There are now four compact and affordable Sigma primes for Sony E-mount and Panasonic/Leica/Sigma L-mount cameras
(Image credit: Sigma)
Sigma has announced three new prime lenses for Sony E-mount and Panasonic L-mount full frame mirrorless cameras. They're part of the company's 'Contemporary' series but actually form part of a whole new 'I' range (that's a capital letter I). They join the existing 45mm F2.8 DG DN to make a new series of four 'I' lenses.
Sigma makes some terrific premium/professional third-party lenses for both DSLR and mirrorless camera systems, and has helped pioneer the L-mount with Panasonic and Leica. Let's not forget that Sigma has launched its own L-mount camera, the Sigma fp, which we were rather taken with.
These new lenses mark a trend towards smaller and more manageable prime lenses alongside big, pro zooms. Sigma's new I lenses should appeal especially to the new market for travel vlogging and content creation.
The three new lenses are the Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN Contemporary, Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary and Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN Contemporary.
Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN Contemporary
(Image credit: Sigma)
Sigma is pitching this as the ultimate portable, wide-angle mirrorless prime, with "stunning detail and beautiful bokeh". It looks an ideal travel lens as the 24mm focal length is well suited to interiors and narrow streets – perhaps more so than the classic 35mm 'street' lens (though Sigma has one of those too, below). The f/3.5 maximum aperture is modest compared to the 24mm f/1.4 and f/2 optics already out there, but this is a much smaller and more affordable lens.
The Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN Contemporary comes with an aperture ring, a metal lens hood and a magnetic lens cap, so Sigma has not stinted on the accessories. It also has a very short minimum focus distance of 10.8cm and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2, so it's half way (rather literally) to being a macro lens.
The lens goes on sale on 22 January 2021 and will be priced at $549/£479.99.
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Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary
(Image credit: Sigma)
Sigma describes the 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary as a "classic reimagined". It offers a classic 35mm 'street photography' focal length and a maximum aperture of f/2, so for many photographers it will strike the perfect balance between size, speed and price.
Like the new 24mm f/3.5, above, it will come with a lens hood and a magnetic front lens cap and an aperture ring, though it won't have the 24mm lens's close focusing capability.
This lens will be available sooner, on 1 January 2021. It will cost $639/£549.99.
Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN Contemporary
(Image credit: Sigma)
The Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN Contemporary is the longest of the three new lenses in the Sigma I range in terms of focal length, but is still pretty compact at just 70mm long, despite its f/2 maximum aperture. Like the other Sigma I lenses, this one will come with a lens hood, magnetic lens cap and an external aperture ring.
Like the new 35mm lens, this one will be available from 1 January 1 2021 at a price of $699/£549.99.
The four new Sigma I lenses, including the existing Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary, cover a useful focal range from 24-65mm. You could get all four if you wanted to for the price of a premium full frame mirrorless zoom, but users are more likely to pick one or two favorite focal lengths from the new range.
Sigma's support for the Sony E-mount and new L-mount is a sign of growing popularity of these two systems. Very often we say, if you're trying to choose which system to go for, look at the lenses, not the cameras!
Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com
