Sigma has announced pricing and availability for their new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 OS II lens, an 11.1x zoom featuring Sigma’s OS Optical Stabilization. The new 18-200mm OS II also adds Sigma’s top-of-the-line FLD glass (“F” Low Dispersion) to the lens, which could make it the best 18-200mm lens on the market. I love image-stabilized 18-200mm zoom lenses for backpacking, events and travel photography and I use mine (I own the Canon) more than any other lens I own. In my opinion, there is no better compact, all-purpose zoom lens – especially for outdoor photography.
Sigma says their FLD lens elements, “perform like fluorite glass and significantly improve lens performance.” The FLD elements also allowed Sigma to make the lens about 20% lighter than the previous 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS zoom lens. Flourite glass elements are used in high-end Canon lenses so, on paper at least, the FLD glass puts the new Sigma 18-200mm OS zoom on par with top-end Nikon and Canon lenses. The Nikon and Canon 18-200mm zoom lenses are both high-end consumer lenses and don’t use their best glass. That suggests the new Sigma 18-200mm OS II zoom might be better optically than the Nikon and Canon equivalents. This is speculation, of course. Until we get a lens to try we can’t really know. But it sure looks good!
The suggested retail price on the new Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM zoom lens is $720. The Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR II sells for about $850 and the Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS sells for just under $600. Based on the street price of the previous Sigma 18-200mm OS zoom lens, I’d estimate the actual selling price of the Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM II would be around $500, making it less expensive than the Nikon and Canon lenses. That makes sense since competitive pricing is usually one of the main selling points for third party lenses, whether or not they’re better performers.
Sigma 18-200mm OS HSM II Zoom Lens Press Release >>
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