35mm « 360Photography

RSS

Posts Tagged ‘35mm’

35mm Street Photography Pros and Cons (+ Tips)

03 May

The post 35mm Street Photography Pros and Cons (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

With a 35mm prime lens on a full-frame camera, you’ll capture a field of view a little broader than what you see. This is what makes 35mm street photography so attractive.

Street photography is most impactful when it is realistic – but with a twist. That twist is the photographer’s creative influence. Rather than relying on tricky post-processing, extra long or wide lenses, or any other gear to make an image stand out, a good street photographer will aim to capture life on the highways and byways as they experience it.

In this article, I’ll take a look at some of the pros and cons of 35mm street photography and offer some easy-to-follow tips!

Performers in a street parade 35mm street photography — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/5.6 | 1/400s | ISO 200
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

5 reasons to use a 35mm lens for street photography

Wondering whether a 35mm lens will work for your street shooting? In this section, I share five reasons to love the 35mm focal length, starting with:

1. It’s how we naturally see (almost)

A 35mm lens on a full-frame camera provides a field of view a little wider than the field of view offered by our eyes. So it takes photos with a natural look.

With wider lenses or longer lenses, distortion can creep into your compositions. Wider lenses tend to distance elements in a composition. Longer lenses have the effect of compressing whatever appears in the frame.

2. A 35mm lens is wide, but not too wide

For street photography, a 35mm lens is wide, but not too wide. It allows you to back away and capture a broader perspective. Generally, it does not introduce distortion.

The very popular 50mm prime can be too tight for a lot of street photography. It narrows your field of view, which can make it harder to capture the full scene.

My first camera, a Nikkormat FTN, came with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. It was a great lens, and I continued using it for 27 years until it would not focus anymore. Then I replaced it with a 35mm f/1.4. I loved the f/1.4 feature on my 50mm, but it never gave me a wide-enough perspective.

Chinese new year parade — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/5.6 | 1/640s | ISO 200
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

3. 35mm lenses are often physically compact

A 35mm prime can be a relatively small, compact lens. My 35mm f/1.4 is not so small, but it’s also not too big compared to many popular zoom lenses.

And using a less obvious camera and lens for street photography can often help. You and the people you’re photographing can feel more confident because bigger gear can be intimidating. For instance, you may not feel so comfortable with a full-frame body and a 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.

With mirrorless cameras and pancake lenses, you have an even greater advantage. The gear is so much smaller and less conspicuous!

4. You have to “zoom with your feet”

Photographers who love their zoom lenses can scoff at the notion of having to zoom with your feet. But being forced to move often helps me see my subject in more creative ways than if my feet were to remain in one place. This is another positive aspect of using a 35mm prime lens for street photography.

When you have to move, you’ll see the world from different points of view. This will show you more angles, and you’ll see how the light plays differently off your subject depending on your position.

Man with a mask at a Chinese new year parade 35mm street photography — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/4 | 1/1600s | ISO 200
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

5. You can get gorgeous results at f/1.4

Did I already mention that I love my 35mm f/1.4? Using the widest aperture setting for street photography is not always practical. Focusing is more challenging. But when you want the loveliness of a very shallow depth of field, an f/1.4 lens is perfect.

Many street photographers prefer to work with a narrower aperture setting. I often do. But when I want that background blur, I open up my aperture and maybe get in a little closer.

35mm street photography at night with a tuk tuk — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/1.4 | 1/60s | ISO 1000
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

5 reasons to avoid a 35mm lens for street photography

While 35mm lenses are great, there are some important drawbacks worth considering. For instance:

1. They’re too standard

As I pointed out earlier, a 35mm lens on a full-frame camera produces a very natural field of view.

But this may not be to your liking.

A wider lens will capture more of a scene. When you can’t back up any farther, it becomes necessary to attach a wider lens to your camera. And a longer lens will get you closer to the action (it may keep you safer, too).

2. You can’t zoom with a prime

Zooming in or out is often the quickest and easiest way to recompose a photo. With a prime 35mm lens, recomposing takes longer because you have to physically move.

A zoom lens is sometimes much more convenient because it lets you stay where you are and keep taking photos.

Tricycle taxi rider and a passing monk for 35mm street photography — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/1.4 | 1/400s | ISO 100
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

3. You can’t always get what you want

With a 35mm prime lens, you can’t always capture those perfect street photography moments. You may find yourself needing a longer lens to get you closer to the action or to remain inconspicuous.

