Introduction

The Sigma 35mm F1.four DG DN Art is a designed-for-mirrorless companion to the company's first Global Vision lens, the 35mm F1.four DG HSM Art from 2012. It's available for both the L-mount shared past Leica, Panasonic and Sigma, as well as for Sony Eastward-mount and will piece of work on both full-frame or APS-C cameras.

Its 35mm focal length and brilliant 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 information technology has potential every bit a video lens likewise, although with a caveat which we'll talk over shortly.

Available from mid-May 2021, listing pricing is set at $899.

All images edited in Adobe Camera Raw thirteen with adjustments limited to white residue, exposure, highlights, shadows, white and black levels. Sharpening and noise reduction at ACR defaults.



Primal specifications:

  • Mountain: 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
  • Close focus: 0.3m (11.8")
  • Maximum magnification: 0.19x
  • Diaphragm blades: 11
  • Hood: Included
  • Weight: E-mount 640g (one.41 lb); L-mountain 645g (1.42 lb)
  • Optical construction: 15 elements in 11 groups (2 SLD, 1 ELD, 1 FLD, 2 aspherical)
ISO 800 | 1/2000 sec | F1.iv | Sony a7R IV
Photo by Hashemite kingdom of jordan Drake

The 'original' 35mm F1.4 Fine art from 2012 was designed for employ with D/SLR cameras, whose sales at that indicate yet dwarfed those of the fledgling mirrorless market. It was subsequently modified for compatibility with E-mount and L-mount mirrorless cameras also, merely this compatibility came at the expense of increased weight and butt length, to account 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.

ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F4 | Panasonic S1R
Photo by Dan Bracaglia

It's not quite the night-and-twenty-four hours difference we saw with the recent Sigma 85mm F1.iv DG DN Art, but it'south all the same quite noticeable. Compared to the earlier versions of the 35mm F1.four Art lens, this new model has shrunk by 8mm (0.three") in length, and shed a not insignificant 110-115g (3.ix-4.i oz) in weight.

Equally well equally the before lens, which remains available as of this writing for a discounted toll of $799, the new 35mm F1.4 DG DN has several other direct competitors. The Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN and 35mm F1.2 DG DN for example are available for both Due east-mountain and L-mount. And for Sony shooters, the fantabulous Sony Atomic number 26 35mm F1.4 Grand Primary lens is definitely worthy of consideration.

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 vivid discontinuity and weather-sealing but at the lens mount, only information technology's smaller, lighter and at $639, costs almost a third less.

The Sigma 35mm F1.ii, meanwhile, is a lot larger, weighs almost twice as much and at $1499 costs around two-thirds more than than the F1.4. But y'all also go an even brighter aperture with shallower depth of field and a quick HSM autofocus bulldoze.

ISO 100 | ane/2000 sec | F3.two | Panasonic S1R
Photo by Dan Bracaglia

And for Sony Eastward-mountain shooters, the Gilded Award-winning Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM strikes us as most-perfect if you can stretch to its $1399 price-tag. Its focal length and maximum aperture are identical, but information technology's about 20% 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.iv DG DN Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Sony 35mm F1.4 GM

Price (MSRP)

$899 $639 $1499 $1399
Mount(s) Sony E / Leica L Sony E / Leica L Sony E / Leica L Sony E only
Optical structure 15 elements, 11 groups 10 elements, 9 groups 17 elements, 12 groups fourteen elements, 10 groups
Aperture blades xi ix 11 11
Weather sealed Yes Yeah, mountain-gasket simply Yeah Yes
AF drive Stepping motor Stepping motor Hypersonic motor XD linear motor
Minimum focus distance / max magnification 0.xxx m (11.8″) / 0.19x 0.27 chiliad (10.6) / 0.18x 0.30 1000 (xi.8″) / 0.20x 0.25 m (9.8) / 0.26x
Filter size 67mm 58mm 82mm 67mm
Diameter x Length
(no hood)

East-mount:
76mm x 112mm (3.0" ten 4.4")

L-Mountain:
76mm x 110mm (three.0" x 4.3")

E-mount:
70mm x 67mm (two.8" x ii.seven")

50-Mount:
70mm x 65mm (ii.eight" x ii.half dozen")

East-mount:
88mm x 138mm (3.5" x five.iv")

Fifty-Mount:
88mm x 136mm (three.5" x 5.4")

76mm ten 96mm (3.0" 10 iii.eight")
Weight

E-mount:
640g (22.6oz)

L-mount:
645g (22.8oz)

Both mounts:
325g (11.5oz)

E-mount:
1080g (38.1oz)

50-mount:
1090g (38.4oz)

524g (xviii.5oz)

Handling

The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Fine art isn't quite as compact and lightweight as nosotros might have expected, given that it'due south designed specifically for mirrorless. Compared to the original DSLR-oriented 35mm F1.4, its barrel diameter is near duplicate and its weight has only dropped past around 20-25 grams (0.7-0.nine ounces). As noted in the previous section, the size and weight advantage versus the mirrorless variant of Sigma's older design is rather more than noticeable, however.

