Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD (A036) Review

Dustin Abbott

June 29th, 2018

Sony has been vying to steal some market share from Canon and Nikon for some time, but, while their innovation and impressive spec lists have been widely applauded, the Sony E mount has lacked a competitive lens selection. In some ways that remains true (particularly in the telephoto department), but there has been a significant shift in 2018 that signals better days ahead. Likewise, while Sony cameras (like the a7R3 and new a73) are very competitively priced, and, while there are some very good lenses for Sony FE, they tend to be more expensive than their Canon or Nikon counterparts, which completely offsets the value of the camera bodies themselves. What has been seriously missing are the competent and yet affordable options – a niche often filled by the third-party lens manufacturers. But outside of Zeiss (high end) and a few Samyang/Rokinon (lower end) lenses, there hasn’t been any serious third-party support of the FE mount. Fortunately, that is changing, with both Sigma and Tamron releasing lenses for Sony FE. Of all the recently announced options, however, probably none is more important than the freshly developed Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD (A036). The 28-75 RXD has the potential to be a system seller for several reasons.

One of the first reasons is price. The lens comes to market at a very reasonable $799 in the US Market, nicely filling the gap between the highly mediocre Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 ($398) and the excellent but exceptionally expensive Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master ($2199) that I’m concurrently reviewing. The Tamron 28-75 RXD, as we will see, is much closer in performance and features to the latter than to the former. For many buyers this price occupies a sweet spot for affordability.

The second reason is size. The 28-75 RXD is designed from the ground-up for Sony FE, and, as a result, is a much more attractive size/weight for mirrorless than the Sigma ART lenses getting an FE retrofit (existing DSLR lenses are getting a new Sony FE housing and tweaked focus motor, but are, if anything, slightly larger and heavier than their Canon EF and Nikon F mount versions). In fact, the Tamron lens is a much more natural fit on something like the a7R3 or a73 than the 24-70 GM lens.

The third reason is performance. My tests of this lens (which we will explore in detail), where I directly compare it to the nearly 3x-as-expensive G Master lens, reveal that while in most areas the G Master is superior, it is not by a large margin. Many photographers will consider this a “90% of the performance for 36% of the price” proposition.

Spring's Technicolor (Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 RXD)

So, on paper, the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD is the kind of lens that could help push a lot of photographers into the Sony camp and help sell a lot of Sony a73 bodies. Is it up to that challenge? Read on to find out!

Prefer to watch your reviews? Here’s my full video review:

Build and Design

While the 28-75 RXD can’t compete with the G Master lens in an absolute sense when it comes to build, it is actually a very nicely built lens. I’ve heard some people dismissively refer to it as having a build like the “cheap kit lens”, but this is clearly from those who have not handled both the 28-75 RXD and 28-70 Sony FE lenses. The Tamron actually employs mostly lightweight metals in the barrel, and includes premium features like weather sealing (with not only a rear gasket but internal seals at 6 different spots according to this diagram from Tamron) along with an expensive fluorine coating on the front element.

It is far from a kit lens-type build, and only when comparing it directly to the much more expensive G Master lens does it seem less premium, though at no time does it come across as a budget lens.

The only real physical limitation, in my opinion, is a lack of any kind of switch on the barrel for AF/MF. I enjoy a physical button like this on Sony FE mount lenses because it saves going into the menu and allows you to make this change on the fly. The G Master lens has this along with the very useful Focus Hold button that, to my knowledge, has not been seen on any non-Sony branded lenses. The Focus Hold button can be customized like other buttons on the Sony camera bodies, enabling you to map something very useful like Eye AF to that button.

The upside of the lack of any switches is that the 28-75 RXD has a very clean and modern physical appearance. The barrel has a satin black finish interrupted only by the focus and zoom rings. The profile of the lens is rather long and slender and is very different from a lens like Tamron’s own 24-70nn f/2.8 G2 lens. The 28-75 RXD is only 2.87” (73mm) in diameter, but is 4.64” (117.8mm) in length. It weighs in at a moderate 1.21 pounds (550g), which balances easily on bodies like the Sony a7 series (where it will most often find a home). It has a very common 67mm front filter size. This feels like a lens purpose-designed for Sony FE, and is a much more natural fit than what many of the Sigma FE lenses will be, as they were first designed for DSLRs (where they were already on the large side, anyway).

This is dwarfed by the much larger 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, which is 3.45” (87.6mm) x 5.35” (136mm) and weighs a hefty (and near top of the class even for DSLR lenses) 1.95lbs (886g). It has the now standard 82mm front filter thread size (a size unheard of when the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II launched with it). The G Master is a large lens in every sense of the word, and there were a lot of disappointed people when they realized that such a lens for mirrorless wouldn’t be any smaller than the DSLR counterparts. For those who envision mirrorless as being a smaller, more compact system, the Tamron 28-75 RXD will be a breath of fresh air.

The 28-75 RXD has the requisite 9 rounded aperture blades which will enable round circular highlights even with the lens stopped down, though, as we will see, the lens does suffer the fairly common deformation of circular shapes near the edge of the frame (they become more cat-eyed there). The lens also received Tamron’s BBAR coatings on elements to help reduce flare and improve contrast.

Everything works as it should, with the zoom ring functioning smoothly. A single inner barrel extends a small amount when zoomed towards the telephoto end, and there is no evidence of any wobble nor any inclination towards “zoom creep”. The friction/damping is just about right on this ring. The zoom ring is towards the front of the lens, and is wide, deeply ribbed, and very easy to find.

The manual focus ring is much slimmer and is closer to the lens mount. Like all mirrorless autofocusing lenses, the manual focus action is a “focus by wire” system where input on the manual focus ring is routed through the focus motor to actually produce focus changes. There is no mechanical coupling to the elements. I’ve actually been fairly happy with the implementation of “focus by wire” on many Sony lenses (including this one), as the damping is fairly good and input lag (a lag between your input on the focus ring and the actual focus action) doesn’t seem to be an issue. I find it easy to refine focus, and, if you are in MF or DMF focus modes, the camera will detect when focus input is made and will automatically magnify the image on the LCD or in the viewfinder to help you visually confirm correct focus. It works quite well…unless you are focusing off-center. If that is the case, you are better off to click the focus magnify button (wherever you’ve got that mapped on your camera), and select the appropriate area before actually magnifying the image).

If you aren’t in MF or DMF modes, input on the focus ring will do nothing. That, combined with no tactile input on either the minimum or infinity “stops” are my continued gripes against focus by wire.

The lens comes with a standard petal-shaped lens hood that is ribbed on the interior to help keep stray light from bouncing around. It’s nothing special, but it does the job just fine. No case or lens pouch is included.

One unique feature (and advantage over the GM lens) is that the Tamron offers two different minimum focus distances and maximum magnification figures. A typical zoom lens has a single minimum focus distance and determines it’s maximum magnification based on the telephoto end. The Tamron 28-75 RXD, however, has two MFDs (one at the wide end, and another at the telephoto end). The telephoto end is an excellent (class leading) MFD of 39cm (15.4″) and a resulting magnification of 0.25x (1:4 ratio). This is class-leading, yes, but only by a small margin over the GM lens (0.24x). What is interesting, however, is that on the wide end (28mm) you can focus down to 19cm (7.5″) where you have an exceptional 0.34x magnification (1:3 ratio). Take a look at how much more magnified the subject is at the wide end MFD.

I love the extra level of versatility this provides, and consider this to be a huge asset for wedding photographers, as they can get in very close with the lens and use it something like a macro lens for shots of rings or details on dresses. This, to me, is a great selling feature and unique advantage for the lens. You want a lens like this to be versatile, and this is just the kind of thing that adds to the versatility.

I’m perfectly content with the level of build this lens provides. The 28-75 RXD provides a nice balance between build quality (good materials, weather sealing, etc…) and a light weight that seems much more natural on Sony mirrorless bodies than Sony’s own lens. Everything functions well and the lens handles nicely. Don’t listen to those who accuse this of being akin to a “kit lens” in build; they’re wrong, and most likely have never actually handled one.

Tamron 28-75 RXD Autofocus

Tamron has developed a whole new autofocus system for this lens (and, I’m assuming, subsequent lenses for Sony FE). They’ve actually done a great job for a first kick at the can, as the Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive (RXD) is everything a mirrorless autofocus system should be. It’s extremely fast, extremely silent, and locks on quickly and confidently. It feels akin to Canon’s excellent Nano-USM technology in speed and silence.

Unfortunately for Tamron, a few early reviewers discovered a minor focus quirk in video AF mode under a very specific set of circumstances, and, in typical YouTube fashion, I began to hear from everyone about the “broken autofocus” on the lens. I found this somewhat ridiculous, as I actually had a copy of the lens myself and was just nailing shot after shot. I had already filmed a whole 20+ minute episode (my Sony a73 review) with the lens, and the AF tracked my face literally perfectly the whole review. I’ve used the lens a fair bit on a gimbal as well for some video work, and had no issue that I could point to. I was unable to recreate this “major issue” no matter how I tried. I’m not doubting that at least someone encountered it (as Tamron immediately began working on a firmware fix), but I doubt it was ever a serious issue.

The positive that came out of this whole process is that we discovered that this is a fully native lens that will receive firmware updates delivered through the camera just like native Sony lenses.

As befits a truly native lens, all Sony focus technologies are supported, from focus modes to Eye AF to the Hybrid Phase Detect/Contrast AF focus that is Sony’s unique approach to autofocus. It supports continuous AF in all drive modes, including Hi+.

My personal experience with the 28-75 RXD and it’s autofocus was very positive. I had good success with things like Eye AF (where I got roughly similar results to using the premium Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master when shooting either portraits or using the lens in an event-type setting.) Autofocus was very fast, silent, and accurate. I have very little to complain about based on what I actually experienced.

The only (very minor) complaint I could point to is that one or two cases I was trying to shoot a subject about four feet in front of me with a busy background beyond. The Tamron’s AF grabbed the background several times, while the G Master (I was shooting them side by side) more intuitively grabbed the foreground object. I was able to easily solve this problem either by bring the focus forward manually or touching the screen and switching to a Flexi-AF point for more precise focus. The positive was that after I moved the focus to the forward object, the AF did not return to the background objects even though in AF-C mode. The shot below in particular is one that stood out to me for having this issue.

All in all this felt like a much more sophisticated effort than the Samyang/Rokinon AF lenses for Sony FE that I’ve spent time with. Tamron has a minor marketing misstep with some early negative press from a few reviewers, but my personal experience says that they have a great focus motor that should help them deliver great lenses for Sony FE.