4. The focal length is long on an APS-C camera

A 35mm lens on a crop-sensor camera is about 50mm. This is restrictive and not so flexible to work with – it’s often just too tight for street scenes.

5. f/1.4 is expensive

A 35mm f/1.4 lens is a serious commitment; it is not cheap.

When I needed to upgrade from my 50mm lens, the price difference between replacing it with another 50mm or buying the 35mm was significant. In the end, though, the 35mm f/1.4 was well worth the investment.

Chiang Mai street scene in the evening with a 35mm lens — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/2.5 | 1/20s | ISO 200
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Tips for using a 35mm lens for street photography

Now that you’re familiar with the pros and cons of 35mm street photography, it’s time for some quick-and-easy street photography tips!

1. Know your lens characteristics well

If you work with a lens long enough, you’ll get used to its characteristics. You’ll become intimately familiar with its capabilities.

You’ll get to know intuitively how much depth of field you’ll have in a scene, given your f-stop and distance from the subject. This is a great advantage when capturing images that require a deep depth of field and you need to work quickly.

Bike at a wet market in Korea — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/2 | 1/320s | ISO 400
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

2. Get in close

Don’t be shy about getting close to your subject when using a 35mm lens for street photography. With a 35mm lens, street photography can be more personal. Getting in close allows you to produce photos with a greater sense of intimacy.

Here’s a fun little exercise to try:

Photograph the same scene with a 35mm lens and a 200mm lens. The photos taken with the 35mm lens will have a different, more intimate feel – simply because you’re closer to your subject when you hit the shutter button.

Portrait of a woman with a 35mm lens — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/1.4 | 1/100s | ISO 100
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

3. Make street portraits that connect

A 35mm lens helps you truly connect with your subjects. You can be close enough to have a natural conversation. If you are farther back with a long lens on your camera, you will not be conversing from a position that you’d naturally have a conversation in.

Also, a 35mm lens is lovely for street portraits and is not so wide that it produces distortion on your subject’s face.

Street portrait with a 35mm lens — Nikon D800 | 35mm | f/5.6 | 1/160s | ISO 400
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

35mm street photography: conclusion

Whatever style of street photography you love, if you haven’t yet tried a 35mm lens, I highly recommend it.

Even if you often work with a standard zoom, I suggest you go out a few times, set your zoom to 35mm, and don’t change it. You may even learn to appreciate this restriction.

35mm street photography may not suit everyone’s style, but I certainly love it.

Now over to you:

What’s your favorite street photography focal length? Do you use a 35mm lens for street shooting? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 35mm Street Photography Pros and Cons (+ Tips) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Sigma Announces the “Reborn” 35mm f/1.4 Art for E-Mount and L-Mount

30 Apr

The post Sigma Announces the “Reborn” 35mm f/1.4 Art for E-Mount and L-Mount appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Sigma announces the "reborn" 35mm f/1.4 for E-mount and L-mount

Earlier this week, Sigma announced its latest lens, the 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art for L-mount and Sony E-mount cameras.

It’s a redesign of Sigma’s popular 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens, but “reborn for mirrorless and empowered through Sigma’s [latest] technology.” Specifically, you can expect superior optical performance compared to the original 35mm f/1.4, especially in terms of bokeh quality and aberration reduction; Sigma also promises “fast and quiet AF,” plus “a professional feature-set” packed into “a compact body.”

I’m a fan of the Sigma Art line, but I’ve been frequently frustrated by the size and heft of the lenses. Fortunately, the 35mm f/1.4 addresses these problems. Sigma rates it as “significantly smaller and lighter than the existing 35mm f/1.4,” and while I wouldn’t go that far (it’s about 0.6 in/15 mm shorter and 0.7 oz/20 g lighter), the lens should balance better on Sony mirrorless cameras – especially Sony APS-C models – than its predecessor.

Above, I mentioned the improved optical performance on the new 35mm f/1.4. Sigma’s anti-flare and anti-ghosting technology, as well as low dispersion elements designed to combat aberrations, guarantees superb clarity even in tricky shooting conditions. And you can expect improvement to the (already impressive) bokeh, thanks to the 11 aperture blades, compared to 9 on the previous version.

