Sigma 402965 16 mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Sony E Lens - Black

Product Information

The USPS love stamps shared above have an image area that measures 1.05 x 0.77" (26.67 x 19.558mm), and the overall individual stamp size is 1.19 x 0.91" (30.226 x 23.114mm). With 16 elements in 13 groups, the optical system features a multitude of high-tech and high-end components, including three FLD glass elements, two SLD glass elements, and two molded glass aspherical elements. This optical system minimizes optical aberrations and ensures outstanding resolution at wide-open aperture and throughout the aperture range. In particular, the two aspherical lens elements have ultra-high-precision surfaces polished to tolerances under 10 nanometers, minimizing the onion ring bokeh effect that some aspherical elements produce and ensuring clear image quality throughout the frame. In addition, the structure of the optical system gently bends light to minimize sagittal coma flare and deliver optimal optical performance from the center of the frame to the edges. The result is a smooth, round bokeh effect with ample light volume throughout the frame. A 9-blade count diaphragm will create 18-point sunstars (diffraction spikes) from point light sources captured with a narrow aperture. As previously noted, the physical design of the 16mm DN is instantly familiar to those who have used either the 30mm f/1.4 DN Contemporary or a lens like the 35mm f/1.4 or 50mm f/1.4 ART lenses. If you were familiar with the 30mm DN lens, it will seem a little large; if you were familiar with the 35/50mm lenses, it will seem quite small. This is, by a good margin, the largest lens in the DN series, but it is still a relatively compact lens by normal standards. To be fair, however, this is also the most extreme lens in the series, as all previous lenses have been very “safe” focal ranges (from 28mm – 90mm full frame equivalent). The 30mm lens has a full frame equivalent focal range (on a Sony 1.5x crop factor) of 45mm, and has a relatively simple optical formula of 9 elements in 7 groups. The 16mm lens corresponds to a classic wide angle of 24mm, and with an extremely large maximum aperture to boot. That added engineering challenge is shown in the complexity of the optical formula, which is 16 elements in 13 groups (almost twice as complex)! Lateral CA shows as color fringing along lines of strong contrast running tangential (meridional, right angles to radii) with the mid and especially the periphery of the image circle showing the most significant amount as this is where the most significant difference in the magnification of wavelengths typically exists.

Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN C Review - Amateur Photographer

It’s also worth noting that the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens comes with a lens hood. I tried it for a few days but truthfully, I shot without it most of the time. The 16mm f1.4 performs great without it, and I generally like to carry less, if I can get away with it. Changing this frequently used camera setting requires use of the menu system (or a camera switch on some models).The Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens has an aesthetically pleasing design that maintains tight tolerances and has a quality finish. The 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is a fantastic lens overall with a lot of great features but I must admit that one of its strongest characteristics is its image quality. The images that this lens produces are superb. Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, as coma performance( what is coma?) leaves a lot to be desired. I recommend that you take a look at the image galleries here to see more images that I took during the review. No lens case is included in the box, but finding a case for a common lens form factor is not challenging.

Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Review Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Review

Stopping down to f/2 produces a strong improvement in contrast, and details are very sharp at this setting. The shape, intensity, and position of the flare effects in an image are variable, dependent on the position and nature of the light source (or sources), selected aperture, shape of the aperture blades, and quantity and quality of the lens elements and their coatings. It also features a ‘hybrid’ image stabilizer, which can correct for x-y shift as well as the more usual angular vibration or wobble. This makes it more effective for close-up shooting although, in full macro mode, it’s no real substitute for a tripod. While most macro lenses top out at 1.0x for their maximum magnification factor at the shortest focus distance, this lens boosts magnification to 1.2x, thanks to a switchable ‘Super Macro’ mode. Bokeh is a word used for the out-of-focus areas of a photograph, and is usually described in qualitative terms, such as smooth / creamy / harsh etc. Mylio Photos – Access your photos from anywhere, without the cloud! Easily showcase your photos on-the-go, resolve duplicates, find faces and look for those stunning locations.On a slightly unrelated note, the Sigma 16mm F1.4 has also gotten some love from the astrophotography community. The compact, lightweight Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a very affordable choice for landscape and other wide-angle use, with the wide f/1.4 aperture increasing this lens's versatility. Sigma provides a 1-year limited warranty, and Sigma USA provides a limited 3-year warranty extension. Due to the infinite number of variables present among all available scenes, assessing the bokeh quality is considerably more challenging.

Sigma 16 mm f/1.4 (C) AF DC DN Lens for Canon EF-M X Mount

Now, before we finish up the review, there are some a couple of random things I have to cover. Stabilization? Barrel distortion measures -0.08%, virtually perfect drawing. Whether this is because of the high level of correction of the lens or because of basic processing in camera that is integral to the system and cannot be switched off is impossible to say, but the result is in any event excellent. The "DC" in the name indicates that this lens provides an image circle wide enough to cover (only) an APS-C imaging sensor, and the "DN" indicates that this lens was designed for short flange mirrorless cameras. The trio comprised the 16mm F1.4 DC DN C, but also the 30mm F1.4 DC DN C, and the 56mm F1.4 DC DN C. This is now the sixth mount that these lenses have become available in, following the initial introduction for Sony E mount and Micro Four Thirds, followed by Canon EOS M, Leica L and most recently Fujifilm X (which most of this review is based on). While telephoto lenses are more frequently used for sports, a 16mm angle of view allows a very different perspective at these events.Before we round it all off, I’d like to offer two main alternatives for your consideration. Sony E 15mm F1.4 G The spherical aberration color halo shows little size change as the lens is defocused, and stopping down one to two stops generally removes this aberration. Creating wide apertures requires larger, heavier lens elements that translate into larger, heavier, and more expensive lenses.