Useful and timely review, Andy. The wide end of my landscape kit includes the Fuji 10-24/4 (WR) and Viltrox 14/1.4 (for astro), with the 16-80/4 as my mid-range zoom. Just as you have, I've begun pondering whether I should get the Sigma 10-18/2.8 to replace the 10-24 and 13, at least on trips where I want to travel light. Your review helps nudge me in that direction...
The Viltrox 13mm is a powerful lens! Not sure the Sigma can match its sharpness though... I have the same kit as you with the Samyang 12mm instead of the Viltrox 13mm and won't bother considering the Sigma!
@@DarioCanadaPhotography how’s the sharpness of your Samyang 12 compared to your 10-24? I’m new to Fuji and doing my head in learning about the different lenses and options lol. The Samyang is high on my list, but I’ve heard mixed things about its optical performance and even coma for Astro. Mind you, nearly all the lenses have mixed feedback online, including the Sigma discussed in this video.
Great review thanks. I'm looking at getting into Fuji and I'm impressed with the 10-24 on 40Mp. I have both the the Canon EF-S 10-18 for crop, and the (excellent)16-35/4 for FF. (Equivalent) 27mm versus 36mm makes a lot of difference if you don't want to faf about changing, or carrying lenses.
Good to know about his lens. Right now I am happy with my tiny14mm Fuji prime. I have to tell you I stood in front of my big screen TV about 2 feet from the screen, and I really couldn’t see the difference in sharpness between the images. I think when most people buy a print they are not looking at the details of sharpness, they’re buying it because it invokes an emotion or it is a memory of a place they visited.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. I agree with you about what’s important in an image and print, it’s how I feel too. But a very brief look at the comments on pretty much any lens will show you that a lot of people really place a huge value on sharpness
Great practical review as usual….i was hoping this lens would perform better wide open. I just have to keep using the 8-16…it’s a beast of a lens, dropped it on a pave hill road,landed lens first and rolled down a bit. Thank goodness still performs great.
Merci pour cette vidéo, j'ai remplacé mon Fuji 10-24mm par ce Sigma , son meilleur rendu est à f5,6 , ne pas dépasser f8 à cause de la diffraction sur mon xt5 , je ne regrette pas cette achat , car son ouverture constante f2,8 et son poids son vraiment des atouts , sa tropicalisation semble correct , pour avoir pris des photos à l'océan avec vent et houle , pas de problème, merci encore pour vos excellentes vidéo qui me font voyager .
Really nice video. Loved your images in between, it gives us the sender of what could be achieved and the width it provides. Keep up the good work! 👏👏👏
What pops out in any video of yours is your skill in photography! this Sigma is a good pick but I will never trade my 10-24mm wr for it, especially cause I've an X-H2 body. But as I can see this tiny sigma couples great with the smaller x-t5 body.
Hi man. I’m thinking of buying the a6700 and this lens for general walk around, hiking, real estate (hopefully). Does it shoot a good portrait? I’d like the 200-600 Sony again as wildlife is my thing. Cheers
Hi, great Review! I just wanted to ask if you switched to the Sigma for good after 5 months or are you still using the 10-24 from time to time. I'm on the fence which I want to buy for a trip to Iceland.
Hey Andy, great review as always! You touched on the focal length difference, have you found you are changing to the 16-80 more frequently to get that 24mm (35mm FF) shot, or are you not noticing a difference? I'd be curious to know if you shoot much between the 18-23mm range?
Yeah, I think thats fair. To be honest the 10-24mm was never all that sharp after 20mm, so I often would switch lenses to shoot in that range even before I had the 10-18mm.
Thanks Andy. Might be the compression but its hard to see more detail on the Sigma. I would say it's brighter and therefore more visible. I have the 10-24mm f4 and love it! Where I would say the Sigma is appealing is for night photography, but having bagged a Samyang 12mm f2 for £75, I don't think I will miss the sigma! Thank you for all the amazing videos, love your channel!
Compression plays a massive part. The screen recording is resized to fit the timelines, then compressed for upload. The differences in sharpness were marginal either way...as I said, I could look at it and say the Sigma was sharper, then look again and see something in the Fuji, which leads me to conclude that image quality is pretty much the same in both lenses. The best astro lens for the Fuji for me is still the Viltrox, but for when I don't want to take two lenses then this is a really good option
Great review and, as always, fantastic images Andy! No need to replace my 10-24, I think, since I also got the Samyang 12mm f/2 AF for low light and nightsky. Plus it’s super compact for travelling.
Again and again superb images, regardless of the lens. A little explanation or video on how you improve sharpness on X-T5 RAW files ;) Looking forward to it!
Another great informative video thanks Andy! I was considering the viltrox 13mm for astro and low light and now this is potentially in the mix. With your experience of using both, do you have a preference? I have the 10-24mm also. Thank you!!
Have you tried the Tamron 11-20MM F/2.8 DI III-A RXD? I was leaning that way as I have been hearing that it is sharper than the Sigma. But then I saw your comparison with the Fuji 10-24 and how happy you are with the amount of sharpness with the Sigma so may have to reconsider.
Hi Andy, nice video. Between the Sigma and the Fujifilm XF 8 mm (apart for the convenience of the zoom) which has the best image quality? And the Fujifilm build is better than Sigma.
