![]() Objectively, however, the Sigma leaves some room for improvement. It’s not quite as impressive as Olympus’ feathered bokeh look on the 17mm F1.2 Pro, but it still looks really nice. Subjectively, we have little to complain about. The nine rounded aperture blades produce smooth, natural bokeh even when stopped down (and yield nice, 18-point starbursts at f/16). ![]() Wide open at f/1.4, the lens provides a depth of field that is shallow enough to blur away backgrounds and help make subjects pop. Our expectations of the 16mm were still a bit more reserved, but our experience with it was mostly positive. We have been very impressed with Sigma’s Art lenses, which offer unbeatable value on full-frame cameras, so this is not a claim to be taken lightly. While the 16mm f/1.4 is a member of Sigma’s lower-cost Contemporary line, the company claims image quality rivals that of the higher-end Art series. ![]() Both versions should perform well for environmental portraiture, where being able to achieve a shallow depth of field while including information about your subject’s surroundings is important. On a Sony, the wider field of view makes it a bit better suited for landscapes. On MFT, it’s a capable street photography length and a good all-purpose, walk around lens. The Sony version yields a wider 24mm equivalent focal length thanks to the lesser 1.5x crop factor of the APS-C format. The MFT crop factor of 2x gives the lens a full-frame equivalent focal length of 32mm. Other than the different mounts, both versions of the lens are physically identical, but they will perform slightly differently on each format. On Micro Four Thirds, that means you end up with slightly more bulk than you need.Īt 14.3 ounces, it is less than one ounce heavier than the Olympus 17mm F1.2, however, and is well matched to larger MFT bodies like the E-M1 II and G9. Part of the 16mm’s larger size is due to the fact that it is technically an APS-C lens, designed to cover the larger frame of Sony’s E-mount mirrorless cameras, like the A6500. Fujifilm X shooters looking for a cheaper alternative to the XF 16mm f/1.4 R will be disappointed to learn that Sigma still does not produce lenses for the XF mount, sadly.įrom the brass mount to the rubberized focus ring, everything about the 16mm has a premium feel. We tested the MFT version on two cameras, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the new Panasonic Lumix DC-G9, both of which use a similar 20-megapixel sensor. Sigma makes the lens in two different mirrorless mounts: Sony E and Micro Four Thirds (MFT). With a price of just $449, it’s the fast wide-angle for the rest of us. Fortunately, there is an option for the more budget-conscious photographers out there: the new Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary. As you might expect with the word Pro literally in the name, it’s marketed to professional shooters who need the best and are willing to pay for it. That remains true, but at $1,200 it isn’t exactly a lens that just anyone is going to add to his or her kit. It also boasts a brass bayonet mount for maximum durability.We recently called the Olympus 17mm F1.2 Pro the best wide-angle Micro Four Thirds lens money can buy. The Sigma 16mm’s Thermally Stable Composite build is dust- and splash-resistant, so that you can use it in adverse conditions. This all makes for a highly versatile lens that’s been designed from the ground up for crop-frame shooters. Sigma applies a Super Multi-Layer coating to each of the lens elements to combat flare and ghosting for contrasty, color-neutral shots. This lens’s thirteen-group/sixteen-element optical design includes three “F” Low-Dispersion elements, two Super Low-Dispersion elements, and two molded aspherical elements to help produce excellent sharpness, color accuracy, and clarity while minimizing aberrations and fringing. The stepping motor provides fast, smooth, and nearly silent autofocus operation for stills and video alike.Īdvanced Optics. Its nine-blade curved aperture makes for smooth out-of-focus highlights. The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary’s fast f/1.4 maximum aperture makes it great for low-light shooting and gives you extensive depth-of-field control for selective-focusing techniques.
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