Sigma has got guts.  I’ve repeatedly see them tackle projects that stretch the limits of what’s possible at a certain focal length, and they’ve done that again with their latest project – the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG DN | ART.  This is the largest maximum aperture ever achieved at this focal length for a full frame platform, and Sigma has thrown out certain constraints to make that happen.  Some recent Sigma “DN” (designed for mirrorless) lenses have worked at being lighter and more compact than previous Sigma lenses at that focal length, but that wasn’t really an option here.  This is a BIG lens (152mm long in Sony E-mount) and it weighs in at 1160g, which is more like the weight of some recent 70-200mm zooms (Sony’s 70-200mm F2.8 GM II weighs 1045g).  It’s perhaps the first wide angle lens I’ve seen with a tripod collar, and in many ways it reminds me of another extreme Sigma lens – the 105mm F1.4 ART lens, though that lens was heavier still.  Sony’s own approach to this focal length was to emphasize compactness, and the Sony 14mm F1.8 G Master is 52mm shorter and weighs 700g less.  But Sigma wasn’t going for small; they were going for high performing, a specialized tool for nighttime photography and astrophotography.  And that’s exactly what we have here.

DN is the designation Sigma uses for its purpose designed mirrorless lenses, while DG refers to a lens designed for full frame.  Sigma has taken a bifurcated approach to lens design on mirrorless, with smaller size, smaller aperture options in their “i-Series” (which they put under their “Contemporary” brand umbrella) and then more robust, larger aperture, professional grade lenses under their “ART” brand.  The 14mm F1.4 DN definitely falls into the latter category, as this is an extreme, professional grade lens that is really designed for those that want something BEYOND what the G Master series is offering at this focal length.  This is a lens that delivers powerful images even at F1.4:

The 14mm F1.4 DN is an extremely feature rich lens that is going to give a lot of options to purchasers for how they capture images.  I’ve used the lens a lot handheld, but this is also a lens that makes a lot of sense to use off of a tripod.  This is clearly not a lens designed for everyone, and it is a bold move for a third party lens maker to position themselves as upscale option over the first party professional series, but that’s what Sigma has done.  The 14mm F1.4 DN has a larger maximum aperture, is larger and heavier, more expensive, and higher performing than the Sony 14mm F1.8 GM.  That’s a bold move.  So does the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DN ART hold up under intense scrutiny?  You can judge for yourself by either watching my video review or reading my text review.

Sigma 14mm F1.4 DN ART Quick Review | The Astro Monster

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Thanks to Gentec (Sigma’s Canadian Distributor) for sending me a pre-release review loaner of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7IV along with the Sony Alpha 1 which will serve as my benchmark camera for the foreseeable future (my review here).

Photos of the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DN

Photos taken with the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DN ART 

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