I Bought one of these following this review, as I was looking for a wide-angle zoom as a replacement for my 14mm prime, and generally I'm very happy with it. I agree about the edge-smearing at 10mm / f/2.8, but find it gets noticeably better at 12mm. In fact, at 12mm / f/2.8 I find it's sharper than my Samyang 12mm at f/2.8. What did surprise me is how quickly it falls apart above f/11. Obviously findings based on my copy. Others' experiences may vary. Looking forward to trying it for astro, once it's dark enough up here in the far north! Thanks for reviewing it; perfect timing!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review and like the lens. I've not used the lens above f11...to be honest I almost never go past that with any lens as diffraction sets in around then
@@AndyMumford Likewise, but I wanted to do some impromptu seascapes at around 0.5 sec and didn’t have an ND filter with me, so had to bump it up to f/22!😂
Huge difference between my XT3 and XT5 at 2.8. Very small difference between 2.8 and higher f stops on 26 MP, just a bit in far corners. Still nice to see that it resolves 40 MP at higher f stops.
@@AndyMumford I was really hoping that you would test this lens because I like your work so much and was intrested about your impresion about this lens. It is great that sharpness is perfect on higher f stops so I will consider switching to 40MP
Do you find the shorter minimum focus distance relative to the x10-24mm makes a difference for landscape compositions, e.g. being able to get closer to the foreground subject?
Hi Andy! Great video and fantastic images as always! Curious, do you have any opinion on the sharpness between this sigma 10-18 and the viltrox 13mm when stepping down? When compared at 13mm or other focal lenghts? I currently own the viltrox, but only use it for astro once per year. I wonder if I should change it for the lighter zoom (I do pixel peep sometimes😅), but wonder if the resolution is noticeable, or if I'll eventually regret selling the viltrox for this one. Thanks a lot for any advice :)
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoy the review. I didn't compare it directly with the Viltrox, although that is a very sharp lens and most likely does perform better. Like you, I only use the Viltrox for the occasional astro shot, but this year I've not taken it with me to places where I might see the aurora, and I'm just about to visit Namibia, where we do a bit of astro, and again the Viltrox will stay at home. For sure the Viltrox will perform better, but O'm not sure if it's better enough to justify taking it.
Great review as ever Andy! Also great to see you do a review of a Sigma lens. Their APSC lenses are so compact and the 30mm F1.4 was a great little lens for me when i used a Canon M50 ii. It'll be very interesting to see you do a review of the Tamron 17-70. It is a brilliant all around lens and for landscape I've found it to be great for seascape and waterfall shoots. It has also been the perfect travel partner to my Fuji 70-300. I think Sigma are going to release a 50-140 in the not too distant future, so it'll be fascinating to see how that compares to the Fuji's equivalent.
Thanks for this very interesting review Andy! I wasn't aware of this new Sigma lens and it is definitely interesting. I've been pondering about having a more astro capable lens while keeping my kit as light and compact as possible, this would be a step in the right direction. I am however a bit disappointed in the performance at f2.8.. I am also very fond of my 10-24 Fuji lens with its great build quality and controls. Perhaps a prime would better suite my needs. I'll give it some more thought!
I’m really nervous about this lens lacking full weather sealing but I love everything else. Since you made this video have you had any issues with the partial sealing?
Hi Andy, I’m just getting into wide angle photography with my XT4 and I am choosing between the Laowa 9mm and Sigma 10-18mm. I mainly do travel and landscape photography and found myself undecided between the two lens. Hoping if you can shine some light on my dilemma. If you can only choose one, which would you pick and why?
The Sigma is pretty much the only wide angle lens I use now. It's got better performance in the corners than the Laowa and vignettes significantly less at f2.8 (the Laowa is over one stop darker in the corners wide open). It's also got the advantages of autofocus, as well as the flexibility of being a zoom.
Given the similarities in performance and the fact that Fuji suggests the 10-24mm won't fully resolve 40MP, presumably the Sigma won't either? Or perhaps I just don't understand what that actually means, ha! Either way, given the beautiful images you've captured with both lenses, it doesn't seem to matter much. I use a Viltrox 13mm for playing at astro, but I aspire to make some landscape images like those you shared here - perhaps I also need the Sigma in my life!
It’s impossible to say as Fuji only publish that information for Fuji lenses, but at the end of the day, you’re getting a 40mp image with it as you would with any lens. And some lenses are sharper and produce more detail than others, which has always been true. On the 26mp sensor the 16-55 is sharper than the 18-55, and that-s really just the same with the 40mp sensor. So really, you just have to decide whether the results are good enough for you. It’s not as sharp as a prime like the Viltrox, but it’s smaller, cheaper, lighter and has a more flexible zoom, so is it worth the trade off or not. That depends on each person really
@@AndyMumford thanks Andy. I think if it's good enough for you, it's more than good enough for the likes of me. I like the idea of something flexible, light and small for travel. Just got to think up how I justify another lens now...
That was a great review, thank you! I have been considering quite a lot moving out completely form my Sony setup to Fujifilm (I shoot with the Sony A7C and the Fuji X-Pro3). This lens definitely replaces part of my kit, but I'm yet to find a good replacement for the Tamron 28-200 F2.8-5.6 that I use with the Sony besides the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8. I hope there's something on that range and with good sharpness being released soon.
Amazing review (and even more incredible photos!). Bottom line thoughts on buying this vs the viltrox 13mm f/1.4? Would be for landscapes while hiking and traveling, occasional Astro.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. As to your question, pretty much what I said in the video. The Sigma is a great all round lens that has the flexibility of a zoom (which the Viltrox doesn't have), but the Viltrox is sharper for astro
Hey Andy, great review! I would love to see a video where you further describe your focusing technique for aurora pictures. I struggle to focus with my 10-24mm and the X-T3 at night.
Looks a great lens from the pics. And pretty small too. Not got a Fujifilm camera, but a Nikon cropped sensor body instead and I have a similar spec lens - Tokina 11-16 atx-i 2.8. It’s also very good, a bit heavier, well built, semi water resistant with internal focusing. Takes sharp pics. These third parties offer some great lenses.