28-75 RXD Image Quality

While it may seem an unfair comparison to pit this $800 (US) lens against a $2200 (US) lens, the premium Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master is the only natural competitor on Sony FE, so I brought it in for comparison. While in an absolute sense I do believe that the G Master lens provides the best image quality, the much less expensive Tamron lens actually acquitted itself very well.

The best way to visualize the differences is by watching these two video episodes where I break down the difference in detail:

You can see my summary of these two episodes below…

28-75 RXD Resolution

It is important to remember that these lenses don’t have identical focal lengths. 24mm is much wider than 28mm, and is arguably more useful than the Tamron’s additional 5mm on the long end. Tamron elected to tackle a slightly easier focal range to engineer for, but it was probably a wise decision as it allows the lens to be a little more competitive where the lenses overlap. The 24mm of the G Master is considerably wider than the 28mm of the Tamron, as you can see in these comparisons:

The final image shows the different framing at 75mm, which is visible but unlikely to have as much impact as the difference on the wide end (particularly at closer focus distances). These two images show the difference in framing from 28 to 75mm:

Comparing the two lenses at 28mm, we find that the Tamron is arguably more contrasty and, at the least, just as sharp in the center of the frame. But whereas the Sony shows a more gradual resolution falloff towards the edges of the frame, the Tamron falls off more quickly. There is improvement from the Tamron when stopped down, but it never reaches the levels of the G Master along the edges of the frame as the G Master sharpens up significantly at apertures like f/5.6. Expect it to the be the better landscape option.

A few other observations is that while both lenses show pronounced barrel distortion at their widest focal lengths, the G Master has the advantage at 28mm. The Tamron’s distortion pattern is fairly linear, however, and I didn’t see any major issues in correcting for it. JPEGs will receive automatic correction in camera. The G Master also shows a little better light transmission and delivers a brighter image at equivalent apertures (by about 1/3^rd stops). I also find the color from the GM slightly more accurate, with the Tamron delivering a slightly warmer image. It’s minor, but you can see the difference in these comparisons.

At 35mm the gap closes a bit. The same general observations are true, but the Tamron is closer in the edges of the frame and is arguably sharper in the center. Distortion is more minimal on both lenses, though the GM is still the winner for light transmission. Stopped down the advantage shifts in the GM’s direction. It has more “in the tank” when stopped down compared to the Tamron.

At 50mm the wide open center advantage favors the Tamron with both of them delivering a roughly similar edge performance. They both show a mild pincushion distortion pattern now. As expected, the GM shows the stronger performance when stopped down to f/5.6 and beyond.

AT 70/75mm there is just the slightest bit of pincushion distortion for both lenses. The two lenses are about equal in the center in sharpness and contrast and the GM has the slightest edge on the edges. Stopped down performance favors the GM, but only slightly. The Tamron is very close here.

No, the Tamron doesn’t go to 24mm, but over the overlapping focal range it is surprisingly competitive, particularly at wide apertures. When stopped down, the GM becomes the better landscape lens, through the advantage is less pronounced from 50mm on. There are two ways of looking at this. If you want the best, that’s going to be the GM. Better light transmission, more consistent resolution across the frame, and better performance when stopped down. But if you are on a budget or looking at this from a price-to-performance ratio, you have likely concluded that the GM lens is certainly not $1400 better. The 28-75 RXD is certainly capable of producing nicely detailed images in a wide variety of scenarios, and for portrait work the resolution difference is minimal at best.

But there’s more to it than resolution…

Bokeh, Color Rendition, Flare Resistance, CA, and more…

Beyond resolution there is the component of optical performance that I like to call “rendering”. A lens can be very sharp without delivering great images, while there are some less-than-pin-sharp lenses that actually deliver beautiful images (think Canon 50mm f/1.2L or the Voigtländer 20mm f/3.5). How do real images out the Tamron 28-75 RXD actually look?

Pretty good, actually.

I found that the images had nice color and contrast on a global level. The bokeh is unique and has character, but as this is a pretty subjective measure, you’ll have to decide whether you like it or not. It has a unique outlining effect with some circular highlights that almost looks like it was penciled in. I prefer this to the “onion-bokeh” of the first Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC, but it won’t be for everyone.

There is a bit more geometric distortion of bokeh circles near the edge of the frame when compared to the G Master, and I think that, in general, the GM lens grabbed less hard edges than the 28-75 RXD. At the same time, however, the reality is that identical images shot with both lenses looked more similar than different. Take a look at the images below – first from the Sony, then from the Tamron. Spot the differences?

Here’s a few more shots that show the bokeh from the lens in a variety of different situations:

One area the Tamron actually bests the GM in a minor way is in its handling of chromatic aberrations. The GM shows a very faint amount of fringing in a few situations, while the Tamron is nearly completely neutral. This helps boost contrast and is part of the reason why the Tamron images have nice punch to them.

As noted previously, the Tamron renders a little warmer than the GM lens. I prefer color accuracy, myself, though there will be moments where the Tamron’s color will look slightly richer. The a73 has a more neutral color science than the a7R3, so I found this less pronounced when used on it.

On the a7R3, I slightly preferred the skin tones from the G Master lens, though once again it would be hard to detect this without having both images side by side.

Did you guess which was which? In this case the GM was first, the Tamron second. I think you can probably agree that the differences are subtle.

Neither lens gets a perfect score for flare resistance. Both exhibited some minor ghosting artifacts both wide and open and stopped down, though both lenses did a good job of retaining contrast other than at the epicenter of the sun’s actions. I did feel like the rays of the sunbursts from the GM lens were a little better defined, though both have a similar number of blades. Sequence below is GM wide open then stopped down to f/11, then Tamron wide open and then stopped down to f/11.

All in all, there are no major missteps optically for the Tamron, though not everyone will be fans of the unique bokeh style. You can see many more images in the Image Gallery here.

Conclusion

The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD represents a very important lens both for Tamron and for Sony. Tamron has needed to venture into the mirrorless market, where it has only had one APS-C option for years. Positive reception of this lens will help position them to have strong sales of future lenses. But in many ways this lens is equally important for Sony, even though it will invariably cut into some G Master sales. The lack of lenses like this (competent and yet affordable) have really held a lot of people back from making the switch from Canon or Nikon, and the 28-75 RXD will undoubtedly be a “system seller”. The 28-75 RXD is a “win-win” for both companies, and I found the Tamron to be that “everyday useful” kind of lens that I haven’t had in a Sony lens. I’m personally tempted by one myself. If you are looking for a quality general purpose lens that has some unique magnification options, good image quality, and fast, quiet AF, you may have just found your new lens…particularly if you don’t want to break the bank to acquire it.

Pros:

Great price to performance ratio
RXD focus motor is very quick and quiet
Nice grade of build with quality weather sealing
Excellent chromatic aberration control
Strong contrast
Excellent center sharpness at all apertures
Good edge sharpness from 35mm on
Full support of all Sony focus modes and features

Cons:

Bokeh can be a little quirky
Pronounced barrel distortion at 28mm
Some users have experienced video focus issues

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Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD (A036) Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

May 30th, 2018

It was with great excitement that I saw Tamron’s announcement in February at the WPPI Conference of an all-new lens designed from the ground up for Sony FE. The new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD (A036) provides something that the Sony platform has had few of – solid alternatives to the expensive premium Sony lenses at different focal lengths. The 28-75mm provides a good build (including weather sealing), fast and silent autofocus (RXD), and beautiful image quality. I’ll be giving it a thorough test over the next month, but in the meantime you can check back regularly for updates and new photos here.

Images of the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD

Images Taken with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD

Purchasing your gear through B&H and these links helps fund this website and keeps the articles coming. You can also make a donation here if you would like. Visit my Amazon page for some of my gear of choice! Thank you for your support.

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Keywords: Tamron 28-75, Tamron 28-75 Sony, Tamron 28-75mm, Tamron, 28-75mm, f/2.8 RXD, Sony, FE, Tamron 28-75 Review, Tamron 28-75 Sony Review, Dustin Abbott, Review, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, A036, Autofocus, Eye AF, Image Quality, Sharpness, Resolution, Color, Bokeh, Real World, Sample Images, Video, Video Test, Comparison, Sony 24-70, G Master, withmytamron

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Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 Final Review

Dustin Abbott

April 16th, 2018

A few years ago, my job was simpler. As a Canon reviewer, there were basically only four companies that made most all of the lenses: Canon, Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss. Three Japanese companies and a German company who produces their SLR lenses in Japan. Then came along the Korean company Samyang/Rokinon who began to challenge for some market share. In the past few years, however, the lens-makers landscape has really opened up, and suddenly there were a number of new companies trying to challenge the status-quo through innovation and price. Among those are a variety of new Chinese lens-makers, including Laowa, SainSonic (Kamlan), and now, Zonlai. I’ve reviewed multiple lenses from the former companies, but this is the first Zonlai lens that I’ve ever reviewed (and frankly, ever heard of). Fortunately first impressions of the company are positive, as the Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 is a surprisingly strong little performer…particularly when you consider it’s price point of around $160 USD.

Prefer to watch your reviews? Check out my full review and image quality breakdown here:

Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 Build and Handling

The Zonlai 22mm is a manual-everything lens (manual aperture and manual focus), with no electronics involved. In this sense it is much like a lot of other similar lenses I’ve reviewed from Kamlan, Laowa, Samyang/Rokinon, and more. In design, however, this lens reminds me more of rangefinder lenses and/or classic glass (like many M42 mount lenses that I’ve owned or used in the past). While the lens is available in a black finish, the company elected to send me one in a silver finish, which definitely makes it stand out from my other lenses.

I’m not yet decided as to whether or not I like/prefer this finish, as on one hand it doesn’t match the camera as well as a black lens (I’m using a Sony a6500 for this review), but at the same time it does make a certain fashion statement. Don’t worry though, if you are more interested in tradition than in making a statement, you can also get the lens in traditional black.

The finish is an anodized metal (aluminum) with some nice textures and a few surprisingly premium touches. A lot of lenses pass through my hands, and I’ve learned to spot some key things. I noted, for example, that all the barrel markings are stamped into the metal rather than painted. The tolerances everywhere on the lens are actually very tight, and there are no binding or “sticky points” in the manual focus ring. There is some very fine machining at both the front of the lens, and, in particular, at the rear of the lens, where what I see looks like something from a much more expensive lens. The lens is rear focusing, so the rear group of elements moves forward when focused towards minimum. This allows me to see a little bit into the interior of the lens, and what I see is solid machined pieces of what appears to be aluminum along with two screws on each side that hold the rear group in place. This, (along with real screw heads hold the bayonet mount in place) speaks of a nice modular design that would allow easy access to repairs down the road.

