Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art review
It promises to be the ultimate large-aperture, wideangle zoom for today’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, but is it? Michael Topham tested it locally to nd out how it fares
Not to be confused with the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM that was released in 2018, the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN is a new wideangle zoom that has been specially developed and optimised for today’s highresolution full-frame mirrorless cameras. Whereas the 14-24mm
F2.8 DG HSM (£1,129) is available in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma lens mounts; the £1,299 lens we’re looking at in this review is made for mirrorless cameras that use the E mount or L mount.
For landscape, architectural and astronomy photographers, it’s a lens that lets you squeeze more of what’s around you in the frame than lenses like the Panasonic Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f/4 (£1,499) and Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 G Master (£1,995), which are £200 and £695 more expensive respectively. Sony does produce a lens of similar focal length – the FE 12-24mm F4 G, but this is also more expensive and doesn’t provide as fast maximum aperture through its zoom range.
On paper it seems Sigma has created a very strong product at an excellent price point where there’s an obvious gap in the market. As we all know though, a lens is only as good as the optical performance it puts in, so with the mighty 61MP Sony A7R IV in my possession I took the opportunity to find out if the lens is a match with today’s highest resolution full-frame mirrorless camera.
Compared to the Sigma 1424mm F2.8 DG HSM, which is a brute of a lens, this zoom has a noticeably thinner barrel that’s 4mm shorter in overall length. There’s a substantial
weight saving to be made too. Unlike its wideangle sibling that weighs over a kilogram, this lens is 355g lighter at 795g.
The weight saving is actually rather surprising given it has more elements in a greater number of groups. Whereas the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM is made up of 17 elements in 11 groups, this lens features a construction of 18 elements in 13 groups. Included within this construction are five special low- dispersion (SLD) glass elements and one ‘F’ low- dispersion (FLD) glass element. This low- dispersion glass is used to curtail chromatic aberration, which is known for being problematic in largeaperture ultra-wideangle lenses, especially towards the edge of the frame. To prevent flare and ghosting when shooting towards the light, Sigma has combined its Super Multi- Layer Coatings with a new Nano Porous Coating. The idea behind this is that the porous silica layer has nano-sized holes with air inside. Having holes of this size enables a large reduction in the refractive index, allowing the reflectance to be lowered more than conventional anti-reflective coatings. As a result, Sigma claims any reflected light that can cause flare and ghosting is greatly reduced, thus achieving sharp and high- contrast images even in backlight conditions.
Complementing the complex construction is a 11-blade rounded aperture diaphragm, which can be set between a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum aperture of f/22. As for autofocus, the lens relies on a stepping motor to keep the AF drive fast and silent. You also get a focus lock button on the barrel below the AF/MF switch that can be set up from the camera’s menu to perform different functions.
The bulbous front element does extend slightly when the zoom is being retracted from 24mm to 14mm, but the fixed petal-shaped hood does a good job of shielding it. I’ll touch on how the lens is used with filters in more detail shortly, but a glance at the rear reveals it’s equipped with a rear filter holder and robust metal mount. Elsewhere it supports full-time manual focusing and has a minimum focus distance of 28cm.
The lens is supplied with three accessories in the box – a padded case, rear cap and a push- on front cap that has felt lining on the inside to create a tight, secure fit.
Premium build quality
Sigma lenses that are embellished with the letter ‘A’ in a silver circle on the barrel have gained an excellent reputation for having a first- class finish and robust build quality. The same is true of this lens. Though it may be considerably cheaper than main brand rivals, this doesn’t show in the quality of its build. The construction of the barrel is a blend of precision- engineered metal and smooth matte black polycarbonate plastic, with rubberised zoom and focus rings offering good control when your hands might be wet or you’re wearing gloves. The zoom ring has a short throw, operating very smoothly across the zoom range in just under a quarter turn. The