Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Macro
Score: 66/100
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
Score: 85/100Rankings
The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a compact, fast prime lens offering excellent sharpness and silent autofocus, making it a great value for beginners and vloggers, though its plastic construction and lack of a hood limit its professional appeal.
The Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro offers an affordable telephoto zoom with a 1:2 macro capability, suitable for full-frame and APS-C DSLRs. While it provides decent sharpness at shorter focal lengths, it suffers from softness at the long end, vignetting, and lacks image stabilization.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
| ↓ lower better | 70 mm | 50 mmbest |
300 mmbest | 50 mm | |
| ↓ lower better | 4 f | 1.8 fbest |
| ↓ lower better | 540 g | 159 gbest |
| ↓ lower better | 119 mm | 111.3 mmbest |
| ↓ lower better | 95 cm | 35 cmbest |
0.5 xbest | 0.21 x | |
— | 12 monthsbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Mount & Compatibility(2) | ||
Mount Type | Nikon F | EF |
Autofocus Motor Type | Motorized | STM |
Optical(5) | ||
Focal Length (Min) (mm) | 70 mm | 50 mm |
Focal Length (Max) (mm) | 300 mm | 50 mm |
Maximum Aperture (f-number) (f) | 4 f | 1.8 f |
Minimum Focus Distance (cm) | 95 cm | 35 cm |
Maximum Magnification Ratio (x) | 0.5 x | 0.21 x |
Physical(3) | ||
Weight (g) | 540 g | 159 g |
Length (mm) | 119 mm | 111.3 mm |
Filter Thread Diameter (mm) | 58 mm | 49 mm |
Professional reviewers praise the lens for its sharpness at the wide end and mid-range, the inclusion of SLD glass, and the rare 1:2 macro capability at an entry-level price. However, they consistently note corner softness at full telephoto, noticeable vignetting on full-frame, slow autofocus and the absence of stabilization, making it more of a walk-around lens than a professional workhorse.
Everyday users love the macro function, the reach for wildlife and travel, and the reliable performance of the built-in motor on Nikon entry-level DSLRs. Common complaints revolve around softness at the long end, autofocus hunting, occasional internal haze, and the lack of image stabilization, but most owners consider the lens a durable, good-value tool for hobbyist photography.
Professional reviewers rate the lens highly for its performance-to-price ratio, praising its sharpness, compactness, quiet STM autofocus and smooth bokeh, while noting the plasticky feel and lack of a hood as drawbacks.
Everyday users love the affordability, sharpness and video-friendly autofocus, but complain about the cheap plastic build, missing hood and the quirky focus-by-wire behavior.
“macro feature ... calling it a "hidden gem" for close-up nature and product shots.”
“softness at 300 mm is the most common critique”
“Game-changer for portraits and low light.”
