The Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary - SL users should take a look

[Jeff S]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As discussed in another thread, it’s not fully weather sealed; only at the mount. 

Jeff

[michali]

18 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

As discussed in another thread, it’s not fully weather sealed; only at the mount. 

Jeff

Jeff, It's not a deal breaker, neither are any of the M or R lenses weather sealed. 

[Jeff S]

22 minutes ago, michali said:

Jeff, It's not a deal breaker, neither are any of the M or R lenses weather sealed. 

For you.  I use my M lenses on my M; they work perfectly there. I sold my R lenses long ago when I sold my R6.2.   The SL2 is my all-weather alternative, for complementary needs.   Different tools, and different strokes...

Jeff

[grahamhoey]

I see from the pictures of the lens that it has a MF, AF switch on the lens itself, unlike any of the Leica Summicrons. I have the Leica 35mm Summicron which is superb but the size, price and weight penalty for one stop and I know slightly sharper images makes me consider the Sigma. 

[SonomaBear]

It is my walk-around lens and mostly shot wide open.  "Soft" is not a term I would use to describe it wide open.  Very acceptable and produces saleable images wide open.  But it does get even better by f4.0

 

I aso shoot this lens manually often - love an aperture ring and smooth manual focus.  Poor man's M Summicron for the L mount?

[LocalHero1953]

This lens is 'intended' to be softer wide open. I emphasise that word because that is what they say, though I guess they could be making the best marketing use of the compromises they are forced to adopt. I don't have a problem with this.

[Jeff S]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

10 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

This lens is 'intended' to be softer wide open. I emphasise that word because that is what they say, though I guess they could be making the best marketing use of the compromises they are forced to adopt. I don't have a problem with this.

Sorry, but where does it say that?

Jeff

[Chaemono]

I understand that Sigma balanced size and performance in designing this lens.  The question is whether, ignoring price for a moment, the 35 Summilux-TL is a much better performer on the SL2 for a slight increase in size. 

[ZHNL]

It was purposely under correct spherical aberration. It show glow at close distance but sharpness improves once distance increased to the point be sharp or very sharp at infinity even wide open. 
 

the lens has surprisingly good chromatic aberration correction and also very nice consistent cross frame sharpness. The best of all, the bokeh is neutral and smooth. 
 

this is well balanced design in modern days that balance well between size weight performance and price. 
 

For me, this one along with Nikon 58mm f1.4 are two tasteful introduction in modern days. 

[LocalHero1953]

1 hour ago, Jeff S said:

Sorry, but where does it say that?

Jeff

Under Overview, section #2

"With the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, bokeh expressions are especially featured. Spherical aberration has been controlled to ensure not only the large bokeh in the front and rear of the subject but also the rear bokeh near the area in focus create a gradient to a soft blur. This lens softens the periphery of blurred images suppressing the double-line bokeh etc. and enhances the three-dimensional impression of the subject with the smooth expressions in the foreground and the background. In addition, its minimum focusing distance of 24cm makes it possible to enjoy shooting snapshots and tabletop photos taking advantage of the angle of view. The design gives consideration to vignetting to achieve beautiful round bokeh and subdue swirly bokeh in the whole bokeh effects.

While this lens produces smooth bokeh effects of which one could say as “classical expression” when the aperture is wide open, it also realizes modern sharp rendering when it is stopped down. "

This issue has been mentioned on other forums where I've seen similar comments from Sigma. Here it is not explicit, but implicit in the last line. 

Edited December 11, 2019 by LocalHero1953

[Alistairm]

2 hours ago, Chaemono said:

I understand that Sigma balanced size and performance in designing this lens.  The question is whether, ignoring price for a moment, the 35 Summilux-TL is a much better performer on the SL2 for a slight increase in size. 

That would be interesting, although throwing away a fair bit of the information on the sensor doesn't appeal much... with the exception of the Elmarit-TL 18 all of the TL lenses I have owned have been very good, although I think the Sigma build quality is better. 

@ZHNL  Very much agree with your observations on the Nikkor 58... it was my favourite lens for Nikon and I still look back through old albums and recognise its signature rendering in some photos. Let's hope all of the manufacturers endeavour to design lenses that give us different brushes and palettes, and if Sigma is going to do it in a small package at a reasonable price point and in L mount that is a win for us SL shooters!

