Sigma 35mm 14 Art Photography on the Net Classified
Introduction
The Sigma 35mm F1.four DG DN Fine art is a designed-for-mirrorless companion to the company's showtime Global Vision lens, the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Fine art from 2012. It'due south available for both the 50-mountain shared past Leica, Panasonic and Sigma, besides equally for Sony Due east-mount and will work on both total-frame or APS-C cameras.
Its 35mm focal length and bright aperture make it well-suited to weddings, events and street photography, where its smaller, lighter design relative to adapting the 2012 version to mirrorless cameras is a definite plus. And it has potential as a video lens as well, although with a caveat which we'll discuss shortly.
Available from mid-May 2021, list pricing is set at $899.
All images edited in Adobe Camera Raw 13 with adjustments limited to white balance, exposure, highlights, shadows, white and black levels. Sharpening and noise reduction at ACR defaults.
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Handling | Autofocus and focus animate | Epitome quality | Conclusion | Samples
Cardinal specifications:
- Mount: Sony E-mount and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma L-mount
- Focal length: 35mm (52.5mm with APS-C crop)
- Aperture range: F1.4 - F16
- Stabilization: No
- Filter thread: 67mm
- Shut focus: 0.3m (11.8")
- Maximum magnification: 0.19x
- Diaphragm blades: 11
- Hood: Included
- Weight: E-mountain 640g (one.41 lb); Fifty-mount 645g (i.42 lb)
- Optical construction: 15 elements in 11 groups (2 SLD, 1 ELD, i FLD, 2 aspherical)
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| ISO 800 | i/2000 sec | F1.four | Sony a7R IV Photo by Jordan Drake |
The 'original' 35mm F1.4 Art from 2012 was designed for employ with D/SLR cameras, whose sales at that point still dwarfed those of the fledgling mirrorless market. Information technology was afterward modified for compatibility with E-mountain and L-mount mirrorless cameras as well, but this compatibility came at the expense of increased weight and barrel length, to business relationship for the decreased flange-back distance of the mirrorless systems.
By contrast, the new lens is designed specifically to take advantage of the shorter flange-back distance of mirrorless cameras.
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| ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F4 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
It'southward not quite the night-and-day departure we saw with the recent Sigma 85mm F1.iv DG DN Art, but it's nonetheless quite noticeable. Compared to the earlier versions of the 35mm F1.4 Art lens, this new model has shrunk by 8mm (0.3") in length, and shed a not insignificant 110-115g (3.9-iv.i oz) in weight.
As well as the earlier lens, which remains available as of this writing for a discounted price of $799, the new 35mm F1.4 DG DN has several other direct competitors. The Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN and 35mm F1.ii DG DN for example are bachelor for both E-mount and L-mountain. And for Sony shooters, the splendid Sony FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens is definitely worthy of consideration.
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| ISO 100 | 1/1000 sec | F1.4 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
Sigma's 35mm F2 is more consumer-friendly, with a slightly less bright aperture and weather-sealing but at the lens mount, but it'southward smaller, lighter and at $639, costs almost a third less.
The Sigma 35mm F1.2, meanwhile, is a lot larger, weighs well-nigh twice as much and at $1499 costs around two-thirds more than the F1.4. But you besides get an even brighter aperture with shallower depth of field and a quick HSM autofocus bulldoze.
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| ISO 100 | ane/2000 sec | F3.2 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
And for Sony E-mount shooters, the Golden Award-winning Sony Atomic number 26 35mm F1.4 GM strikes us as near-perfect if you tin stretch to its $1399 price-tag. Its focal length and maximum aperture are identical, only it's nearly twenty% lighter, 16mm (0.6") shorter, focuses significantly faster and matches or exceeds the Sigma's image quality in all respects.