Interestingly, Sigma has added an aperture ring to the redesigned 35mm. You have the option to adjust the aperture via the camera dials, but for those who prefer a more tactile shooting experience, manual aperture selection is always an option. The lens is also dustproof and splashproof, so the 35mm f/1.4 can be used successfully for outdoor event photography, street photography, and even landscape work. And while I haven’t had the opportunity to hold the 35mm f/1.4 in my hands, I’m confident that it, like all of Sigma’s Art lenses, can take a significant beating.

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art should appeal to plenty of photographers, especially portrait shooters in need of stunning background bokeh in a portable (and inexpensive) package, street photographers after a wider focal length, and event photographers looking for stunning optics and a fast maximum aperture. But I can also see the 35mm f/1.4 working as a travel lens, an architectural lens, and even a landscape lens.

The brand-new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is currently available for preorder, and you can grab it for just $ 899 USD. Expect the lens to start shipping in May.

Now over to you:

Are you impressed by the Sigma 35mm f/1.4? What do you think of it? Have you used the older version, and how do you think the new version will measure up? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Sigma Announces the “Reborn” 35mm f/1.4 Art for E-Mount and L-Mount appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Street Candy Film announces new MTN100 black and white 35mm film

05 Mar

Street Candy Film writes that they make ‘the tastiest black and white films around.’ It offers even more black and white film now with the addition of Street Candy Film MTN100 to its catalog, joining its previous film, ATM400.

MTN100 is a black and white ISO 100 film. The film is taken from a Motion Picture Film and promises to take your ‘black and white photography to the next level with a classic cinematic look and fine details.’ MTN100 is a panchromatic film ideal for outdoor and indoor photography. You can process it as a normal black and white negative or with a reversal kit to create direct positives.

Click to enlarge

Street Candy writes that MTN100’s primary features are beautiful contrast, fine grain and rich details. It comes as a 36-exposure 35mm roll in Street Candy’s recycled paper film canister. Regarding the canister, Street Candy Film introduced the first alternative to plastic film canisters in 2020. The canister is made of recycled cardboard and is printed with soy ink.

Street Candy Film MTN100 is available for preorder now. It is available in small quantities ahead of its April release. The minimum required purchase is two rolls, which costs 21€. For ordering information, click here.

Image shot using Street Candy MTN100. Click to enlarge.

Although not new, it’s worth doing a quick rundown of Street Candy’s ATM400 film. The panchromatic black and white negative film was originally coated for use in security surveillance cameras. It was used in banks, ATMs, offices and other places in need of security before digital surveillance became commonplace. Street Candy states that the ISO 400 film is easy to shoot, forgiving and delivers ‘beautiful contrast while retaining rich details throughout its wide dynamic range.’ ATM400 starts at 19€ and comes in 36-exposure 35mm rolls, which like the MTN100, are hand-rolled.

Street Candy ATM400 key features. Click to enlarge.

If you’d like to check out images shot by photographers using Street Candy Film, the company hosts an online gallery. To see the companies other product offerings, including merchandise for analog photography fans, click here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Sony Releases a Gorgeous (and Expensive) 35mm f/1.4 Lens

19 Jan

The post Sony Releases a Gorgeous (and Expensive) 35mm f/1.4 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Just last week, Sony unveiled its latest high-powered creation:

A 35mm f/1.4 GM lens, designed for full-frame, E-mount cameras, and offering an impressive set of capabilities (for an eye-watering price).

As you’d expect from a G Master lens, the 35mm f/1.4 features a no-holds-barred, pro-level design. You get a beautifully-constructed barrel, a handy aperture ring (for changing the aperture on the fly without having to fiddle with camera dials), plus dust and moisture resistance. The lens is relatively light and compact (Sony highlights its 524 g/18.5 oz weight, as well as its ability to sit “comfortably in the palm of your hand”), which makes it ideal for travel and on-location photoshoots. In fact, Sony has managed to create a lens that you’ll want in your bag for pretty much any photography scenario, be it studio work, natural light portraiture, landscape photography, street photography, or event photography.

Aside from its build, what makes the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM so special?

First, there’s the optics. Sony claims that the 35mm f/1.4 offers “extraordinary resolution” and “stunning contrast,” and early reviews bear this out, commenting on the lens’s impressive sharpness, even at f/1.4. This makes the 35mm f/1.4 a worthy choice for landscape photographers after a mid-wide prime, as well as for architectural photographers.