I used to have one of these Tokinas and trust me, while it produced some great results ~10-15 years ago, today's lenses are so much better. Btw, this Sigma is also focusing internally.
It's a really nice lens, and nice to see Sigma putting out lenses for Fuji (my first ever wide angle lens was a Sigma 10-20mm f4 for a Nikon D80 18 years ago). This lens has completely internal focusing...are you thinking of internal zoom
@@opalyankaBGyes, that’s the AT-X. The one I’ve got is the new one from 2020 I think, with quite a number of improvements. Think it got TIPA wide angle lens of the year in 2020.
Hi Andy, I've recently acquired this lens for my X-T5 and trying to get used to not having an aperture ring ! I'd be interested to know what your exposure settings are for this lens. So far I'm using the front command dial for aperture, shutter dial set to T and adjust with the rear command dial, ISO set to A and adjust the compensation dial manually. Thanks for any suggestions.
Which lenses do you think you will take to Patagonia? In a very similar situation and am weighing up getting a X-T4/X-T5 but also need to choose some lenses! What are your thoughts?
@@AndyMumford Ah nice you are now using the 70 300. Do you think these 3 lenses will be your staples for travel? Lightweight and amazing range. It would be good to hear your thoughts on how you got on with all the lenses after your trip. Thanks!
I looked at this but picked up the Tamron 11-20 which came out just before the Sigma. Also 2.8, though a little bigger/heavier. But still smaller/lighter than the 10-24, which when I've rented it just didn't click with me. The thing that's turned me off with Sigmas in the past is the zoom ring turns in the opposite direction, which caught me out every time, so picked up the Tamron instead. I'll have it with me in Iceland in a few weeks 😁
I found the size and the weight of the Tamron was very attractive so I borrowed one to test. I used the XS20 and the XT5. On the 26mp sensor it was fine but I was not happy with the results on the 40mp sensor. I do not know if it was my copy but I found the images between f2.8-f4 quite soft away from the center. Perhaps I'll try another copy and compare it to the Sigma.
I shoot landscapes but also general photography (no aurora). I'd like something faster than F4 but I also love an aperture ring so I'll stick to the 10-24mm. There's only 120grams or so difference so I might leave a couple of small items at home to compensate.
I can't really answer that for you. The Vitrox is a sharper lens, but it's bigger and you lose the flexibility of the zoom lens. If you find yourself needing extra wide angle lenses as well as the 13mm then maybe it's worth it. If not, then you probably don't need it
Buenas noches, estoy pensando en comprar un gran angular para mi xt3 y tengo dudas entre este sigma y el tamron 11-20 En calidad de imagen, cuál de los dos me recomiendas? Thank you!
I made the same choice, between the Laowa 9mm + Viltrox 13mm, and the Sigma 10-18mm. Unfortunate I tested three copies of the Sigma 10-18mm and all three were a lot less sharp at 10mm, towards the edges, than the Laowa 9mm. This was true at all apertures, and I found the smearing to be noticeable even without viewing at 100%. I ended up sticking with the Laowa because I suspected this would be an issue with larger prints. The Sigma is definitely a good lens overall though, I think it's a great alternative to the 10-24mm. I might just be spoiled by my copy of the Laowa.
I never owned the 8mm, it was a lens I borrowed for review and also took it on a trip. The 10-24mm has been my go-to wide angle since I started using Fuji in 2015. This Sigma though has now replaced the 10-24mm
@@AndyMumford If you look for a long zoom, check out the new Sigma 100-400 DG DN for Fuji X. Dustin Abbott is raving about the image quality on a XT5. Way better than the Fuji version and also better than the Xf70-300.
This lens seems to break physics. There's a lot of talk about the large mighty lenses the recent years but I think this lens flew under the radar as lowkey the most impressive lens released in recent years. It's sharper than Tamron 11-20 2.8 which is larger and more expensive, it competes with some professional full frame lenses even out to the corner sharpness, and all that in a tiny 250g package where a few years ago we'd only expect some half-decent manual focus primes. An X-T5 with this lens is almost half the weight of a Z8 + 14-30/4 S. Fuji and Sigma are really working together to get the most out of the smaller sensor size. I also have Viltrox 13 1.4 which is extremely fun to use especially up close for dramatic angle + short DoF, but I'm starting to want the Sigma too.
It depends what you want. The Viltrox is probably better quality and faster, but the Sigma is more flexible and lighter, as well as being wider. The Sigma is good enough though, so that's the lens I always carry
@@AndyMumford thanks a lot Andy to take the time to reply. I decided to keep my sigma 10-18 - better for the weight of my bag too. Also, I do not shoot wide so much.
interesting range, but I been going away from the super wide, been stitching 2 to 3 for the side by side with the 18mm f1.4 instead, that lens is just a beauty to me
Nice idea, and I know a lot of people who don't enjoy the super wide feel. I totally get that, but I'm not sure that stitching is an all round solution to replace ultra wide. I shoot a lot of water super wide (a significant number of images in this review are waterscapes) and stitching moving water across different frames is pretty much impossible
Im a Nikon Z50 user and absolutely love it. More than the likes of X-S10/20 which i guess is its closest competitor. But this lens and no news of any new DX lenses for Nikon is tempting me to jump over to Fujifilm.
There is something about the Fuji 10-24 that no third party wide angle lens has. And I'm not talking about image quality. I guess it's the overall build, features etc. Something is making me gravitate towards that lens even despite knowing it's not the sharpest or the fastest option out there. I guess it's the Fuji magic 🙂
@@AndyMumford Compared to the Sigma, the Fuji is big and heavy while only f/4. If they came up with a 2.8 version, maybe in exchange for OIS so the dimensions stayed the same, the lens would be perfect for landscape use. Fuji users wouldn't need to worry about a dedicated astro lens anymore. It is nice to have the “safety” of 2.8 for the occasional astro.
