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

[northernlights]

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15 hours ago, XRayGuy said:

Hi Michael,

I have both the 50mm Summicron SL and the Sigma 45mm DG DN.  I actually purchased the Sigma first, and I do think that it is a great lens for the price.  I definitely appreciate Chris's enthusiasm for the lens.  For $600 U.S., you cannot really go wrong with it.

Now that I own the APO-Summicron SL, however, I never use the Sigma.  The slight difference in weight and bulk is more than offset by the improvement in image quality.  The Leica 50mm is close to optically perfect - no CA or distortion that I can see and razor sharp across the frame no matter the aperture.  What really makes me choose it over the Sigma though is the additional colour pop and contrast that the Sigma does not provide.  I like Sigma but have always found the images from their lenses to be a bit "flat" and muted.  Whether or not this difference merits the significant difference in price is another story and an individual choice, but I find myself these days to be shooting a lot at 50mm so for me it was worth it to make the most of my SL2.  I think if you look at the images in this thread and then compare them to images on other threads from the Summicron SL you will see what I mean.

I also shot Sony before I went to Leica, and used the 55mm Zeiss f1.8 quite a bit if that helps you for comparison as a Sony shooter yourself.  That lens is slightly superior to the Sigma (also more expensive) but again pales in comparison to the Summicron SL, particularly if you are shooting wide open.

You’re right. And thankfully, yes. Yes, that the 50 Cron APO SL Has more 3D pop and has more micro contrast and better transition between focus and out of focus areas using shallow DOF. Being 10 times the cost of the sigma. 
I may not buy the Sigma for the reasons stated: it does not exhibit a unique character; It is sharp but flat.
but it still is 10x cheaper than the 50 cron apo sl. It is what it is and does what it does well enough. From a price-benefit perspective, it is one of the best.

[michaelstokes]

Thanks for all the comments. I will definitely go with the 50 Cron. I know it’s slightly off topic but is there a significant difference at 90 between the 24-90 and the 90 Cron. The 24-90 would be more versatile for travel photography but with a weight penalty. 

[chris_tribble]

1 hour ago, northernlights said:

You’re right. And thankfully, yes. Yes, that the 50 Cron APO SL Has more 3D pop and has more micro contrast and better transition between focus and out of focus areas using shallow DOF. 

You're probably right in absolute terms, but when looking at prints and on screen I'm finding it hard to be very critical of the cheapo Sigma.  I'm going to have a chance to put it side by side with the APO 50 at the beginning of October, so will report back.  In the meantime, some reminders of how flat and uninteresting images from the 45 can be (🙂)

 

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Edited September 8, 2020 by chris_tribble

[Alan Friedman]

I purchased the Sigma 45 dg dn recently. I've been shooting with it mainly to test its limitations and benefits on the Sigma fp though I have used it a bit on my SL (601). I purchased the SL with the thought I would use it exclusively in manual focus with my collection of Leica M and R lenses and with other favorite vintage glass. I purchased the fp as a camera mainly for travel and hikes and walks. I also expected to use it only with manual focus lenses. My only dabble with autofocus was with a first generation Nikon D1X a couple of decades back.

The Sigma 45 is a lovely lens. The glowing softness from optical aberrations is mostly evident when used at close focus at f 2.8. This is subdued greatly at f 3.5. I expect that its optical limitations will be more than compensated for by its portability (of course most so on the fp). We say in astronomy that the best telescope is the one that is used most often - probably true in photography as well. I have been a Leica user and enthusiast for many years but I have been impressed by Sigma's recent introductions as a member of the L-mount alliance and I purchased the 14-24 zoom and 85 1.4 dg dn lenses to explore them further. Will share some thoughts on how these perform on the SL. 

One drawback I noticed quickly when moving the 45 on to the SL is the challenge posed by noise at high ISO settings. At f 4 - 5.6 in low light a setting of 3200 - 6400 is common. Noise handling is quite a bit better on the fp that on the SL. I expect that the SL2 has improved low light handling. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Alan Friedman

[chris_tribble]

2 hours ago, Alan Friedman said:

The Sigma 45 is a lovely lens. The glowing softness from optical aberrations is mostly evident when used at close focus at f 2.8. This is subdued greatly at f 3.5. 

Alan, thanks for these insights. Could you post a couple of examples?

  

[Alan Friedman]

3 hours ago, chris_tribble said:

Alan, thanks for these insights. Could you post a couple of examples?