Then there’s the f/1.4 maximum aperture. Wide open, you can capture buckets of light; this is perfect for event photographers who frequently shoot indoors and need to keep their shutter speeds high, even at night. Plus, the f/1.4 setting combined with an 11-blade aperture is practically guaranteed to produce class-leading bokeh – for the kind of portrait backgrounds that will leave the viewer stunned.

Sony also promises speedy autofocus (specifically, “fast, smooth, and silent AF performance”), as well as effortless (“immediate and precise”) manual focus for those portrait photographers, landscape photographers, and videographers who require intense control when adjusting focus.

Of course, a big part of a lens’s appeal is its focal length, and here the Sony 35mm f/1.4 excels. On a full-frame camera, you get a medium-wide field of view for landscapes, environmental portraits, and wider street shots. Mount the Sony 35mm f/1.4 on a crop-sensor body, and you’ll have a handy 50mm lens, one that’ll work for standard portraits, tighter street photos, walkaround shooting, and more.

Unfortunately, the Sony 35mm f/1.4’s price tag sits just under $ 1400 USD. However, if you can afford the cost and require the absolute best image quality and bokeh around, the Sony 35mm f/1.4 won’t disappoint.

You can check out the Sony 35mm f/1.4 right here; shipping starts on February 15th.

Now over to you:

What do you think of the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM? Are you interested? Is the lens too pricey? Or is it worth the cost? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Sony Releases a Gorgeous (and Expensive) 35mm f/1.4 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Hands-on with new Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM

13 Jan

Hands-on with new Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM

It’s been a long time coming, but Sony has finally announced a G Master series 35mm lens for its full-frame mirrorless system. The new FE 35mm F1.4 GM is Sony’s 39th full-frame E-mount lens, and does not replace the older Zeiss-branded optic. It should and – spoiler alert – does outperform it in most respects, according to our testing.

Click-through for a closer look at Sony’s newest full-frame prime lens.

Size and weight

The Sony 35mm F1.4 G Master handles and looks quite a bit like its 24mm F1.4 GM cousin, which is to say the design is both compact and lightweight. Weighing in at 524g (1.1lbs), the new lens is lighter than its Zeiss-branded predecessor (630g) and smaller, too. The older lens measured 112 x 78.5mm (4.4 x 3.1″) compared to 96 x 76mm (3.8 x 3.0″) for the new ‘GM’. This isn’t a huge difference, but it is noticeably shorter when mounted onto an a9 or a7-series body.

The front filter thread is smaller, too: 67mm compared to 72mm.

Build quality and sealing

Despite its surprisingly lightweight design, this lens feels incredibly well-built. In line with other GM-series lenses, the FE 35mm F1.4 GM is rated as ‘dust and moisture resistant’, which basically means you can take it out into the elements from time to time, though we’d recommend you avoid subjecting it to lengthy exposure to dust, mud or rain (and don’t expect it to work underwater…). A rubber gasket around the mount also helps to protect moisture and gunk from entering the body and getting onto your camera’s sensor. A fluorine coating on the front element should make water or dirt easy to clean off.

Minimum focus

The FE 35mm F1.4 GM boasts a minimum focus distance of 27cm (10.6″), which works out to a maximum magnification of 0.23X. This is about average for a lens of this type, but Sony claims that image quality in its close-up range should be extremely good. Meanwhile, twin XD (‘extreme dynamic’ – Sony really likes adding the word ‘extreme’ to things) linear AF motors are designed to deliver accurate and silent focus across the focus range. Thanks to the combination of these motors and a single focusing group, focus is nearly instantaneous, making the lens suitable for fast and erratic subjects.

Manual focus

For manual focus fans, the response of the manual focus ring is linear, i.e., 5 degrees of movement of the focus ring will always change focus by the same amount, regardless of how fast or slowly you rack the control. The manual focus ring also turns with a nice smooth motion. This is all great news for video, where you need to be able to accurately and repeatedly position focus manually between fixed positions.

A customizable focus hold button on the lens barrel can temporarily disable autofocus – quite useful when paired with ‘touch tracking’ AF in video – but it need not be restricted to this function. It can be assigned to any custom function available to the other custom buttons on Alpha series bodies. The faux mechanical aperture ring can be set to move in fixed ‘clicky’ detents, or ‘de-clicked’ for smoother, stepless adjustment: again, a useful feature for video work. The only downside we could find for video shooters was some noticeable focus breathing when rack focusing.