Well, what you're seeing here is a screen recording of my screen which has been compressed into 4k when the video was rendered, and then compressed again for the web. There really is barely any difference between the two lenses.
@@jnrfalcon Kinda funny you mentioned that as I haven’t seen many people trying DxO. I just purchased DxO Photolab 7 a few months ago as I was getting frustrated with Capture One pushing the subscription model and cancelling licensed upgrades. I have been a long time capture one user and have CO23 currently but tried out the trial of Photolab 7 and was really impressed with their raw conversion process on Fuji files. I feel that I am getting a better base conversion in Photolab to start with than I am getting in CO23. The sharpening and noise reduction in Photolab using deepprime and deepprime xd are great, pretty similar to what I get using Topaz photo ai which I use with my CO23 files as I have never been all that impressed with CO sharpening and noise reduction. I will still use CO23 when shooting things like weddings as the organization system and quick culling are better and I don’t need ultimate sharpness for wedding photography, but I have been much preferring Photolab for all of my other landscape, wildlife and general photography.
@@Subyspecialist yep. Also I personally prefer very simple and clear file structures. I don't need LR or C1 to create catalogs which are huge, completely ignore your own file structures and very hard to migrate/work in a remote NAS...
After realizing how absurdly beefy wide angles are for a full frame this video kinda makes me miss my Fuji-system 😂. Also, stellar photography as usual. That aurora-image even with its fading aurora is a killer!
@@AndyMumford thank you for information. It was very weird not see fuji’s profiles. When I was using nikon it had so many profiles for all kinds of lenses and nikon bodies.
We have to remember 2.8 on a crop sensor is F4 on full frame equivalent just like F4 on medium format is like F2.8 ....that said a great travel lens or hiking maybe
This is an APS-C lens review comparing it with other APS-C lenses, so it's not really relevant to compare it with other sensor sizes. People will be using this on a Fuji camera and comparing it against other X series lenses when they decide to buy it or not.
Don’t care about the technical aspects as I don’t shoot Fuji, but man, I love your images.
Thanks so much 🙏
Thanks for this realistic test Andy, great shots and great results.
Thanks so much for the comment
This is the review Ive been waiting for, & you've just confirmed my next lens purchase for me!
Thanks for the comment, glad it was useful
what did you choose then?
@@chromiqaI bought the sigma
Useful and timely review, Andy. The wide end of my landscape kit includes the Fuji 10-24/4 (WR) and Viltrox 14/1.4 (for astro), with the 16-80/4 as my mid-range zoom. Just as you have, I've begun pondering whether I should get the Sigma 10-18/2.8 to replace the 10-24 and 13, at least on trips where I want to travel light. Your review helps nudge me in that direction...
Thanks for the comment, glad the review was useful
The Viltrox 13mm is a powerful lens! Not sure the Sigma can match its sharpness though... I have the same kit as you with the Samyang 12mm instead of the Viltrox 13mm and won't bother considering the Sigma!
@@DarioCanadaPhotography how’s the sharpness of your Samyang 12 compared to your 10-24? I’m new to Fuji and doing my head in learning about the different lenses and options lol. The Samyang is high on my list, but I’ve heard mixed things about its optical performance and even coma for Astro. Mind you, nearly all the lenses have mixed feedback online, including the Sigma discussed in this video.
You have a very good way of looking at things... I like this review. Thanks a lot, it was a big help.
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed the video
Great review thanks.
I'm looking at getting into Fuji and I'm impressed with the 10-24 on 40Mp.
I have both the the Canon EF-S 10-18 for crop, and the (excellent)16-35/4 for FF. (Equivalent) 27mm versus 36mm makes a lot of difference if you don't want to faf about changing, or carrying lenses.
Thanks for the comment
Good to know about his lens. Right now I am happy with my tiny14mm Fuji prime. I have to tell you I stood in front of my big screen TV about 2 feet from the screen, and I really couldn’t see the difference in sharpness between the images. I think when most people buy a print they are not looking at the details of sharpness, they’re buying it because it invokes an emotion or it is a memory of a place they visited.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. I agree with you about what’s important in an image and print, it’s how I feel too. But a very brief look at the comments on pretty much any lens will show you that a lot of people really place a huge value on sharpness
Thank you Andy, very knowledgeable and right on time as i was on the fence for buying this lens
Thanks for the comment, really glad you found the video useful
Great practical review as usual….i was hoping this lens would perform better wide open. I just have to keep using the 8-16…it’s a beast of a lens, dropped it on a pave hill road,landed lens first and rolled down a bit. Thank goodness still performs great.
Thanks for the comment
I love my Sigma lenses, especially my 18-35 1.8!!
That's a lovely lens
A great review and fantastic image captures. I'm not FUJI user but I like to see how other systems stack up. Looking forward to future VLOGS
Thanks so much. More vlogs coming up soon
Hi Andy just found this. Can’t wait to see your conclusion
Thanks so much, I’m super happy with the lens and still using it now
Merci pour cette vidéo, j'ai remplacé mon Fuji 10-24mm par ce Sigma , son meilleur rendu est à f5,6 , ne pas dépasser f8 à cause de la diffraction sur mon xt5 , je ne regrette pas cette achat , car son ouverture constante f2,8 et son poids son vraiment des atouts , sa tropicalisation semble correct , pour avoir pris des photos à l'océan avec vent et houle , pas de problème, merci encore pour vos excellentes vidéo qui me font voyager .
