In this Sigma E-Mount Art series lens review, I will cover the 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens, the 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens, and 60mm f/2.8 DN lenses using my Sony Nex-6 for the camera body. I will cover everything you need to know with lots of sample photos and lab testing.
I have all three lenses to compare at the same time using my Sony Nex-6, so stay tuned for this rolling style review as I will add info and photos as the days progress 😉 For all the available Sigma E-Mount lenses and links to reviews, check out my Sigma E-Mount Lens Guide Here >>
The Sigma Art Series has a much cleaner more elegant look while maintaining about the same optical quality as the predecessor models. A new 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens has also been introduced, and that focal length is great for portrait photography in particular.
The other really good affordable portrait lens option currently is the E 50mm f/1.8 OSS Lens. It has a slightly better overall value in my opinion with the faster glass and OSS included, but the extra 10mm on the Sigma is a nice alternative.
All Three Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lenses
This is how the Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lenses arrived once I took them out of the BHPhoto box.
Check out these killer padded pouches that the Sigma Art Series Lenses come shipped inside. The lenses are also in plastic bags inside the pouches when your first open them up.
I had the 60mm in the middle for the shot above, but realized I wanted it in order of focal length once I took them out of the really nice included padded pouches. Thanks for including them Sigma, it really is appreciated!
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lens – Build Quality
The Art series lenses look sharp in comparison to the old design and are very light weight thanks to the plastic and metal design. Overall the build quality is very good considering the cost of the lenses in my opinion. They almost feel like toys in comparison to the Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 lens, but are comparable to the Sony 16mm Pancake lens in feel and 30mm f/3.5 macro in size/ weight. The Lens Mount is snug and locks into place with pretty much no play at all. I did have an occasional issue with the Sigma lenses disconnecting from my Nex-6. I would have to turn the camera off and back on to fix it. The aperture would read blank as if the lens was a fully manual.
I’m not sure if my Nex-6 is the issue specifically, or the Sigma lenses, but I very rarely have this issue with other lenses. All the Sigma lenses did it though which was consistent. Perhaps returning from sleep mode was an issue for the lenses every once in a while. The focus ring has a black satin-smooth finish which looks nice, but holds finger prints like you would not believe!
The focus ring turns fairly easily in manual focus mode, and has a small amount dampening to help keep things smooth. I used it on some flower photos and I was pleased with how it worked in combination with focus peaking and high res LCD screen. The Aperture mechanism is in the front part of the lens as you can see below in the 19mm photo pretty clearly. It’s very quite when changing from one f-stop to another, but you can hear it. Both the lens cap and hood are excellent and easy to get on and off without any fuss on all the lenses! [divider]
AF Performance
The Auto Focus on the Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lens is vastly improved over the previous generation. It’s much smoother, consistent, and seems to lock on faster without any focus jitter. The focus transitions are now smooth from one object to another comparable to the Sony E-mount lenses. This is really nice for video in particular. The focus accuracy is dead-on and seems more confident overall, and I had very few situations of focus hunting.
Individual Sigma E-Mount Lens Overviews and Specs
Sigma 19mm F/2.8 DN Lens
The black 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens for Sony E-mount Cameras from Sigma is a wide-angle prime lens for Sony E-mount cameras. Its 35mm focal length equivalency is 28.5mm and its minimum focus distance is 7.9″ (20 cm). Its f/2.8 maximum aperture is ideal for shallow depth of field imaging and allows it to maintain sharpness in low light situations. An inner focusing system means the lens does not extend when focusing and its newly developed linear autofocus motor is accurate and quiet. Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum aperture, and with three glass molded aspherical elements, aberrations are kept to a minimum. The result is accurate color definition and sharp imaging across the frame.
- Wide-angle 19mm prime lens for Sony E-mount cameras with a 28.5mm focal length equivalent
- Maximum aperture of f/2.8 is effective in low light situations and able to create lovely shallow depth of field images.
- Inner focusing system and linear autofocus motor for efficient, smooth, quiet and accurate focus.
- Three glass molded aspherical elements and Super Multi-Layer Coating minimizes aberrations and reduces flare and ghosting for sharp, high contrast images.
- A brass bayonet mount has both high accuracy and durability. A special treatment to reinforce its strength is applied to the surface giving it greater strength and making it highly resistant to long-term use.
