GEAR
SIGMA’S FAST AF! Sigma is making a huge name for itself with high-end cinema lenses, thanks to two ranges of full-frame primes available in a standard ‘High Speed’ look, or ‘Classic Art’ set for a more vintage feel. The Japanese company’s range of Art prime AF lenses were originally designed for DSLRs, but are now available to suit mirrorless, too. These are very fast premium optics that even surpass marquee primes, only with a cost that doesn’t quite hit bargain levels for most. A more attainable option is Sigma’s collection of compact, affordable and retro-style products. The Contemporary I series, in Sony E-mount and L-Mount, is built to fit Panasonic and Leica full-frame mirrorless cameras. This range is now seven-strong, with the £649/$699 20mm f/2 DG DN a recent addition, now the widest in the vintage-look line-up. It uses 13 elements – with one FLD, one SLD and three aspherical lenses – in 11 groups, has a nine- bladed, rounded iris and weighs just 370g/0.81lb. Minimum aperture is f/22, closest focus 22cm/8.7in, and a petal-style lens hood is included. We tried it out alongside the £549/$639 35mm and £649/$699 65mm versions, which both have consistent maximum aperture of f/2, like the wide lens. The 35mm features one SLD element and three aspherical, while the 65mm has one SLD and two aspherical. These share similar designs, with a mechanical aperture ring, knurled metal components and matching lens hood. An AF stepping motor, plus dust and moisture resistance, are also important qualities. The aperture ring can be clicked into the ‘A’ position, letting you control settings from the body; or use the metal aperture ring itself, adjustable in third-of-a-stop increments. It’s not clickless, though. The only other control is an AF/MF selector switch. The three lenses are not all the same size – even filter threads are different. The 20mm and 65mm use a 62mm thread, and the 35mm has a 58mm thread. They are not meant to be a matching set of cine lenses, but small and compact AF primes that don’t break the bank. Other optics in the Contemporary family include a 24mm f/2, 24mm f/3.5, as well as 90mm and 45mm f/2.8 models.
“Performance was remarkably good, particularly considering the small form factor. And this was especially evident shot from f/4 or smaller”
METAL HEAD Sigma primes have solid build quality with no plastics. They aren’t the fastest, though
Our set of three were put to work filming our subject walking to a couch, then sitting down and checking her smartphone. We shot from the same position, but with different apertures. Lighting was natural from outside the studio location, aided by a Nanlite Forza 720 fill light, shot through a Nanlite Parabolic 120 softbox using the maximum diffusion material. Since it was simply a bit of fill, power was set at just 10%. Performance was remarkably good, particularly considering the small form factor. And this was especially evident from f/4 or smaller; wide open at f/2, sharpness did drop off slightly. AF was quiet, nailing focus perfectly on our test camera – a Sony A7S III.
One reason to buy a prime is for very shallow depth-of-field, due to a wide maximum aperture such as f/1.4. The Sigmas don’t offer this, and are not super-sharp shot wide open at f/2. Then again, they cost between half or a third of Sony’s comparable f/1.4 G Master primes. You get what you pay for, after all. For more general use – rather than shooting wide open and pixel-peeping – they all perform very well. Colours are natural and images high-contrast, but not overly ‘digital’. There’s no ghosting or other nasty aberrations, and they flare nicely when provoked. Focus breathing is minimal and build quality excellent. They feel like the sort of well-built lenses war photographers would have taken
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