Superb optical performance and usability power up the most popular focal length. SIGMA says that the 35mm F1.4 Art is reborn through this new model, which offers, the company claims, fast and quiet AF in a compact body and a professional feature-set. As with all of SIGMA’s lenses, the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is built entirely at its sole factory in Aizu in Japan, where the standard of craftsmanship is of the highest level.
The existing 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art was SIGMA’s first GLOBAL VISION lens. Released in 2012, it set the standard for all of SIGMA’s subsequent Art-line lenses, and thanks to its exceptional image quality it is still the 35mm prime lens of choice for many professional photographers. Nine years on, the 35mm F1.4 has been redesigned from the ground up specifically for mirrorless cameras, and is the culmination of much of the optical design expertise and advanced production techniques gained over the past decade of GLOBAL VISION lens development.
As is true with all SIGMA lenses, class-leading optics are right at the heart of the design concept of this new 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art. Despite being significantly smaller and lighter than the existing 35mm F1.4, it displays an outstanding level of sharpness right to the edges of the frame at all apertures, as well as exceptionally smooth and attractive bokeh and remarkably well-controlled optical aberrations.
Designed exclusively for use with mirrorless cameras, the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is light enough to feel perfectly balanced on a compact mirrorless camera, yet is packed with an array of professional features including ultra-fast AF, a de-clickable and lockable aperture ring and a customizable AFL button. This gives the lens operability and portability without compromise, making it as ideal for professional projects as it is for casual outings, and as well-suited to video as it is stills.
SIGMA says with this new lens the company introduces users to the new gold standard in wide-aperture 35mm primes. Central to the design of the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is its sophisticated optical performance, which is consistent with the development of all Art line lenses. The lens incorporates 15 elements in 11 groups.
With two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) elements, an Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) element, an ‘F’ Low Dispersion (FLD) element and two aspherical elements, and as well as other high-performance glass, the lens’ advanced optical construction utilizes SIGMA’s state-of-the-art optical design technology, minimizing all types of aberration including axial chromatic aberration, which cannot be corrected in-camera.
In spite of having a very wide aperture of F1.4, the lens is able to control sagittal coma flare extremely well even wide open, stopping bright points of light from flaring out near the edges of the frame. This will be particularly appealing to night sky photographers.
Owing to its 11 rounded diaphragm blades, the lens displays smooth, round bokeh so that out-of-focus areas are not distracting. This makes the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art well-suited to portraits, supported by its ultra-sharp image quality and minimal color bleeding. It also performs very well in backlit conditions thanks to SIGMA’s anti-ghosting and anti-flare technology that it has cultivated through countless simulations and real-life testing in our many years of lens development. This keeps shots high contrast and free of excessive flare even when working in difficult light.
The focusing mechanism in the SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art features a stepping motor. This motor controls a focusing lens group composed of a single, lightweight element, which means AF is responsive and quiet, and is able to keep track of moving objects very effectively. Manual focusing is smooth and precise, but with the right amount of resistance for filmmakers. Certainly, this lens has a focus mode switch on the body.
The SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art wholly embraces the Art line concept, which is “designed with a focus on sophisticated optical performance”. This—paired with its advanced autofocus performance and the convenience of a compact size—makes for a lens that raises the standards.
On the body of the SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is an aperture ring that allows aperture to be controlled via the lens, or when set to Auto, using the camera. An aperture lock switch on the lens body allows the aperture ring to be locked in Auto so that it’s not accidentally knocked during shooting. A big plus for filmmakers, the aperture ring can be de-clicked, allowing users to seamlessly adjust exposure. Also on the lens barrel is a focus mode switch and an AFL button, which can be customized to a desired function from within the camera menu (depending on the model). The switch is ergonomically positioned to be controlled by the thumb during use.
A petal type lens hood is included in the box, which helps reduce flare and offers the lens added protection if dropped. The hood has a lock mechanism that keeps it attached securely to the lens, and its rubberized grip makes it quick and easy to attach and remove.
On top of this impressive array of features and elegant exterior, the body of the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art offers an exceptional level of durability that helps it withstand long-term professional use as well as individual operating parts that give a good fit to the hand. The dust and splash proof structure provides sealing on buttons and along joins between constituent parts, and there’s a rubber gasket around the mount. There’s also a water and oil repellent coating applied to the front element ensures that photographers can rely on it in any conditions.