering good sharpness and performance, with a lengthy zoom.

Very lightweight and compact; Pleasing bokeh; Excellent sharpness at the telephoto reach

No manual focus override in AF mode

Sigma's new 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM is designed as an all-in-one lens for digital photographers with APS-C-sized (DX) sensors who don't want to carry more than one lens. Covering focal lengths ranging from the 35mm equivalent of 27mm to 375mm with most camera brands (28.8mm to 400mm on Canon...