Bottom line is that this is a surprisingly premium build on such an inexpensive lens. See more about it here in this hands-on video:

Adding to this premium feel is the packaging, where the lens is presented almost like a nice watch. The packaging is much more elegant than other lenses at similar price points. This is smart, as, to me, it helps offset the bias a lot of Westerners have of Chinese products being “cheap”. In this case, there is a real difference between “cheap” and “inexpensive”. The Zonlai 28mm is inexpensive, but it is not cheap.

The Zonlai 22mm is an extremely compact little lens, measuring only 45mm in diameter and 55mm in length. As such, it is an excellent match for the mirrorless APS-C Sony E-mount cameras that it is designed for. Due to an all metal and glass construction, however, it has a bit of heft and weighs 224g (7.9oz), which is heavier than equivalent-sized lenses made of the more typical engineered plastics but still fairly light in an absolute sense. Somewhat unique is the ten-bladed aperture iris, which allows for a rounded aperture even when stopped down. The decagonal shape from the ten blades is actually most obvious at the very mild stopdown to f/2, and by f/2.8 the aperture iris is rounder and remains that way through the smallest aperture value of f/16.

Up front you have a couple of options on how to finish off the lens. It comes with a lens hood with a pinch cap, or the option of using the bare lens with a friction/suction cap that reminds me of my vintage Takumar lenses. This cap (the primary one that I’ve been using) has an inner lining of padded felt that helps ensure both a snug and smooth fit. I like it, as sometimes small pinch caps (the filter thread here is only 46mm) can be little awkward. The included lens hood is a little odd and doesn’t strike me as adding a lot of shading value, though it will offer some protection to bumps to the front element. I think the primary shading value is more from side light than from when the sun is right in the frame.

If you remove the lens hood and look at the front of the lens, you will find a classic, vintage charm that I’m personally fond of. Everything is in metals, with the black, machined front façade providing a nice visual contrast to the silver finish of my review copy. It has four descriptors to the four points of the compass, including the brand, lens designation (1:1.8/22mm), filter thread size (44mm), and serial number. The multi-hued colors reflecting off the front glass surface speaks of some type of “multi-coating” there. The filter threads are metal, of course, as there is no plastic that I could see in the construction.

The aperture ring is located on the front of the lens with nicely defined detents (clicks) at full aperture stops with one exception – there is one for f/1.8 and then a second f/2, from which the standard stops continue. There was a little issue with my review copies (I actually tested two of these lenses) at the detent at f/16 – the aperture ring didn’t quite travel far enough for a complete stop there, and I had to force the ring a little further than the natural finish point to reach f/16. Fortunately for me, that isn’t really a stop I typically use (I rarely use any lens past f/11 due to diffraction starting to diminish image quality), though your usage may vary. A viewer who has purchased the Zonlai 22mm noted a similar issue, so it wasn’t just me.

The aperture ring moves very nicely otherwise. It is ribbed in metal and easy to grip. I like the fact that the ring size is very different from the manual focus ring; it’s size and location combined with a nice spacing from the MF ring means that I’m not inadvertently grabbing it.

The manual focus ring is also really nice. It is a little over a centimeter (about a half inch) in width, nicely ribbed and easy to grip, and moves essentially perfectly. Nicely damped, very smooth, and with a great amount of focus travel (about 200 degrees). This provides a great focus experience. A big percentage of that focus travel is from minimum focus to the 1 meter mark, as the lens has a very close (15cm/6”) minimum focus distance that provides a very strong magnification figure of 0.22x or a 1:4.6 magnification ratio. This is near to 1:4 life size, which, combined with the shallow depth of field provided by the maximum aperture of f/1.8, allows one to produce some unique shots. The focus throw from 1 meter to infinity is much smaller but focus also becomes a little less critical due to increasing depth of field.

The great manual focus aids built into the Sony a6500 body that I used for review allowed me to easily get consistent focus results, though obviously manual focus typically will take more time than autofocus.

The lens also has a wider variety of hyperfocal markings than is typical, including markings at f/1.8, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, and f/16. If you are new to using manual focus lenses, study up a bit on hyperfocusing and how it can help you get quick, reliable results in those situations when you want everything in focus.

As previously noted, the rear of the lens is nicely engineered, though it lacks either electronics or any kind of weather sealing. I don’t really expect the weather sealing at this point, but the lack of electronics brings its own kind of complications.

The first of those complications is that the lack of communication to the camera body means that in camera profiles are out of the question. Even in a piece of software like Lightroom a profile won’t automatically be applied but must be manually selected…and you may need to go and find a profile for it. I developed my own correction profile that seems to clean everything up nicely (vignette and distortion).

My supporting patrons can download my profile on Patreon.

The secondary challenge with no electronics is that the lens won’t communicate any EXIF data. This means that you won’t get lens-specific information attached to the files, like focal length, lens designation, or aperture value. The latter can be a real challenge as it makes applying a profile to correct for, say, vignette, difficult because vignette is aperture specific in most cases.

One final observation on the lack of electronic communication: if you are shooting on a camera body with Sony’s IBIS (Optical Steady Shot), you will need to manually select the focal length in Steady Shot settings to tailor the IBIS to give the best performance. 22mm is not an option, so you will need to select the 21mm focal length as the closest alternative. Doing this will give you a better performance.

On a side note, I personally miss proper EXIF data as a lens reviewer. It means that I have to try to mentally remember aperture values for tests and shots when I report on the lens. As an added complication, I’m currently reviewing a couple such lenses, so I’m also struggling to remember which lens was used for a particular shot.

Complaining aside, I knew all of these things going into the review; it’s the nature of this kind of lens. There were no unpleasant surprises as I began to use the lens. If anything, my positive first impressions of the presentation, build, and handling of the lens were only enhanced by my actual use of it. This is a remarkably well made little lens at this price point, and a number of engineering details bely the budget price tag.

Zonlain 22mm Image Quality

The Zonlai 22mm has an optical formula of 8 elements in 6 groups. 22mm is not necessarily a common focal length, but with Sony’s 1.5x APS-C crop factor the focal length is a full frame equivalent 33mm; very close to a standard 35mm focal length. I doubt that I need to convince you that this is a very useful focal length; one of the very best “walk around” focal lengths. It’s good for a lot of subjects, and the close focus ability of the lens along with it’s fairly wide maximum aperture only adds to the versatility.

I’ll be honest: the Zonlai 22mm surprised me. This is a very inexpensive lens from a brand that I had never heard of prior to when the distributor of it contacted me about doing a review. I had fairly low expectations for the optical performance from the lens, but what I’ve found is a surprisingly competent lens on a lot of levels.

I’ll delve into resolution and contrast in a moment, but I first want to highlight how surprised I was by the rendering from the lens, which, frankly, I found very, very interesting. There is a certain “analog charm” that I found about the lens, where the images off it had a certain quality that I really liked. Like really liked, and not just in a budget kind of way. I review lenses for all budgets, including those that cost as much as a used car, so I didn’t expect to find that I like the rendering from the lens over a lot of much more expensive options.

Part of that “magic” is that I often found that correctly exposed images didn’t peg out (clip) on either the shadow or highlight end of the histogram. This would often create a slight “analog” look to the images that weren’t crushed in some way. You can easily dial in more contrast if desired, (often by just extending white and black levels to the edges of the histogram) but often the look of images was just pleasing as it was. What’s interesting is that while global contrast isn’t over the top, I found microcontrast from the lens actually quite good. If you zoom into the details of the images there is good microcontrast and thus fine textures are rendered quite well. At wide apertures that effect is more concentrated in the center third of the frame, then two-thirds, but when stopped down, the lens actually becomes a surprisingly competent landscape lens. I was surprised by how much detail was rendered (even at a pixel level) at landscape distances across the whole image frame at apertures like f/5.6 and f/8.

I keep zooming into it on a 1:1 pixel level, and I’m really, really surprised by how much detail is there.

I did discover a fly in the ointment when I formally tested the lens, however, as I noted that the left side was significantly softer than the right. I tried focusing directly on that left side and discovered that I could get much better sharpness…though now neither the center nor the right were in focus at all. This seemed to indicate either a decentered element or perhaps a tilted element.

I let Zonlai know, and they sent me a second copy to test. I found that the second copy performed slightly better, but exhibited roughly similar behavior. They may have a manufacturing/assembly “kinks” to work out.

At wider apertures edge sharpness matters less just because of the type of ways we tend to use lenses like this. I didn’t actually note the centering issue until I formally tested the lens, though I did see a few images that I thought were a little softer than expected on the left. Other images, like this one, seem strong across the frame.

Despite the centering issue, I found that the lens was effective at all focus distances, which extends the value of such a lens to me, as it can be hybrid between the kinds of images that you take at wide apertures and the kinds of images that you take at narrow apertures (landscapes, etc…) I find that with many budget primes there is a fairly narrow scope of what kind of images they are good for. They might be good at portrait distances, for example, but optical weaknesses are exposed at infinity distances, where they struggle to resolve the fine details of landscape images. That wasn’t the case here, as the Zonlai seemed to perform equally well from minimum focus distances to infinity.

Resolution

Chromatic aberrations are fantastically well controlled, with neither lateral nor longitudinal aberrations showing up in any meaningful way for field use. The byproduct of this is that the lens has very strong microcontrast even at wide apertures…particularly in the center of the frame. Look at the fine textures on the second (cropped) image of the cat:

I found that I had fairly consistent results between portrait distances and infinity distances. As previously noted, the lens works well at both distances, and I first brought up the low chromatic aberrations as this gives the reason why. Lenses with a weakness for chromatic aberrations often don’t perform very well at infinity, as the higher contrast conditions exaggerate the veiling produced by chromatic aberrations. The Zonlai 22mm has very low chromatic aberrations, and, as a result, it resolves details at infinity distances quite well.

First, however, let’s break down the portrait distance result. There is some vignette at wider apertures, and the primary difference between f/1.8 and f/2 is a light lifting of the vignette (that might help if you are shooting in conditions where having vignette is an issue). Wide open, I found that a value of +58 in Lightroom’s manual Vignette slider and selecting a midpoint of 31 cleared up the vignette nicely, and a value of +7 helped straighten out the mild barrel distortion that is present. There is a very, very slight amount of “mustache” distortion that will only be noticed when shooting (as I am for this test) a subject with very precise geometric lines. Note: my Patrons can visit Patreon and get my custom profile for the lens for free as a ‘thank you’ for your support.

