Best Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

The objective is composed of 9 lenses distributed in 7 groups including 2 aspherical elements and 1 element in glass with high refractive index. This 30mm f / 1.4 is very compact, as it measures just over 7cm long and weighs 265g. It is equipped with a step-by-step motor suitable, among other things, for taking video shots. It is very bright with a maximum aperture of f / 1.4 associated with a 9-slat diaphragm.

Best Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary DC DN Lens for Sony E

2. Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary DC DN Lens for Micro 4/3

3. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon EF-M with 64GB SD Card and Travel Bundle (4 Items)

4. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Prime Lens for Sony E-Mount w/ 64GB Extreme PRO Bundle

5. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon EF-M with 64GB Extreme PRO SD Card, Lens Pouch and Accessory Bundle

Ergonomics

This Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is relatively large (more than 7 cm and 265 g). Despite this, it is fairly well proportioned to a case of the caliber of the  Sony A6300 . It is quite beautiful, the design is neat and discreet. The lens has a very good build quality and a perfect level of finishes. Certain metal elements give it a feeling of solidity and longevity: a good point.

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.

The focal

A focal length corresponds to an angle of field – or angle of vision – covered by the camera equipped with the lens. The larger the focal length, the smaller the field of view: we speak of a long focal length. Conversely, the shorter the focal length, the wider the field angle: we speak of wide-angle.

This lens exists in two mounts: FE and Micro 4/3. In the first case (FE mount), it is therefore intended for Sony hybrids, more particularly those equipped with an APS-C format sensor such as the A6300 (our test device), for example. This Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN then amounts to an “equivalent” 45 mm. This focal length is ideal for reporting, street photography, portrait and even landscape. It is the normal focal length par excellence.

In Micro 4/3 mount, it is mainly intended for users of Panasonic and Olympus hybrids. Used as such, it amounts to an “equivalent” 60 mm (conversion coefficient of 2x). This very small long focal length is well suited to portrait, for example.

The vignetting

All the lenses give an image whose periphery, and particularly the corners, are darker. The vignetting is measured in IL (Lumination Index): the value indicated measures the difference, in IL, between the amount of light received by the edges and that received in the center.

The vignetting is felt only at the largest openings. After f / 2, it becomes negligible and the images are perfectly homogeneous.

Distrosions

Objectives tend to “twist reality”. Geometric aberrations appear when one moves away from Gauss conditions. There are two types of geometrical distortions: distortions in bearings and distortions in barrels.

Bokeh

The bokeh is to be related to the depth of field. We can compare it to the “quality” of the blur or to the way in which the objective goes from the net to the blur – a very subjective notion, even if certain elements make it possible to predict things – on images with shallow depth of field. It depends on many parameters including mainly the design of the lens, the shape and size of the diaphragm.

Of course, the possibilities of playing with the depth of field are quite limited on an APS-C system and especially on Micro 4/3. Anyway, thanks to the very generous maximum aperture of f / 1.4, Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is still possible to detach your subject from the background and get a nice bokeh effect. As much as possible, try to work with a relatively short focusing distance and compose so that the background is as far as possible from the subject.

Sharpness

The notion of dive is quite delicate to deal with. This is what we can assimilate to the “feeling of sharpness” and / or to the “precision” that we observe on an image. It can be very different from one lens to another, from one focal to another and from one aperture to another. It can also vary between the center and the edges of the image. We usually say that the sharpness is optimal in the center and at the average openings: f / 8 or f / 11 for example.

In addition, the sharpness will depend on the definition of the sensor of your camera (we tested the lens with an A6300 of 24 Mpx) and the size of its sensor (APS-C for the A6300). The smaller the pixels, the more the system will show its limits due to diffraction. This phenomenon increases as you close the lens diaphragm.

The A6300 has a definition of 6000 x 4000 px. Each pixel therefore measures 3.9 micrometers per side. The minimum aperture recommended to avoid diffraction problems is therefore f / 11!

This Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is overall very good! The level of dive in the center is excellent whatever the opening chosen (including very large ones). It is between f / 2.8 and f / 5.6 that the lens provides the best of itself: consistency and perfect homogeneity between the center and the edges. At the largest apertures, there is a fairly large sharpness offset between the center and the edges of the images. From f / 2, this offset settles to disappear at f / 2.8.

STRONG POINTS

  • Very large aperture of f / 1.4
  • Quality of construction, handling
  • Optical quality between f / 2.8 and f / 5.6
  • Low vignetting

WEAK POINTS

  • A bit long in Micro 4/3 or a little short in APS-C
  • Non-homogeneity of the dive at the largest openings
  • Slight distortions

CONCLUSION

In the end, we don’t have much to blame for this new fixed focal length designed for Sony (APS-C) or Micro 4/3 hybrids; it therefore naturally receives its recommended label. Excellent handling, build quality, very large aperture, optical quality (especially between f / 2.8 and f / 5.6): the check list is complete, equivalent to a 45 mm (APS-C) or 60 mm (Micro 4/3), this focal length is relatively well suited to reporting (although a little long) and portrait (although a little short). 

Sigma 30 mm f / 1.4 DC DN is therefore an in-between that will have to be tamed. Its very large aperture of f / 1.4 gives it great versatility, both in shooting in low light conditions and to achieve beautiful bokeh effects.

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