Over the years, many of their lenses have been made out of this material, and generally, it’s shown to be long-lasting, scratch resistant, and strong. Optical Quality – Through the lens GX85, 1/400, f/5.6, ISO 200 – Sigma 16mm f/1.4 Pen F, 1/1250, f/2.5, ISO 200 – M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 Sharpness Of course, a fast, wide angle lens makes one think about using it for low-light photography. It will be great for star trails where absolute sharpness is unnecessary. Gladly, the Starry Sky AI-focusing function of the OM-1 works with this lens. The lens weighs less than half a pound (0.48lbs), it’s roughly three inches long and takes 55mm filters. Quite impressive for a lens that has a maximum aperture of f/1.4. This lens is noticeably smaller Sigma 16mm f/1.4 it’s competing against. Like the Sigma 16mm, the Sony is dust and moisture resistant. I didn’t get to test the lens out in the rain, but I have subjected G series lenses to light showers before and they have faired just fine. I’m sure it will be the same story with this lens. Because the Sigma 16mm and Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm are priced very similarly and have comparable optical characteristics, we need to focus our attention on the other differences that could influence your decision.

A bright prime lens is the ideal way to experience the essence of the art of photography. Simply select a focal length that matches the image and enjoy complete control of the depth of field. On a slightly unrelated note, the Sigma 16mm F1.4 has also gotten some love from the astrophotography community. In summary, an excellent overall performance and a very fine lens, living up to its claim to be almost on a par with the Sigma Art range.The differences become more salient when we turn our attention to the corner performance. At all values, the Sigma is sharper than the Olympus but the biggest difference is found at the fastest aperture values. I’ve owned my 30mm F1.4(same material) for four years (almost five!) and have never had any durability issues.

The first in this SIGMA series of prime lenses for mirrorless cameras was the standard prime 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary, now followed by the wide-angle prime 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary. Going forward, SIGMA will add a telephoto lens to the series, making it a new and complete system for mirrorless camera users. Vignetting is something of a non-issue, given that Fujifilm’s in-camera correction produces images with virtually none. It is slightly visible, shooting wide open, but is all but gone when shooting at f/2.8. It is rather academic as even when shooting wide open, you will be hard pushed to notice it unless you are photographing paint drying on a wall. Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN C for Z Mount Both lenses feature a filter thread (67mm on the 16mm / 46mm on the 17mm) but neither has a physical aperture ring, so the only way to change the aperture value is via the camera dials. To begin, let’s take a look at how the two lenses compare at a long focus distance close to infinity. Reference image The Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN C ships with a good quality plastic circular-shaped lens hood. It accepts 67mm filters.Sharpness remains very good across the whole image frame, right into the corners (Image credit: Matthew Richards) It is not a superbly sharp lens, but it is certainly impressively sharp and more than capable of capturing detailed images and making nice prints.

Another point to remember here is that the lens doesn’t have inbuilt stabilisation. Although that’s not so much an issue with some manufacturers, such as the several of the Fujifilm models mentioned here, none of the Nikon Z DX cameras include IBIS. Generally, that shouldn’t really be a problem with a lens this wide, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you’re looking to shoot in certain conditions, such as low light or for vlogging for example. Weighing in at a modest 380g, without hood or caps, the lens is by no means a burden. It is supplied with a solid petal lens hood that bayonets cleanly into place. This surrounds a filter thread of 67mm.The only other adornment is the wide, electronically operating, manual focusing ring. This is very smooth and probably best switched off in camera if MF is not being used. Otherwise, the natural grip on the lens barrel also grips the ring, which could be accidentally moved. As the MF function works with the AF system this could be an issue for some. However, as the AF is so fast and silent, thanks to the excellent stepping motor used, there is little motivation for manual focus in general use. One exception could be macro photography, where small manual adjustments to the point of focus can be useful. As this use would probably involve mounting the camera on a tripod, there would be no issue with accidental shifting of the focus point. If the 17mm has one clear advantage of the 16mm, it is compactness. Not only does it suit any Micro Four Thirds body in the range, from the flagship E-M1 II to the tiny Pen E-PL8, but it doesn’t add any weight to your camera bag. In fact, you could easily decide to throw it in at the last minute without even having to reorganise your gear. The same cannot be said for the 16mm, whose width and length prohibit you from comfortably using it on any body smaller than the Lumix GX80. The Sigma lens also features a brass bayonet mount that is surrounded by a special sealing to keep dust and moisture out. The 17mm, by contrast, features no weather sealing whatsoever, so it is wise to protect it in anything more than a very light shower. The new SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary is the world's first interchangeable lens for mirrorless Sony E-mount cameras in the APS-C format to offer a 24mm focal length (35mm equivalent) and F1.4 brightness. The lens for Micro Four Thirds offers a 32mm focal length (35mm equivalent) with the same f-number of 1.4. This is the large-diameter wide-angle lens for which mirrorless camera users have been waiting.

Go wide without going large. Here’s the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN | C for EOS M cameras!

Chromatic aberrations, typically seen as purple or blue fringes along contrasty edges, can be detected in quite a lot of our sample shots - this is definitely one of the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN C's weaker points in terms of image quality. Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, as coma performance( what is coma?) leaves a lot to be desired. If the lens is Sony E fit, then the APS-C format gives an equivalent of 24mm, a classic ultra-wide focal length. This would also be an excellent lens for street photography, landscapes and architecture, although it is always possible to use lenses outside their normal, accepted applications, sometimes to very good effect.