Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN (A) L-Mount Customer return

Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN (A) L-Mount Customer return

Outstanding optical performance and handling improvements bring one of the most popular focal lengths up to date.

With the 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art, Sigma has reinterpreted a popular theme and modernized it with a design calculated for mirrorless systems and all the latest Sigma technologies.

Although the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art remains significantly smaller and lighter than the existing 35mm F1.4, it is sharp right into the corners of the image even at open aperture and also produces a creamy background bokeh; all aberrations are well corrected. The 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is light enough to form a well-balanced combination with a compact mirrorless camera. Nevertheless, it has many professional features, such as extremely fast autofocus, an aperture ring with lockable click-stop and the option of locking in automatic or manual mode, as well as a configurable AFL button. This makes it just as suitable for professional use as it is as an always-on lens for occasional outings, and it is ideal for video recording as well as photography.

Outstanding imaging performance with compact dimensions
The most important design goal in the development of the 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art was, as with all lenses in the Art series, outstanding imaging performance. Fifteen optical elements in 11 groups are responsible for this performance. Two lenses with particularly low dispersion (SLD = Special Low Dispersion), one lens with extremely low dispersion (ELD = Extraordinary Low Dispersion), one lens with fluorite glass-like dispersion (FLD = "F" Low Dispersion) and two aspherical lenses are used to correct color errors caused by the different refraction of light depending on the wavelength (so-called dispersion).

The combination of the optical design and the special types of glass results in an effective reduction of all aberrations, including longitudinal chromatic aberration, which cannot be corrected in the camera afterwards. Despite the high speed of F1.4, the coma remains low even with an open aperture, which recommends the lens for astrophotographers - this tail-like distortion of bright points of light would be particularly disturbing in photos of the starry sky. Thanks to the 11 rounded aperture blades, which ensure round circles of blur even when stopped down, the bokeh always remains pleasantly soft and allows the sharp subject plane to stand out all the better. In backlit situations, Sigma's technologies for preventing stray light and ghost images prevent misdirected light rays from impairing the contrast in unfavorable lighting conditions.

Fast and quiet autofocus
To focus the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art, only a single lens element is moved with a stepper motor. The low mass of the focusing element allows it to react quickly, quietly and without delay to any desired change in focus, enabling smooth tracking of the focus on moving subjects. Manual focusing is precise, but the focus ring also shows the necessary resistance required for smooth, jerk-free focus shifts when shooting video. The focusing mode can of course be switched directly with a slider on the lens.

Professional features
The aperture of the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is controlled via an aperture ring - or by the camera's automatic system if the aperture ring is set to the automatic setting "A". Either way, a lock prevents unintentional switching between automatic and manual mode. Especially for videographers, there is the option of switching off the aperture lock, which enables continuous exposure control via the aperture. The function of the AFL button can be configured via the camera menu, provided the camera model used supports this. Like the slider for selecting the focus mode, the AFL button is ergonomically positioned so that it can be easily operated with the thumb.

In use, the 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art proves to be extremely robust, so that it can also withstand professional use without any problems. The splash-proof and dust-proof design with seals on all operating elements and the interfaces of moving parts as well as a sealing lip on the bayonet protects the lens against the effects of weather, and the water and oil-repellent coating on the front lens ensures that the imaging performance remains undiminished even under adverse conditions.