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoy the videos
Great performance from the Sigma and amazing photos from Lofoten.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the images
What use cases would you use the Viltrox 13 f1.4 over the Sigma 10-18 f2.8? Aside from Auroras what situations would you shoot wide open on both?
Just aurora and astro. The Vitrox is a really nice sharp lens, but that's literally the only thing I use it for
Really nice video. Loved your images in between, it gives us the sender of what could be achieved and the width it provides. Keep up the good work! 👏👏👏
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the review useful
What pops out in any video of yours is your skill in photography! this Sigma is a good pick but I will never trade my 10-24mm wr for it, especially cause I've an X-H2 body. But as I can see this tiny sigma couples great with the smaller x-t5 body.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the images
Does it limit the full capabilities of the XH2 body?
Hi man. I’m thinking of buying the a6700 and this lens for general walk around, hiking, real estate (hopefully). Does it shoot a good portrait?
I’d like the 200-600 Sony again as wildlife is my thing.
Cheers
Can't really say, I never shot portraits with t
Hi, great Review! I just wanted to ask if you switched to the Sigma for good after 5 months or are you still using the 10-24 from time to time. I'm on the fence which I want to buy for a trip to Iceland.
Thanks so much for the comment. I switched completely to the Sigma…really happy with it
Recently acquired this lens. Super sharp, lightweight and such a useful range. Combine with the Sigma 18-50 for a great travel kit.
Thanks for the comment, it is a really nice lens
like how u only review those wt matters for youself and make honest sharing.
Thanks so much
Hey Andy, great review as always! You touched on the focal length difference, have you found you are changing to the 16-80 more frequently to get that 24mm (35mm FF) shot, or are you not noticing a difference? I'd be curious to know if you shoot much between the 18-23mm range?
Yeah, I think thats fair. To be honest the 10-24mm was never all that sharp after 20mm, so I often would switch lenses to shoot in that range even before I had the 10-18mm.
This lens is a winner!
Yep, it’s really good
Hi Andy, do you see yourself selling/still using the 13mm now? As 10-18 is able to do Astro and Aurora as well.
The 13mm is an outstanding lens, but I don’t think I’ll use it much. I’m in Namibia now and the Sigma was great for astro.
Thanks Andy. Might be the compression but its hard to see more detail on the Sigma. I would say it's brighter and therefore more visible. I have the 10-24mm f4 and love it! Where I would say the Sigma is appealing is for night photography, but having bagged a Samyang 12mm f2 for £75, I don't think I will miss the sigma! Thank you for all the amazing videos, love your channel!
Compression plays a massive part. The screen recording is resized to fit the timelines, then compressed for upload. The differences in sharpness were marginal either way...as I said, I could look at it and say the Sigma was sharper, then look again and see something in the Fuji, which leads me to conclude that image quality is pretty much the same in both lenses. The best astro lens for the Fuji for me is still the Viltrox, but for when I don't want to take two lenses then this is a really good option
Great review and, as always, fantastic images Andy! No need to replace my 10-24, I think, since I also got the Samyang 12mm f/2 AF for low light and nightsky. Plus it’s super compact for travelling.
Cheers for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review
Again and again superb images, regardless of the lens.
A little explanation or video on how you improve sharpness on X-T5 RAW files ;)
Looking forward to it!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video
Another great informative video thanks Andy! I was considering the viltrox 13mm for astro and low light and now this is potentially in the mix. With your experience of using both, do you have a preference? I have the 10-24mm also. Thank you!!
The Viltrox is a better astro lens. It's sharper and faster, so you can use lower ISOs, but the Sigma is more flexible and smaller.
@@AndyMumford thank you 😊
Have you tried the Tamron 11-20MM F/2.8 DI III-A RXD? I was leaning that way as I have been hearing that it is sharper than the Sigma. But then I saw your comparison with the Fuji 10-24 and how happy you are with the amount of sharpness with the Sigma so may have to reconsider.
I've not tried the Tamron, no
Hi Andy, nice video. Between the Sigma and the Fujifilm XF 8 mm (apart for the convenience of the zoom) which has the best image quality? And the Fujifilm build is better than Sigma.
The Fuji 8mm is a sharper lens
I Bought one of these following this review, as I was looking for a wide-angle zoom as a replacement for my 14mm prime, and generally I'm very happy with it. I agree about the edge-smearing at 10mm / f/2.8, but find it gets noticeably better at 12mm. In fact, at 12mm / f/2.8 I find it's sharper than my Samyang 12mm at f/2.8. What did surprise me is how quickly it falls apart above f/11. Obviously findings based on my copy. Others' experiences may vary. Looking forward to trying it for astro, once it's dark enough up here in the far north! Thanks for reviewing it; perfect timing!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review and like the lens. I've not used the lens above f11...to be honest I almost never go past that with any lens as diffraction sets in around then
@@AndyMumford Likewise, but I wanted to do some impromptu seascapes at around 0.5 sec and didn’t have an ND filter with me, so had to bump it up to f/22!😂
Huge difference between my XT3 and XT5 at 2.8. Very small difference between 2.8 and higher f stops on 26 MP, just a bit in far corners. Still nice to see that it resolves 40 MP at higher f stops.
That's interesting. I never got round to trying it on the XS10.
@@AndyMumford I was really hoping that you would test this lens because I like your work so much and was intrested about your impresion about this lens. It is great that sharpness is perfect on higher f stops so I will consider switching to 40MP
Thanks for a great review. I have this on order for Sony E mount.
Thanks so much for the comment, enjoy the lens
Do you find the shorter minimum focus distance relative to the x10-24mm makes a difference for landscape compositions, e.g. being able to get closer to the foreground subject?
