GEAR MINI TESTS
SIGMA 24-70MM F/2.8 DG DN II ART £1179/$1199 sigmauk.com
There are often two camps when it comes to using a 24-70mm f/2.8 standard AF zoom lens. Some see it as a compromise lens that might save a few pounds in the kitbag, but isn’t fast enough for real shallow depth- of-field, and is a pain to use manually thanks to focus breathing and fly-by- wire focusing. If that sounds like you, you’re definitely a prime lens person. On the other hand, some feel it’s a perfect do-almost-all lens that never leaves the camera and is ideal for the modern AF mirrorless and cinema cams. If that’s your way of working, the new Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art will be right up your street – so long as you use Sony E-fit or L-Mount cameras such as Panasonic. It’s the Mark II version of the made- for-mirrorless 24-70mm Art glass and improves on it in every way thanks to the latest tech. It has improved resolving power throughout the entire zoom range and now features a dedicated aperture ring. The high-speed AF is improved thanks to a redesigned HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motor. It’s also 7% smaller and 10% lighter than the older model. The focus rings are much smaller than the last version, but still big enough to use without any issues. Although we used the L-Mount version on a Panasonic Lumix S1H, the lens also comes in the more popular E-mount, where it is a direct rival for Sony’s 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master Mark
SPECIFICATIONS Focal length: 24-70mm Mount: Leica L, Sony E Image coverage: Full-frame Aperture: F/2.8-22 Aperture blades: 11, rounded Construction: 19 elements in 15 groups. 6 FLD, 2 SLD, 5 aspherical elements Image stabilisation: None Minimum focusing: 17cm/6.7in
Filter size: 82mm Dimensions (wxl): 87.8x120.2mm/3.5x4.8in Weight: 745g/1.6lb
II – often cited as the king of standard zooms. It’s a lens we know well. After testing the Sigma version in various ways – in the studio making YouTube videos, on location at a motorcycle race, indoors filming architecture and also shooting our standard lens charts – it’s definitely an impressive lens. It’s sharp across the frame, even wide open, the colours are natural and control of flare is excellent. The images are punchy and bright, but not excessively digital-looking. There’s some barrel distortion at 24mm, as in pretty much all lenses like this. There’s some focus breathing and
the manual focus is non- linear but feels surprisingly tactile and almost, dare we say it, linear. The bokeh is good, thanks to its 11-bladed aperture. It focuses even closer than the Sony at just 17cm/6.7in at 24mm, and the AF is both snappy and quiet. In fact, the performance of the Sigma Art lens is very similar to the latest and much-lauded Sony G Master version. The Sigma is 40g heavier than the Sony, but that’s a small amount. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the Sigma is not far off half the price of the Sony, which is a massive bonus. Sigma hasn’t skimped on the details. The aperture ring is de- clickable and has a lock switch to prevent accidental changes, there are two customisable AFL buttons and a zoom lock switch too. It is resistant to weather and has coating to repel oil and water. It has pretty much every feature besides image stabilisation, but no lenses of this type offer that. This is a great all-round lens – and a huge rival to the Sony G Master for E-mount users. And it brings that quality to L-Mount users, as a Sony lens wouldn’t fit. Sigma’s standard zoom is simply superb all-round. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 A high-class and fast standard zoom Pros: Optical quality, excellent value for money Cons: No image stabilisation
ZOOM MASTER
The brand-new 24-70mm f/2.8 Sigma Art lens offers excellent performance at a great price
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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