Best Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

Here is an ultra-bright wide-angle lens intended for users of Micro 4/3 hybrids (Olympus, Panasonic) or Sony APS-C. This new fixed focal length is the second in the Contemporary range to open at f / 1.4 after a 30 mm already very noticed.

Presentation

Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN optics are designed for hybrids with “small” sensors. This new 16 mm will be available in two frames. The first is Sony E, for the brand’s APS-C hybrids, therefore, and it will be a 24 mm equivalent. The second is Micro 4/3 (Olympus and Panasonic, among others) and will be a 32mm equivalent. This is the brand’s second DC DN lens, joining the 30mm lens that we particularly appreciated.

Like the 30 mm, this lens has a very large aperture f / 1.4 associated with a diaphragm with 9 circular lamellae. It is made up of 16 lenses divided into 13 groups including 2 aspherical elements, 3 FLD glasses and 2 SLD glasses. The lens weighs a little over 400 g and measures a size over 9 cm long without a sun visor. Its design is designed to face delicate shooting conditions (humidity, dust) with an internal focusing system and a seal at the bayonet.

Best Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Sigma 16mm F/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E (402965)

2. Sigma 16mm F/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon EF-M (402971)

3. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony with 64GB Extreme PRO SD Card and Accessory Bundle

4. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony with Accessory Bundle

5. Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E + 67mm 3 Piece Filter Kit + Lens Pouch. SanDisk 64GB Ultra UHS-I SDXC Memory Card (Class 10)+ Lens Band + Accessories

The design and handling of this new 16 mm are very similar to those of the 30 mm. The objective is indeed sober and elegant. Its body is made up of metal elements which give it a feeling of solidity and longevity. Its measurements are quite impressive for the type of devices to which it is addressed (Sony APS-C hybrids and Micro 4/3 hybrids).

It has an internal focus design: regardless of the focus distance, the front and rear lenses remain fixed. This is a positive argument from the point of view of protection against the possible entry of moisture and dust. 

The unique adjustment ring allows you to take control of manual focusing. It is wide and comfortable to use. Its fluidity is perfect. Unfortunately, it does not have stop marks to indicate the minimum focusing distance and infinity. Forget also the dynamic focus distance indicator: this lens does not.

Lab tests

We tested the lens with a Panasonic Lumix GX8 with a Micro 4/3 20 Mpx sensor with a definition of 5,200 x 3,904 px. Each pixel therefore measures 3.3 µm side. The minimum aperture recommended to avoid diffraction problems is therefore f / 8-f / 11!

The performance of this Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is very good. First, it has a good coherent behavior with a sharpness which goes up as we close the diaphragm to reach its maximum at f / 4-f / 5.6 before going back down and giving way to diffraction past f / 11. The general level of sharpness is very satisfactory and particularly high at medium apertures, more precisely in the center of the images. The sharpness is set back at the largest opening f / 1.4, but rises sharply from f / 2. The lens suffers from a lack of homogeneity between the center, 2/3 of the images and the extreme edges of the images. The phenomenon diminishes as the diaphragm is closed and it is at f / 5.6 that the lens delivers the most homogeneous images.

Against competition

This Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN will naturally compete with the future 17mm f / 1.2 M.Zuiko PRO from Olympus, with the 17mm f / 1.8 (still at Olympus), but this time in M.Zuiko Premium range, as well as with the 15 mm f / 1.7 signed Leica at Panasonic. Note that the ranges of Sony lenses in E and FE mounts do not have an equivalent focal length with a very large aperture.

The test protocols have changed so much since the tests of the 15 mm Leica and 17 mm f / 1.8 Olympus that it is not relevant to compare them here for the moment. We will bring back the objectives soon to update their tests.

The focal

Here is what we get with this Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN mounted on a Micro 4/3 hybrid. It is necessary to apply a coefficient of 2x to obtain the equivalent focal length which is 32 mm. It is therefore a fairly well suited objective for reporting. Used on a Sony APS-C hybrid, we apply a conversion coefficient of 1.5x, which comes down to a 24mm, a wide focal length oriented towards the report, but also the landscape.

Verdict

This Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN has everything to succeed. Oriented wide-angle (especially used on a Sony hybrid), it will be a companion of choice for lovers of landscapes and reports. Its very generous aperture of f / 1.4 (quite rare on optics of this type) is a real plus for obtaining beautiful bokeh effects and photographing without problem in low light conditions. The objective, although quite impressive for small hybrids, is very well designed and pleasant to use. It is also protected from the weather for serene terrain use.

The optical quality is there with good behavior and a good level of general sharpness. The lens nevertheless suffers from a lack of homogeneity between the center, 2/3 of the images and the extreme edges, quite large and present at all apertures: a defect not very annoying given the width of the field. Good point, the distortions are very discreet and the vignetting only visible at the largest opening.

STRONG POINTS

  • Generous maximum aperture f / 1.4
  • Reinforced weatherproof construction
  • Comfort and precision of the manual focus ring
  • General behavior of the lens
  • Dive level at medium openings
  • Low distortion and low vignetting

WEAK POINTS

  • Large weight and size
  • No dynamic focus distance indicator
  • Quilted back to the widest opening
  • Lack of homogeneity of dive at all openings

CONCLUSION

This Sigma 16 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is a super wide-angle fixed focal length (32mm on Micro 4/3, 24mm on APS-C) ultra bright f / 1.4. The objective delivers high quality images with a very high level of sharpness at medium apertures, and the very large aperture makes it easy to play with the effects of depth of field.

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