Compared to...
| Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN | Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN | Sony 35mm F1.4 GM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $899 | $639 | $1499 | $1399 |
| Mountain(s) | Sony E / Leica Fifty | Sony E / Leica 50 | Sony E / Leica L | Sony East only |
| Optical construction | 15 elements, 11 groups | 10 elements, ix groups | 17 elements, 12 groups | 14 elements, 10 groups |
| Aperture blades | 11 | 9 | eleven | 11 |
| Weather sealed | Yeah | Yes, mount-gasket only | Yep | Yes |
| AF drive | Stepping motor | Stepping motor | Hypersonic motor | XD linear motor |
| Minimum focus distance / max magnification | 0.30 m (eleven.8″) / 0.19x | 0.27 m (10.vi″) / 0.18x | 0.30 yard (xi.8″) / 0.20x | 0.25 m (ix.eight″) / 0.26x |
| Filter size | 67mm | 58mm | 82mm | 67mm |
| Bore x Length (no hood) | E-mountain: L-Mount: | E-mount: L-Mount: | Eastward-mountain: Fifty-Mount: | 76mm x 96mm (3.0" x 3.viii") |
| Weight | E-mount: Fifty-mount: | Both mounts: | E-mount: L-mount: | 524g (18.5oz) |
Treatment
The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Fine art isn't quite as compact and lightweight as we might take expected, given that it's designed specifically for mirrorless. Compared to the original DSLR-oriented 35mm F1.iv, its barrel diameter is near indistinguishable and its weight has but dropped past around xx-25 grams (0.7-0.9 ounces). Equally noted in the previous section, the size and weight advantage versus the mirrorless variant of Sigma'due south older design is rather more than noticeable, nevertheless.
Remainder of the Eastward-mount version on our Sony a7R 4 body is fairly practiced. It's a footling bit front-heavy, largely because while its weight hasn't fallen much, mirrorless bodies tend to be a fleck lighter than DSLRs. But regardless, we didn't detect the pairing uncomfortable to shoot with. With that said, it might bear witness a bit ungainly with smaller, lighter bodies similar the original Sony a7/R.
On larger L-mount bodies like Panasonic'southward S1 and S1R, the Sigma 35mm balances actually nicely: you may find information technology a bit front-heavy on the more petite S5, but in general, the well-sized grips on Panasonic'due south cameras help make this lens feel a bit less heavy than it is.
Build quality is good, every bit we've come to expect from Sigma'due south recent prime lenses. The magnesium alloy-bodied 35mm F1.4 feels very rugged, with a well-constructed, premium feel. Its physical controls – and especially the big, nicely-damped, buttery-smoothen focus ring – reinforce that feeling.
As well as the focus ring, there are five other controls. An aperture ring allows yous to dial in your chosen aperture directly, and an unlabeled switch on the right side of the lens barrel tin can be used either to lock the ring in its Auto position or, thoughtfully, to lock information technology out of the Auto position and so you don't accidentally stray beyond F16 into machine mode.
The 'Auto' position on the aperture band will control aperture, well, automatically if you're in Program Auto or Shutter Priority modes, for example, but volition simply pass off aperture control to a photographic camera command punch if you lot're in Discontinuity Priority or total Transmission command.
On the left side of the butt, top to bottom, you'll find a focus mode switch, an autofocus lock push button and a "Click" switch. This last can be used to de-click the aperture ring for smooth, stepless discontinuity control. Equally for the AF lock push button, it's customizable and tin be changed to provide for diverse other functions, although the precise selection on offer will be dependent upon your camera torso.
There'southward no in-lens paradigm stabilization, though this isn't an especially common feature on 35mm primes (Canon and Tamron offering exceptions hither). The Sigma does include comprehensive sealing confronting dust and moisture. In all there are 11 seals, and these protect every switch, ring, push and bring together betwixt components, besides as the interface between lens mountain and camera body.
Upwards front, at that place's a 67mm filter thread. This is both the aforementioned size used in the SLR-oriented lens from 2012, and too a common size that should prove easy to find at an affordable toll.