Optical construction

Sony is proud of the design of this lens, describing it in our briefing as offering ‘overwhelming image quality in a compact and mobile package’. The image quality part of that comes courtesy of a complex optical design, comprising 14 elements in 10 groups, including two ‘XA’ (extreme aspherical) elements, with one such element positioned at the front of the lens. One ED (extra-low dispersion) element, positioned in the middle of the optical layout, helps focus light rays of varying wavelengths (or colors) at the same focal plane. All of this fancy glass should pay off in excellent sharpness across the frame, and very good control of longitudinal chromatic aberration (often seen as purple or green fringing in front of and behind the focal plane, respectively).

Eleven rounded aperture blades provide a near-circular aperture even as you stop the aperture down, which should ensure attractive bokeh and out-of-focus highlights. Meanwhile, Sony’s ‘Nano AR Coating II’ is designed to control flare and ghosting.

Image Quality

We’ve had some time to shoot two copies of the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM and have come away impressed by what we’ve seen. The lens is sharp wide open, resolving hairs with high contrast that are just one pixel wide at F1.4. Longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA) is well-controlled but modestly present. While it won’t bother you at an image level, you may notice it upon close inspection at high magnification when shooting wide open. It’s largely a non-issue once you stop down to F2. In this regard it’s far better than many lenses of its type, significantly outperforming the Sony 35mm F1.4 ZA, the Sony 35mm F1.8, and the Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art, but falling behind the industry leading Canon 35mm F1.4L II.

Bokeh, which along with LoCA, was one of the Achilles’ Heels of the 35mm ZA lens, is smooth and pleasing, with circular out-of-focus highlights showing no patterning or onion rings, well-controlled cat’s eye effect, and no mechanical truncation of bokeh at image edges or corners that can otherwise lead to ‘busy’ bokeh in these image areas.

Flare and ghosting are well controlled; we found it hard to induce contrast-killing flare or unsightly ghosts in the image when pointing the lens directly into the sun. Twenty-two point sunstars are well-defined as you stop down. Overall, optical quality is particularly impressive when you consider the size and weight of the lens.

Price and availability

The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM will be available in mid-February at an MSRP of $ 1400.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Video: How to safely make a 35mm daguerreotype at home

05 Dec

In the latest episode of ‘Darkroom Magic,’the George Eastman Museum’s historic photographic process specialist, Nick Brandreth, teaches viewers how to make a 35mm daguerreotype at home without the use of dangerous or expensive chemicals.

The daguerreotype gets its namesake from its creator, Louis Daguerre. The daguerreotype was introduced to the masses in 1839, becoming the first commercially viable photographic process. Although it fell out of favor about a decade later, the process has distinct characteristics that made it the process of choice for some specialists throughout the 20th century.

Nick Brandreth with some of his 35mm daguerreotypes

As Brandreth says, the at-home daguerreotype process is quite simple. In addition to a 35mm camera, you need a silver plate, or in his case, a piece of copper with silver plating. Orange or red glass is required in lieu of using mercury, which is part of the traditional daguerreotype process. You need iodine fuming materials and a glass vessel. Additionally, polishing materials are required to give your silver plate a mirror-like finish. The full ingredients are shown in the video below.

After you have gathered your materials, you must first buff and polish the silver plate. The first step requires a buff, olive oil, and rottenstone compound. This step removes any big scratches. Be sure to wash the plate with soap and water in between steps. The next stage is to polish the plate using lampblack, bringing the plate to a mirrored finish.

You’ll need a variety of materials to do this project, but they’re all safe, unlike the mercury used in the traditional daguerreotype process.

With the polished plate ready, the next stage is fuming. Combining silica gel beads and pure elemental iodine in a glass, you create a fuming material and place the polished plate above it, creating a photosensitive surface. The surface is sensitive to ultraviolet, violet and blue light, so you’ll want to expose it with natural light or a suitable artificial light source.

Orange or red glass is used to develop the plate. It takes between 30 and 45 minutes to fully develop the plate. It will then require fixing and a finishing stage.

The plate is now ready to be exposed. Place it inside your 35mm camera and the camera’s pressure plate should keep it stable. After exposure, it’s time for the ‘magic to happen,’ as Brandreth says. Place your exposed plate under a piece of red or orange glass and hit it with sunlight or a strong work light. You can watch the plate develop over the next 30 to 40 minutes. After this, give it a smooth, consistent fix and then wash the plate. To watch the finishing stage, be sure to watch the video above, as it requires a few steps.

