Sigma Art lenses are all the hype right now – and it’s been like that for a decade! If you’re struggling to make your shots look artistic and professional at the same time, they’re here to prove that one doesn’t have to cancel out the other.
You can have the best of both worlds with Sigma Art Lenses. They perfectly combine optical performance and creative expression for your photography or videography.
But there are so many Art lenses out there; how can you know which one is perfect for you? If only photo lenses could pick us out…
Well, we’re here to give you the nuts and bolts and let you decide at the end.
What is Sigma Art Lens?
The Sigma Art lens is an extraordinary piece of technology with an incredible price-to-quality ratio. It’s a fast-aperture lens that produces unbelievably sharp images with crisp details right down to the corners of the frame. So sharp, it’s like looking through a pair of glasses for the very first time.
The Art lenses have a wide aperture that allows more light to enter the camera and makes it easier to shoot in low-light situations. Their quality stands in the details: non-dispersion glass ensures top-notch chromatic aberration correction, and the robust build ensures long-term use.
You can choose from various lens types—from super wide angle to prime lens—to perfectly complement your preferences. But if you’re unsure what to settle on, we’re here to give you a helping hand.
Three Product Lines of Sigma Lenses
Sigma Art
Artistry – in more ways than one.
The Sigma Art lens is excellent for art photographers and those who want to bring out the fine details in their images.
It is designed for serious photographers who want their photos to be as creative as they are. These lenses are made with the highest quality materials and the most advanced technology in mind. All that’s left to do is focus on bringing your expressiveness into play.
Sigma Contemporary
The Sigma Contemporary line is designed for photographers who want a more affordable option that still delivers on quality.
This line uses some of the same materials and technology as in the Art series but was adjusted to meet more affordable price requirements. As a result, it has a more compact build, it’s more portable, and has a minimum number of controls and buttons.
Sigma Sports
The Sigma Sports line will help you capture fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife. It’s designed specifically for action shooters.
Its lenses are built to withstand extreme temperatures and weather conditions, so you can take them out into any environment with confidence that they’ll still perform as they should when you need them most!
What is the Difference Between Between Contemporary and Sigma Art Lenses?
Sigma Art lenses are the crème de la crème of what Sigma offers in terms of creativity. They’re also pretty affordable for what they bring to the table.
But if we’re to be completely honest, we can’t consider them cheap lenses. That’s why Sigma made a line of Contemporary lenses that come at a much more affordable price.
The build of the Sigma Contemporary line is much less expensive to make, but it’s durable nonetheless; the primary material used is TSC (thermally stable composite), a kind of plastic that’s not affected by changes in temperature.
The main feature of SIGMA Contemporary lenses is their ability to compete with more expensive lenses in terms of overall image quality. They also offer a solid AF and MF performance on any compatible camera.
In addition, Contemporary lenses are compact and portable, making them easy to carry around and use regularly. And they come with moisture and dust-resistant mount. On top of that, their updatable firmware ensures you’re always up-to-date with the latest technology.
In comparison, Sigma Art lenses perfectly combine incredible optical performance and creativity – a skilled powerhouse sure to improve your relationship with photography.
Sigma Art lenses are designed with the highest quality in mind, offering sharp details, fast apertures, and outstanding optical performance. Their autofocus is nothing to scoff at.
They’re also compatible with Sigma USB lens docks for microfocus adjustments, so you can ensure they’re always performing at their best.
And when it comes to construction? The Art lenses are built like a tank—they offer focal plane sharpness even at the widest aperture and are tested using an A1 device (to ensure genuine world-class product quality).
The Best Sigma Art Lenses
Sigma has been making high-quality lenses for a decade, and their lineup of Art lenses has taken their game to a new level. The company is known for offering quality optics at an affordable price—and they’re not stopping anytime soon.
Let’s see some of the most impressive contenders:
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Lens
If you’re looking for a fantastic multi-purpose lens, this is it! The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens is one of our favorites because it offers excellent image quality and versatility in a single package. It’s lightweight but still sturdy enough to stand up against heavy use.
This lens perfectly captures sharp subjects, beautiful bokeh, and no soft edges. The 50mm focal length lets you get close enough to shoot your subjects without being too intrusive.
It’s also great at photographing landscapes and street scenes because of its fast aperture and sharpness across the entire frame! The only downside is that it is typically heavier than other 50mm lenses (like Nikon or Canon).
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
This one is perfect if you want a versatile lens with fantastic sharpness! The 35mm focal length is ideal for shooting everything from landscapes to street scenes and even portraits.
It’s also perfect for taking photos at weddings or concerts with plenty of action going on around you. The 1.4 aperture setting will never let you down in low-light situations where there’s a risk of losing detail in shadows or highlights.
This lens offers an impressive field of view (even for a narrower focal length) but also includes more elements in your shot – making it ideal if you want to give a photojournalistic feel to your photos.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
This lens is great for portraits because it gives you an 85mm focal length with an aperture of f/1.4 for creating beautiful background blur. As a matter of fact, this lens is known for creating the smoothest bokeh out there.
And it’s compared with other big names out there or more expensive options, like the Zeiss Otus!
The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is a premium portrait prime lens designed for full-frame DSLR cameras. The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet autofocusing with fast, accurate tracking performance.
The most significant drawbacks are the lack of image stabilization, the bulky size, and the presence of spherical aberrations.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art
This wide-angle zoom allows you to capture everything from landscapes to portraits – that’s why we think it perfectly fits regular daily use.
Its fast aperture lets you create images with soft backgrounds and shallow depth of field. The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures smooth and quiet autofocus performance so you can take photos without distracting sounds or vibrations.
The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art is a lens that delivers superb optical performance in still photography and video recording. The lens has a nice bokeh for a 2.8 zoom lens, and the stabilization ensures you don’t miss any important moments.
It does have some minor drawbacks, though. Flare and ghosting caused by reflections from internal or external light sources could be better. Sometimes leaves the photo with soft corners, which is atypical for the Art line.
Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art Lens
If you love taking pictures at night, you need the Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art Lens! This lens has an incredible f/1.4 aperture that lets in a lot of light so that you can take photos even when it’s dark outside or inside your space.
It is the largest aperture wide-angle lens on the market, which is outstanding! But to top it off, it also has a great build and image quality. Its biggest drawback has to be the lack of weather sealing.
Sigma Art Lenses | Final Thoughts
Do you want your shots to look artistic? Do you want them to look professional? Well, you don’t have to choose anymore.
The Sigma Art lenses absolutely ooze style and quality. And when your talent and skill at the craft are matched with the quality of this lens, it’s just a thrill to let your creative juices flow.
There are bound to be some drawbacks (all lenses have them). Still, Sigma seems to be doing well to ensure that their Art line stays competitive with other fast-aperture offerings from Sony and Canon—and at prices that seem more affordable than these competitors’ lenses.