The center sharpness and contrast at f/1.8 is pretty near excellent, but the edges lag behind a fair bit. As previously noted, there is a centering issue with both copies of the lens I tested, with the second copy performing a little better. Here’s a comparison of the two copies from across the frame.

Stopping down to f/2 does very little. On multiple occasions I discovered that the lens exposed identically (AV mode chose the same shutter speed for both), though the f/2 result actually looks a little brighter due to some of the vignette retreating. I found a minor uptick in resolution and contrast in the center of the frame, though only enough to be visible when looking close and having the two side by side. The same is true of the edges of the frame.

Stopping down to f/2.8 shows a significant lifting of the vignette. Center sharpness and contrast remains the same (which is to say, excellent), but there is a definite improvement in edge sharpness, which is now enter good territory (at least on the right).

Stopping on down to f/4 shows an extremely small further improvement on vignette, with center sharpness remaining excellent (but mostly unchanged) while the edges now reach very good territory (though the left still lags).

At f/5.6 I actually see a very mild improvement in the center of the frame, and now the corner performance is also excellent on the right, though the left side lags behind at either portrait distance or infinity.

If Zonlai could straighten out the decentering issue this could be a truly excellent compact landscape lens. The excellent microcontrast and low CA from the lens enables it to do a great job of resolving fine details and textures. There were actually a number of my real world images where I could only detect the centering issue by looking for it, and others where I didn’t feel I could detect it at all.

If your shooting style mostly involves the center 2/3rds of the frame, however, the results are really pretty excellent at any aperture.

Color, Bokeh, and Flare Resistance

Color rendition is excellent, and, while it can be hard to quantify color rendering, I will say this: I was concurrently reviewing two Zeiss Batis lenses (2.8/18mm and 2/25mm) on the Sony a7R3. On some hikes or excursions, I had one of the Batis lenses on the a7R3 and the Zonlai 22mm on my a6500. There were actually times when I opened images and thought I was looking at a Batis image until I noticed that the there was no Metadata for the lens (indicating the Zonlai and its lack of electronics). Considering that these lenses’ cost more than 10x more, this is impressive.

Bokeh rendering is a bit of a mixed bag. The lens affords you the ability to focus down very closely, and the resulting 0.22x + wide maximum aperture of f/1.8 magnification means in some applications you can get close to your subject and throw a background strongly out of focus. The background blur in these situations is actually very nice, as some of these very close focus images show.

In other circumstances, however, the bokeh can be a little busier, with the lens grabbing some hard edges and not blurring them completely. The “transition zone” between focus and defocus is particularly prone to a little busyness if there are hard edges in that area. You can see that in both this close focus example and in the lower left side of this casual portrait.

You will also see some deformation of geometry along the edges of the frame (cat eye shapes), but this is fairly typical. Don’t expect strongly defocused backgrounds when you start moving away from your subject, however, as this isn’t a particularly long focal length. Bottom line is that bokeh quality is going to depend on the scene and your particular tastes. In some instances it looks quite lovely, while in other scenes it looks somewhat busy.

The lens is definitely not flare resistant! While veiling isn’t a terrible issue (loss of contrast), but there is a lot of prismatic ghosting. There is some prismatic colors near the epicenter of the sun, which is faint at wide apertures (and somewhat artistic), but more pronounced with the lens stopped down. There is also some ghosting artifacts further down the direction of the sun’s rays, and, once again, this becomes more pronounced as you stop the lens down. It isn’t necessarily destructive to the image, but you do have to be careful where you place the sun and these ghosting effects in the frame. If the sun is right out of the frame the lens will veil somewhat, and that’s where the included lens hood (though shallow) can make a difference. When stopped down to smaller apertures, the lens produces an attractive sunburst.

Another positive is that the lens performs well at close focus distances, as it continues to resolve well and has good microcontrast of textures due to low CA. It made for a nice little budget product shot lens for this reason.

This is a lens that I didn’t hesitate to use wide open, and the results are generally excellent due to the high center sharpness, great contrast, excellent color rendition, and low CA. If it weren’t for the centering issue that I saw on both copies of the lens I tested, I would categorize the optical performance as excellent. You can see a greater variety of images from the lens at the Image Galleries page here.

Zonlai 2mm f/1.8 Video Thoughts

The Zonlai 22mm is an attractive option for shooting video. I’ve used it for a number of my video segments on my YouTube channel, and have been very happy with the sharp, nicely colored 4K footage from my Sony a6500 and the lens. The lens handles very well, so will be a nice choice for video shooters who will either use some focus mechanism (something like the FocusShifter manual mechanism I reviewed) or who like to set focus and leave it. It’s very lightweight, so it will be a nice option on a gimbal system as well. I suspect that film makers on a budget will really enjoy this lens for a lot of reason. It can focus down closely (useful), has good color and contrast (ditto), and has excellent center sharpness at any aperture (obviously very important). Many film makers prefer manual focus lenses, and this is a very inexpensive way to get great manual focus and excellent image quality.

Conclusion

It is great to see some excellent budget options emerge from some new lensmakers. There are always growing pains for new companies – as evidenced by a few of the quirks I saw in the production of the lens(es), but where I’m encouraged is in how good the optics are on the lens. I review lenses from mature lens makers that have more optical flaws than the Zonlai 22mm f/1.8, so I have a lot of hope that once Zonlai gets their manufacturing line ironed out they will be able to produce better and better budget alternatives for Sony, Fuji, Canon M, and M43 shooters. I’m certainly interested in what they will offer in the future. The Zonlai 22mm is built from good materials, has a beautiful focus ring, and overall handles very nicely. The images I’ve been able to get out of it seem more premium than the inexpensive price suggests. It’s a nice focal length for both still and video work, and the excellent performance at close focus distances further extends the usefulness for me. If you are on a tight budget, I would consider this lens. Manual focus isn’t for everyone, but mirrorless bodies take a lot of the sting out of it, and this lens will enable much better results than what a kit lens can offer. The Samyang/Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 is a nice alternative, but expect to pay at least twice as much.

Pros:

Nicely built lens that handles well
Excellent color rendition
Extremely low levels of CA
Good minimum focus distance and magnification
Good sharpness
Excellent manual focus ring with good throw and damping
Inexpensive price = good price to performance ratio

Cons:

Some manufacturing quirks in aperture ring and decentering issue
Some ghosting when sun in the frame
Bokeh can get a little busy in the transition zone

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Keywords: Zonlai 22mm 1.8, Zonlai 22mm f/1.8, Zonlai, 22mm, f/1.8, 1.8, Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 Review, Zonlai 22 1.8 Review, 1.8/22, Dustin Abbott, Lens, Review, Image Quality, Video Test, 4K, Sample Images, Real World, Manual Focus, Bokeh, CA, Sharpness, Resolution, Distortion

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Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART Review

Dustin Abbott

November 21st, 2017

Sigma has done a fairly amazing job of reinventing themselves as a company in the past five years. It can be easy to forget that Sigma was known as a maker of mostly “cheap” lenses not all that long ago, and often their primary claim to fame was delivering a less expensive product than the first parties. That perception began to slightly shift with the delivery of generally quite good EX 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 primes, but of course really accelerated with the release of the ART series. A Sigma ART lens has become synonymous with optical excellence and resolution that is generally at or near the top of the class. And with this new success Sigma has also proved to be more daring than the more conservative first parties. They have embraced optical designs outside the traditional scope, and have really “pushed the envelope” with what is possible in maximum aperture in both primes and zoom lenses. The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART is another case in point. At f/1.8, the maximum aperture of the 14mm ART is larger than any competing lens, which makes it a very intriguing option…but it comes at a cost.

As we progress through this review, we will discover that the cost comes both on a monetary level (it isn’t cheap!) and also in its size/weight (largest and heaviest in the class). To the first point: the Sigma ART series was, initially, all priced around the $799-999 mark in the US market. Sigma seemed to studiously avoid breaching the thousand dollar price point until last year. Since that point we have seen a number of the newest ART series lenses at price points well above the thousand dollar mark, including the 50-100mm f/1.8 ART zoom ($1199), 85mm f/1.4 ART ($1199), 24-70mm f/2.8 OS ART ($1299), 135mm f/1.8 ART ($1399), 12-24mm f/4 ART ($1599), and this lens, the 14mm ART, at $1599 USD. Suffice it to say that this particular “glass ceiling” has been shattered, and the 14mm ART is tied with the 12-24mm as the most expensive options in the ART series. I’ve reviewed all of these lenses, and they are excellent lenses, but I think it is safe to say that the idea of Sigma lenses as “bargains” is past.

The 14mm focal length has a huge range of price points. There is the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8, which can often be had for around $300. There is the Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II, which is typically north of $2000, and a host of other options in between. I reviewed the excellent Rokinon SP 14mm f/2.4 earlier this year, which retails for around $1000 (but is manual focus). My point is that this lens must compete on merit, as the price, while cheaper than the most expensive option (Canon), is more than 5x as expensive as the least expensive option.

There are counterarguments to make for the Sigma 14mm ART, however, including the fact that it offers a larger maximum aperture than all alternatives (1 1/3^rd stop faster than most, and 2/3^rdsstop faster than the Rokinon XP and its f/2.4 max aperture). It has autofocus (several alternatives don’t), and it is now weathersealed (the Samyang/Rokinon options do not). It does offer something unique when compared to alternatives, but it is also a fairly expensive lens that will make potential buyers consider the alternatives before placing their order.

But is it worth the money? Read to help make that decision for yourself.

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Build and Design

The second place that you will “pay” for this lens is in the weight, which is easily at the top of its class. It weighs 2.57lb (1170g), which makes it heavier even than the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART zoom lens I reviewed. The only wide angle option that is heavier is the unique Canon 11-24mm f/4L lens, and it is only a measly 10g heavier (though it’s also $1000+ more expensive). It has a very large glass front element and is quite front heavy. I tried to mount it (paired with a Canon 5D Mark IV) on my Moza Air motorized gimbal for some video, and found that it was nearly impossible to balance due to the odd weight distribution. Pushing the envelope of maximum aperture in this lens comes at the cost of some serious weight.

Then again, the ART series has never been known for being light, and this lens will do nothing to reverse that trend! It isn’t small, either, with a diameter of 3.76” (95.4mm) and a length of nearly 5” (126mm). The lens is fairly narrow at the mount but significantly flares out about halfway down the length to house the extremely large curved front element.