Edited December 11, 2019 by Alistairm

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I don't have the 45mm as I didn't buy into the SL ecosystem wanting it to be small and light. I got a Z7 for that. You lot are convincing me that maybe I need to reconsider that.

This is the great advantage of an alliance and it will become more pronounced as time goes on and the system develops. While some may wish the SL Summicrons were smaller, at least we have Sigma, who is known for looking outside the box with product development. Unlike say, Canon, who currently have HUGE lenses, apart from the 70-200, with almost no other native options. I expect that SIgma will give us even more options like this over time. The 14-24 is an excellent and smaller option to the SL16-35, already. The beastly 105 f1.4 is an incredible thing that Leica are no where near making something even close. And it will be Sigma, most likely, who will give us all the long lenses we want. A native 600mm is a lens mount change away. Personally I'd like to see a petition to get them to make an L mount 60-600.

Not to mention an L mount Foveon camera that's coming or the tiny FP already available. The L mount will be very good for Sigma and very good for us.

Gordon

[caissa]

As L-mount is the native mount now for Sigma cameras, I expect them to make all lenses in L-mount (over time). Getting faster when their Foveon camera is available.

[DI1]

I bought this lens when it first came out as a walk around, weather sealed, every day lens. Stopped down a bit, it is very sharp and has great rendering. The autofocus is quick with the SL. 
Below is just one example I posted in another thread. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited December 12, 2019 by Rezinator

[michali]

8 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

..............And it will be Sigma, most likely, who will give us all the long lenses we want. A native 600mm is a lens mount change away. Personally I'd like to see a petition to get them to make an L mount 60-600...........

Gordon

Gordon- there are quite a few of us here who are gagging for a telephoto lens in L mount in the 400mm to 600mm range. Unfortunately I don't see it coming, there's nothing in their future lens line up. Also according to the chart on the Sigma website the L mount conversion service is not available for any of the long tele or zoom lenses, see table #2 in the link below:

Lenses eligible for Mount Conversion Service  unless there's an update somewhere else that the 600mm lens is eligible for L mount conversion?

Best

Mike

 

[SrMi]

27 minutes ago, michali said:

Gordon- there are quite a few of us here who are gagging for a telephoto lens in L mount in the 400mm to 600mm range. Unfortunately I don't see it coming, there's nothing in their future lens line up. Also according to the chart on the Sigma website the L mount conversion service is not available for any of the long tele or zoom lenses, see table #2 in the link below:

Lenses eligible for Mount Conversion Service  unless there's an update somewhere else that the 600mm lens is eligible for L mount conversion?

Best

Mike

 

Panasonic has listed a Super Telephoto lens for 2020.

[michali]

15 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Panasonic has listed a Super Telephoto lens for 2020.

Thanks, do we know which focal length?

EDIT: OK I've just seen on DP Review that there's an "unspecified super telephoto" for 2020 from Panasonic. I wonder why the secrecy?

Edited December 12, 2019 by michali

[helged]

44 minutes ago, michali said:

Thanks, do we know which focal length?

EDIT: OK I've just seen on DP Review that there's an "unspecified super telephoto" for 2020 from Panasonic. I wonder why the secrecy?

Good question!

Another question is why Sigma, already offering a 500mm f4 lens in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts, doesn't make the lens in L-mount. At least not as of today. Could it be that the af technology in current L-mount bodies is deemed not sufficiently fast or reliable for a long lens?

I dont recall seeing a long lens on Sigma's L-mount lens road map, either. Strange. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by helged

[BlackDoc]

OT to the TO 

on the other hand the Panasonic f2.8 70-200 should work with the f2.0 teleconver -> at least 140-400 f5.6
PLUS: in june i have tested the 120-300 Sigma f2.8  with canon mount adapted to the sigma in sports (german, pictures are to be seen here  international horsejumping competition in Hamburg ), AFc did not work but with AFs i got satisfying results.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[michali]

9 minutes ago, helged said:

Good question!

Another question is why Sigma, already offering a 500mm f4 lens in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts, doesn't make the lens in L-mount. At least not as of today. Could it be that the af technology in current L-mount bodies is deemed not sufficiently fast or reliable for a long lens?

I dont recall seeing a long lens on Sigma's L-mount lens road map, either. Strange. 

Helge, my thoughts exactly. It doesn't make sense, as you say they're already offering a 500mm f4 lens in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts.

There may  be some issue in relation to the L mount & long lenses?