Information technology'south also worth noting that the L-mount variant of the Sigma 35mm F1.iv DG DN supports the company's optional USB dock, which can be used both to update firmware as necessary, and to tune the speed/sensitivity of the focus ring to your tastes. As of this writing, no equivalent dock accessory is available for Sigma's Eastward-mount lenses, just firmware can exist also updated via the camera for both Due east and Fifty-mounts.
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Autofocus and focus animate
The Sigma 35mm F1.4's autofocus is driven by a stepping motor, but since information technology has to move merely a single focusing element, focusing speeds are reasonable and focus transitions in video are very smooth. However, stills shooters used to faster, more modern linear motor speeds may exist disappointed by acquisition and continuous focusing speeds.
Macro focusing is possible to a respectable minimum distance of 30 cm (11.viii"), which is sufficient to provide a maximum magnification of 0.19x (ane:5.4).
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| ISO 100 | i/8000 sec | F1.four | Sony a7R Four Photograph past Chris Niccolls |
If you adopt to apply AF to become in the ballpark and then fine-tune focus manually, you'll be pleased to hear that straight manual focus is available at all times only by rotating the focus band, with no need to moving-picture show switches first. Of course, you can as well disable autofocus entirely with the focus mode switch if you desire to forego AF birthday.
The simply pregnant bad news on the focusing front will be of relevance to videographers, rather than still shooters. Unfortunately, the 35mm F1.four DG DN exhibits quite heavy focus breathing, which gives the impression that you're zooming in and out as the focus distance is adjusted. The expert news for video shooters, at least and so long as you can live with the focus animate outcome, is that AF is very placidity.
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| ISO 320 | 1/threescore sec | F1.iv | Panasonic S5 Photograph past Barney Britton |
And in fairness, Sigma's strongest Due east-mountain rival, the otherwise-superb (and much more expensive) Sony 35mm F1.iv G Primary also shows meaning focus breathing, albeit not quite as strongly as in this lens. But it withal feels similar a bit of a missed opportunity for Sigma to differentiate itself from its rival, and is something of an Achilles' heel on the video front end.
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Image quality
Since the launch of its Global Vision program in 2012, Sigma has built a reputation for great image quality. Every Global Vision lens is individually checked for optical defects on a custom-made, in-house testing rig, and that coupled with excellent optical designs has seen some of its lenses outperforming even first-party glass. In most respects, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN doesn't disappoint either, with simply a couple of pocket-sized concerns and very impressive sharpness even when shooting wide-open.
Sharpness
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| ISO 100 | ane/1600 sec | F4 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
When focused in the center of the frame, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 delivers bang-up detail and even the corners are merely very slightly softer wide open. There'due south a slight haze to the image, or loss of contrast, wide open, but stopping downwardly just slightly to F2.8 is sufficient to get a beautifully sharp image across the whole frame. Peak sharpness is reached by F4.
Alternatively, focusing in the corner does aid slightly if that's where yous about need sharpness and y'all prefer to shoot wide-open up rather than stopping downwardly a little. Put another way, whatever border softness that yous see wide open in brick wall shots focused at the eye is likely irrelevant if you use a modernistic mirrorless arrangement and place your AF betoken at the precise location of your off-centre field of study.
Bokeh
The 35mm F1.4 DG DN's 11-bladed aperture yields nicely-rounded bokeh not just broad-open, but fifty-fifty every bit you finish down to F4. And that bokeh is very clean, likewise, with no visible onion ring or soap chimera effects. Sigma has come a long way in ensuring that bokeh that does non appear busy fifty-fifty at the macro level in contempo designs, and it shows; viewing the image in its entirety below, the out-of-focus background appears pleasingly smooth.
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| ISO 100 | 1/160 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R IV Photo by Jordan Drake |
Cat's middle consequence is an issue, though, yielding football game-shaped (or for non-Americans, rugby ball-shaped) bokeh, and not only in the corners but nigh to the middle of the frame at F1.4.