The build is extremely familiar, as I have reviewed the majority of the ART series lenses. It is a mixture of metal and “thermal composite” (engineered plastics) based on a brass bayonet mount. The tactile impression is more metal than plastic, which feels reinforced by the significant heft of the lens. The lens profile is extremely similar to that of the 12-24mm f/4, with the one exception that there is one less ring on the 14 ART (no zoom ring). That lone ring (the manual focus ring) is built into the wide front section of the lens which flows right into the fixed (permanent) lens hood. This is unusual compared to most lenses, but very similar in design to the 12-24 ART. The manual focus ring moves nicely and has a nice, grippy rubberized texture to it.

Sigma’s Global Vision design language has aged well, and the lens is very modern and sleek in a squat, rounded kind of way. It mixes various textures and finishes to keep from being too “monochromatic”. There is one switch on the barrel, an AF/MF switch to allow you to go to manual focus (though full time manual override is available through Sigma’s HSM focus motor). There is a distance window with some hyperfocal markings as well.

The lens notes that it was made in Japan as well as the year of manufacturing (2017). The lens (like other ART series lenses) has a nine-rounded blade aperture iris. It can focus down to 10.63” (27cm), but has an exceptionally low 0.10x magnification figure. If you wanted a wide angle lens that could double as a macro lens, this most definitely isn’t it!

Sigma has begun to incorporate some moisture resistance into its design, which is very welcome in a lens like this. It has a rubber gasket to help with the seal at the bayonet mount, but Sigma’s language says “Dust and Splash-proof mount” and makes no reference to internal seals. Something is better than nothing, but I wouldn’t push this too much.

At the front of the lens you will find a massive curved front element. The glass has some protection on four sides by a fixed petal-shaped lens hood. This is a necessary evil on most lenses 15mm or wider, but it does have a few downsides. The first has to do with the fixed lens hood, which requires the front lens cap to be the large type that slips over the lens hood and is held in place by a combination of friction and suction. I’ve seen no issue with the cap falling off of its own accord, but I do find these types of caps to be a pain because they don’t fit well into a pocket when you pull them off for a quick shot. Even a jacket pocket will be full with this lens cap inside, and you can forget it fitting in most pants pockets.

The second downside is that traditional screw-in filters cannot be used. There will invariably be third party filter makers that will produce adapters for their front filter systems (I use the Fotodiox Pro WonderPana system for the Tamron 15-30 VC). The upside of these type systems is that graduated neutral density filters are very useful for wide angle landscape work, but the downside is that they are big, bulky, and expensive. Fortunately Sigma is working to provide an alternate solution, which comes in the form of the FHR-11 rear filter holder which will mount on the lens mount and allow you to use small rear glass and gel filters. It seems to only be available for the Canon mount lens and only (at the moment) directly from Sigma (I can’t find it at major retailers).

The upside is that Sigma is only charging $36 for it, but you will have to screw it in yourself and provide the filters. Sigma obviously feels the audience for this is small enough to not actually ship the lens with the filter holder included. There are a number of Canon wide angle lenses that have a similar rear filter hold built in.

I have not tested this optional accessory myself, but I am happy to see that Sigma has worked to provide some kind of solution. The lens is also compatible with Sigma’s USB dock (for tweaking autofocus and other features) and is also eligible for Sigma’s mount conversion service if you decide to “jump ship” at some point and move from Canon to Nikon or vice versa.

The lens is only available in Canon, Nikon, and Sigma native mounts, though I did test it on a Sony body with a Sigma MC-11 adapter and, as per usual, the lens actually works quite well there. One serious perk is that Sigma lenses will work in AF-C mode during video capture with the MC-11, which is unlike any other adapted lenses with any of the adapters that I’ve used (Metabones, Vello (x2), etc…) All is not perfect, here, and you should check out my comments in the Autofocus Performance section below.

I also tested it with a Vello Accelerator adapter for Sony APS-C eMount, where the lens behaves like a full frame lens in terms of framing and depth of field (the accelerator allows the maximum aperture to be f/1.4). Autofocus (for stills) continued to work fine, and the image quality was quite good. Here are some interior shots taken with this combination:

All in all the lens feels like a quality piece of kit. It’s expensive, large, and heavy, but feels functional and well made.

Autofocus Performance

I’ve been relieved to see a positive trend for recent Sigma releases in their autofocus accuracy. This has been an area of weakness for many of the Sigma ART lenses in that I’ve seen an unusual amount of focus inconsistencies in my tests and have heard an abnormally high amount of anecdotal reports about focus issues from other photographers. To be fair, I do treat anecdotal reports with a grain of salt, as there are a lot of variables at play, but the sheer volume of them let me know that the problems I saw were systemic. Last year, however, Sigma started increasing the torque on their HSM (Hypersonic Motor) and I personally started seeing better focus accuracy. Lenses like the 85mm f/1.4 ART, 135mm f/1.4 ART, and the 12-24mm f/4 ART (along with the 100-400mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary) all proved better than previous ART series lenses in my testing, though with the wide aperture lenses I found better accuracy when using the center points on my Canon 5D Mark IV and avoiding the outer points. So, usable focus accuracy if not exceptional.

I found the 14mm ART needed only minor focus calibration out of the box, and then specifically went out to field test focus accuracy. Now, to be fair, a 14mm lens puts much less stress on the focus system than a 85mm or 135mm lens. At 6 feet, for example, even at the abnormally large maximum aperture of f/1.8, the depth of field with a 14mm lens is over 8 feet. At a 10 foot distance the depth of field jumps to nearly 57 feet. To give you an idea of the difference with, say, the 85mm f/1.4 ART, the depth of field at 6 feet and f/1.4 is only an 1 ½ inches, or less than 4 centimeters. Even at ten feet that depth of field is only 4 inches or slightly under 11 centimeters. The bottom line is that autofocus accuracy is less of an issue with this kind of lens, though it can still be an issue to some degree.

In my field tests I had nothing to be concerned about. The lens focused on what I wanted it to focus on, and I saw one instance of front focus, but mild enough to still be acceptable. And that was shooting at f/1.8; stopping the lens down only further eliminates the chances of missed focus.

Here are a few images and crops from these focus tests.

I’ve never really had an issue with Sigma lenses when it comes to focus speed or noise; the HSM motor focuses quickly and quietly. No concerns there.

I suspect that a lens like, say, the Canon 14mm f/2.8L II is still the better focusing lens, but frankly I doubt that it is going to make much of a difference for most shooters due to the nature of the focal length. I certainly wouldn’t be concerned.

If you happen to be a Sony shooter, using the MC-11 adapter produces good if mixed results (I tested on a Sony a6500). The lens focuses accurately, but is prone to some pulsing before settling on focus. The MC-11 adapter + Sigma lenses is the only adapter combination I’ve yet found that allows for video AF, but just know that the focus motor is not really optimized for this kind of behavior and tends to produce a lot of clicking during Video Servo AF (AF-C) use.

If you own multiple systems and want to utilize the 14mm ART on both systems, then go for it, but I would recommend purchasing a dedicated lens for Sony E Mount if you are a Sony shooter.

Sigma 14mm ART Image Quality

And now we get to the good stuff! Sigma has built a reputation with its ART series for excellent resolution, and the 14mm ART is right up at the top of the heap, out resolving any and all competitors at this focal length. I recommend that you want this video where I break down the resolution performance.

Resolution

The sharpness begins at f/1.8, and while the extreme corners may not yet be tack sharp at f/1.8, a good part of the image circle is. Center resolution is excellent, and, frankly, stopping the lens down will improve contrast a bit and will increase depth of field, but resolution gains will only be minimal in the center 2/3rds of the frame. Check out these crops from across the frame.

There are some lenses that make a significant leap when stopped down just a bit (even a third stop), but I didn’t really notice any difference between f/1.8 and f/2. Stopping on down to f/2.8 gives an uptick in contrast and edge performance looks better in large part to lifting vignette. There is some vignette at f/1.8, but it does significantly improve by f/2.8, which means that it looks better at f/2.8 in terms of vignette) than any wide angle lens from 12-16mm that I’ve used. I do think the sharpness profile extends a little further towards the edge of the frame, but it can be hard to tell what is more resolution and what is just cleared vignette. Here’s a look at crops across the frame.

Starting at f/2.8 I compared the 14mm ART to the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC. It ends up being the benchmark for a lot of wide angle lenses because 1) I own it and 2) it is a very good lens. What I found in the comparison is the Sigma is stronger on the edges of the frame, a position it holds even with the two lenses stopped down (though that advantage shrinks somewhat at typically landscape apertures). The Tamron suffers from some lateral chromatic aberrations along the edges of the frame (both green and purple fringing) while the Sigma shows no inclination towards CA at all. In the center portions of the frame the two lenses look pretty similar (which is to say excellent). The Tamron has a bit more micro-contrast and color saturation/accuracy, but it’s not significant. The Sigma is delivering the more consistent image across the frame, and, for landscape purposes, that is significant. Here’s a look at the comparison between the two lenses across the frame at f/5.6.

I came away extremely impressed by the resolution from the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART. Not only has Sigma managed to push the envelope in what is possible in maximum aperture at 14mm; they’ve done it while also pushing the envelope in the resolution potential of 14mm. No 14mm (or 15mm) lens that I’m aware resolves as highly as the 14mm ART. Even at closer focus distances the sharpness is exceptional – take a look at this photo of the cat and the crop from it!

Sigma 14mm ART Coma Performance

Another incredibly important metric for such a lens is the coma performance. The single biggest reason for such a wide aperture at such a wide focal length is the light gathering potential. This lens, with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, has 1 1/3 stops more light gathering potential than an f/2.8 lens. What does this mean in real world shooting? Well, for example, a shot like this I took at f/1.8, 15 second shutter speed, and ISO 1600. At ISO 1600 my 5D Mark IV isn’t breaking a sweat, so there isn’t any visible noise in the image.

At f/2.8, however, I would have to be at ISO 4000, where there is definitely more potential for noise. The exceptional performance of many camera bodies at higher ISO settings makes this less of an issue than in times past, but it’s always better to have more light gathering potential than less. The other upside is that you can keep shutter speeds up, which reduces the risk of movement of the stars.

