24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art Impression

The DN series dedicated for mirrorless cameras has a new comer "the SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art” for SONY’s E-mount. Short flange focal distance works to not only improve image quality but also downsize the lens body. In case of this lens, further weight reduction was realized by entrusting optical stabilization and aberration correction to the camera body. We always want light and compact zoom lenses and SIGMA has accommodated the request. This customer-friendliness is SIGMA’s tradition.

The key feature of SIGMA lenses is precise line drawing. Once we experience the fine and thin rendition, we become addicted to the world only SIGMA can draw. At the same time, they are ready to meet photographers’ demands, no matter how tough they are. Similarly, the DN series faithfully reproduces the subtlest details that can be lost depending on the lighting condition. As in this image whose exposure was determined to reproduce both the highlight and shadow, even the top of the building is defined elaborately with the finest lines. Such exquisite detail can be lost with other lenses.

At 70mm. Humid air and soft lighting in the evening can degrade precise rendition, but this lens braves such adverse conditions. I am impressed by the clear definition of the detail of the town covered by the soft light.

AF performance has improved significantly, even though the lens is downsized. First, it is faster thanks to the stepping motor. Whether the focus point is around the center or the corners, and whether the subject is moving or static, it focuses at the moment the photographer wants to shoot. Image quality and AF performance of a good lens must improve at the same time, and this lens does just that.

Second, the AF is compatible with eye detection. As we have many eye-related proverbs such as "eyes are as eloquent as the tongue” and "lacks the finishing touch,” the heart of portrait photography is eyes. Though in practice we use the smallest AF point to focus just on the eye, it is very difficult to track the eyes of moving subjects and we often end up with ignoring the facial expression by just focusing on the eyes. The eye detection assists us to concentrate on the best moment, without worrying about the focus point.

Finally, the AFL (Auto Focus Lock) button is installed on the lens body. Your left thumb should automatically touch the AFL button when you hold the lens. This position is effective because we can use our left hand to firmly support the lens while locking the focus. It is just one button, but extremely helpful.

The Art line is famous for its beautiful bokeh taste. It is easy to control because both front and rear bokeh are soft and natural. And, SIGMA knows that the bokeh balls at wide open is an important component of beautiful bokeh.
This lens uses rounded diaphragm consisting of eleven blades, while the SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art for SLR cameras has nine. The extra blades work to further reduce harshness of bokeh by rounding bokeh balls even at smaller apertures.

At wide open. The bokeh, which looks like three-dimensional balls rather than circles, adds to the softness of the entire image. The white bokeh first looked like vignetting because of the oval shape. However, in the next image shot at the smaller aperture, I found the bokeh shape faithfully traces the shape of the streetlight.

At F5.6. This lens lets me control only the size of the point light sources while keeping the round shape, because of the beautiful bokeh ball at smaller apertures.

In the past, the 50mm focal length was the starting point of photography. This lens made me feel that the position is shared by high-performance 24-70mm F2.8 lenses like this one and they will further enhance photographic expression from now on. Because the image quality is extremely high throughout the zoom range, I can control perspective without worrying about the change in image quality by zooming by few millimeters. This is a great advantage.

The SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art is not just a "convenient zoom.”
It is a unique new standard zoom lens for the ultimate expression.