To be honest, no, it's not something I really notice for landscapes
Hi Andy!
Great video and fantastic images as always!
Curious, do you have any opinion on the sharpness between this sigma 10-18 and the viltrox 13mm when stepping down? When compared at 13mm or other focal lenghts? I currently own the viltrox, but only use it for astro once per year. I wonder if I should change it for the lighter zoom (I do pixel peep sometimes😅), but wonder if the resolution is noticeable, or if I'll eventually regret selling the viltrox for this one.
Thanks a lot for any advice :)
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoy the review. I didn't compare it directly with the Viltrox, although that is a very sharp lens and most likely does perform better. Like you, I only use the Viltrox for the occasional astro shot, but this year I've not taken it with me to places where I might see the aurora, and I'm just about to visit Namibia, where we do a bit of astro, and again the Viltrox will stay at home. For sure the Viltrox will perform better, but O'm not sure if it's better enough to justify taking it.
Excellent video. Thank you 😊
Thanks so much for the comment
Great review as ever Andy! Also great to see you do a review of a Sigma lens. Their APSC lenses are so compact and the 30mm F1.4 was a great little lens for me when i used a Canon M50 ii.
It'll be very interesting to see you do a review of the Tamron 17-70. It is a brilliant all around lens and for landscape I've found it to be great for seascape and waterfall shoots. It has also been the perfect travel partner to my Fuji 70-300.
I think Sigma are going to release a 50-140 in the not too distant future, so it'll be fascinating to see how that compares to the Fuji's equivalent.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review. I've heard the Tamron is quite good and I might have a look at it at some point.
Thanks for this very interesting review Andy! I wasn't aware of this new Sigma lens and it is definitely interesting. I've been pondering about having a more astro capable lens while keeping my kit as light and compact as possible, this would be a step in the right direction. I am however a bit disappointed in the performance at f2.8.. I am also very fond of my 10-24 Fuji lens with its great build quality and controls. Perhaps a prime would better suite my needs. I'll give it some more thought!
Take a look at the Viltrox 13mm for astro
@@AndyMumford I’ll check it out, thanks!
I’m really nervous about this lens lacking full weather sealing but I love everything else. Since you made this video have you had any issues with the partial sealing?
I've not had any problem with it. Since I made this review it was with me for a month in really any and dusty Namibia, and two weeks in Patagonia.
Thank you for informative review! I'm curious which other lenses will you be carrying on your hiking trips?
Thanks for the comment. For really light, this, the 16-80mm and the 70-300mm
Useful and informative, thank you!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review
Hi Andy, I’m just getting into wide angle photography with my XT4 and I am choosing between the Laowa 9mm and Sigma 10-18mm. I mainly do travel and landscape photography and found myself undecided between the two lens. Hoping if you can shine some light on my dilemma.
If you can only choose one, which would you pick and why?
The Sigma is pretty much the only wide angle lens I use now. It's got better performance in the corners than the Laowa and vignettes significantly less at f2.8 (the Laowa is over one stop darker in the corners wide open). It's also got the advantages of autofocus, as well as the flexibility of being a zoom.
@@AndyMumford Thanks! Appreciated your reply. 😀
Given the similarities in performance and the fact that Fuji suggests the 10-24mm won't fully resolve 40MP, presumably the Sigma won't either? Or perhaps I just don't understand what that actually means, ha! Either way, given the beautiful images you've captured with both lenses, it doesn't seem to matter much.
I use a Viltrox 13mm for playing at astro, but I aspire to make some landscape images like those you shared here - perhaps I also need the Sigma in my life!
It’s impossible to say as Fuji only publish that information for Fuji lenses, but at the end of the day, you’re getting a 40mp image with it as you would with any lens. And some lenses are sharper and produce more detail than others, which has always been true. On the 26mp sensor the 16-55 is sharper than the 18-55, and that-s really just the same with the 40mp sensor. So really, you just have to decide whether the results are good enough for you. It’s not as sharp as a prime like the Viltrox, but it’s smaller, cheaper, lighter and has a more flexible zoom, so is it worth the trade off or not. That depends on each person really
@@AndyMumford thanks Andy. I think if it's good enough for you, it's more than good enough for the likes of me. I like the idea of something flexible, light and small for travel. Just got to think up how I justify another lens now...
That was a great review, thank you!
I have been considering quite a lot moving out completely form my Sony setup to Fujifilm (I shoot with the Sony A7C and the Fuji X-Pro3). This lens definitely replaces part of my kit, but I'm yet to find a good replacement for the Tamron 28-200 F2.8-5.6 that I use with the Sony besides the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8. I hope there's something on that range and with good sharpness being released soon.
Thanks for the comment. I've not seen anything to compare with that Tamron zoom, superzoom like that are pretty rare
Amazing review (and even more incredible photos!).
Bottom line thoughts on buying this vs the viltrox 13mm f/1.4? Would be for landscapes while hiking and traveling, occasional Astro.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. As to your question, pretty much what I said in the video. The Sigma is a great all round lens that has the flexibility of a zoom (which the Viltrox doesn't have), but the Viltrox is sharper for astro
Hello, Andy. Will the Sigma 10-18 likely make your Laowa 9mm f2.8 unnecessary now? Many thanks.
Pretty much
Hey Andy, great review! I would love to see a video where you further describe your focusing technique for aurora pictures. I struggle to focus with my 10-24mm and the X-T3 at night.
I've been meaning to make one for a while, but every time I put one together I realise I need more aurora and astro images to go with it.
Looks a great lens from the pics. And pretty small too.
Not got a Fujifilm camera, but a Nikon cropped sensor body instead and I have a similar spec lens - Tokina 11-16 atx-i 2.8. It’s also very good, a bit heavier, well built, semi water resistant with internal focusing. Takes sharp pics.
