Review: Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art

[Canon Rumors]

SLRGear has completed their review of the recently announced Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art series lens, the first f/2 zoom for full frame DSLRs. As we’ve seen from previous ART lens reviews, the optical performance appears to be terrific.</p>
<p>From SLRGear:</p>
<blockquote><p>We think Sigma has done it again! Sigma once again dares to be different and builds a unique lens not offered by the major manufacturers. In what is essentially a range of fast prime lenses built into a single zoom lens, the new Sigma 24-35mm is stunning with super-sharp images, even when shot wide open. <a href="http://slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=1804" target="_blank">Read the full review</a></p></blockquote>
<p>This lens is not yet available for preorder from the major retailers.</p>

 

[Alan]

Can't wait for Sigma 24-28mm lens next year.

 

[max]

this lens needed to be at least 2x zoom to be worth it...

 

[LSXPhotog]

I look forward to this one. That sharpness is stellar. I understand the jokes about the limited focal range, but it's clearly not for you...and those people probably don't even realize it's a full stop faster than f/2.8. Many people think 1.8 is a full stop and they're wrong.

This is only one stop slower than the Art 24mm and 35mm f/1.4 and a full stop faster than a can 24-70 f/2.8. I like it. A 24mm prime is so limited IMO...

 

[yorgasor]

I look forward to this one. That sharpness is stellar. I understand the jokes about the limited focal range, but it's clearly not for you...and those people probably don't even realize it's a full stop faster than f/2.8. Many people think 1.8 is a full stop and they're wrong.

This is only one stop slower than the Art 24mm and 35mm f/1.4 and a full stop faster than a can 24-70 f/2.8. I like it. A 24mm prime is so limited IMO...

I agree. This is a huge boon when shooting events in dark environments. I was thinking of getting the 35mm f/2 IS, but I think I'll hold off and see how this lens turns out. Granted, a bag of 1.4 primes would be better in low light, if you're in a rapidly changing environment you can either drape yourself with a camera for each anticipated prime focal length, or you can do one camera with this, and maybe another with a 50 or 85 f/1.4.

 

[davidcl0nel]

this lens needed to be at least 2x zoom to be worth it...

A 85-135 f/2 wouldn't be a 2x zoom and awesome for portraits.

 

[wockawocka]

Is the zoom range really so bad? I usually shoot at F2 and it'll mean more space in the lens bag.

 

[docsmith]

For this lens to be worth both the money and a place in my bag it really needs to be excellent at f/2. I will wait for more reviews...but that is an excellent start.

 

[m8547]

It has slightly more of a zoom ratio than the Tokina 11-16, and I think that's a great lens.

 

[TommyLee]

I originally thought the range to be too small... but the performance is good enough to ...represent 2 or 3 fast primes.... now it seems useful....

sure is fun to sit around and see lens contests....
I would love an 85 f1.4 ...and 24-70 i.s. ... (?f2?) Art


curious to see canon's 35 L II....which was stopped from release when thye saw sig 35 f1.4 ...
I have sig....wonderful.....and I promised myself the 35L II if it came out....better than sig

the sig 35 has...for me some nice bokeh...(attached)
my guess is the canon will have to leap over this

 

[bmwzimmer]

Curious what the T/Stop value is with all those elements. Most f/2 primes have T/stop values of t/2.0-2.2. If it manages a f/2.2, it is impressive. Just wish the focal length was a bit more useable...

 

[wockawocka]

Oddly I don't get on with the 50mm lenses so the next useful zoom for me would be 70-100mm F2

 

[Rudeofus]

Was anybody else confused by the following statements?

Even diffraction-related softness is extremely minor by the time the lens is stopped down to its smallest aperture of ƒ/16.

and

Diffraction barely takes a toll on image sharpness at the very small apertures, either.

Did Sigma break a law of optics, or is the author of a review overly enthusiastic here? Does the author know that only with crappy lenses diffraction at F/16 is not noticeable?

 

[Rick]

SLRGear.com is off-line at the moment. Maybe GoDaddy pulled their plug. Needs to be sharp across the frame at f2 for me to care about it.

 

[Dutchy]

Is it me, or is there some reasoning-error in this sentence from the review:

"Canon offers a 16-35mm ƒ/2.8L II and a 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L II zoom lens, which -- in a way -- would provide the 24-35mm focal length range of the Sigma. However, it's split between two lenses and you'd have to carry both of them around."

Both the 16-35 and the 24-70 have the 24-35 range in them, you'd either get more wide-angle or more tele with either one. You certainly don't have to carry them both.

Anyways, I shot with the Sigma 18-35 1.8 Art for a year and a half, until I got the 6D and sold it. My main lens on the 6D is now the 24-105 L, but I sometimes missed the fast aperture of the 18-35, so I got the Sigma 35 1.4 Art. I could swap the 35 for this new 24-35, but I'm not sure I'd use it that much + I'd lose a stop of light compared to the 1.4 of the 35.

 

[kubelik]

man I can't wait to see someone test the coma on this. it would be really great if it were a usable astrophotography lens, I'd consider trading in my 24-70 f/2.8 L for it. it's sad how nobody seems to field a 24mm focal length with good coma characteristics except for Rokinon and their hazy manual-only prime lens.

 

[9VIII]

Good sharpness and Vignetting is well controlled compared to the primes, good lens in that regard.

Unfortunately I was looking for something with less distortion, it seems that prime lenses still did better in that regard.
The 35mm Art performs better in basically every way, and the 24mm Art still has a few slight advantages is still pretty much better in every way, so you can't quite say that the zoom lens matches two prime lenses, how that balances out for people will be up to them.

 

[LSXPhotog]

For this lens to be worth both the money and a place in my bag it really needs to be excellent at f/2. I will wait for more reviews...but that is an excellent start.

These guys are one of THE best at reviewing lenses. Check out their site for years and years of credibility. I'm sure more good reviews will soon leak out.

 

[Sarpedon]

Like a lot of others here, this lens has zero appeal to me personally. Ditto most of the Art lenses, with the possible exceptions of the 24 and 35, if I ever get to use one of them.

But I applaud Sigma for making unusual stuff, and for undercutting and putting pressure on the big brands. I look forward to seeing what other photographers make of it.

 

[Cranswick852]

Looking at the photo of the lens mount, this looks like the Canon mount for those lenses that accept 1.4 and 2x extenders (2+8). Are Sigma using this for something else (their usb dock?) as I cannot see the merit in an extender on a wide angle lens.