  

These are a couple of shots I took from my office desk to test drive auto focus the day the lens arrived. These are both captured with the 45 dg dn on my Sigma fp. The first shot is wide open at f2.8. The second stopped down to f5.6. ISO was set at 3200 for both shots. I expect to receive the 85 1.4 and 14-24 2.8 dg dn lenses tomorrow. Will do more shooting with the SL later this week. I expect the size and weight of the other two lenses will be nicely balanced on the SL body. 

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[VMo]

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I realize I am late to this conversation… just joining the Leica family. Just purchased a SL2-S and looking for first lens. Have it narrowed down to this and 2 others:

Leica Summicron-R 50mm F/2 Lens V1, 2 Cam and/or Voigtlander NOKTON classic 40mm F1.4 SC VM. 
 

looking to shoot some low light. Walking around lens, on the street, architecture, people and landscape. 
 

would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance. 

[Mak67]

I've been on the L plateforme for almost 6 years, 35 and 50 are my préfèred lenses for personnal work.

Been through a lot of lenses on the sl2 :

- leica sl po 35/50, summilux 50sL,

- Leica M summicron-summilux 35/40/50,

- Leica R summicron 35-50

- Sigma L 35-45-50 ( 1.4-2-2.8) 

Most of them have moved to new hands.

 

My most loved lenses : 

-SL summilux 50mm

fantastic rendering love this lense for professional work, any portrait photographier should try it. But it's too big for me for personnal work, traveling etc... 

 

- SL 35 apo,

what a brillant lens, almost perfect technically, the perfect 35mm for demanding professional work. Maybe too perfect for personnal work, no it's not, but my personnal work dont need this dégrée of performance.  Not small enough for my personnal daily use. 

 

-Sigma 45/2.8 (i have this lense since 5years) 

Ok it's far from perfect, Corner, vignetting, CA, soft at close distance wide open, from my point of view, it doesn't have any kind of special lenses signature.

But, it's probably the lens i use the most for personnal work, it's so small, perfect fit with the SL, love the aperture ring, good enough to print up to .... Larger than i print my personnal work. 

It never happened that i regret having this lens instead of the sl35apo or 50slsummilux (for personnal work) even for portrait, or landscape.

For me, and for my personnal work, it is defently the perfect fit to my SL

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stuart Richardson]

8 hours ago, VMo said:

I realize I am late to this conversation… just joining the Leica family. Just purchased a SL2-S and looking for first lens. Have it narrowed down to this and 2 others:

Leica Summicron-R 50mm F/2 Lens V1, 2 Cam and/or Voigtlander NOKTON classic 40mm F1.4 SC VM. 
 

looking to shoot some low light. Walking around lens, on the street, architecture, people and landscape. 
 

would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance. 

I would add the Panasonic 50mm 1.8 to your list. Personally, I think manual focus on an EVF is a bit cumbersome as you have to enlarge the image for critical focus and focus wide open before stopping down, and in the meantime if you have a moving subject it has moved or the composition has otherwise changed. If you are just looking for a general purpose lens in a lower price point, the Panasonic design is good enough that Leica chose it to be a Summicron ASPH in their lens lineup. The 45mm Sigma, whatever else it is, is not fast, so if you are looking to shoot in low light it is not a natural choice. The Panasonic is inexpensive, performs at a high standard, is light, has decent speed and is native mount so it focuses very well and as quick as it gets on the SL bodies. They are only 250 dollars right now at B&H, that is less than half the cost of the already inexpensive Sigma, which it outperforms, so it is kind of a no-brainer for me at least.

[VMo]

5 hours ago, Mak67 said:

I've been on the L plateforme for almost 6 years, 35 and 50 are my préfèred lenses for personnal work.

Been through a lot of lenses on the sl2 :

- leica sl po 35/50, summilux 50sL,

- Leica M summicron-summilux 35/40/50,

- Leica R summicron 35-50

- Sigma L 35-45-50 ( 1.4-2-2.8) 

Most of them have moved to new hands.

 

My most loved lenses : 

-SL summilux 50mm

fantastic rendering love this lense for professional work, any portrait photographier should try it. But it's too big for me for personnal work, traveling etc... 

 

- SL 35 apo,

what a brillant lens, almost perfect technically, the perfect 35mm for demanding professional work. Maybe too perfect for personnal work, no it's not, but my personnal work dont need this dégrée of performance.  Not small enough for my personnal daily use. 

 

-Sigma 45/2.8 (i have this lense since 5years) 

Ok it's far from perfect, Corner, vignetting, CA, soft at close distance wide open, from my point of view, it doesn't have any kind of special lenses signature.