If you’re interested in the science and art of photography, you can learn more about workshops at the George Eastman Museum’s website. Many more interesting videos can be viewed on its YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Sigma introduces 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 lenses for E and L mounts

02 Dec

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_6918445138″,”galleryId”:”6918445138″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Sigma has introduced its new I-series of compact, premium full-frame lenses for Sony E-mount and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma’s L-mount. The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary lenses share similar designs and have weather-sealed metal bodies. All three lenses have aperture rings and by-wire manual focus dials, and are driven by stepping motors.

The 24mm F3.5 DG DN has a total of 10 elements, which include both SLD and aspherical glass. The special elements, along with Sigma’s ‘Super Multi-Layer coating’ help to reduce ghosting and flare. The 24mm F3.5 has a minimum focus distance of 11cm (4.3″) and a max magnification of 1:2 (0.5x). The lens weighs in at just 225 grams (7.9 ounces) and includes a petal-type lens hood.

Next up is the 35mm F2 DG DN. It too has 10 elements and uses SLD and aspherical glass as well as the Super Multi-Layer coating. The minimum focus distance is 27cm (11″) with the max magnification coming in at 0.18x. The lens is slightly heavier at 325g (11.5oz).

Lastly we have the 65mm F2 DG DN, which bumps the number of elements up to 12, and uses the same special elements and coatings as its shorter siblings. It has a minimum focus distance of 55cm (22″) and a maximum magnification of 0.15x. The 65mm weighs in at 405 grams (14.3oz). It comes with a metal tube-style hood.

All three lenses come with both metal lens caps that attach magnetically and with conventional plastic pinch-type lens caps. Sigma will offer a magnetic lens cap holder that’s attached to a carabiner.

The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F lenses will be available in mid-January for $ 549, $ 639 and $ 699, respectively.

Press release

SIGMA Introduces Full-Frame Mirrorless I series Premium Compact Prime Lenses

New Lenses Offer Outstanding Performance, Superior Build Quality and Elegant Design

Ronkonkoma, NY – December 1, 2020 – Today, SIGMA Corporation introduces the I series of lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Pairing both for exceptional optical performance and stylish, compact design, the three new lenses – the 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary, 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary, and 65mm DG DN | Contemporary – join the previously released 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary to establish a new benchmark in compact performance lenses. Featuring all-metal construction for durability and cutting-edge optical designs, the I series lenses are available in L-Mount and Sony E-mount.

“When it comes to mirrorless cameras, striking the proper balance between performance and size is even more crucial. We believe there is a growing demand for compact, high-performance, high-quality lenses,” reports SIGMA America President Mark Amir-Hamzeh. “The introduction of the I series of full-frame mirrorless-exclusive lenses answers this call. The I series represents a new option: premium compact primes that are stylish in appearance with impressive specifications and optical performance.”

Built to the mechanical and operational standards of SIGMA Cine lenses, in compact mirrorless form, the I series have outstanding feel and touch in the hand. The well-damped manual focus ring, aperture ring, and autofocus switches embody true functional beauty.

The I series is being announced with 3 new lenses:

24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary (MSRP $ 549)
35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary (MSRP $ 639)
65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary (MSRP $ 699)

The three new lenses will be available for sale through authorized US retailers in mid-January, 2021.

The 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, available now (MSRP $ 549), is also part of this series.

Key I series Lens Features:

All I series lenses feature an all-metal body, with high-precision metal internal parts, and a metal lens hood. The 24mm F3.5 is a petal-type hood.
All I series lenses feature a manual aperture ring and knurled surfaces for an enjoyable tactile experience.
The 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 lenses feature a newly-designed arc-type auto/manual focus mode switch.
The 24mm F3.5, 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 lenses all feature a dust and splash-proof mount
The three new lenses each ship with both a plastic lens cap and a magnetic metallic cap.
An optional magnetic cap holder (model CH-11, MSRP $ 29) features a mini-carabiner for clipping to a camera bag, jacket or belt loop, and has a donut-style center hole to easily remove the cap when it is time to place it back on the lens.

