Sigma 35mm F1.2 Art Review: Perfectly Impractical
"The lens lens truck, you're going to buy it just to show it to your friends."
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Exceptional sharpness
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Nice bokeh
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Aperture de-click switch
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Virtually no chromatic aberration
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Relatively affordable
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Big, heavy
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Heavy vignette at f / 1.2
The Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art is exceptional. I doubt you will find a better 35mm full frame. It is so spectacular that it raises a question I have asked some similar lenses in the past.
Does it have to be that good?
The lens is a technical marvel and one of the sharpest I've ever seen, with beautiful bokeh and practically no distortion. However, thanks to its size, it's also the most uncomfortable 35mm I've ever used.
Sigma is no stranger to delivering the best quality at all costs. I groaned at the size and weight of almost all of the Art lenses I tested, and all of them were visually excellent. However, where other type lenses for DSLRs have been built, this is part of Sigma's new DN product line, which is designed for (usually) smaller mirrorless cameras.
Sigma bends over. It knows it has the best lens, and at $ 1,500, undercuts the older and slower 35mm f / 1.4 lenses from other major manufacturers. It doesn't matter that it's hard enough to anchor a small ship. People will buy it just to show off.
Get ready for a bag upgrade
With a length of 5.5 inches and a diameter of 3.5 inches, the 35 mm F1.2 would be huge on any camera. Mounted on the tiny Sigma Fp that I had, it's ridiculous. This is the only 35mm image I have shot that I think should have its own tripod collar. If you want to replace an existing 35mm format with it, you may need a larger camera bag.
There are of course good reasons for this size, starting with the aperture of 1: 1.2. Full-frame 1: 1.2s are relatively rare, and this combination of a bright aperture and large sensor can result in a shallow depth of field, which is simply not possible with smaller formats. However, it does not differ significantly from the easily available 1: 1.4 lenses.
The sophisticated optical formula also contributes to this weight. There are 17 elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical elements. There is a lot of glass, an additional four elements above the 35mm F1.4 Art.
Like all Art lenses, this glass is in a stable, dust and splash-proof exterior. It feels incredibly well done. In addition to the usual automatic / manual focus switch, the lens barrel has a focus lock button and an iris release switch. The latter is aimed primarily at videographers who need to be able to smoothly increase or decrease exposure without noticeable steps. Given the number of people taking both still images and videos these days, this is a feature that I would like for every new lens.
Another proof of the hybrid nature of the lens are the 11 iris blades, a higher number than most still lenses, which are, however, a matter of course for the cinema. Thanks to these additional blades, the aperture remains almost circular when stopped, which results in a rounder, more natural blur.
This is a mirrorless lens that is available as either an L-mount or a Sony E-mount. Canon and Nikon shooters have long been Sigma's bread and butter, but they seem to stay here in the cold. Not only is it physically impossible to get this lens to work on the longer flange-to-back distance of a DSLR, but Sigma has shown no interest in producing RF or Z-mount versions for mirrorless systems from Canon or Nikon.
It doesn't get any sharper
The maximum resolution of an imaging system is a factor of three things. Sensor, lens and technology. According to Sigma, the 35mm F1.2 can resolve "over 50 million pixels," suggesting that it targets cameras like the 47-megapixel Panasonic Lumix S1R and the Sony A7R IV at 61 MP, the two cameras with the highest resolution in L-Mount or E-Mount.
Mine was mounted on the 24MP Sigma Fp. And all I can say is wow. It's insanely sharp. Three aspherical elements mean that chromatic aberration is simply not there, although higher pixel counts may reveal some. I rationally know that I don't need a 61MP camera. Still, I want to see what this can do on an A7R IV with a stable tripod.
The wide open sharpness in the real world is excellent, although it still improves when you stop. The peak sharpness reaches 1: 2.8, but there is hardly a real difference between this and 1: 1.2. This is impressive.
Maximizing sharpness depends on the technique. This lens is difficult to hold due to its weight, so a fast shutter speed is the difference between excellence and mediocrity. And although the temptation to shoot at 1: 1.2 is hard to resist, thanks to the additional depth of field you will see more focus if you stop, even up to 1: 2.
However, sharpness is not everything. With great looks and the 11-sheet iris, you get the softest and most pleasant bokeh I've ever seen, certainly for a wide angle. You can control the shape of the bokeh using the bezel, where 1: 1.2 gives a dreamy, swirling look, while 1: 2 gives a flatter, less distracting pattern.
I have a complaint. Wide open, vignetting is bad. It's not necessarily an unattractive look, especially for portraits, but it does mean that the light transmittance at 1: 1.2 is not that good. If you want to achieve all possible performance in low light conditions, you may be disappointed. Only the center of the picture benefits from increased brightness.
Even a 1/3 step setting to 1: 1.4 helps clear up the vignette, but I wonder if we really need 1: 1.2. The difference in depth of field is simply not noticeable. If the broadcast is not much better, what is it about?
Vignette at f / 1.2
Vignette at 1: 1.8
But if it is necessary to use as much glass and start at 1: 1.2 to achieve perfection at 1: 2 and beyond, then so be it. You still won't find a better 35mm.
Our opinion
I can't blame a lens for being too good, but the Sigma 35mm F1.2 Art is the Tesla Cybertruck of lenses. It offers the performance you could want, but it's really about bragging rights. Nobody needs an aperture of 1: 1.2. It is a label that makes you feel special.
However, this is the result of Sigma, who went out of their way to make the best possible lens. And it worked. It won't be for everyone, and that's fine. If you want the best at all costs or just want to show off, this is definitely for you.
Are there any better alternatives?
No. However, if you are not shooting an L-mount or e-mount camera, the Sigma 35 mm F1.4 DG Art or Tamron 35 mm 1: 1.4 Di are good alternatives. These are available in Canon EF or Nikon F mounts, which can then be adapted to the mirrorless systems from Canon and Nikon.
How long it will take?
Designed to resolve the highest resolution sensors, you should get years of use out of them. Like any good lens, it will last longer than your camera.
Should you buy it
Yes, if you own an L-mount or e-mount camera and want to buy the best 35mm money you can buy.
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