These third parties offer some great lenses.
I used to have one of these Tokinas and trust me, while it produced some great results ~10-15 years ago, today's lenses are so much better. Btw, this Sigma is also focusing internally.
It's a really nice lens, and nice to see Sigma putting out lenses for Fuji (my first ever wide angle lens was a Sigma 10-20mm f4 for a Nikon D80 18 years ago). This lens has completely internal focusing...are you thinking of internal zoom
@@AndyMumfordyes, apologies you’re right… internal zoom!
@@opalyankaBGyes, that’s the AT-X. The one I’ve got is the new one from 2020 I think, with quite a number of improvements. Think it got TIPA wide angle lens of the year in 2020.
Hi Andy, I've recently acquired this lens for my X-T5 and trying to get used to not having an aperture ring ! I'd be interested to know what your exposure settings are for this lens. So far I'm using the front command dial for aperture, shutter dial set to T and adjust with the rear command dial, ISO set to A and adjust the compensation dial manually. Thanks for any suggestions.
Thanks very similar to me, aperture on the front dial, shutter at T and adjusted on the rear dial, but I set me ISO manually on the dial
@@AndyMumford Thank you so much for your reply, appreciated ! Helps me see from a different perspective before settling into a routine
Which lenses do you think you will take to Patagonia? In a very similar situation and am weighing up getting a X-T4/X-T5 but also need to choose some lenses! What are your thoughts?
I'll take the Sigma 10-18, the Fuji XF16-80 and the XF70-300, maybe the 1,4xTC as well. That's a very light kit with a massive focal range coverage
@@AndyMumford Ah nice you are now using the 70 300. Do you think these 3 lenses will be your staples for travel? Lightweight and amazing range. It would be good to hear your thoughts on how you got on with all the lenses after your trip. Thanks!
What do you think of the Tamron the 11-20mm? Do you think the trade-off for a longer at the tele end is worth it over a 1mm loss at the wide?
I've not had chance to use it so I can't really say
Hey Andy what are your thoughts on the Tamron 17-70??
I've never used it, but I hear a lot of people say it's excellent
I looked at this but picked up the Tamron 11-20 which came out just before the Sigma. Also 2.8, though a little bigger/heavier. But still smaller/lighter than the 10-24, which when I've rented it just didn't click with me. The thing that's turned me off with Sigmas in the past is the zoom ring turns in the opposite direction, which caught me out every time, so picked up the Tamron instead. I'll have it with me in Iceland in a few weeks 😁
I found the size and the weight of the Tamron was very attractive so I borrowed one to test. I used the XS20 and the XT5. On the 26mp sensor it was fine but I was not happy with the results on the 40mp sensor. I do not know if it was my copy but I found the images between f2.8-f4 quite soft away from the center. Perhaps I'll try another copy and compare it to the Sigma.
I looked at that....it looks like a nice lens
I shoot landscapes but also general photography (no aurora). I'd like something faster than F4 but I also love an aperture ring so I'll stick to the 10-24mm. There's only 120grams or so difference so I might leave a couple of small items at home to compensate.
Cheers for the comment
Dear Sir, I already have 13mm Viltrox, do u think this is good to buy this one as well?
For me the same question. I think it depends on the usecase. Combined with the 18-50 it could be a perfect travel solution.
I can't really answer that for you. The Vitrox is a sharper lens, but it's bigger and you lose the flexibility of the zoom lens. If you find yourself needing extra wide angle lenses as well as the 13mm then maybe it's worth it. If not, then you probably don't need it
Great video - much appreciated!
Thanks so much , really glad you enjoyed the video
very helpful overview. much thanks.
Thanks so much for the comment
great shots sir!
can you review its brother lens, the 18 - 50 2.8 sigma?
Maybe in the 40MP Sensor?
it's not on my list to review as I don't have a huge need for that focal length. Maybe in future
Buenas noches, estoy pensando en comprar un gran angular para mi xt3 y tengo dudas entre este sigma y el tamron 11-20 En calidad de imagen, cuál de los dos me recomiendas? Thank you!
I haven't used the Tamron so I can't say which is better, but I really like the Sigma
I made the same choice, between the Laowa 9mm + Viltrox 13mm, and the Sigma 10-18mm.
Unfortunate I tested three copies of the Sigma 10-18mm and all three were a lot less sharp at 10mm, towards the edges, than the Laowa 9mm. This was true at all apertures, and I found the smearing to be noticeable even without viewing at 100%. I ended up sticking with the Laowa because I suspected this would be an issue with larger prints.
The Sigma is definitely a good lens overall though, I think it's a great alternative to the 10-24mm. I might just be spoiled by my copy of the Laowa.
Thanks for the comment
How does distortion compare? Is Laowa better or sigma?
So, was the 16-80 and 8/3.5 just not working for you as well as you'd hope? The 10-20 replacing also the 8/3.5?
I never owned the 8mm, it was a lens I borrowed for review and also took it on a trip. The 10-24mm has been my go-to wide angle since I started using Fuji in 2015. This Sigma though has now replaced the 10-24mm
Please test the Sigma 18-50/2.8 too. This would be a great combination with the 10-18/2.8 for you (and me) 😊
It's not a lens I've really looked at as I tend to not use the mid range zooms too much
@@AndyMumford If you look for a long zoom, check out the new Sigma 100-400 DG DN for Fuji X. Dustin Abbott is raving about the image quality on a XT5. Way better than the Fuji version and also better than the Xf70-300.