But, it's probably the lens i use the most for personnal work, it's so small, perfect fit with the SL, love the aperture ring, good enough to print up to .... Larger than i print my personnal work. 

It never happened that i regret having this lens instead of the sl35apo or 50slsummilux (for personnal work) even for portrait, or landscape.

For me, and for my personnal work, it is defently the perfect fit to my SL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the insight. Definitely will look more into the Sigma

[VMo]

3 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

I would add the Panasonic 50mm 1.8 to your list. Personally, I think manual focus on an EVF is a bit cumbersome as you have to enlarge the image for critical focus and focus wide open before stopping down, and in the meantime if you have a moving subject it has moved or the composition has otherwise changed. If you are just looking for a general purpose lens in a lower price point, the Panasonic design is good enough that Leica chose it to be a Summicron ASPH in their lens lineup. The 45mm Sigma, whatever else it is, is not fast, so if you are looking to shoot in low light it is not a natural choice. The Panasonic is inexpensive, performs at a high standard, is light, has decent speed and is native mount so it focuses very well and as quick as it gets on the SL bodies. They are only 250 dollars right now at B&H, that is less than half the cost of the already inexpensive Sigma, which it outperforms, so it is kind of a no-brainer for me at least.

The Panasonic 50 is something that I hadn’t considered before. Will definitely need to look into this lens more. Appreciate the input!

[ahl]

I have used the Sigma 45 mm lens for some years on my SL2 as an alternative to my M lenses to benefit from autofocus when on the street. It handles like my  traditional lenses and I have been delighted with the results and have since bought the Sigma 85mm 1.4 and the 150-600. They too proved that Sigma are making great lenses at a very reasonable price. It is well worth considering this make, especially their Art series.

[NightPix]

I'm considering getting a copy of the Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN for my SL2/SL2s. On B&H the lens is shown as "Discontinued" but they do stock a version labelled as DG only. Can anyone tell me the difference between a "DG DN" version and a "DG" version? The latter is part of Sigma's "I-Series", and is now available in a silver version as well as black. The DG and DG DN lenses appear to be the same except for the addition of a magnetic lens cap on the DG only version.

I found a used copy of the DG DN version for $200 less than the new "DG" version at B&H. Before I pull the trigger I'd like to better understand the difference between DG DN and DG, if there is any. Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited Tuesday at 08:45 PM by NightPix

[BernardC]

17 hours ago, NightPix said:

Before I pull the trigger I'd like to better understand the difference between DG DN and DG, if there is any.

I don't think there is any optical difference. The DG version uses a different hood, and it has a magnetic lens cap. It's also available in silver to match the new BF camera body.

[Boojay]

18 hours ago, NightPix said:

I'm considering getting a copy of the Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN for my SL2/SL2s. On B&H the lens is shown as "Discontinued" but they do stock a version labelled as DG only. Can anyone tell me the difference between a "DG DN" version and a "DG" version? The latter is part of Sigma's "I-Series", and is now available in a silver version as well as black. The DG and DG DN lenses appear to be the same except for the addition of a magnetic lens cap on the DG only version.

I found a used copy of the DG DN version for $200 less than the new "DG" version at B&H. Before I pull the trigger I'd like to better understand the difference between DG DN and DG, if there is any. Thanks for your thoughts.

DG DN is the designation for full frame contemporary Sigma lenses, DC DN Aps-c  and I'm sure the 45mm is not discontinued.   I recently bought a silver version of the 45mm for my TL2, packaging and font on the lens is different but nothing else has changed.   Having said all of that I've just noticed Sigma website also calls Silver version simply DG.

Edited 12 hours ago by Boojay

[BernardC]

FYI, here are the two pages on Sigma's site.

DG-DN (in the discontinued section): https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c019_45_28

DG: https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c019_45_28_re

It's a very minimal update. The specifications section lists 2 aspherical lens elements for the DG, but if you look at the lens construction diagram for the DG-DN it has two asphericals as well (in magenta). Everything else is the same except for the magnetic cap and hood. And the optional silver finish.

[LocalHero1953]

Sigma says that the DN category of lenses is for mirrorless cameras. Without the DN they are designed for DSLRs i.e. allowing for a mirror box.

If the current DG is identical to the previous DG DN, perhaps they have simply dropped the DN tag because they only make lenses for mirrorless now. Just speculating.

Edited 12 hours ago by LocalHero1953

[NightPix]

Thanks to all - I appreciate the info. Seems like the newer DG version is mainly for cosmetic changes to bring it into line with newer Sigma offerings. I’ll probably just go for the used copy at this point because that’s the version that’s been discussed in this thread.