Balance of the E-mountain version on our Sony a7R IV body is fairly good. It'south a footling fleck front-heavy, largely because while its weight hasn't fallen much, mirrorless bodies tend to exist a bit lighter than DSLRs. But regardless, we didn't find the pairing uncomfortable to shoot with. With that said, information technology might prove a bit ungainly with smaller, lighter bodies like the original Sony a7/R.

On larger Fifty-mount bodies like Panasonic's S1 and S1R, the Sigma 35mm balances really nicely: you lot may find it a bit front-heavy on the more petite S5, just in full general, the well-sized grips on Panasonic's cameras help make this lens feel a bit less heavy than information technology is.

Build quality is skillful, as we've come up to expect from Sigma'due south contempo prime lenses. The magnesium blend-bodied 35mm F1.4 feels very rugged, with a well-synthetic, premium experience. Its physical controls – and especially the large, nicely-damped, buttery-smooth focus ring – reinforce that feeling.

Equally well as the focus ring, there are five other controls. An aperture ring allows you lot 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 then you don't accidentally stray beyond F16 into auto mode.

The 'Motorcar' position on the aperture ring volition control aperture, well, automatically if you're in Plan Motorcar or Shutter Priority modes, for instance, but will simply pass off aperture control to a photographic camera command dial if you lot're in Aperture Priority or full Transmission control.

On the left side of the barrel, top to bottom, you'll find a focus fashion switch, an autofocus lock button and a "Click" switch. This last tin be used to de-click the aperture ring for polish, stepless aperture control. Equally for the AF lock push button, it's customizable and can exist inverse to provide for diverse other functions, although the precise option on offer volition be dependent upon your camera torso.

There'southward no in-lens prototype stabilization, though this isn't an peculiarly common characteristic on 35mm primes (Canon and Tamron offering exceptions here). The Sigma does include comprehensive sealing against grit and wet. In all there are eleven seals, and these protect every switch, band, push and bring together betwixt components, as well as the interface between lens mount and camera body.

Upward front, there'southward a 67mm filter thread. This is both the same size used in the SLR-oriented lens from 2012, and besides a mutual size that should prove easy to find at an affordable price.

It's likewise worth noting that the L-mount variant of the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN supports the company's optional USB dock, which tin 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 accompaniment is available for Sigma'south E-mount lenses, just firmware tin can be also updated via the photographic camera for both Due east and L-mounts.

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Autofocus and focus animate

The Sigma 35mm F1.four'south autofocus is driven by a stepping motor, simply since it has to move only 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 xxx cm (11.viii"), which is sufficient to provide a maximum magnification of 0.19x (one:5.4).

ISO 100 | 1/8000 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R 4
Photograph by Chris Niccolls

If you lot prefer to use AF to get in the ballpark and so fine-tune focus manually, you'll be pleased to hear that direct transmission focus is bachelor at all times only by rotating the focus ring, with no need to moving picture switches start. Of course, you can also disable autofocus entirely with the focus manner switch if you want to forego AF altogether.

The only pregnant bad news on the focusing front will be of relevance to videographers, rather than still shooters. Unfortunately, the 35mm F1.iv DG DN exhibits quite heavy focus animate, which gives the impression that you're zooming in and out as the focus distance is adjusted. The skilful news for video shooters, at least so long as you tin alive with the focus breathing issue, is that AF is very tranquillity.

ISO 320 | 1/60 sec | F1.4 | Panasonic S5
Photo by Barney Britton

And in fairness, Sigma's strongest East-mount rival, the otherwise-superb (and much more expensive) Sony 35mm F1.4 G Master as well shows pregnant focus breathing, albeit non quite every bit strongly equally in this lens. Only it still feels like a chip 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 groovy image quality. Every Global Vision lens is individually checked for optical defects on a custom-made, in-house testing rig, and that coupled with fantabulous optical designs has seen some of its lenses outperforming even get-go-party glass. In virtually respects, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN doesn't disappoint either, with only a couple of minor concerns and very impressive sharpness fifty-fifty when shooting wide-open up.

Sharpness

ISO 100 | i/1600 sec | F4 | Panasonic S1R
Photograph by Dan Bracaglia

When focused in the center of the frame, the Sigma 35mm F1.4 delivers great item and even the corners are only very slightly softer wide open up. At that place'due south a slight brume to the image, or loss of contrast, broad open, simply stopping downwardly just slightly to F2.viii is sufficient to become a beautifully precipitous image beyond the whole frame. Peak sharpness is reached past F4.

Alternatively, focusing in the corner does help slightly if that's where y'all most demand sharpness and you adopt to shoot broad-open rather than stopping downward a trivial. Put another way, whatsoever edge softness that yous see wide open in brick wall shots focused at the heart is likely irrelevant if you utilize a modern mirrorless system and identify your AF point at the precise location of your off-middle discipline.

