Sigma has announced the launch of an updated version of its popular 35 mm F1.4 prime lens. The brand-new Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II | Art will be available for full frame L-Mount and Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras.
Compact design
Sigma says that the new lens offers unmatched optical performance and is the finest 35mm F1.4 in the company’s history. Despite this, the Mark II version of the lens is also smaller and lighter than the original model. The Sony E-mount variant measures 3.8 inches (96 mm) in length, against 4.3 inches (109.5 mm) for the Mark I model. In addition, at 525 g, the 35 mm DG II lens is 120 g lighter than the previous release. The filter thread size is 67mm and it comes with a petal-style lens hood.
Optical construction
The Sigma 35mm DG II | Art prime lens is constructed with 15 lens elements in 12 groups. These include 2 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) lens elements and 4 aspherical lens elements. The new lens also features a high-speed autofocus system driven by Dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors. This should deliver fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus. The 35 mm lens has a manual focus ring but no distance markings. There’s a physical switch for selecting auto or manual focus as well. In addition, the close focus distance of the lens is 11.1 inches (28 cm).
Fast aperture
The Sigma 35mm DG II | Art prime lens has a fast maximum aperture of F1.4. This should deliver great low light performance and a shallow depth of field. Wide open and focused on a subject 3 feet away, your depth of field will only be a little over two inches. With an 11 bladed iris, you should also get a smooth rounded bokeh in the out of focus areas of your image. In addition, you can turn off the f-stop clicks from the manual iris ring with a physical switch. This is essential for smooth changes in exposure while shooting video.
What we think
Sigma’s new 35mm DG II | Art prime lens promises the highest image quality from a body that is considerably smaller and lighter than the previous model. With it’s fast F1.4 aperture it will also be ideal for anyone needing great lowlight performance or a super shallow depth of field. In addition, it’s good to see that Sigma thought of video shooters by adding the option to switch off the aperture click. The 35mm DG II | Art prime lens isn’t the cheapest lens on the market but if you want the best image possible from your camera, it’s worth every cent.
Pricing and availability
The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II | Art prime lens is set to launch on April 16th, 2026. It will be priced at $1,059.
