Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

Introduction

The Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is a fast lens designed for full frame SLRs with a unique angle of view previously limited to only a few lenses in the market. This lens surpasses anything that has ever been made in the 28mm focal length in design and quality. Sigma taunts this lens to be of the performance standard for a benchmark cine lens for which I would agree based on the lens design and specifications.

The new Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lenss is a wide-angle lens with a 75.4° angle of view offering low light performance with superior optical quality. The key features that make this 28mm focal length lens stand out are the corrected magnification chromatic aberration and sagittal coma flare with as minimized distortion.

This 28mm lens is especially useful for landscape photographers with its water- and oil-repellent coating on the front lens element and its overall dust- and splash-proof structure which makes it a versatile lens for ever-changing weather conditions. The Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is designed to meet all challenging shooting conditions.

Lens Design

The new Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is constructed of the highest optics that correct for axial chromatic aberration and magnification chromatic aberration, thus, reducing unwanted artifacts such as chromatic aberration (purple fringing) which is a common problem with wide angle lenses.

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens also features a very fast f/1.4 lens design making it an ideal low light photography lens. The unique design of this lens also delivers incredible sharpness even at wide open aperture making it suitable for a variety of photography and filming applications.

The lens offers high-speed auto-focus capabilities via its HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) with an updated algorithm helping to capture the decisive moment.

Mounts

The Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens comes in Nikon, Canon, and Sony E mount mounts which eliminates the need for adapters for different camera systems. The lens is particularly well suited for videographers and photographers who need a fast lens for low light situations with the native mount for their cameras.

Image Quality

The MTF chart provided by the company for Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens clearly shows the high performance attained through advanced optical design. This lens not only offers incredible sharpness at wide open aperture but has minimal distortion for a wide angle lens.

There are many lenses available from other lens manufacturers that compete directly with the Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens. The contrast, sharpness, image quality combination at a very competitive price makes this lens a genuine contender for the 28mm focal length.

In terms of image quality, the performance of Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is similar to Zeiss Otis 28mm lens but at a fraction of the cost. We expect the Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens to set the standard for image quality for the 28mm lenses.

An Ultimate Tool

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is an ideal lens for street photography and wide-angle photography. This focal length has been the choice for some world’s top photographers for reportage. The new 28mm Art lens will undoubtedly be a powerful tool for a variety of photography applications.

Key Features

Creative, Street Photography, Travel, Landscape, Wedding & Events, Family, Specialty
Best-in-class performance
Dust- and splash-proof structure
Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
Designed to meet all shooting conditions
Compatible with Canon Lens Aberration Correction
Nikon electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism included
Manual Override (MO) capable of switching two full-time manual modes
28mm focal length
Fast F1.4 maximum aperture
Ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor with full-time manual override
Internal focus design

Film & Video

The 28mm and 32mm focal length have been the favorite choices for some of the best directors including Coen brothers who have directed some Academy Awards winning films. For those aspiring film directors, Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens offers a creative tool with incredible low light performance and image quality to create captivating images. The optical quality will be able to surpass the demands of high-resolution film cameras while offering sharp image quality.

Sigma has a number of cine-style lenses with industry standard 0.8 gearing. For those who are starting out as filmmakers,Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens offers a versatile tool for filming applications.

Handling

Sigma Art series lenses include 14mm, 20mm, 24mm and with the addition of Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens the line of ultra-fast lenses is complete. The lens is similar in exterior construction and design which makes it a pleasure to hold and use in a variety of photography applications.

The focus ring and barrel design are constructed with lightweight, durable material to offer easy handling. It is designed to be operated both manually and in auto-focus mode.

Technical Specifications

Mount Type: Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony E
Lens Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups
Focal Length: 40mm
Angle of View (35mm): 56.8°
Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
Minimum Aperture: f/16
Minimum Focusing Distance: 40cm / 15.7 in.
Maximum Magnification: 1：6.5
Diaphragm Blades: 9 (rounded)
Special Low-Dispersion (Elements): 4
F Low-Dispersion (Elements): 3
Aspherical (Elements): 2
Super Multi-Layer Coating: Yes
Autofocus: Yes
Hyper Sonic AF Motor: Yes
Minimum Focus Distance: 40 cm / 15.7 in.
Filter Size: 82mm
Accepts Filter Type: Screw-on
Dimensions: 87.8mm x 131mm / 3.5 in. x 5.2 in.
Weight: 1200 g / 42.3 oz.

HSM – Hyper-Sonic Motor

DG – DG for Digital Full Frame and APS-C

Applications

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is designed to provide a versatile tool for a variety of applications including photojournalism, travel, landscape, wedding, and event photography.

Auto-Focus

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens comes with Sigma’s patented Hyper-Sonic Motor design. The lens has a fast auto-focus even in the most challenging lighting conditions. This lens is a perfect companion for photojournalists who need to capture the moment with sharp, accurate results.

Flare

Sigma Art series lenses all feature highly advance optical coating to reduce flare and come. The Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens also has incredible flare suppression.

Vignetting

The tests for the Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens shows minimal vignetting at the wide open aperture which is entirely gone by the f/4 aperture. The gentle fall-off pattern for this lens also lends an artistic and creative character to the images.

Distortion

The distortion graph indicates that Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens has minimal distortion for a wide angle lens. The images can be used with or without post-processing due to the low distortion of this lens. The option to remove practically all lens distortion from the images capture is possible with the current photo editing software.

Pros

Solid Construction
Stunning image quality
Superb sharpness
Well controlled Chromatic Aberration
Practically no distortion
Impressive flare resistance
Fast, silent, and accurate autofocus mechanism
Excellent build quality
Incredible Low Light Performance

Cons

Weight

Verdict

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is a definite contender for the fastest and the highest quality image rendition in its market segment. While some great lenses are out there when price, image quality and the latest advancements in optical design is considered Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is a winner.

Where to Buy Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens is timeless and beautiful which may be the best reason to own this lens. If you are seeking to find a unique focal length with great low light capabilities, Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens delivers in all important criteria from low light to flare control to chromatic aberration correction.

Here are the links for the new Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens