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Sigma 8-16 f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM for Sony
Available Today
NOTE: this is for crop sensor (DX) Alpha cameras only.
This is the first ultra-wide, rectilinear zoom lens with a minimum focal length of 8mm, designed specifically for APS-C size image sensors. The wide-angle of view from 121.2 degrees produces striking, extremely wide angle images with exaggerated perspective. It has a minimum focusing distance of 24cm throughout the entire zoom range, and an inner focusing system.
Four FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have the performance equal to fluorite glass, compensate for color aberration. One hybrid aspherical lens and two glass mold elements give excellent correction for distortion and astigmatism. The Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and the lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), ensuring quiet and high speed AF as well as full-time manual focus capability.
Lens Construction
Roger's Take
Roger Cicala
President of LensRentals.com
It’s also quite sharp, especially in the center and especially at 8 to 10mm, which is probably what you’re getting this lens for anyway. More surprisingly, it doesn’t have horrible barrel distortion at 8mm, which is pretty amazing. It’s not quite as sharp at the longer end, and, at any focal length, the corners and even the edges are a little mushy. Chromatic aberration is pretty well controlled.
So, I’m surprised: I expected to say it was a useful lens, if you really want the widest you can get, but otherwise had a lot of weaknesses, which is what I said years ago about the 12-24 full frame lens. But, really, this one not only lets you get ultra, ultra wide, it can compete with all the other ultra wides from 10 to 20mm too. It gives up some aperture to most of the others, but, except for that, it’s very comparable to them. And from 8mm to 10mm, well, there’s no comparison at all. This isn’t the lens for everyone, many people will never shoot this wide, but if you think that you might, this is a great choice, and I can recommend it without reservation.
Ultra-wide comparison
Sigma 8-16 f/4.5-5.6 is the widest (and remember, 8mm is 20% wider than 10mm, so it’s a very real difference). Not quite as sharp in the corners as the others, and lower maximum aperture, but it’s really pretty good, especially considering it’s the widest of the wide.
The Sony 11-18mm is a decent lens, although it really isn’t sharp wide open. It needs to be stopped down a stop to give you the images most of us want. It’s nice and small, which is important when you’re only carrying an ultra-wide in the bag “just in case” you need it. Overall, a decent, but not a great performer.
The Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 has a bit larger range and provides excellent image quality, although it has a bit of barrel distortion at the wide end, fits no worse than the Sony. It’s quite sharp in the center even wide open, a bit less so in the edges until f/5.6 or f/8. It’s internally focusing, so if you plan on using a circular polarizer (not always the best idea on an ultra-wide), you might prefer this one. Plus, it’s a good price.
Try and Buy Program: Lensrentals is pleased that our friends at SuperdigitalCity have made a special offer for our customers renting this item and considering purchase. Simply email a copy of your Lensrentals receipt to SuperdigitalCity, and they will email you back a coupon code good for $50 off of the purchase of the Sigma 8-16mm lens.
- Filter Size
- rear gel
- Aperture
- f4.5-22
- Length
- 4.2”
- Diameter
- 3.0”
- Weight
- 1.9 lb.
- Hood
- Built-in
- Minimum Focusing Distance
- 0.8 feet
- Maximum Magnification
- .13x
- Angle of view: (crop frame)
- 114 to 76 degrees
- Zoom method
- Barrel extending (slightly)
- Image Stabilization
- None
- Focusing System
- Internal, A/MF switch, full-time manual, hypersonic motor
- Aperture Blades
- 7 curved
- Max Aperture@focal length
- f/4.5@8mm; f/5@9-13mm; f/5.6 > 13mm
- Groups/Elements
- 11/15
- Low Dispersion Elements
- 4
- Aspherical Elements
- 2
- Weather Resistant
- No
- Flare Resistance
- Mild ghosting, mild to moderate loss of contrast
- System
- Sony Alpha
- Autofocus
- Yes
- Crop sensor cameras (A350, A550, etc…)
LensRentals.com offers rentals ranging in length from 4 to 90 days. The shopping cart will automatically update the quoted price as you adjust the length of your rental. Our most common rental periods are shown below:
| Rental Period | Waiver Price | Rental Price | Total Price | Approximate Day Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 days | $9.00 | $33.00 | $42.00 | $10.50 |
| 7 days | $12.00 | $44.00 | $56.00 | $8.00 |
| 10 days | $16.25 | $59.50 | $75.75 | $7.58 |
| 14 days | $21.00 | $77.00 | $98.00 | $7.00 |
| 21 days | $28.25 | $103.50 | $131.75 | $6.27 |
| 30 days | $35.50 | $129.75 | $165.25 | $5.51 |
| 45 days | $46.25 | $169.50 | $215.75 | $4.79 |
| 60 days | $54.00 | $198.00 | $252.00 | $4.20 |
| 90 days | $69.50 | $255.25 | $324.75 | $3.61 |
| Rental Period | Rental Price | Approximate Day Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4 days | $33.00 | $8.25 |
| 7 days | $44.00 | $6.29 |
| 10 days | $59.50 | $5.95 |
| 14 days | $77.00 | $5.50 |
| 21 days | $103.50 | $4.93 |
| 30 days | $129.75 | $4.33 |
| 45 days | $169.50 | $3.77 |
| 60 days | $198.00 | $3.30 |
| 90 days | $255.25 | $2.84 |
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