Skip to main content Digital Camera World Digital Camera World THE HOME OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Search Digital Camera World View Profile Accessories Buying Guides The Photography & Video Show Digital Camera Australian Camera Australian ProPhoto Photography Magazines Why subscribe? Issues filled with product reviews, latest updates, expert advice and more Delivered to your Android or IOS device Every issue is packed with photo tips, kit reviews and inspiration From$12View Camera news Camera rumors Photography & Video Show Photo mag deals Cheatsheets Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C review: a travel lens that aims to really put the ‘super’ into superzoom The travel-friendly Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C delivers a monster 18.8x zoom range, and is available for a wide variety of APS-C format mirrorless cameras Matthew Richards 14 April 2025 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image: © Matt Richards) Digital Camera World Verdict I think the Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C has a lot going for it as a travel lens, and for any other time I only want to grab a single lens for walkabout photography. Despite being fairly compact and lightweight, it has a huge zoom range, good weather-resistant build quality and impressive all-round performance, ticking all the right boxes for a ‘superzoom’ lens. TODAY'S BEST DEALS $699 at Adorama $699 at BHPhoto Check Amazon Huge 18.75x zoom range Quick autofocus Effective optical stabilization Up to 0.5x macro magnification Fairly slow long-zoom aperture Large physical extension with zoom Variable closest focus distance No A/M focus nor OS on/off switches Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test. Specifications Price & Availability Design & Handling Performance Sample Images Lab results Alternatives I feel there’s been a reversal of fortunes. Back when DSLRs were the order of the day, Tamron often seemed to lead the way in superzoom territory, launching lenses with ever greater ‘world-first’ and ‘world-best’ zoom ranges. They included the Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro and the Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD, although I always felt that the latter was a bit hefty to qualify as a ‘travel lens’. At around the same time, the mightiest Sigma superzoom was the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C, which lacked the wide-angle extremity of the Tamron 16-300mm. Even so, the Sigma was a neat and fairly compact lens, although I didn’t like the way its focus ring rotated during autofocus, which impaired its handling. Fast forward to mirrorless, and Tamron released the Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD for APS-C format Fujifilm X and Sony E cameras back in 2021. Now it’s Sigma’s turn to rule the superzoom realm, this new 16-300mm having the biggest zoom range of any APS-C format lens for mirrorless cameras to date. It’s also available in a relatively wide variety of mount options, including Canon RF, Fujifilm X, L-mount, Sony E (but sadly no Nikon Z DX version on the horizon). The Sigma is definitely a contender for being one of the best travel lenses on the market today, and an ideal match for some of the best mirrorless cameras. From Sigma’s ‘Contemporary’ line-up, the 18-300mm aims to couple good performance with a compact and lightweight design. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Mount options Canon RF, Fujifilm X, L-mount, Sony E Lens construction 20 elements in 14 groups Angle of view 83.2 to 5.4 degrees Diaphragm blades Minimum aperture Minimum focus distance 0.17m (W) 1.05m (T) Maximum magnification 0.5x (at 70mm) Filter size 74x121mm (2.9x4.8") 615g (1.4lb) Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Price Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary at Adorama for $699 The closest thing to the new Sigma 16-300mm lens on the market is the Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD for APS-C format Fujifilm X and Sony E cameras. The Tamron launched back in 2021 and currently has an RRP of $699 / £589 / AU$1,100. The Sigma comes to the market in 2025 with a very similar price tag of $699 / £599 / AU$1,200, the L-mount and Sony E-mount versions becoming available in April, followed by the Canon RF and Fujifilm X versions in May. You may like Hands-on Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 | C review: Is this the ultimate lens for travel photography? If you’re looking for a kit lens upgrade, you NEED to add Sigma’s 16-300mm superzoom to your kit bag! Today's best Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary deals $699Preorder No price informationCheck Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Design & Handling The big attraction of any superzoom lens is that you can sweep from generous wide-angle coverage to powerful telephoto reach and everything in between, with just the flick of the wrist. They’re therefore most ideal as travel lenses and for walkabout photography, when you’re limited for space or don’t want to weigh yourself down with extra lenses. Compared with the Tamron 18-300mm lens and taking the APS-C crop factor into account, this Sigma lens gives an effective zoom range in full-frame equivalence of 24-450mm, the Tamron giving 27-450mm. Ultimately, both lenses deliver the same maximum telephoto reach but the Sigma gives noticeably more wide-angle coverage. An exception is that Canon EOS R system APS-C cameras have a 1.6x rather than 1.5x crop factor, so the Sigma and Tamron lenses equate to zoom ranges of 25.6-480mm and 28.8-480mm respectively. "I canna' change the laws of physics," as the chief engineer of the USS Enterprise used to say. There’s no getting around the fact that the lens needs to physically extend by a considerable amount as you zoom in towards the 300mm mark. