Today, Sigma announced a new super-range zoom lens, the 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM.  The new Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM will be available in March 2009 in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Sigma mounts.

The combination of optical stabilization (OSM) and the hypersonic motor (HSM) makes this lens very attractive as a consumer-level all purpose lens.  In my opinion, Canon really botched the opportunity to make solid super-zoom lens with its new EF-S 18-200mm IS lens by failing to put a USM motor inside it, which has resulted in a slower and noiser autofocus.  If the price is right, perhaps this Sigma 18-250mm lens can fill that void with a fast focus speed and optical stabilization.

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens for Sigma Digital SLR Cameras

More details in the press release below.

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of new SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM on March 10th, 2009.

The SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM incorporates Sigma’s original anti-shake compensation function, with a 13.8 times zoom ratio. As opposed to having an anti-shake function in the camera body, this lens’s Hybrid Optical Stabilizer provides not only an anti-shake function for the camera body, but also compensates for image shaking in the view finder as the Optical Stabilizer is built in to the lens.

Incorporating four Special Low Dispersion glass elements and three aspherical lens elements provides excellent image quality throughout the entire zoom range.

This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 45cm (17.7 inches) at all focal lengths and a maximum magnification of 1: 3.4 reproduction ratio, making it ideal for close-up photography. An inner focusing system eliminates front lens rotation, making it suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and the supplied petal-type hood. Incorporating super multi layer coating reduce the ghost in the backlight photography.