Conclusion

The tiny Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary is the new holder of "best ultra-wide-angle zoom lens" for Sony E-Mount APS-C cameras, offering a winning balance of size, weight, image quality, performance and crucially price.

The Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN has great optical performance throughout the frame and the zoom range, although you'll need to stop down a little at the edges which we found to be a little too soft when shooting wide-open.

It produces some nice bokeh effects thanks to the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture and the 7-blade iris diaphragm, although there's some obvious vignetting and barrel distortion at 10mm and pin-cushion distortion at 18mm which you'll need to remove in post-processing either manually or using a lens profile.

Despite the system being over 10 years old, unbelievably there still aren't too many options available for Sony's rather neglected APS-C camera range.

The new Sigma 10-18mm goes up against the recent Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD, which offers more reach at the telephoto end of the zoom range but is bigger, heavier and more expensive.

There's also the Sony E PZ 10-20mm F4 G, which adds an extra 2mm to the telephoto reach plus, has an electronically controlled internal powered zoom system that's great for video, and is similar in size and weight to the Sigma 18-55mm, but is more expensive.

The Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS has the same focal range and price-tag plus built-in image stabilisation, but again it's bigger, heavier and also has a slower F4 constant aperture.

Which leaves the Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 as the smallest, lightest and cheapest of all four options - sure, it sacrifices built-in stabilisation and full weather-sealing, but we'd happily accept those compromises given all the other stellar attributes of this lens.

Overall, priced at £599 / $599 in the UK and USA, the new Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary makes a great partner to the equally diminutive 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN standard zoom, with the combined weight of both lenses only 550g and offering a focal range of 15-75mm with a constant F2.8 aperture.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4.5
Image quality	4
Value for money	5