- Part of Sigma’s new “Art” class of fast aperture, sharp prime lenses
| Lens Construction | 8 Elements in 6 Groups | ||||
| Angle of View | 59.3º | ||||
| Number of Diaphragm Blades | 7 | ||||
| Mininum Aperture | f22 | ||||
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 20 cm / 7.9 in | ||||
| Filter Size (mm) | 46mm | ||||
| Maximum Magnifications | 1:7.4 | ||||
| Dimensions (Diameter x Length) | 60.8×45.7mm/ 2.4×1.8in | ||||
| Weight | TBD | ||||
| Corresponding Mounts |
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Price: ~$199 Check Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens Prices @ BHPhotoVideo
Sigma 30mm F/2.8 DN Lens
The black 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens for Sony E-mount Cameras from Sigma is standard length prime lens for Sony E-mount cameras. Its focal length is equivalent to a 45mm lens in the 35mm format and its minimum focus distance is 11.8″ (30 cm). Its f/2.8 maximum aperture is ideal for shallow depth of field imaging and allows it to maintain sharpness in low light situations. An inner focusing system means the lens does not extend when focusing and its newly developed linear autofocus motor is accurate and quiet. Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum aperture, and with two glass molded aspherical elements including a double-sided aspherical element, aberrations are kept to a minimum. The result is accurate color definition and sharp imaging across the frame. A metal exterior provides durability and handsome design.
- Standard length 30mm prime lens for Sony E-mount cameras with a 45mm focal length equivalent
- Maximum aperture of f/2.8 is effective in low light situations and able to create lovely shallow depth of field images.
- Inner focusing system and linear autofocus motor for efficient, smooth, quiet and accurate focus.
- Two glass molded aspherical elements, including a double-sided aspherical element and Super Multi-Layer Coating minimizes aberrations and reduces flare and ghosting for sharp, high contrast images.
- A brass bayonet mount has both high accuracy and durability. A special treatment to reinforce its strength is applied to the surface giving it greater strength and making it highly resistant to long-term use.
- Part of Sigma’s new “Art” class of fast aperture, sharp prime lenses
Price: $199 US Check Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens Prices @ BHPhoto
Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens
The 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens for Sony E-mount Cameras from Sigma is a prime lens compatible with Sony E-mount cameras. With a 90mm focal length equivalent in the 35mm format, this is a mid-range telephoto length lens with numerous applications including portraiture. A maximum aperture of f/2.8 provides shallow depth of field and makes this lens effective in low light. The minimum focus distance on this lens is 19.7″ (50 cm) and its maximum magnification ratio is 1:7.2. A newly developed linear auto focus motor provides accurate ad quiet focusing which is ideal when shooting video. With Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements and glass molded aspherical elements, this lens minimizes chromatic aberrations for sharp, high resolution images. A seven-bladed diaphragm creates an attractive blur in the out of focus areas.
- 60mm lens for Sony E-mount Cameras mirrorless cameras with a 90mm equivalent focal range.
- Maximum aperture of f/2.8 is effective in low light and provides shallow depth of field.
- Linear auto focus motor provides smooth, quiet and accurate autofocus
- Special Low Dispersion glass and aspherical elements minimize aberrations to provide sharp imaging throughout the frame
- Part of Sigma’s new “Art” class of fast aperture, sharp prime lenses
| Lens Construction | TBD | ||||
| Angle of View | 20.4 degrees (Sony E-mount 26.6 degrees) | ||||
| Number of Diaphragm Blades | 7 (Rounded) | ||||
| Mininum Aperture | f22 | ||||
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 50cm / 19.7in | ||||
| Filter Size (mm) | 46mm | ||||
| Maximum Magnifications | 1:7.2 | ||||
| Dimensions (Diameter x Length) | 60.8mm x 55.5mm / 2.4in x 2.2in | ||||
| Weight | TBD | ||||
| Corresponding Mounts |
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| DN- Designed exclusively for mirrorless interchangeable cameras | |||||
Price: $239 US Check Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens Prices @ BHphoto
“Lab” Test Photos
In this “Lab” test scene I have a number ob colorful and detailed objects set-up, and I used my Nex-6, and Manfrotto Tripod to keep things steady. I had the Nex-6 set to ISO 100, so the shutter speed varied greatly as I went thru each aperture setting. I used Raw Quality so no in camera lens correction was applied to these images! Also, be sure to Click on the 100% crops for the full size images! I made them ~1200px.
Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens
– Full Scene @ f/2.8
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
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Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens
– Full Scene @ f/2.8
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
| Lower Left Corner | Middle Chart | Upper Middle – Bokeh | |
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Sigma 60mm
– Full Scene @ f/2.8
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
| Lower Left Corner | Middle Chart | Middle Upper | |
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Sigma 19mm vs Sony 16mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens (sel16f28)
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As you can clearly see from these test photos, the Sony 16mm f/2.8 pancake lens is awful in the corners compared to the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens. When you stop down to f/8 the Sony performs much better, but still falls short of the Sigma performance by far. I don’t curhave the Sony E 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens currently, but based on the real world corner sharpness in the photos I took, it’s very close to the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens if not a little better in some fringing areas. The”Lab” test would be much more clear, but as I said above I don’t have the lens anymore, sorry.
Real World Sample Photos
Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens
On the deck @ f/2.8 using my Nex-6 hand-held.
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
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Love the wide-angle for these types of photos and the Sigma 19mm does a fine job.
A low light interior shot with an out of focus background.
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
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My awesome Nephew Luke let me take a few pictures of him, and he actually took a some photos with the Nex-6 and sigma e-mount lenses also 😉
Another scene just to the left of Luke that offers some super high contrast in the upper left corner and other real world details.
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My parents Mailbox with the house in the background.
And here is my parents house. Note the vertical lines and distortion control.
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A white church not to far from my parents house.
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Sigma E-Mount 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens, @ f/5.6, 1/640sec, ISO 100, Hand-Held, Raw Quality
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HDR Photography Three exposures hand-held -2,0,+2, blended with Photomatix and further edited in Lightroom
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens
I took these photos wide-open @ f/2.8 and the I notice the contrast and color are very good and a little better than expected to be honest. I’m quite impressed with the 300mm lens bokeh rendering as well.
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
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Sigma E-Mount 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens, @ f/2.8, 1/100sec, ISO 100, Hand-Held, Raw Quality
Another flower image, but this time direct sunlight and manual focus using f/4 for the aperture.
The same Church from above with the 19mm standing in the same spot. The 30mm offers a much different perspective of the scene though.
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My boy Chubs on the deck makes for a great real world test photo I think. First @ f/2.8 then @ f/4 for sharpness comparison purposes.
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The f/4 image below is noticeable sharper than the f/2.8 image above when viewing the 100% Crops.
HDR Photography Three exposures hand-held -2,0,+2, blended with Photomatix and further edited in Lightroom.
Be sure to Click the Photos for the 1200px 100% Crop version!
Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens
The same scene from my deck that offers a pretty consistent result with all the lenses.
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I took a few snapshots over at my parents house on Saturday as my family from Texas is visiting 🙂 Here is another of Luke who was kind enough to pose for me in the widow light. Note how sharp the 100% Crop is, and also the bokeh from the toaster lights.
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Here is a silhouette photo of my other Nephew Joseph. I think I took this photo, but ti’s possible Luke took it. Either way, whats important to note is how well the high contrast areas are controlled by the optics.
Here’s my Brother Chris who is losing weight like a mad man thanks to his cross-fit training efforts. I’m thinking I need to join something soon!
Lemons in the sunlight.
Dunkin on the railing.
Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lens Review – Conclusion
Overall the Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lenses are very good performers for the money. The 60mm is the best performer optically followed by the 30mm then the 19mm based on my testing. The build quality is pretty good, but the lens group floats inside, like the previous generation, which makes the lens feel a little cheaper than it would otherwise in my opinion. This is understandable considering the price point and sharpness of the optics though as far as I see it. The focus has been improved and the focus transitions are much better for video! The AF performance in video mode actually resembles the Sony E-Mount lenses, which I was surprised to see. At the time of this review the AF is only the contrast variety, because the Hybrid sensors are not supported yet. Therefore they are a bit slower than the Hybrid AF compatible E-Mount lenses.
The Sigma 60mm f/2.8 E-Mount lens stands out to me as an excellent portrait lens option for those in the market. Your alternative option is the Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS Lens which is a much better overall value, but has shorter focal length. The Sigma might even be a little sharper, but I don’t have the lens on hand to compare A to B. I’m also curious how close the real contrast is from one another. Regardless the faster f/1.8 max aperture and optical steady shot make the SEL50F18 a no brainer. I have sample video that shows off the auto focus while recording in AF-C mode, but my computer is acting up and I can’t edit any video do to the ram load. However, I can tell you it’s smooth and much better than the previous generation lenses with transitions specifically.
That is it for the Sigma E-Mount Art Series Lens Review, so I hope you got everything you were looking for!
Please feel free to ask questions or comment below, and thanks again for your support by using the affiliate links below and on my E-Mount Lens Guide Pages This Way >>
Jay
- Buy the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens @ BHPhoto >>
- Buy the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN Lens @ BHPhoto >>
- Buy the Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Lens @ BHPhoto >>