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) One thing at the top of my wish list for a travel lens is that it’s sufficiently small and lightweight to be stowed away in small spaces, and to be carried with ease. The Sigma obliges with dimensions of 74x121mm (2.9x4.8") and a weight of 615g (1.4lb), making it easily manageable for the journey. Typical of superzoom lenses, however, it telescopes out and stretches to much longer physical lengths when extending through the zoom range. That’s courtesy of two inner barrels that shift back and forth but, unlike with some examples of the breed, the zoom ring glides with smooth efficiency. No less than eight focal lengths are marked on the barrel, for handy reference. As shown here, there are eight focal lengths marked on the barrel next to the zoom ring. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Next on the hit list are autofocus and optical stabilization. Autofocus is handled by an HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motor. It’s a linear stepping motor by an alternative name, which aims for fast, accurate and near-silent performance. Unlike with the older Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C for DSLRs, the focus ring of the new lens is electronically coupled and doesn’t rotate during autofocus, which represents a major handling improvement. Optical stabilization is rated at 6-stop efficiency at the short end of the zoom range, dropping to a still impressive 4.5 stops at the telephoto end. In a nutshell, both autofocus and optical stabilization are of a high order, the latter being particularly useful given that so many APS-C format mirrorless cameras lack IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization). One slight niggle as far as I’m concerned is that there are no A/M focus mode nor stabilization on/off switches. Conveniently compact, the lens is just 74mm (2.9”) wide and has a 67mm filter attachment thread. It’s supplied complete with a petal-shaped hood. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) The focus range itself naturally stretches to infinity at all focal lengths, while the closest focus distances are a more moveable feast. It varies from 17cm (6.7”) at the short end of the zoom range to 105cm (41.4”) at the long end. That can be a bit of a pain if you’re zooming in and out at close object distances but on the plus side, the lens delivers an impressive maximum magnification ratio of 0.5x at its 70mm focal length. There are no A/M focus mode nor OS on/off switches but you do get a zoom lock switch, to lock the lens at its shortest length. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Build quality feels convincing and, unlike some APS-C format lenses from various camera manufacturers, the Sigma features a solid metal rather than metal mounting plate. Better still, the mounting plate features a rubber weather-seal ring and the overall construction is designed to be splash/dust resistant, adding to its ‘travel lens’ credentials. The metal mounting plate comes complete with a rubber weather-seal gasket. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Performance It’s often said that superzoom lenses compromise image quality in favor of a bigger zoom range. The Sigma 16-300mm aims to limit the damage, despite currently having the biggest zoom range of any lens for mirrorless APS-C format cameras. High-end glass in the 20-element strong optical path includes four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements and one top-class FLD (‘Fluorite’ Low Dispersion) element, along with four aspherical elements. In my real-world testing, I was mostly impressed with levels of sharpness and clarity for a superzoom lens, although I found it tended to drop off a bit at the most wide-angle setting. Unlike in the old Sigma 18-300mm superzoom for DSLRs, the focus ring doesn’t rotate during autofocus. That’s a definite handling bonus, and the focus ring can also be conveniently placed near the rear of the lens, instead of right at the front. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Autofocus lives up to its billing in being very quick and snappy for stills, and I found it to be consistently accurate as well as virtually silent in operation. Sigma’s latest OS2 optical stabilization system also does the lens proud. Testing it on a camera that lacked IBIS, I found it to be a real shot-saver for handheld photography, and a ‘must-have’ feature towards the long end of the zoom range, which equates to 450mm in full-frame terms (480mm for Canon). The following gallery of images was taken of the same scene from the same shooting position, centering on Bath Abbey from the distant Alexandra Park above, and demonstrates the relative field of view at focal lengths of 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, 180mm and 300mm. Image 1 of 5 EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/4000 sec, f/4, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) The 0.5x magnification ratio available at the 70mm focal length mark further extends the versatility of the lens, taking extreme close-ups in its stride. At the longest 300mm zoom setting, you still get 0.25x magnification, where the lens can reproduce small objects at a quarter of life size on the image sensor. This enables huge magnification when viewing the resulting images on screen or in print. EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 35mm (1/4000 sec, f/4.