Comatic aberrations are most often seen when distant points of light become deformed. Rather than being a crisp point of light, they will appear to “grow wings” like an insect or be shaped like a flying saucer. I’ve also seen star points stretch and become more like dashes than periods. The best lenses for astrophotography are those that exhibit minimal amounts of coma, and some of the better options I’ve used include the afore-mentioned Tamron, the Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4, and the Zeiss Distagon 15mm f/2.8. The Sigma jumps out as being even more potentially useful because of the larger maximum aperture, but does it pass the coma test?

The answer is yes, and no. Compared to other Sigma options I’ve personally used, this is one of the better performers. It resolves very high (crisp stars), has relatively low vignette (a huge issue for some competitors), and obviously has better light transmission. But it does show some comatic aberrations. They are reserved mostly for the edges of the frame, but I saw a few “flying insects” there. The nature of the very wide 14mm frame means that they aren’t particularly obvious to most eyes (each star point is pretty small in the frame), but those of you for whom this is an issue you will probably notice it. I’ve seen much worse than the 14mm ART, but I’ve also seen better.

For pure astro work I think the Samyang/Rokinon XP 14mm f/2.4 might still be the better option, though you do give up 2/3rds of a stop of light gathering compared to the Sigma (and autofocus, of course!) I think the Sigma 14mm ART works for astro, but Sigma hasn’t entirely solved the coma issue in any lens of theirs that I’ve seen. By contrast this is something that Samyang has been good at for a while.

My opinion is that the positives outweigh the negatives here, but I would have loved to see just a little less coma from the lens. The lens has exceptional chromatic aberration control; it would have been nice if the comatic aberration control was equally exceptional.

Chromatic Aberration, Distortion, and Flare Resistance

A discussion of the distortion in a wide angle lens is a little complicated, as the very nature of the focal length creates a lot of potential for perspective distortion (or the keystone effect). This is really the primary reason that tilt/shift lenses exist. By moving the lens elements in relation to the sensor it allows one to get all of the lines straight when shooting interiors or architecture. Without that capability, however, you will often get a result where it seems like trees or buildings are “leaning” towards the center of the frame. You can reduce this result by bringing the camera up higher, for example, but this sometimes comes at the cost of a less favorable composition.

But this is not actually distortion in a traditional sense. It is the nature of the focal length, not a flaw in the lens itself.

The actual barrel distortion of the lens is fairly minimal. It does bulge a bit in the center, but in mild amounts and without any kind of complex pattern. The standard profile in Lightroom or ACR handles it all fairly well (see above). I feel like there is a bit more distortion than Sigma’s 12-24mm f/4 ART (which is quite exceptional in this area), but this is another strong performance (and a Sigma strength in my experience).

Despite that bulbous front element the lens also does a very good job of resisting flare when the sun is in the frame. Wide open there is a minimal amount of veiling (lost of contrast) near the epicenter of the sun, but next to no ghosting effects (blobs of color).

Stopped down to f/11 there are some very small ghosting artifacts, but they are minimal and unobtrusive. I was very pleased with this performance, as this is an area that the Tamron can struggle (more from side lighting than direct sun).

Chromatic aberration performance is near perfect, with no visible amount of chromatic aberrations (green or purple fringing) showing up in any of my field tests. This is an outstanding performance!

Color and Contrast

I noted earlier that I felt the color rendition from the lens was good but not exceptional. Often Zeiss lenses have a unique “look” to images that doesn’t seem to need additional post processing. The Sigma 14mm ART doesn’t quite fall into that category, but there is a good amount of contrast, that, combined with the complete lack of chromatic aberrations, allows images to seem very crisp. I like the look of the images out of the lens, and, with just a little processing, I think they can look exceptional. Take for example this image, shot at f/1.8.

It’s very crisp even at f/1.8, but looks like a little flat because I purposefully underexposed a bit to give me more highlight room in the sky. A little post processing and the image becomes exceptional:

Wide Open Landscape (Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART)

All in all you won’t have a problem producing stunning images with this lens, though if you have never composed with a lens this wide it may require some retooling of your mental approach to composition.

Remember that you will often need a foreground element to fill in space so that your image doesn’t look “empty”. Here’s a few landscape samples:

I recommend that you check out the Image Galleries to see more sample images from the Sigma 14mm ART.

Conclusion

There are a lot of photographers who have been very excited about this lens, and my time spent with it leaves me to conclude that they have good reason to be. I noted that the lens has some challenges due to its nature (it’s expensive, heavy, and cannot use normal filters), but Sigma deserves some applause here for once again pulling off what no other lens maker has done. They took on the brief of creating an extremely sharp wide angle prime with a record-setting maximum aperture at this focal length and nailed it. The Sigma 14mm ART isn’t perfect, but neither does it have any fatal flaws, either. It’s imperfections (coma, distortion, vignette) are all so mild as to have little true impact on photographers, while its strengths (resolution, flare resistance, lack of chromatic aberrations) should make it appealing to those with high resolution camera systems looking for a landscape lens that can deliver exceptional results. The wide aperture will also appeal to some wedding and event photographers who crave more light gathering (and action stopping!) than what the average lens can provide. I do think the price and weight may discourage some potential buyers, but those for whom these are not major obstacles will undoubtedly be pleased with the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART…another unique lens from Sigma in its ART series.

Pros:

Class leading resolution
Largest maximum aperture ever at 14mm
Excellent flare resistance
Extremely good chromatic aberration control
Low levels of distortion
Effective autofocus system

Cons:

Heaviest lens in its class
Fairly expensive
Not free from coma
Bulbous front elements precludes use of traditional filters

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Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART Image Galleries

Dustin Abbott

October 31st, 2017

One of Sigma’s most hotly anticipated lenses of the year is this one – the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART. It sets the new record for maximum aperture at such a wide angle (this is a full frame compatible lens), and that makes it interesting for a lot of reasons. It looks very similar in “person” to the 14-24mm f/4 ART lens I previously reviewed, but obviously it is a very different kind of lens. I look forward to giving this one a spin for shooting astrophotography work (that huge maximum aperture is a big deal for this!) I will be running the lens through my standard battery of tests over the next few weeks, but in the meantime you call check out images of and from the Sigma 14mm here. To me the biggest competitor to this lens is the Rokinon XP 14mm f/2.4 I reviewed earlier this year, so you might want to check out that review in anticipation of this one.

Photos of the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART

Photos from the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART

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Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART Review

Dustin Abbott

December 23rd, 2016

Sigma’s recent ART series has primarily been dominated by wide aperture primes along with a few unique, wide aperture zooms. The one exception previously has been the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 OS. The Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART lens take the series to a wider focal length than ever before and is one of the rare lenses in the series without a wide maximum aperture. The 12-24 ART is probably best viewed as Sigma’s answer to the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L, a monster of a lens that pushed the limits of a rectlinear full frame zoom lens on the wide end. I would be interested in knowing how well that lens has sold, as, frankly, it didn’t incite a whole lot of interest in me. 11mm is an incredibly hard focal length to use well, and I can’t help but wonder how many owners end up taking most of their shots between 15-24mm (ie, the more traditional landscape focal lengths). Apparently Sigma decided the lens needed answering, however, because we have a lens with almost the same focal length (a 1mm loss on the long end). I don’t miss that 1mm one little bit, however, as 12mm is still incredibly wide…wider, frankly, than most shooters will ever need. Is the Sigma 12-24 ART a lens that should make it into your kit? Read on to find out.

Prefer to watch your reviews? I’ve got you covered – just click the video review below!

Build Quality

The 12-24mm ART is a beautiful albeit large(ish) lens. When you take it out of its square padded case (thanks for that, Sigma!!), you will quickly note that the lens is so wide (particularly towards the front) as to seem almost square rather than cylindrical.

Its diameter of 4.02”/102mm isn’t far off its length of 5.08”/131.5mm. The unique design makes it seem that the focus ring is on the lens hood, as it is on the flared portion that towards the front of the lens that does include the fixed lens hood. It is perhaps the oddest focus ring I’ve yet encountered, though there is nothing wrong with the action. It moves nicely, though without a particularly big range of focus throw (not uncommon for wide angle lenses).

In this video you can take a closer look at the overall physical dimensions and build of the lens:

The lens is very dense and weighs a hefty 2.54lb (1150 grams). It has a fairly massive lens cap that slips over the fixed lens hood (like other lenses with a bulbous front element). Unfortunately these caps are a bit of a pain, and I’ve been complaining about them for years. They don’t fit in a pocket very well and are generally a pain in the field. The 12-24 ART’s cap does fit securely, however.

Using traditional screw-in filters are out, though I fully anticipate that third party filter companies like Fotodiox, Formatt Hitech, and Lee Filters will fill those gaps. Such systems (I use the Fotodiox Wonderpana for the Tamron 15-30 VC) work very well for landscape work but do incur additional bulk and costs. The physical dimensions of the 12-24 ART are very similar to the chief competitor (the Canon 11-24mm), which is 4.3”/109.22mm x 5.2”/133.8mm and weighs 2.6lb/1180g. Fortunately the Sigma doesn’t copy the Canon’s eye-watering price tag of right under $3000 USD, although the $1599 USD price tag definitely takes the ART series to a new price premium. It will be interesting to see if Sigma loyalists are ready to embrace this new price point.

The lens feels very well made with a feel something like metal (but actually is not). According to Sigma, the lens is constructed from a lightweight and durable thermally-stable composite (engineered plastics) with some internal metal bits, while the lens mount is made from brass. The lens feels just as good (if not better) than most recent Canon L series lenses, though.

Finally! The ART series has some moisture resistance. From Sigma’s press release: “Mount with dust- and splash-proof construction: The lens mount incorporates rubber sealing to protect the mount from dust and water drops. The front and rear lenses feature a water- and oil-repellent coating that is particularly useful when shooting in a drizzle, near ocean spray, and in a wide variety of other conditions. “ While the language here isn’t exactly enthusiastic, it’s a start. I can verify that there is a rubber gasket near the lens mount and also used the lens in some light rain and freezing drizzle without any issues. Those that shoot in more challenging environments, however, will particularly appreciate this new direction for the ART series.

Though not uncommon, I did note that the when the rear element is moved forward there is a fairly significant gap created where I can see into the lens innards. Under normal operational use this shouldn’t be an issue, but if that rear element happened to be forward and the lens was removed (to switch to another lens, for example), it wouldn’t be difficult for dust to get in there.

The zoom ring is fairly close to the barrel and moves nice and smoothly. The lens is internally zooming and focusing. There is only one switch on the lens barrel, and that is a simple on/off switch for the AF (though full time manual override is available with Sigma’s HSM focus motor).