Stopping down helps, but true cat'due south center is ever a gene with this lens. Depending on your tastes and subject field matter, it tin either lend a dynamic await to your images or you lot may feel that it's busy and distracting.
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| ISO 200 | 1/1600 sec | F1.iv | Sony a7R IV Photo by Jordan Drake |
Flare, ghosting and sunstars
Sigma includes an upgraded plastic, petal-style lens hood in the parcel with its new 35mm F1.4, and it features both a very overnice, partly rubberized barrel and a more secure button-locked bayonet zipper.
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| ISO 100 | 1/25 sec | F16 | Sony a7R Iv Photo past Chris Niccolls |
Lens flare is very well controlled, but with the sun in or nigh the frame, y'all can nevertheless become quite a scrap of ghosting. Sunstars are quite well defined when stopped downward, providing a dainty effect so long as y'all can alive with the ghosting that comes mitt-in-hand with them.
Longitudinal chromatic aberration (fringing)
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| Click or tap through to see just a bit of fringing on the chainlink fence on the center-left portion of the frame. ISO 100 | i/8000 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R IV Photograph by Chris Niccolls |
The 35mm F1.4 DG DN Fine art is decumbent to a niggling bit of longitudinal chromatic aberration, also known as LoCA, although this is common for nigh lenses of this type (and its operation is far better than the original 2012-era 35mm F1.iv Fine art lens for D/SLR). Where it appears, LoCA presents as magenta fringing in front of the focus plane, and green fringing behind it, and these colored fringes can exist tricky to get rid of in post-processing.
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Decision
| What we like | What we don't |
|---|---|
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Given that the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is available on two competing lens mounts, our concluding thoughts depend to some extent on which mountain you're shooting with.
Of course its image quality, AF performance, handling and build are essentially identical on both mounts, just the contest on each mountain differs, and Eastward-mount shooters have access to Sony's truly excellent 35mm F1.iv K Master lens, admitting at a higher price-tag than Sigma'south rival.
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| ISO 100 | 1/160 sec | F2.8 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
Both E-mount and L-mount versions of the Sigma 35mm F1.4 are very abrupt lenses, and in most respects can deliver swell image quality even when shooting wide-open. Although in that location are issues with ghosting and cat's eye, in many situations yous'll be able to work around these.
And while it's peradventure a tad forepart-heavy on smaller bodies, handling is otherwise fantabulous. We're fans of the lockable aperture ring, silky-smooth focus ring and rubberized, lockable lens hood in particular.
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| ISO 100 | ane/160 sec | F8 | Panasonic S5 Photo by Barney Britton |
A bigger concern is the Sigma'southward modest autofocus operation, especially when compared to Sony's very swift-focusing Chiliad Master lens if you lot're an E-mount shooter. And videographers will also desire to bear in mind its significant focus breathing, although that's as well an issue for the Sony lens to a somewhat bottom extent.
If you're an 50-mountain shooter, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 represents a very dainty selection for achieving a shallow depth-of-field and overall good epitome quality while staying on a reasonable budget. The Sigma 35mm F1.ii DG DN is besides worthy of consideration, but yous'll have to spend a lot more than and work out your biceps for the benefits it tin bring.
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| ISO 100 | one/4000 sec | F2 | Panasonic S1R Photo by Dan Bracaglia |
But for E-mountain shooters, we think the Sony 35mm F1.four GM represents an even better option thanks to its smaller, lighter body, faster AF, lack of ghosting and lesser true cat's eye and fringing; if you can breadbasket the substantially higher cost.
If information technology's simply beyond your budget, though, at that place's certainly plenty to similar in the crisp results delivered by the Sigma, even when shooting broad-open up.
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DPReview TV review
See what our team at DPReview TV has to say about the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art.
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Sample galleries
Please do not reproduce any of these images without prior permission (encounter our copyright folio).
East-mount version with Sony a7R 4
50-mount version with Panasonic S1R / S5
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Scoring
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Source: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sigma-35mm-f1-4-dg-dn-art-field-review
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