Product Specifications:

SIGMA 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary

Lens Construction:	10 elements in 8 groups (1 SLD, 3 aspherical)
Autofocus Motor:	STM
No. of Diaphragm Blades:	7 rounded
Min. Focus Distance:	4.3 in. (10.8cm)
Max. magnification ratio	1:2 (half macro)
Filter Size:	55mm
Dimensions (DxL):	L-Mount: 2.5 x 1.9 in. (64 x 48.8mm) E-Mount: 2.5 x 2.0 in. (64 x 50.8mm)
Weight:	L-Mount: 7.9 oz. (225g) E-Mount: 8.1 oz. (230g)

SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary

Outstanding image quality and bokeh, compact size, perfect for everyday use.
Stepping motor | Designed to minimize flare and ghosting | Super Multi-Layer Coating

Lens Construction:	10 elements in 9 groups (1 SLD, 3 aspherical)
Autofocus Motor:	STM
No. of Diaphragm Blades:	9 rounded
Min. Focus Distance:	10.6 in. (27cm)
Max. Magnification Ratio:	1:5.7
Filter Size:	58mm
Dimensions (DxL):	L-Mount: 2.8 x 2.6 in. (70 x 65.4mm) E-Mount: 2.8 x 2.7 in. (70 x 67.4mm)
Weight:	11.5 oz. (325g)

SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary

Sharp images with beautiful bokeh | High backlight performance with thorough flare & ghosting control | Stepping motor | Designed to minimize flare and ghosting | Super Multi-Layer Coating

Lens Construction:	12 elements in 9 groups (1 SLD, 2 aspherical)
Autofocus Motor:	STM
No. of Diaphragm Blades:	9 rounded
Min. Focus Distance:	21.7 in. (55cm)
Max. Magnification Ratio:	1:6.8
Filter Size:	62mm
Dimensions (DxL):	L-Mount: 2.8 x 2.9 in. (72 x 74.7mm) E-Mount: 2.8 x 3.0 in. (72 x 76.2mm)
Weight:	14.3 oz. (405g)

Sigma 24mm F3.5 | 35mm F2 | 65mm F2 DG DN specifications

	Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN	Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN	Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN
Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	24 mm	35 mm	65 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	L-Mount, Sony FE
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F3.5	F2
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	7	9
Optics
Elements	10		12
Groups	8	9
Special elements / coatings	1 SLD + 3 aspherical elements, Super Multi-Layer coating		1 SLD + 2 aspherical elements, Super Multi-Layer coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.11 m (4.33″)	0.27 m (10.63″)	0.55 m (21.65″)
Maximum magnification	0.5×	0.18×	0.15×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	No
Physical
Weight	225 g (0.50 lb)	325 g (0.72 lb)	405 g (0.89 lb)
Diameter	64 mm (2.52″)	70 mm (2.76″)	72 mm (2.83″)
Length	49 mm (1.93″)	65 mm (2.56″)	75 mm (2.95″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	55 mm	58 mm	62 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN sample gallery (DPReview TV)

02 Dec

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_5770032666″,”galleryId”:”5770032666″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

While they were out shooting their video about Sigma’s new lenses, Chris and Jordan filled up a memory card with photos from the 35mm F2 DG DN and Panasonic S5/S1H. Have a look.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

DPReview TV: Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN and 65mm F2 DG DN review

02 Dec

Chris and Jordan take a look at the new Sigma 35mm F2 and 65mm F2 Contemporary lenses for E- and L-mount. Depending on which system you’re in and what your needs are, they might just be the compact, well-priced and impressively sharp little primes you’ve been looking for.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
Samples
Build and design
Autofocus
65mm image issues
65mm sharpness
35mm image issues
Focus breathing
35mm sharpness
Who is the 35mm for?
Who is the 65mm for?
And remember…

Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN sample images

Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN sample images

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_6264038873″,”galleryId”:”6264038873″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Hands-on with new Sigma 35mm and 65mm F2 DG DN lenses

01 Dec

Hands on with new Sigma 35mm and 65mm F2 DG DN | C

Sigma just added three ‘I-series’ lenses to its Contemporary lineup, in the form of 24mm, 35mm and 65mm primes. Physically somewhat similar to the metal-bodied 45mm F2.8 ‘C’ released alongside the fp, these new primes promise very good performance and light weight when paired with L-mount and Sony E-mount mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.

We’ve had our hands on the 35mm and 65mm for a few days; read on for pictures, impressions and key specifications.

Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN

‘A classic reimagined’ is how Sigma describes this lens, which is one of a trio of new ‘I-series’ primes in Sigma’s established ‘Contemporary’ line. The ‘I’ lenses are described as compact, high-quality optics for mirrorless cameras, offering an alternative to the often large, heavy lenses we’ve seen appear for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Metal construction

Like the quirky 45mm F2.8, these new ‘Contemporary’ primes are unusual in featuring a metal construction, including the lens hood. Made from ‘precision cut’ aluminum with a brass mount, the 35mm F2 feels like a premium product. However, at 325g (11.5 oz) it remains relatively lightweight, as well as being (by the standards of most modern mirrorless primes) fairly compact.

On a Sony a7R IV, it feels very well-balanced indeed, with its light weight keeping the combination from feeling front-heavy.

Focus and aperture rings

Knurled focus and aperture rings add to the somewhat retro-inspired design of these new lenses, although both operate of course ‘by wire’. The focus ring is buttery-smooth yet well-damped, and the ‘clicky’ aperture ring is a joy (though it cannot be de-clicked for smooth operation when shooting video).

The accented ‘cut-out’ between the focus ring and aperture ring is cosmetic (it looks like it should be an annular switch but it isn’t) but does provide a little purchase when mounting and dismounting the lens. Unlike the rest of the lens, this ring has a gloss, rather than matte finish, giving it a strange prominence. Both finishes are something of a fingerprint magnet.

Focus speeds aren’t lightning quick, but are more than fast enough for almost any subject you’d be shooting with a 35mm prime. The focus motor is, for all intents and purposes, silent, though you may hear a slight whine or hum if you’re using onboard microphones to record audio while shooting video.

Optical design

It might be small (only 70mm long, or about 2.7 inches) but the 35mm F2 packs in ten glass elements in nine groups, including one SLD (super low-dispersion) and three molded aspherical elements, all produced in Sigma’s factory in Aizu, Japan. This fairly complex design is optimized for excellent control of chromatic aberrations and field curvature. Sigma also claims very good correction of coma, which is good news for fans of low light, wide-aperture shooting.

9-blade rounded aperture (35mm & 65mm only)

Speaking of wide-aperture shooting, the 35mm and 65mm ‘C’ primes feature a nine-bladed aperture, with rounded blades to help deliver circular bokeh at a wide apertures (the 24mm has seven blades). The 35mm F2 accepts fairly standard 58mm screw-in filters and the included metal lens cap attaches magnetically.

The back of the metal cap has a felt ring to prevent it scraping the lens, and this is something of a dust trap. The lens comes supplied with a conventional plastic pinch cap, too.

Dust and splash-proof

Sigma doesn’t make any great claims about the weather-sealing of the new ‘I’ series, but like all three of the new lenses, the 35mm F2’s brass mount is rated as ‘dust and splash-proof’. To that end, a slim rubber gasket around the mount helps keep any dirt or moisture from entering the camera.

The Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 639.

Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN

The 65mm F2 is physically very similar to the 35mm, but a little heavier (405g/14.3oz compared to 325g/11.5oz) and very slightly longer. Optically it comprises 12 elements in nine groups, including one SLD element and two aspherical elements.

Sigma says the 65mm focal length encourages a greater working distance than a conventional 50mm ‘normal,’ which in turn provides slightly more of a compression effect for the same composition. Its minimum focus distance is 55cm (21.7″)

The front filter ring is larger than that of the 35mm F2, and accepts 62mm screw-in filters.

The Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 699.

Sigma 65mm F2 DG DN

Like the 35mm, the 65mm comes with both a pinch-fit plastic lens cap and a rather smart magnetic metal one. There’s also a light, ribbed metal hood with a plastic insert with a clip mechanism that provides smooth and secure attachment to the lens itself.

Despite its extra length and weight, it still balances nicely. We used it on some of Sony’s more recent full-frame models, whose larger grips mean the weight is easy to hold. Unlike some recent FF mirrorless lenses, the lens’s weight is pretty evenly distributed along its length: there’s no extreme front element pulling the front of the lens down.

Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN

Third in the new trilogy of primes (and the only one not available to us at the time of writing) is the lightweight (only 225g/8oz) 24mm F3.5 DG DN. Of the three, this lens is the closest in terms of physical design and handling to the existing 45mm F2.8, but unlike that lens, it promises thoroughly-modern, aberration-free imaging, with ‘high resolving power’ across the entire frame at all apertures.

Its 10 element in 8 group optical design includes one SLD element and three aspherical elements, and a minimum focus distance of only 10cm (~4″) works out to an impressive maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.

The Sigma 24mm F3.5 DG DN will be available in mid-January for $ 549.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized