Sigma has announced the launch of three new prime lenses. The 50 mm and 17 mm lenses are both designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras. There is also a 23 mm prime lens which is for APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras. All three lenses are available in either L-mount or Sony E-mount options. The 23 mm lens is also available in Fujifilm X mount.
Sigma 50 mm lens
The Sigma 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary full-frame prime lens is part of Sigma’s Premium Compact Prime I Series. I Series lenses have a compact design with an all-metal construction. The 50 mm lens is only 2.8 inches (70 mm) in diameter and length. It’s also light, weighing only 12.3 ounces (350g).
The Sigma 50mm’s Optical design
This lens has a wide maximum aperture of F2 which will give great low-light performance and a shallow depth of field. The nine-bladed iris will also give a rounded bokeh in out-of-focus parts of the image. The aperture is controlled by a manual ring. The 50 mm lens has 11 lens elements in nine groups, including one special low dispersion (SLD) and three aspherical lens elements.
Autofocus
Moving on to the autofocus, the 50 mm lens uses an internal focus system, so it won’t change length as you pull focus. The close focus distance is 17.8 inches (45 cm). The lens features a stepping motor, so the autofocus system is smooth, quiet and high-speed. This means you won’t have to worry about it spoiling your audio. The autofocus system is also compatible with face/eye detection and video autofocus.
Sigma 17 mm lens
The Sigma 17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary full-frame prime lens is another I Series lens. It’s also even smaller than the 50 mm lens, measuring only 2.5 inches (64 mm) in diameter and 2 inches (50.8 mm) in length. It’s lighter, too, tipping the scales at 7.9 ounces (225 g).
Optical design
The 17 mm ultra-wide angle lens has a maximum aperture of F4 with seven iris blades controlled by a manual ring. Optically, the lens has nine elements in eight groups, with two SLD and three aspherical lens elements. Again, the 17 mm lens features Sigma’s fast and quiet autofocus stepping motor and internal focus system. The 17 mm lens has a close focus distance of only 4.8 inches (12 cm) which is great for macro-style images.
Sigma 23 mm lens
The Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary prime lens is designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. As such, it has a field of view equivalent to 35mm on a full-frame camera. It’s another compact lens, measuring 2.6 inches (65.8 mm) in diameter and just over 3 inches (79.2 mm) in length. It weighs 12 ounces (340 g)
Optical design
For the design, the 23 mm lens has a very wide maximum aperture of F1.4 which will give an ultra-shallow depth of field when wide open. Again, the manual aperture ring controls a nine-bladed iris, so the bokeh will be smooth and round. The 23 mm lens also shares the same high-speed stepping motor autofocus and internal focus mechanism as the full-frame lenses. The 23 mm lens will also focus down to 9.8 inches (25cm) for close-ups.
What we think
The three new lenses from Sigma would be a great addition to anyone’s lens arsenal. On a full-frame camera, a 50 mm lens is a must-have and the 17 mm is also a great ultra-wide angle option. For APS-C shooters, the 23 mm lens is a good all-around choice. It also has the added benefit of a very wide maximum aperture. The internal focus system on all three lenses is great if you use your camera on a gimbal. This is because it means the center of gravity won’t change as the lens focuses, so the balance won’t be affected. Most importantly, the lenses have a high-quality optical design, so you can be sure of getting the best image quality from your camera. All three lenses also feature Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating to suppress flare and ghosting caused by internal reflections. If you are looking for a new prime lens for your full frame or APS-C mirrorless cameras, you should consider these new lenses from Sigma.
Pricing and availability
All three lenses are available to preorder now. The full-frame 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary prime lens retails and $639, and the 17mm F4 lens is $599. The APSC 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary prime lens is the cheapest of the three at $549.
