Sigma Goes Mirrorless With 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens

Sigma continues to expand its offering of mirrorless lenses. Its latest entry is the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens.

The high performance prime lens is designed for APS-C Mirrorless cameras, including Sony E mount and Micro Four Thirds. On a Sony E-mount APS-C format camera, it is equivalent to 24mm, while on a Micro Four Thirds ILC it functions as a 32mm medium-wide. It also fully accommodates Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF.

With a fast, bright f/1.4 aperture, the mirrorless lens excels in low-light conditions. While intended for nature and event photography, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is also a good choice for non-professionals taking family and travel photos.

Although the lens is from Sigma’s Contemporary line, the image quality is excellent. Overall, images are extremely sharp, and there is very little chromatic aberration. In fact, its performance rivals many of the lenses in Sigma’s Art line.

Below are several other key features:

• Stepping AF motor delivers fast, precise, and near-silent performance.
• Rounded nine-blade diaphragm creates pleasing bokeh quality.
• Dust- and splash-resistant design protects the lens in many weather conditions, although it is not completely waterproof.
• Construction of Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) material, along with traditional metals, allows for greater precision and use in wide temperature variations.
• Brass bayonet mount ensures accuracy and durability.

The compact size also makes the lens extremely comfortable to use and carry around. It weighs just 15.9 ounces. Out of the box, it comes with a petal type lens hood, as well as a rear and front cap. Like all Sigma products, the lens is extremely well made. Each lens is hand crafted in a single factory in Aizu, Japan and individually inspected before shipping.

The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is very reasonably priced. It sells for $449 and is available via online retailers such as Amazon.com.