This mid-tele prime lens should be a hit with portrait shooters, macro photographers and more
The Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO | Art lens
Sigma today announces an exciting new lens for its “Art” range of lenses designed to offer the maximum in creative expression. The Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO Art is a mid-telephoto prime lens for mirrorless L-mount and Sony E-mount. It’s the first Art macro lens designed specifically for mirrorless cameras, and comes with all the latest features, so let’s take a look at what’s on offer.
Find out more about the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO Art
On the outside, the new 105mm Art lens boasts a construction that’s dust- and splash-proof, making it perfect for outdoor shooting. Control-wise, it sports an aperture ring with de-click and lock functions, as well as a customisable AFL button and a focus limiter switch. The external lens element has also been treated with a water- and oil-repellent coating, as well as Super Multi-Layer Coating for reduction of ghosting and flare. The filter size for the lens is 62mm, and it weighs 715g.
A closer look at the controls
Internally, the lens has an all-new optical design consisting of 17 elements in 12 groups, with 1 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) element. Art lenses are designed with optical performance in mind above all else, so we can expect images from the lens to look excellent from corner to corner, at every aperture including wide open, and at all focusing distances. The minimum focusing distance of the lens is 29.5cm, allowing the user to take full advantage of its “true” macro magnification ratio of 1:1. It’s possible to shoot macro at even greater magnifications while maintaining the same distance if the lens is used in conjunction with Sigma’s TC-1411 (1.4x) or TC-2011 (2.0x) teleconverters, designed exclusively for use with L-mount.
The optical design is built around a priority of suppressing chromatic aberration, with a particular focus on longitudinal chromatic aberration, which in-camera correction tools tend to struggle with. The designers have also focused on ensuring the lens can produce beautiful bokeh and attractive defocused areas – especially useful for both macro work and portraiture. This is further aided by the 9-bladed aperture.
Splashproof and lightweight, this is a great outdoor lens
In terms of autofocus, the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO Art has been optimised to be compatible with latest face- and eye-detection AF modes – as you’d expect, given its compatibility with Sony cameras. It uses a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) system, which ensures its autofocus is both quiet and precise. Add this to the option to set the aperture ring to de-clicked mode, and you have a lens that’s also highly suited for video.
If you’re an E-mount or L-mount user, this is definitely a lens you’ll want to consider. It’s expected to be shipping from October 23rd, in the meantime you can head to our store page to find out more and get your pre-order in.
About the Author
Jon Stapley is a professional journalist with a wealth of experience in a number of photography titles including Amateur Photographer, Digital Camera World and What Digital Camera.
