Mark

Sigma’s new 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC zoom lens is marginally heavier than the similarly-featured Tamron lens we reviewed in issue 25 but also somewhat smaller in size and considerably cheaper. Designed specifically for current DSLR cameras with ‘APS-C’ sized sensors (1.5-2.0 field of view crop), this lens has internal focusing, which prevents the front from rotating, making it ideal for use with angle-sensitive accessories like polarisers and graduated filters.

Digital integration is now available for a popular long-range zoom lens.

This professional quality, mid-range zoom lens has been designed specifically for the ‘APS-C’ sized sensors used in all of Nikon’s DSLR cameras and is quite a different beast from the 18-55mm lens supplied with the D50 camera reviewed in this issue. Covering a picture angle equivalent to 25.5~82.5mm on a 35mm camera, it maintains its fast f2.8 maximum aperture throughout its zoom range, giving it a big advantage over the cheaper optic for photographers who shoot in dim lighting and those who require a high level of depth-of-field control with differential focusing.

Purchasers of Nikon DSLR cameras that come with 18-55mm or 18-70mm lenses will probably want a long zoom to extend their shooting capabilities. The recently-released AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED has been designed specifically to meet this need. Available in black or silver (to match the D50), it can be used for subjects as diverse as candid portraits, sports, nature and wildlife photography.