I’ll have to confess that it is a little bit surprising to be reviewing a second 24mm lens in Sigma’s new iSeries…just seven months after I reviewed the first one!  I published my review of the Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN on February 10th, 2021, and I am working in late August towards releasing this review on September 9th, 2021 to coincide with the announcement of this second 24mm lens.  This one, however, is most likely the lens that more photographers will be looking for, as it combines all the things that made the F3.5 version attractive (save one) into a larger aperture version that is still nicely compact.  Meet the Sigma 24mm F2 DG DN, the second 24mm lens in their iSeries.  In late 2019 I reviewed the Sigma 45mm F2.8 DN lens, and, while I loved the build of the lens, I concluded that it was a bit of an oddball.  It was released in concert with a couple of other lenses, one being the uber-premium 35mm F1.2 DN and the other being the 24-70mm F2.8 DN ART.  The design of the 45mm F2.8 was completely different than any other Sigma lens…including the other lenses it was released alongside.  A year later, however, and things start to make a little more sense, as it turns out that Sigma was experimenting with a new sub-class within their Global Vision “Contemporary” line-up – the i-Series.  These lenses are designed for those who love A) exceptional build and care over the tactile feel and handling of their gear B) who aren’t interested in their lenses being “clinical” but prefer beautiful, “analog” rendering rather than just sterile sharpness.  Then, in December 2020, Sigma released two new lenses in the i-Series side by side, and both of them were beauties.  I simultaneously looked at the Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN (my review here) and the Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN (my review here).  I really liked both lenses, and I think that was reflected in my reviews.  The 24mm F3.5 DN joined the ranks in early 2021, and now we have another pair of lenses, this 24mm F2 along with a 90mm F2.8.  The Sigma 90mm F2.8 DG DN (which I’m simultaneously reviewing) is interesting in large part because it has a longer focal length than any of the previous compact lenses released for Sony that I’ve seen. That makes six lenses in this new series in less than two years; you can’t say that Sigma isn’t prolific! *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle of the i24 F2 (as we’ll call it for brevity) have been done with the new Sony Alpha 1 which will serve as my benchmark camera for the foreseeable future (my review here).

I have a bit of a hard time when testing a prime lens that doesn’t have an aperture advantage over equivalent zoom lenses (like in the case of the 24mm F3.5), but the i24 F2 is stronger territory in that regard.  It’s F2 aperture will give you twice as much light gathering as an equivalent F2.8 zoom lens that covers this focal length, which is a significant advantage.  It will also allow you to get close to your subject and get a nice out of focus background. 

Sigma’s marketing of the “i-Series” has three concepts, “Identity – Celebrating your uniqueness | Iconic – A fresh approach to lens design | Instinctive – Intuitive user experience”.  Most of that is, frankly, marketing gobbly-gook that sounded really clever to the marketing team (the same team that brought you “Contemporary” as a lens designation) but is rather meaningless in the real world.  I’m not quite sure how purchasing a camera lens marketed to the masses is “celebrating my uniqueness”, but I digress.  I’ll forgive the marketing mostly because the actual lenses are beautifully crafted and a real joy to use.  I was reminded of just how nice these lenses are when I let my new assistant, Craig, handle and use them for the first time.  His face lit up with joy as he appreciated the tactile pleasure of such a beautifully crafted optical instrument that worked very well.

As has frequently been the case with this series, I think that Sigma has managed to strike a nice balance between a high quality rendering along with excellent sharpness.  This isn’t a cold, sterile lens, but rather one with some character despite being well corrected.  The only lens in the series that I didn’t love the optical performance of was the 45mm F2.8, but by and large I’ve found this series consistently excellent.  That’s very true here; this is an extremely high performing lens that I really enjoyed using, and the price point of $639 USD makes it a solid value proposition.  You can check out my reviews (text or video) if you want more information, or just check out the photos in the galleries here.

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Sigma i24 F2 Build, Design and Handling

Photos Taken with the Sigma 24mm F2 DG DN

Gear Used:

Purchase the Sigma 24mm F2 DG DN @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada  | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | eBay 

Purchase the Sigma 24mm F3.5 DN @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany 

Purchase the Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Purchase the Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN @ B&H Photo  | Amazon | Camera Canada  | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Purchase a Sony a7C @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Purchase the Sony Alpha 1 @ Camera Canada | B&H Photo | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Purchase a Sony a9M2 @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Sony a9 Camera:  B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada  | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 
Sony a7RIV Camera: B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Buy DA Merchandise https://bit.ly/TWIMerch

Purchase a Sony a7C @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

Peak Design Leash Strap:  Peak Design Store | B&H Photo | Amazon | Amazon Canada  | Amazon UK

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Keywords:  Sigma 24mm F2, Sigma 24mm DN, Sigma 24 F2 DN, Sigma 24 F2, Sigma 24mm F2 Review, DN, DG, F2, 24mm, Sigma, iSeries, Wide Angle, Sony, Leica, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Photography, Sony a9, sony a7III, sony a7RIV, a7R3,  Sony Alpha 1, Sony A1, Sony a6600, F3.5