This lens seems to break physics. There's a lot of talk about the large mighty lenses the recent years but I think this lens flew under the radar as lowkey the most impressive lens released in recent years. It's sharper than Tamron 11-20 2.8 which is larger and more expensive, it competes with some professional full frame lenses even out to the corner sharpness, and all that in a tiny 250g package where a few years ago we'd only expect some half-decent manual focus primes. An X-T5 with this lens is almost half the weight of a Z8 + 14-30/4 S. Fuji and Sigma are really working together to get the most out of the smaller sensor size.
I also have Viltrox 13 1.4 which is extremely fun to use especially up close for dramatic angle + short DoF, but I'm starting to want the Sigma too.
Thanks for the comment. It is a pretty special lens, I was surprised at just how good it is
Nice video! Would be interesting how the Meike 10mm F 2.0 compares, especially in the context of astro photography.
Thanks for the comment. Never seen the Meike
Do you recommand the Viltrox 13mm when you already have the sigma 10-18mm - for image quality & aperture ? (1.4). Thanks !
It depends what you want. The Viltrox is probably better quality and faster, but the Sigma is more flexible and lighter, as well as being wider. The Sigma is good enough though, so that's the lens I always carry
@@AndyMumford thanks a lot Andy to take the time to reply. I decided to keep my sigma 10-18 - better for the weight of my bag too. Also, I do not shoot wide so much.
men, i am thinking of selling my viltrox 13 for this. pls enlighten me 😢 im shooting more on landscape, buildings, and some videos.
interesting range, but I been going away from the super wide, been stitching 2 to 3 for the side by side with the 18mm f1.4 instead, that lens is just a beauty to me
Nice idea, and I know a lot of people who don't enjoy the super wide feel. I totally get that, but I'm not sure that stitching is an all round solution to replace ultra wide. I shoot a lot of water super wide (a significant number of images in this review are waterscapes) and stitching moving water across different frames is pretty much impossible
Nice vid thanks! Subbed.
Thanks so much for watching and the sub
Im a Nikon Z50 user and absolutely love it. More than the likes of X-S10/20 which i guess is its closest competitor. But this lens and no news of any new DX lenses for Nikon is tempting me to jump over to Fujifilm.
Thanks for the comment. I’m not really up to date on Nikon APA-C and thought they’d kind of forgotten about it
🥃 your Health. Thanks. Every time interesting.
Thanks so much 🙏
There is something about the Fuji 10-24 that no third party wide angle lens has. And I'm not talking about image quality. I guess it's the overall build, features etc. Something is making me gravitate towards that lens even despite knowing it's not the sharpest or the fastest option out there. I guess it's the Fuji magic 🙂
I mean, it's a well made lens and I've used it for a long while, but at the end of the day, Sigma are making a lens Fuji should be making here.
@@AndyMumford Compared to the Sigma, the Fuji is big and heavy while only f/4.
If they came up with a 2.8 version, maybe in exchange for OIS so the dimensions stayed the same, the lens would be perfect for landscape use.
Fuji users wouldn't need to worry about a dedicated astro lens anymore. It is nice to have the “safety” of 2.8 for the occasional astro.
The Sigma is most definitely sharper than the Fuji. It's clear as day.
Well, what you're seeing here is a screen recording of my screen which has been compressed into 4k when the video was rendered, and then compressed again for the web. There really is barely any difference between the two lenses.
Andy could you do a DXO PhotoLab review?
I've never used it
@@AndyMumford might worth a try.
@@jnrfalcon Kinda funny you mentioned that as I haven’t seen many people trying DxO. I just purchased DxO Photolab 7 a few months ago as I was getting frustrated with Capture One pushing the subscription model and cancelling licensed upgrades. I have been a long time capture one user and have CO23 currently but tried out the trial of Photolab 7 and was really impressed with their raw conversion process on Fuji files. I feel that I am getting a better base conversion in Photolab to start with than I am getting in CO23. The sharpening and noise reduction in Photolab using deepprime and deepprime xd are great, pretty similar to what I get using Topaz photo ai which I use with my CO23 files as I have never been all that impressed with CO sharpening and noise reduction. I will still use CO23 when shooting things like weddings as the organization system and quick culling are better and I don’t need ultimate sharpness for wedding photography, but I have been much preferring Photolab for all of my other landscape, wildlife and general photography.
@@Subyspecialist yep. Also I personally prefer very simple and clear file structures. I don't need LR or C1 to create catalogs which are huge, completely ignore your own file structures and very hard to migrate/work in a remote NAS...
After realizing how absurdly beefy wide angles are for a full frame this video kinda makes me miss my Fuji-system 😂.
Also, stellar photography as usual. That aurora-image even with its fading aurora is a killer!
Thanks so much for the comment
I don’t have almost no fujifilm profile lens correction. Why is that?
They come automatically in Lightroom, and they're switched on by default.
@@AndyMumford thank you for information. It was very weird not see fuji’s profiles. When I was using nikon it had so many profiles for all kinds of lenses and nikon bodies.
How does it fare against viltrox 13mm 1.4?
Viltrox is probably sharper, but this is way more flexible
Amazing video man! What does it mean that the lens is for APS-C cameras? So what would happen if I have this lens on my full frame lumix S5? Thanks!
It won't work on a full frame camera. The glass is too small to cover the larger sensor.
@@AndyMumford So I ended up getting it for my full frame, my understanding is that it now acts as 15-27mm on APS-C. I have almost not vigneting
We have to remember 2.8 on a crop sensor is F4 on full frame equivalent just like F4 on medium format is like F2.8 ....that said a great travel lens or hiking maybe
This is an APS-C lens review comparing it with other APS-C lenses, so it's not really relevant to compare it with other sensor sizes. People will be using this on a Fuji camera and comparing it against other X series lenses when they decide to buy it or not.