Bokeh

The 35mm F1.4 DG DN'due south eleven-bladed discontinuity yields nicely-rounded bokeh not just broad-open, but even every bit you finish down to F4. And that bokeh is very clean, every bit well, with no visible onion ring or soap bubble effects. Sigma has come up a long manner in ensuring that bokeh that does non announced decorated even at the macro level in recent designs, and information technology shows; viewing the image in its entirety beneath, the out-of-focus background appears pleasingly polish.

ISO 100 | i/160 sec | F1.four | Sony a7R Four
Photo by Jordan Drake

Cat'southward eye effect is an upshot, though, yielding football-shaped (or for non-Americans, rugby brawl-shaped) bokeh, and not only in the corners but nearly to the center of the frame at F1.4.

Stopping downward helps, but cat's eye is always a factor with this lens. Depending on your tastes and subject matter, it tin can either lend a dynamic expect to your images or you lot may feel that information technology's busy and distracting.

ISO 200 | 1/1600 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R IV
Photograph by Hashemite kingdom of 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.

ISO 100 | 1/25 sec | F16 | Sony a7R IV
Photo by Chris Niccolls

Lens flare is very well controlled, but with the sun in or almost the frame, you can withal go quite a fleck of ghosting. Sunstars are quite well defined when stopped downwards, providing a nice upshot then long as you tin can live with the ghosting that comes hand-in-hand with them.

Longitudinal chromatic aberration (fringing)

Click or tap through to see just a bit of fringing on the chainlink debate on the center-left portion of the frame. ISO 100 | 1/8000 sec | F1.4 | Sony a7R Iv
Photograph past Chris Niccolls

The 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is decumbent to a little chip of longitudinal chromatic aberration, besides known equally LoCA, although this is common for most lenses of this type (and its performance is far improve than the original 2012-era 35mm F1.4 Fine art lens for D/SLR). Where information technology appears, LoCA presents as magenta fringing in front of the focus plane, and green fringing behind it, and these colored fringes tin can be tricky to get rid of in post-processing.

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Conclusion

What we like What we don't
  • Practiced build quality
  • Comprehensive atmospheric condition-sealing
  • Lockable, declickable aperture ring
  • Customizable AF Lock push
  • Very tranquility autofocus
  • Really sharp, even wide-open in the corners
  • Very clean, nicely-rounded bokeh, even stopped downwardly
  • Dainty sunstars
  • Great flare resistance
  • Rubberized, lockable lens hood
  • Not significantly smaller or lighter than its DSLR equivalent
  • Autofocus speed is on the ho-hum side
  • Heavy focus breathing
  • Slight loss of dissimilarity wide open
  • Prone to cat's eye bokeh even towards the center and when stopped down
  • Some longitudinal CA visible as magenta / greenish fringing
  • Prone to ghosting

Given that the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Fine art is available on two competing lens mounts, our final thoughts depend to some extent on which mountain you're shooting with.

Of form its image quality, AF performance, handling and build are essentially identical on both mounts, merely the competition on each mount differs, and E-mountain shooters accept admission to Sony'due south truly fantabulous 35mm F1.iv G Master lens, albeit at a college toll-tag than Sigma'southward rival.

ISO 100 | 1/160 sec | F2.8 | Panasonic S1R
Photo by Dan Bracaglia

Both Due east-mountain and L-mount versions of the Sigma 35mm F1.4 are very sharp lenses, and in near respects can deliver great epitome quality fifty-fifty when shooting wide-open. Although at that place are issues with ghosting and true cat'south eye, in many situations y'all'll be able to work effectually these.

And while it's perhaps a tad front-heavy on smaller bodies, handling is otherwise excellent. Nosotros're fans of the lockable discontinuity ring, silky-smooth focus ring and rubberized, lockable lens hood in item.

ISO 100 | i/160 sec | F8 | Panasonic S5
Photograph by Barney Britton

A bigger concern is the Sigma'southward modest autofocus performance, especially when compared to Sony'southward very swift-focusing 1000 Master lens if y'all're an E-mount shooter. And videographers will as well desire to bear in mind its significant focus animate, although that's also an issue for the Sony lens to a somewhat lesser extent.

If yous're an 50-mount shooter, the Sigma 35mm F1.iv represents a very nice option for achieving a shallow depth-of-field and overall good image quality while staying on a reasonable budget. The Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN is also worthy of consideration, just you lot'll have to spend a lot more than and work out your biceps for the benefits it can bring.

ISO 100 | 1/4000 sec | F2 | Panasonic S1R
Photograph past Dan Bracaglia

Only for E-mount shooters, nosotros recollect the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM represents an even better option thank you to its smaller, lighter torso, faster AF, lack of ghosting and bottom true cat's eye and fringing; if you can breadbasket the substantially higher price.

If it'southward simply beyond your budget, though, there'southward certainly plenty to similar in the crisp results delivered past the Sigma, even when shooting broad-open.

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DPReview TV review

See what our team at DPReview TV has to say about the Sigma 35mm F1.iv DG DN Art.

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Sample galleries

Please exercise not reproduce any of these images without prior permission (meet our copyright folio).

E-mount version with Sony a7R IV

L-mount version with Panasonic S1R / S5

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Scoring

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