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 70mm (1/1250 sec, f/5.9, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 180mm (1/2000 sec, f/6.5, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 300mm (1/2000 sec, f/6.7, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) The maximum magnification ratio varies with focal length. It works out to 0.33x at the short end of the zoom range, 0.25x at the long end, and is at its most powerful 0.5x at the 70mm mark. (Image credit: Future) Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Sample Images The following gallery of sample images was shot in and around the UK city of Bath, some examples showing the same scene taken at minimum and maximum focal lengths, to demonstrate the overall zoom range. Image 1 of 15 EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 42mm (1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 300mm (1/3200 sec, f/6.7, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 31mm (1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 300mm (1/1000 sec, f/6.7, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 27mm (1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 300mm (1/5000 sec, f/6.7, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 640)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) EXIF: Sigma BF (crop mode) + Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Cat 16mm (1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3200)(Image credit: Matthew Richards) Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Lab Results We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations. We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration). (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Lab results for sharpness look very unimpressive, based on close-range test charts, especially at longer focal lengths and towards the edges of the image frame throughout the zoom range. In real-world testing, however, I found that sharpness was acceptable for a superzoom lens. (Image credit: Future) There’s fairly little color fringing throughout the entire zoom and aperture ranges, even out at the edges and corners of the image frame. Distortion: (Image credit: Future) Automatic corrections keep distortions at bay but there still a little barrel distortion at the short end of the zoom range. Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | C: Verdict You might question the point of buying an ‘interchangeable lens camera’ if you’re only going to stick one lens on it and use that for everything. And you’d be right. But I really feel that while the Sigma 16-300mm doesn’t preclude the use of other lenses, it’s incredibly attractive as a travel and walkabout lens, when I want to avoid the hassle of carrying a kit back with a variety of lenses in it. Another bonus is that I can react to all sorts of shooting scenarios instantly, for example taking a wide-angle landscape shot and zooming in to photograph a distant animal or bird, without missing the shot because I was swapping between lenses at the time. The addition of up to 0.5x macro magnification is an extra bonus in terms of versatility. Another plus point for a travel and walkabout lens is that the Sigma has a splash/dust-resistant construction, so it’s pretty well guarded against inclement weather. Speaking of which, dusty conditions are an environment where I definitely don’t like swapping between different lenses on my camera body. With good optical performance, fast and accurate autofocus, and excellent optical stabilization, combined with a mammoth zoom range, I think the Sigma really is a super do-it-all lens. Swipe to scroll horizontally Mighty zoom range is joined by HLA autofocus, effective stabilization and up to 0.5x macro magnification. It’s compact and lightweight, considering the 18.8x zoom range, and has a splash/dust-resistant construction. Performance Image quality can’t rival that of top-grade prime and zoom lenses but overall performance is impressive for a superzoom. Taking the features, design and performance into consideration, it’s very good value for money. (Image credit: Matthew Richards) Alternatives The Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is a similar superzoom lens for APS-C format cameras, available in a more limited range of Fujifilm X and Sony E mount options. It matches the Sigma for telephoto reach but loses out at the short end, with more limited wide-angle coverage. The Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is a superzoom lens designed specifically for APS-C format EOS R system cameras. It’s very compact and lightweight but has a much more restrictive zoom range, equating to 28.8-240mm in full-frame terms. Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary: Price Comparison $699Preorder No price informationCheck Amazon No price informationCheck Walmart We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by Matthew Richards Social Links Navigation Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Hands-on Sigma 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 | C review: Is this the ultimate lens for travel photography? If you’re looking for a kit lens upgrade, you NEED to add Sigma’s 16-300mm superzoom to your kit bag! 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