Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART DG DN - Sigma’s ART Classic Redesigned

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART came out back in 2013, and was the first lens of Sigma’s ART lineup, which would explode into a huge lineup of high-quality primes and zoom lenses. The lenses were characterized by their hefty build quality, and optical quality. Now it’s 2021 and Sigma has re-worked the 35mm and optimized it for Sony E and Panasonic/Leica L mounts. 


The new lens is slightly shorter, slightly lighter, and with a different optical design than the 35mm f/1.4 ART DG HSM for E mount. The biggest improvement though may be the fact that the lens can now be considered weather resistant, with seals and gaskets throughout. 


The exterior of the lens has also been tweaked. The original lens just had an AF/MF switch along with the focus ring, while the new lens adds an aperture ring (with a de-click switch), an aperture ring lock, and a focus hold button - similar to the 35mm GM from Sony. 


Comparisons


Compared to the old version, the new 35mm ART DG DN is an improvement in practically every way. One of the biggest weaknesses with the old 35mm ART was that it would start to struggle with high resolution cameras. With Sony cameras hitting over 60Mp now, the old 35mm just didn’t resolve as well. 


The new 35mm ART easily holds its own against lenses at a much higher price, including Sony’s new 35mm f/1.4 GM. During some quick comparisons, the Sigma was a tiny bit softer wide open, but the difference quickly disappears by f/2.8. The same applies to chromatic aberration, which is more obvious on the Sigma when shooting at f/1.4. 









Real World Use & Sample Photos

When testing the lens out, the autofocus performed perfectly on a Sony A7R IV, and the lens was quick to lock on to subjects. Eye-AF worked quite well for a normal length lens at further distances. As with most Sigma ART lenses, the autofocus motors are virtually silent, with no audible noise detected, even when filming a few clips using the in-camera microphone. 

Even when shooting on a bright sunny day, or into bright city lights, there was virtually no lens flare. The out of focus area quality is nice and smooth, and subjects are sharp - sometimes a bit too sharp for portraits. On a few occasions some images looked almost a little too sharp when photographing people. 




















Summary


If you like the 35mm focal length, and like fast aperture lenses, your choice will be between the Sigma 35mm ART DG DN and the Sony 35mm GM. If you are on a tight budget, the 35mm ART DG HSM is an option, but at only $200 more, the new version blows it out of the water, and you’ll be better protected against water with its weather sealing. At $500 less than the 35mm GM, the Sigma is well worth taking a look at. Whether or not the small differences are worth the extra price, only you can decide. 


The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART DG DN for Sony E can be ordered here.