Image Quality

The bottom line for many is in the overall image quality from a lens. It is fairly large and heavy, moderately expensive, but if the image quality is fantastic many photographers are willing to accept those compromises. We will examine all the different aspects of the optical performance of the lens.

One minor caveat. I had this lens for about 18 days including the last week of November and the first two weeks of December. The weather was incredibly dreary during that period, so my photos in no way reflect the optimal results that this lens can achieve!

Resolution

If you have a few minutes, I recommend that you watch this video where I interactively look at resolution, chromatic aberration and flare control, vignette, and even coma performance.

I set up a landscape comparison test for the 12-24 ART with two comparison lenses: the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero D that I happened to have for review at the time (which provides a rare comparison at 12mm) and the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 VC lens that I used to compare the 12-24 ART at the 20mm and 24mm positions. I used mirror lockup, two second delay, and shot at a variety of aperture values. I observed a number of things, including:

12mm Observations

The 12-24mm is a true 12mm on the long end. It framed basically exactly like the Laowa 12mm. In fact, if anything, it was a tiny fraction wider (see comparison photo above and note that the left side of the image shows a slight bit wider framing for the Sigma).
The Sigma was (unsurprisingly to me) sharper than the Laowa with both lenses at f/4. The 12-24 ART has nicely even sharpness across the frame even wide open. This is a very strong f/4 performance at such a critically wide focal length.

I had previously noted the color rendering of the Laowa in my review of that lens, where I found it had a warm, slight green tint. The Sigma renders much cooler by comparison, but when compared to the Tamron the color rendition is almost identical. The color palette of my introductory video (shot on the 80D with the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 lens) also matches these lenses. For some reason the Laowa lens consistently produced a different white balance than the other two lenses, but even when equalizing the white balances the Laowa has a very slight greenish cast and is still a bit warmer (see above).
When stopped down to f/5.6-f/11 the sharpness difference vanishes (the Laowa sharpens up a lot while the Sigma is actually a bit sharper at f/4 than it is at f/8.) The 12-24 ART is clearly optimized to achieve maximum sharpness at about f/5.6. This makes it a good match for high resolution sensors that hit diffraction limits earlier, but may present a challenge if you wanted to stop down further for greater depth of field or to create a nice sunburst effect for bright light points. Note below the surprising difference between f/4 and f/8.

The 12-24 ART shows very good chromatic aberration control in this comparison.
“Draw distance” from the lens is good; it resolved the textures and details in the distant background very well.

The 12mm performance was encouraging. The lens showed a lot of resolution at f/4, with nicely even sharpness across the frame. The center won’t always shine compared to other lenses with a lot of sharpness packed into the middle but trailing off towards the edges, but the lens provides nicely consistent sharpness across the frame. Good color rendition and low CA result in nice real world results.

White Above | White Below (Sigma 12-24 ART)

20mm Observations

The Sigma faces a much stronger challenger in the Tamron 15-30 VC at 20mm and at wider apertures. The Tamron is a very sharp lens and that is particularly true in the middle of the focus range. They are basically equally sharp wide open with the Tamron at f/2.8 and the Sigma at f/4. The one advantage I can see for the Sigma is that I can see a bit of lateral chromatic aberrations with the Tamron that I don’t see on the Sigma…and those lateral aberrations persist even when the lens is stopped down.

At f/4 the advantage clearly shifts to the Tamron. At equivalent settings the Tamron is delivering a brighter image overall plus has next to no observable vignette for field use. It is clearly sharper and with greater contrast in the center of the frame, though the advantage is very slight at the edges (the Sigma’s sharpness is still very even). There is still some CA at the edges of the frame that the Sigma doesn’t have.
At f/5.6 the Sigma has gained a small edge on the edges of the frame while the Tamron rules the center 2/3rds of the frame with higher resolution and contrast. A slight bit of the fringing from the Tamron persists in the extreme edges.
At f/8 the Tamron is still has the resolution edge, but the Sigma has a slightly more pleasing performance at the edges of the frame (without correction) because a bit of fringing persists with the Tamron. It is worth noting that the Sigma behaves more traditionally from around 16mm on with peak sharpness coming at smaller apertures like f/8.
I slightly prefer the color rendering from the Tamron. It is a bit cooler but I also find the overall contrast and color saturation a little stronger from it.

Here’s a quick look at some crops from the center and edges of the frame along with the full 20mm image.

24mm Observations

The Sigma showed well on the wide end by having a true 12mm focal length when compared to a 12mm prime. It isn’t quite as convincing at 24mm. Both lenses record 24mm in the EXIF data, but the Sigma is framing a little more loosely. 23mm, maybe? This is pretty common for lens makers; they tend to round up or down to the more common focal lengths. No one wants to buy a 11.9-23.1mm zoom! In the photo below you can that there is a whole tree in the frame that isn’t there on the Tamron (which also reads 24mm in the EXIF data).

Comparing sharpness with both lenses wide open shows neither delivering a convincing performance in the corners. The Sigma is bit better across the frame at f/4 than the Tamron is at f/2.8.
The situation strongly reverses with the Tamron stopped down to f/4. It has noticeably better sharpness and contrast throughout all but the very edges of the frame. Extreme edge performance is a strength for the Sigma.
Similarly at f/5.6 the Tamron has a clear advantage for about 90% of the frame, but the Sigma rules the last 10% at the edges of the frame. This trend continues through f/8, though the Tamron is finally looking sharp in the corners now and Sigma’s lead there is marginal.

My resolution conclusion after looking at a lot of pictures over my review is that while the Sigma isn’t a record breaker in the center or mid portion of the frame, it does manage to provide very even consistency across the frame. It holds up well for the most part when compared to the very good Tamron 15-30 VC, which itself covers a less extreme focal length. I wasn’t blown away by the absolute sharpness from the lens but was certainly impressed with the consistency with which it delivers that sharpness. It is worth noting that if you are shooting with a very high megapixel body (where diffraction sets in early) you will be able to get peak sharpness from the lens at f/5.6 (beneath the diffraction limit of any current camera as of 2016)…at least at wide apertures. The tradeoff is that if you want to focus down further to increase depth of field you may find a minor sharpness penalty at smaller apertures. I did find that peak sharpness figures at 18-24mm came at more traditional small apertures like f/8.

Other Image Quality Observations

The vignette at f/4 is noticeable though less extreme than some of the recent lenses I’ve seen (Zeiss Milvus 18mm f/2.8 and Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III). I’d say it is right under three stops in the extreme corners. I was able to clear it up completely with a moderate +45 strength and moving the midpoint to a 25 value in Lightroom (no automatic profile exists yet for the lens). It isn’t as good as the Tamron 15-30 VC (the best lens I’ve seen for this), but this a pretty decent performance for going so wide.

I’ve been dealing with a lot of grey weather during my review period (I wish all lenses were released in spring, summer, and fall!!), so I grabbed a brief window when the sun was brightly shining to test the flare resistance of the lens. Curved front elements like all lenses this wide have can sometimes catch some stray rays of light and create ghosts. The Sigma does a pretty good job with the sun shining into that huge front element. Contrast remains very good, and, while I got a bit of prismatic haze right in the epicenter of the sun in the frame, the image looks very good. I was able to induce a small amount of green ghosts, but they were small and relatively unobtrusive. Flare resistance is better on the 12mm end than the 24mm, though neither is bad. At 24mm there is a bit of veiling that I don’t see at 24mm.

With the aperture closed down to f/11 the lens produced a nice sunburst/sunstar. It is better defined at the wide end than the telephoto end. This isn’t quite as strong a flare resistance performance as the recent Canon 16-35L III (which has the advantage of a flat front element), but I was pleased with the overall result.

As already noted, chromatic aberrations are very well controlled. I didn’t really see anything for my use that I would consider needing of correction.

Coma Performance

The weather was anything but accommodating during my time with the 12-24 ART. I use an app for my iPhone called SkyLive that helps determine optimal conditions for shooting astrophotography. I saw mostly ratings of 0-10% (out of 100)! Overcast, snowstorms, and generally a very low cloud ceiling night after night. I had pretty much despaired. Sigma Canada was nice enough to offer me an extra weekend just in case with the lens, and on my second to last night with the lens I caught the closest thing to a break that I was going to get. My app said conditions were 34%. Still rated “Poor”, and typically not a night I’d even bother with, but the next night was back to a 6% rating. You take what you can get.

It was the coldest night thus far of the new winter, and my car said the temperature was a chilly -15C where I set up. The things we do for photography…

The biggest challenge on this particular night was extremely bright moonlight that makes it harder to get good “pop” on the stars, but the results weren’t bad.

More importantly I was able to get a get a good read on the coma performance…and what I saw was really pretty decent. f/4 is not a fantastic aperture for typical astrophotography, but on a brighter night it wasn’t a huge impediment. The high, even sharpness of the lens produced nice, crisp star points. Some of the brightest points towards the edges did become a little wedge shaped, but not strongly “winged”. At 12mm, however, each star point fills such a small amount of the frame that any existing coma can only be slightly seen at pixel level.

I compared it with the Tamron 15-30 VC (a very good astrophotography lens). The lens would still be my favorite due to a larger maximum aperture and less vignette, but in terms of the actual comatic aberrations there isn’t a big difference between the two.

So, while I wouldn’t personally choose a lens with a maximum aperture of f/4 primarily for astrophotography, I see no reason with this lens couldn’t be used for this purpose. Viewed “globally” the end results are quite nice.

Distortion Results:

I did a direct distortion comparison with the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero D lens. The “Zero D” stands for Zero Distortion, so unsurprisingly the Laowa is a very strong performer when it comes to having extremely low levels of actual distortion (see my review here). The Laowa is the better performer, but the difference is surprisingly marginal.

In head to head comparisons I found the differences in barrel distortion to be subtle at best, which means that the 12-24 ART is definitely ahead of the new Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III or the Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 VC in this regard. Even without correction (there is no profile for this lens yet) I see little to object to in field use.

It is key to understand that any wide angle lens will produce a keystone (perspective distortion) if the sensor is angled in relation to the subject. If you tilt the camera and compose with your subject close the frame you can get some very weird results (see this lovely portrait below).

This isn’t the same as barrel distortion, however, and can be managed by the way that you compose. If the sensor (camera) is level with the subject you should get nice results with this lens.

I shot a small bathroom to see how the lens would work in architectural situations. The advantage to the Sigma is that as a zoom you have different framing options. 12mm is really, really wide, and in very small spaces (like this bathroom), having a very wide framing is advantageous because it allows you to fit the whole room in. In bigger spaces you might really lose a sense of the details by being so far “removed” from them, so zooming in and framing a little tighter is a nice option.

