Sigma Announces 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Lens for DSLRs, Joining its Superb 35mm and 50mm Siblings
Related: distortion, focusing, optics, Sigma, Sigma 24mm, Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, Sigma 35mm, Sigma 50mm, Sigma DG HSM Art, Sigma Lenses
Get Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art at B&H Photo.
Also recommended: Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art at B&H Photo.
The Sigma 'A' lenses are superb performers. A requirement for autofocus will make them the best choice on the market today (Zeiss Otus are manual focus), but besting the Nikon and Canon offerings handily. See existing review of Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM A and review of Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM A. Both highly recommended.
The new 24m f/1.4 DG HSM seems likely to continue the trend of impressively high quality at an impresively low price (relatively speaking)—huge value. Given the focal length progression so far, might an 85mm focal length be announced late this year?
What I’m hoping to see in the 24/1.4A would be very low field curvature (a severe issue with the Canon 24/1.4L II), very low distortion (severe distortion with most 24-70 zooms makes them unusable at 24mm without correction), combined with high performance across the field by f/2 or so. And color correction superior to the chromatically challenged Nikon AF-S 24/1.4G.
Sigma Corporation of America Introduces New 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens at CP+ Imaging Show
Latest Global Vision Art lens offers highest-quality optical performance in its class
YOKOHAMA, Japan — February 10, 2015 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the new Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens, the ninth Global Vision lens to join the company’s iconic Art line-up. The announcement comes at the start of the CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2015, which begins on Feb. 12 in Yokohama, Japan.
The much anticipated 24mm F1.4 Art wide angle lens is designed for full-frame DSLRs, and when used on digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor, it effectively becomes a 38mm.
The lens is ideal for capturing a variety of photography subjects, including cityscapes, mountain ranges, astrophotography and weddings and is great for videography work as well.The 24mm also excels at indoor photography in low illumination thanks to the combination of exceptional focal plane sharpness, and gorgeous bokeh rendered by nine rounded aperture blades.
The lens achieves a maximum magnification of 1:5.3 with a minimum focusing distance of 9.8 inches. The 24mm incorporates both "F" Low Dispersion (FLD) glass and Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass in a design of 15 elements in 11 groups to minimize chromatic aberration of magnification especially in the edge of the image field. Moreover, the optimized power layout includes aspherical elements that are positioned in the rear of the lens for improved wide open performance. This helps to ensure minimal distortion through the correction of axial chromatic aberration and sagittal coma flare. The new lens element design also delivers excellent peripheral brightness.
“The Sigma Art lenses are recognized by photographers for world-class performance, and the new 24mm F1.4 DG HSM will be a significant contribution to our selection of fast aperture prime lenses which is quickly becoming a strong force in the industry” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “Sigma is redefining the expectations of fast-aperture full-frame prime lens performance, especially wide-open, and the results the 24mm F1.4 will deliver will be up to the exacting standards set by the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM and 50mm F1.4 DG HSM .”
Other updates to this lens include a new full-time manual focusing mechanism that switches to manual focusing, simply by rotating the focus ring, even when AF is being used, first introduced on the 50mm Art. This allows the photographer to make focus adjustments quickly and easily. As with all new lenses under the Global Vision categories, every 24mm will be tested using Sigma’s own MTF measuring system, “A1,” in the company’s factory in Japan.
Other lenses in the Art line include 35mm F1.4 DG HSM, 30mm F1.4 DC HSM, 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM, 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM, 50mm F1.4 DG HSM, 19mm F2.8 DN, 30mm F2.8 DN and 60mm F2.8 DN.
The 24mm F1.4 is compatible with Sigma’s USB dock, allowing photographers to update the lens’ firmware and change focus parameters as well as manual focus over-ride using Sigma's Optimization Pro software. It is also compatible with Sigma’s Mount Conversion Service. The lens will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts, at a price of about $849 (late March for Canon, late April for Nikon).
