|
Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Series I - Review / Test Report |
|
Lens Reviews -
Sony Alpha (Full Format)
|
|
Page 1 of 3
Review by Klaus Schroiff, published December 2022
Introduction
Sigma's Series I lens series has a special place in our hearts here. The vast majority of lenses we are testing are made of plastics combined with an uninspiring design. Usually, we test them ... and forget them once they leave the lab. Not so in the case of the Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary. Obviously, this isn't exactly a mainstream lens. While there is another 65mm f/2 lens on the market (hello, Voigtlander), it certainly qualifies as an "exotic" focal length. That's more of a mental hurdle than anything else though. In terms of depth-of-field a 65mm f/2, is roughly equivalent to a 50mm f/1.8 for the same field-of-view, to mention the obvious. It may be a "Contemporary" lens by Sigma's naming convention but don't be fooled by this - it's a premium product which is also reflected in its price tag of around $650/650EUR.
The build quality is outstanding and resembles vintage lenses. It has been carved from metal and it just screams quality. As a consequence, it is a comparatively heavy lens though. It features a dedicated (clicked) aperture ring and the focus ring operates as smoothly as butter. The lens hood is made of (soft) metal as well (which scratches easily). Another curious aspect is the lens cap - it comes with two of them. There's a conventional one of plastics and a magnetic (metal, of course) cap. The latter adds to the luxurious feeling. Sigma is a bit fuzzy regarding the degree of weather sealing. They only mention that the "mount comes with a dust and splash-resistant structure," so it is probably not fully sealed. However, it uses an inner focusing system which minimizes the risk of dust/moisture intake.
The AF motor is pretty fast and noiseless. Despite the classic design, manual focusing still works by-wire. In the case of the 65mm, this works better than on Sigma's early by-wire implementations. An image stabilizer is not provided but most qualifying cameras (E- and L-mount) offer effective IBIS these days so that's hardly a drawback.
| Specifications |
|---|
| Optical construction | 12 elements in 9 groups inc. 1xSLD & 2 aspherical elements |
| Number of aperture blades | 9 (rounded) |
| min. focus distance | 0.55m (max. object magnification 1:6.8) |
| Dimensions | 95x78mm |
| Weight | 405g |
| Filter size | 62mm |
| Hood | barrel-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied) |
| Other features | - |
| Mount | Sony E, L-mount |
|