With minimal distortion and negligible CA the only place I’m really missing a corrective profile is for vignette. There are few optical flaws with the lens.

As always, I recommend that you take a look at the image gallery here to see more real world results.

Autofocus

Autofocus is always a point of close attention for me when reviewing any lens, but particularly Sigma lenses due to having had a number of issues with focus inconsistency during previous reviews. Sigma has touted revised HSM motors with one third more torque in both this lens and the 85mm f/1.4 ART, which I had better focus success with than any ART lens previously (particularly with using the center group). Now, to be fair, a lens like the 12-24 ART has very, very little stress on autofocus accuracy. Its whole focal range is either extremely wide or moderately wide (12-24mm). Then there is the smallish maximum aperture of f/4, so if you are focusing at a distance of 10 feet the depth of field is already infinite from 2.82 feet to infinity. In other words, it is very easy for everything to be in focus all the time, and that is pretty much what my experience has been.

You can focus down closely to 9.45″/24cm and have pretty decent reproduction ratio of 0.20x.

You can even create a little bokeh with the lens, but the situations will be fairly rare for this.

Some reviewers have reported an issue with focus shift (cameras focus with the lens wide open and then stop down to the preset aperture when the shutter closes). In most cases accurate focus at the more demanding maximum aperture equals accurate focus at smaller apertures. But in some lenses there is an aberration where wide open focus does not equal correct focus at other apertures (the focus shifts). The end result is that everything should be in focus, but isn’t. It would take a major amount of focus shift to be evident in the real world with a lens like this, and I personally did not really witness that. Yes, I had a few images that I thought should be in focus but weren’t, but it didn’t happen often enough for me to observe a pattern of poor behavior… and you always have a few misfires in the real world when you shoot a lot in varying conditions.

I can’t account for what other reviewers encountered (and this may be more of an issue when shooting charts than in the real world due to the deep depth of field in most situations with the lens), so I’m not going to criticize something that I didn’t actually observe myself. I bring it up more to say that you might want to watch for this with your own copy, and if it isn’t an issue…just enjoy the lens. Although I am a reviewer and people seek my opinion, I often tell people that the most important opinion is their own. Don’t lose sleep over an issue that someone else might have experienced if you are not!

Autofocus was quick, quiet, and, for the most part, accurate. Enough said.

Conclusion

Overall the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART is a very competent lens. It has few major flaws. Chromatic aberrations are well controlled, distortion is low, and vignette, while clearly present at f/4, isn’t quite as bad as some of the recent releases from other major companies. It does a very credible job when shooting the night sky, though having a relatively small maximum aperture puts it at a bit of disadvantage. It is a legitimate 12mm on the wide end, putting it in rare company.

It falls a little short of a true 24mm, but that isn’t unusual, and I would argue that the true 12mm on the wide end is ultimately more important. It isn’t as absolutely sharp at equivalent apertures and focal lengths as the new Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III or the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC, but those lenses have the advantage of being able to stop down a full stop before the comparison begins. One thing to note, however, is that the 12-24 ART is optimized for f/4-5.6 performance (at least on the wide end of the focal range) and I actually saw a trend where the image quality tended to be a bit worse rather than better as the lens was stopped down. There is finally some weather resistance included in the build. It is a big, heavy lens, however, and sets a new price ceiling for the ART series lenses. It has a maximum aperture of f/4 (that will cool the interest of some for it as an astrophotography lens) and is unable to use traditional filters. It obviously undercuts the chief competitor from Canon (the 11-24mm f/4L) by a large margin, however. I think the bigger question will be how many people feel that they need a lens that goes that wide, and if having the wider focal length is worth the additional challenges that come with it. If you are an interior shooter, architectural photographer, or a landscape photographer who wants to capture scenes with a wider focal length than the standard wide angle zooms allow, however, the Sigma 12-24 ART should definitely be a lens that you take a long look at.

Pros:

Very low distortion
A true 12mm on the wide end
Very even resolution across the frame even at wide apertures
Very good coma performance
Extremely low chromatic aberrations
Nice build which now includes some weather resistance
Good flare resistance
Includes nice padded case

Cons

Sets a new high in price for an ART series lens
Can’t use traditional filters
Some competitors sharper in the center of the frame
Bulky and heavy
Not quite a full 24mm on the long end
Some shooters and reviewers have reported focus shift issues

Thanks to Sigma Canada for providing me a loaner copy of the 12-24 ART for review!

Gear Used:
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (5D4)
Canon EOS 6D DSLR Camera (Body Only)

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART | B&H Photo
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART | Amazon USA
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART from Simon’s Camera in Canada (Use code SIGDLA for special gift with purchase)
Sigma 12-24 f/4 ART | Amazon Canada
Adobe Lightroom CC Software for Mac and Windows (Boxed Version)
Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud 1-Year Subscription
Alien Skin Exposure X (Use Code “dustinabbott” to get 10% anything and everything)

Purchasing your gear through B&H and these links helps fund this website and keeps the articles coming. Thank you for your support.

Great News! I can now offer a 5% discount on all purchases at Amplis Foto, Canada’s Leading Photographic Supplier. Please enter discount code: AMPLIS52016DA in your cart. It is good for everything in your cart, and is stackable with other coupons, too! It will take 5% off your entire order! Proceeds go towards keeping this site going and providing you with new reviews!

Alternatives:

I’ve recently also reviewed a very different way to get to 12mm – the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero D lens. Which would work better for you? Check out this video where I look at the pros and cons of each lens.

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

November 30th, 2016

The new flagship of Sigma’s wide angle lineup has arrived: the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART. This lens is positioned to square off directly with Canon’s extremely expensive EF 11-24mm f/4L lens. This is a sizable, heavy lens (though not quite as heavy as the Canon), and at first blush seems to have done a pretty credible job of pulling off the engineering involved with such an extreme optical instrument. I’ll be putting the 12-24 ART through the paces in my review process, but along the way will be sharing photos of the lens and the photos that I take with the lens here. Unfortunately it is early winter and very grey, but I’m hoping to find some subjects worthy of the lens despite the challenges. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel for more updates. Thanks to Sigma Canada for getting me a copy of the lens for review!

Photos of the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART

Photos Taken with the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART

Gear Used:
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (5D4)
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART In the USA
Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART in Canada (Use code SIGDLA for special gift with purchase)
Adobe Lightroom CC Software for Mac and Windows (Boxed Version)
Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud 1-Year Subscription
Alien Skin Exposure X (Use Code “dustinabbott” to get 10% anything and everything)

Purchasing your gear through B&H and these links helps fund this website and keeps the articles coming. Thank you for your support.

Great News! I can now offer a 5% discount on all purchases at Amplis Foto, Canada’s Leading Photographic Supplier. Please enter discount code: AMPLIS52016DA in your cart. It is good for everything in your cart, and is stackable with other coupons, too! It will take 5% off your entire order! Proceeds go towards keeping this site going and providing you with new reviews!

Check me out on:

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

September 26th, 2015

The second of Tamron’s stunning new prime lenses is the SP (Super Performance) 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD. I’ve been reminded of how much I enjoy shooting with the 35mm focal length during this review, and the combination of great resolution, amazingly close focus, and great focus makes this lens a real treat to use. I’ve enjoyed it more and more as the review has gone alone. I’ll be sharing a number of photos taken by the lens, of the lens, along with some full size samples for you to download. Most all of these photos have received minimal processing and represent what the lens can achieve. Watch for my full review next week. You can watch my video that examines the build quality below:

Build Quality Video

Are These Lenses Super Performing?

Video Review of the Tamron 35mm f/1.8 VC:

Photos Taken with the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC:

When Your Soul Aches (Tamron 35mm f/1.8 VC)

Photos Taken of the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC:

Full Resolution Samples (right click to download):

35mm Wide Open Landscape

35mm f/1.8

Gear Used: (Remember if you are in Canada to use code AMPLIS52014 to get 5% off the purchase price of these new lenses!)

Canon EOS 6D DSLR Camera (Body Only)
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD (in Canada)
Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD (USA and World)
Adobe Lightroom CC Software for Mac and Windows (Boxed Version)
Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud 1-Year Subscription
Alien Skin Exposure 7 (Use Code “dustinabbott” to get 10% anything and everything)

Purchasing your gear through B&H and these links helps fund this website and keeps the articles coming. Thank you for your support.

Great News! I can now offer a 5% discount on all purchases at Amplis Foto, Canada’s Leading Photographic Supplier. Please enter discount code: AMPLIS52014 in your cart. It is good for everything in your cart, and is stackable with other coupons, too! It will take 5% off your entire order! Proceeds go towards keeping this site going and providing you with new reviews!

DISCLAIMER: This article and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD (A036) Review

Dustin Abbott

June 29th, 2018

Build and Design

Tamron 28-75 RXD Autofocus

28-75 RXD Image Quality

28-75 RXD Resolution

Bokeh, Color Rendition, Flare Resistance, CA, and more…

Conclusion

Pros:

Cons:

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD (A036) Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

May 30th, 2018

Images of the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD

Images Taken with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 Final Review

Dustin Abbott

April 16th, 2018

Zonlai 22mm f/1.8 Build and Handling

Zonlain 22mm Image Quality

Resolution

Color, Bokeh, and Flare Resistance

Zonlai 2mm f/1.8 Video Thoughts

Conclusion

Pros:

Cons:

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART Review

Dustin Abbott

November 21st, 2017

Build and Design

Autofocus Performance

Sigma 14mm ART Image Quality

Resolution

Sigma 14mm ART Coma Performance

Chromatic Aberration, Distortion, and Flare Resistance

Color and Contrast

Conclusion

Pros:

Cons:

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART Image Galleries

Dustin Abbott

October 31st, 2017

Photos of the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART

Photos from the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART Review

Dustin Abbott

December 23rd, 2016

Build Quality

Image Quality

Resolution

Other Image Quality Observations

Coma Performance

Distortion Results:

Autofocus

Conclusion

Pros:

Cons

Alternatives:

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 ART Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

November 30th, 2016

Photos of the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART

Photos Taken with the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM ART

Related Articles at DustinAbbott.net

Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC Image Gallery

Dustin Abbott

September 26th, 2015

Build Quality Video

Are These Lenses Super Performing?

Video Review of the Tamron 35mm f/1.8 VC:

Photos Taken with the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC:

Photos Taken of the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 VC:

Full Resolution Samples (right click to download):