Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art for Sony E-Mount Review

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is one of the most versatile and high-performing zoom lenses available for Sony E-mount users. As part of Sigma’s acclaimed Art series, this lens is designed with professionals and advanced enthusiasts in mind, offering a constant f/2.8 aperture, robust build quality, and stellar image performance. Competing directly with Sony’s 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens, the Sigma offers similar optical quality at a more accessible price point, making it a strong contender in the standard zoom category.

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Features / Specifications

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is packed with high-end features that cater to both photographers and videographers:

Focal Length: 24-70mm, covering a standard zoom range that suits various genres such as landscapes, portraits, events, and travel.
Aperture Range: Constant f/2.8 across the zoom range, providing excellent low-light performance and depth-of-field control.
Lens Construction: 19 elements in 15 groups, incorporating high-performance glass:
- 6x FLD (F Low Dispersion) elements and 2x SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements to minimize chromatic aberration.
- 3x aspherical elements for distortion correction and edge-to-edge sharpness.
Coatings: Super Multi-Layer and Nano Porous Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, enhancing contrast and color accuracy.
Autofocus: Stepping motor (STM) for smooth, silent, and accurate focusing.
Minimum Focus Distance: 18 cm (24mm) to 38 cm (70mm), with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9, allowing for creative close-ups.
Filter Size: 82mm, a standard size for professional lenses.
Weather Sealing: Dust- and splash-resistant design with a rubber gasket around the mount.
Compatibility: Designed for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras but also performs excellently on APS-C bodies with an equivalent focal range of 36-105mm.

Build Quality

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art excels in terms of build quality, living up to the premium standards of the Art series.

Materials: The lens features a mix of high-grade metal and durable polycarbonate materials. The robust construction gives it a premium feel while ensuring durability for professional use.
Weather Sealing: The lens is fully weather-sealed, including a rubber gasket at the lens mount, making it resistant to dust, moisture, and light rain.
Zoom and Focus Rings: The zoom ring is well-damped and rotates smoothly, with enough resistance to prevent zoom creep. The focus ring provides precise control for manual focusing and is electronically coupled for a smooth experience.
Buttons and Switches: Includes a customizable AF/MF switch and a zoom lock to prevent the lens barrel from extending during transport.
Overall Build: The lens feels professional and rugged, ready to withstand the demands of outdoor and event photography.

Size, Weight, and Dimensions

While not the lightest lens in its category, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is reasonably compact for a high-performance zoom.

Dimensions: 87.8mm in diameter and 122.9mm in length.
Weight: 835g (1.84 lbs), making it lighter than some competitors, like the Sony 24-70mm GM.
Portability: While heavier than smaller zooms or primes, the weight is balanced well on Sony’s full-frame bodies like the A7 or A9 series. It remains manageable for handheld shooting and extended use.

Image Quality

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art delivers exceptional image quality, rivaling much more expensive options.

Sharpness

Center Sharpness: The lens exhibits outstanding sharpness in the center of the frame, even when wide open at f/2.8. This sharpness remains consistent across the entire zoom range.
Edge Sharpness: Edge sharpness is excellent, particularly from f/4 onwards, making it suitable for landscape and architecture photography. At f/2.8, there’s minor softness at the corners, but it improves significantly when stopped down.
Consistency Across Focal Lengths: The lens performs evenly across the zoom range, with no noticeable drop in quality at either end of the focal spectrum.

Color Rendering and Contrast

Color Accuracy: Sigma’s advanced coatings ensure vivid, true-to-life colors with minimal color cast, making it ideal for natural landscapes and portraits.
Contrast: The lens produces high contrast, even in challenging lighting conditions. Backlit subjects retain detail, thanks to effective flare suppression.

Bokeh

Background Blur: The 11-blade rounded aperture creates smooth, creamy bokeh, making it suitable for portraits and subject isolation.
Out-of-Focus Highlights: Highlights are rendered as soft, circular bokeh balls with minimal onion-ring artifacts, ensuring pleasing defocused backgrounds.

Optical Aberrations

Chromatic Aberration: Virtually no noticeable chromatic aberration, even in high-contrast scenes. Sigma’s FLD and SLD elements work effectively to eliminate fringing.
Distortion: Barrel distortion is present at 24mm, while pincushion distortion is noticeable at 70mm, but both are well-controlled and can be corrected in-camera or during post-processing.
Flare and Ghosting: Thanks to its advanced coatings, the lens handles direct light sources well, with minimal ghosting or flare.
Vignetting: At f/2.8, vignetting is visible, particularly at 24mm, but it diminishes by f/4 and is easy to correct in post-processing.

Autofocus

The lens’s stepping motor (STM) ensures reliable autofocus performance:

Speed: Fast autofocus acquisition, even in low-light conditions.
Accuracy: Precise tracking for both still and moving subjects.
Quiet Operation: Silent operation is ideal for events and video recording.

Performance in Photography and Videography

Photography

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is highly versatile and performs exceptionally well across various photography genres:

Portraits: The f/2.8 aperture provides beautiful subject isolation and bokeh, making it a favorite for portrait photographers.
Landscapes: Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal distortion make it ideal for capturing expansive landscapes.
Events: The wide zoom range and fast aperture allow for dynamic shooting in varying lighting conditions, such as weddings or concerts.

Videography

Autofocus: The stepping motor provides smooth and silent focusing, crucial for video production.
Focus Breathing: Minimal focus breathing makes it suitable for professional videography, ensuring consistent framing during focus pulls.
Stabilization: While the lens lacks optical stabilization, it pairs well with Sony bodies featuring IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization).

Use Cases

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is a do-it-all lens suited for various scenarios:

Event and Wedding Photography: The versatile zoom range and reliable low-light performance make it a top choice for events.
Portrait Photography: Smooth bokeh and sharp subject rendering enhance portraits, both environmental and close-up.
Travel and Street Photography: Compact enough for travel, with the flexibility to handle a variety of scenes.
Videography: Silent autofocus and minimal focus breathing make it ideal for video shooters.

Price

At approximately $1,099 USD, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is significantly more affordable than Sony’s 24-70mm GM lens, offering comparable performance at a fraction of the price. This makes it an excellent value for professionals and enthusiasts who demand high quality without exceeding their budget.

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art stands out as one of the best standard zoom lenses for Sony E-mount users. Combining stellar optical performance, robust build quality, and excellent autofocus, it offers exceptional value at its price point. Whether you’re shooting portraits, landscapes, or events, this lens delivers consistently sharp, vibrant images with minimal optical flaws. Its compact design and reasonable price make it a compelling alternative to more expensive counterparts.

Conclusion

Rating

Our overall rating: 9.3/10

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is a well-rounded workhorse lens that combines professional-grade optics with affordability, making it an excellent choice for any Sony E-mount photographer.