Reviewed: Sigma 35mm F/1.4 DG HSM

This 35mm f/1.4 is from Sigma’s acclaimed Art range, and has been recognised by many as providing some of the best image quality currently available...

Reviewed: Sigma 35mm F/1.4 DG HSM

by Kirk Schwarz |
Updated on

Verdict: This lens has a versatile focal length and fast f/1.4 aperture. With 13 elements packed into 11 groups, the image quality is amazing. It is a bit heavy but it’s fine for larger cameras.

Sigma 35mm F/1.4 DG HSM

Rrp: £799.99

Price: £649.23
Alternative retailers
Adorama£294.00View offer
Walmart£639.99View offer
B&H Photo Video£899.00View offer

Packing in 13 elements in 11 groups – including one FLD and 4 SLD low-dispersion elements, as well as two aspherical elements – keeps the image quality amazingly high and reduces ghosting or flare. Shooting at the maximum f/1.4 produces excellent centre sharpness, with the corners being impressively sharp. When stopped down to f/4, the overall sharpness is nothing short of exceptional, with any vignetting also disappearing completely.

The lens is quite hefty, weighing in at 665g, and feels quite bulky in-hand, but it does balance well on larger cameras. The auto-focus switch on the side allows you to change from manual to auto-focus in an instant, and the 35mm focal length makes it a great walkabout lens that’s more than capable of capturing anything from landscapes to street portraits.

Pros

Versatile focal length

Fast f/1.4 aperture

Amazing quality

Cons

A bit heavy

Hard to get out-of-focus backgrounds

Want to see more lenses? We've rounded up 10 of the best wide-aperture lenses for under £1000.

Sigma 35mm F/1.4 DG HSM

Rrp: £799.99

Price: £649.23
Alternative retailers
Adorama£294.00View offer
Walmart£639.99View offer
B&H Photo Video£899.00View offer

Spec

Max aperture: f/1.4

Min aperture: f/16

Elements/groups: 13/11

Min focusing distance: 30cm

DxL: 77x94mm

Weight: 665g

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Kirk Schwarz is a tech-addicted photographer with over a decade's experience; Kirk’s used to putting new gear through extreme field testing. He's previously written for Practical Photography.

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