MINI TESTS
SPECIFICATIONS
Focal length: 28-105mm Mount: Leica L, Sony E Image coverage: Full-frame Aperture: F/2.8-22 Aperture blades: 12, rounded Construction: 18 elements in 13 groups with two FLD, one SLD and 5 aspherical elements Image stabilisation: None Minimum focusing: 40cm/15.8in
Filter size: 82mm Dimensions (wxl): 87.8x159.9mm/3.5x6.3in Weight: 990g/2.2lb
“Focus breathing is reasonably well suppressed for a zoom and changing focus does not alter its overall length, but zooming does”
For the pixel peepers, chromatic aberration in the centre is controlled well. There is some minor aberration at the widest settings, but not enough to cause any serious colour fringing. There’s a little barrel distortion at 28mm, reducing to zero by 50mm. Some pin-cushioning comes in at 105mm, but a tiny amount that you’d be unlucky to notice in real-world use. What you will notice is that there is no inbuilt image stabilisation, so you need either a body with it built in, a tripod or a gimbal. You’ll instantly pick up on the bulk: since at 87.8x159.9mm/3.5x6.3in and 990g/2.2lb, it’s pretty hefty. But it is solidly built, has a lot of high-quality glass inside, a brass lens mount and is well sealed against the elements. Focus breathing is reasonably well suppressed for a zoom and changing focus doesn’t alter its overall length, but zooming does. There are also a lot of lens elements to move, which isn’t ideal for use on a gimbal. Manual focusing is fly-by-wire, of course, which can never rival the feel
and precision of a cinema lens. The focusing ring is smooth and the lens has a separate aperture ring with a lockable setting so the aperture can be set via the camera. It also features third-stop click stops and a de-click switch for smooth changes while shooting video. There are two AFL buttons and, thankfully, an AF/MF switch, plus a zoom ring lock to prevent the lens from extending when carried. The lens focuses at as close as 40cm/15.8in for all focal lengths, providing decent close-ups. Sigma’s High-response
Linear Actuator technology makes the autofocus fast and accurate too. If you can put up with the heft and a 28mm wide setting in place of the conventional 24mm, this is a great all-round optic that will get extensive use. Its extra reach to 105mm at f/2.8 creates images rival standard zooms can’t attain. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Another uniquely fast full-frame zoom from innovator Sigma Pros: Image quality, fast aperture Cons: Not the lightest option
YOU SWITCH Toggles on the lens let you change from AF to MF and de- click the iris
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