Skip to main content

Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art review: A true work of art

sigma 14 24mm f28 dg dn art review 4
Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art review: A true work of art
MSRP $1,399.00
“Smaller, lighter, and every bit as good, Sigma's second take at a fast ultra-wide is a winner.”
Pros
  • Small, lightweight
  • Weather-sealed
  • Optically excellent
  • F/2.8 constant aperture
  • Great value
Cons
  • No front filters
  • Short zoom range

When I reviewed the first Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art lens, I noted it that it was just the second such lens to be made following Nikon’s 2007 model (although I neglected to mention the the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8, which is similar enough). That Sigma was, and is, one of the best wide-angle zooms you can buy. So if it ain’t broke, what do you do?

Make it better.

Less than two years have passed since I shot the 14-24mm F2.8 DG Art, and already Sigma has come out with a new one, this time with “DN” added to the name. That stands for mirrorless only.

Unlike the brilliant-but-unwieldy Sigma 35mm F1.2 DN Art, the 14-24mm DN feels like it was built for mirrorless cameras. This is no mere rehousing of the original lens; it’s a complete rethinking of it. It shaves off almost a pound in weight, yet uses more glass elements, more iris blades, the same f/2.8 constant aperture, and is still weather-sealed.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whatever witchcraft went into this design, it wasn’t that expensive. At $1,399, the DN version is only $100 more than the launch price of original. This is the new fast ultra-wide to beat, but there’s one caveat. If you don’t own an E-Mount or L-mount camera, you’re out of luck.

This is also the first time E-mount and L-mount photographers can use a 14-24mm without an adapter. The non-DN version, unlike some other Sigma DSLR lenses, was never released in a native mirrorless mount.

How did Sigma build this?

Fast wide-angles are known for their bulk — it’s just the price you pay for wanting it all. A wide field of view combined with a large aperture presents a technical challenge, one that takes a lot of glass (and usually cash) to meet. The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G, Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2, and non-DN Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art all weigh well over 2 pounds (the Sigma is over 2.5).

Image used with permission by copyright holder

But the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DN Art? 1.75 pounds. It is also narrower and shorter than the others, making it more comfortable in the hand. It still felt front heavy mounted to the miniature Sigma Fp, my test camera for this review, but it seems the perfect size for the larger Sony A7 or Panasonic Lumix S series.

You still have to contend with a bulbous front element, which means no screw-on filters, but a sheet-filter holder is built in to the rear of the lens.

The optical design is new, employing 18 elements in 13 groups, compared to 17 elements and 11 groups in the original 14-24mm Art. A number of low-dispersion glass elements and three aspherical elements work to ensure minimal chromatic aberration and flaring, and Sigma says the new lens was engineered to be less susceptible to problems arising from strong backlighting.

It also uses an 11-blade aperture diaphragm, up from nine in the older lens.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

But Sigma’s new design seems to be about bringing equal performance to a smaller form factor, rather than offering a revolutionary jump in image quality. Given how good the first 14-24mm already was, that’s not a bad thing.

As for performance, Sigma touts the speed and silence of its autofocus stepping motor, but the contrast-detection autofocus of the Fp isn’t the best test of that. On a Sony or Panasonic camera, AF will likely be quicker.

Image quality

Without testing them side-by-side, I can’t say if the 14-24mm F2.8 DN outclasses the original. As far as I can tell, both lenses perform at the the top of their class, and there are no obvious optical drawbacks to the DN’s smaller size. That’s impressive.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Distortion is present, but not to unacceptable levels, and is easily corrected. It’s a similar story with vignetting, with f/2.8 showing noticeably darker corners compared to the center at both 14 and 24mm, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Vignetting subsides as the aperture is stopped down, and even f/4 makes a big difference.

Sharpness is excellent across the frame, with only minor chromatic aberration showing up near the edges. If sharpness falls off from the center, I wasn’t able to detect it in any real-world setting, although I can’t say whether that would remain true on higher-resolution sensors.

The move to 11 aperture blades is interesting, as ultra-wide lenses aren’t known for their bokeh. It’s possible to get a shallow depth of field with this lens if your subject is close enough, but I’d have to do more testing to determine if the aperture shape is making much of a difference compared to the original 14-24mm.

I will say, background blur is different between the two lenses for other reasons. The non-DN version exhibited a lot of “stretching” of de-focused areas, an effect that didn’t come up in my testing of the new lens. This is a subjective difference, and I don’t think either is bad, but it’s safe to say the DN lens is more natural.

To achieve this kind of quality from a lens that is smaller, lighter, and almost the same price as the original is an awesome achievement. But, if you’ve shot the first Sigma 14-24mm, don’t expect to be blown away with big gains to image quality.

Our Take

The 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art is a rare example of a Sigma lens that offers improved, or at least equal, performance and improved practicality. Where other Sigma Art lenses, even mirrorless-specific models like the massive 35mm F1.2 Art, bulked up to hit their image quality goals, the 14-24mm DN did the opposite.

That it’s still (relatively) affordable makes it all the better.

It remains a niche lens that not everyone will have a use for, with a somewhat limiting 2X zoom power, but there isn’t a better value in wide-angle, f/2.8 zooms for mirrorless cameras.

Is there a better alternative?

No, but this lens is far less adaptable than the DSLR version. It is available only in L or E-mount configurations. Canon and Nikon users will have to stick with the older, non-DN model. Built for DSLRs, that lens can also be adapted to Canon’s and Nikon’s mirrorless cameras.

The Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 is another option for such photographers, although one we haven’t tested.

How long will it last?

You’ll want to keep that front element protected when not in use, but the lens will easily last through several camera generations if treated properly.

Should you buy it?

Yes. This is the best value in fast, ultra-wide zooms for E-mount and L-mount cameras.

Editors' Recommendations

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
Astronauts test new moon camera for upcoming Artemis mission
Astronaut Thomas Pesquet tests the moon camera in the lunar-like landscapes of Lanzarote, Spain.

Astronaut Thomas Pesquet tests the moon camera in Lanzarote, Spain. ESA

In 2025, NASA is planning to land the first astronauts on the lunar surface in more than 50 years.

Read more
Sony camera Black Friday deals: Save on camera body and lenses
sony-a9-best-mirrorless-camera

The deals season has officially started and Black Friday deals are coming out of the woodwork to get us items that we might normally pass on. And if there is one company that has been dominating again and again this year, it is Sony. We've seen flush rosters of Sony Black Friday deals, such as Sony headphones and earbuds deals where you can get a pair of headphones for as low as $10. Meanwhile, Black Friday Sony TV deals are getting us up to a thousand dollars off on an 8K TV. So, the big question becomes, what are photographers getting from Sony this year?

We've already seen the Sony brand pop up in the mirrorless and point and shoot categories for our investigation of the best Black Friday camera deals. Now, we wish to go more in depth and see what else we can snag from the brand, including lenses. If you're not set on a Sony, there are great GoPro Black Friday deals, Nikon Black Friday deals, and Canon Black Friday deals available as well.
Best Sony body Black Friday deals

Read more
Sony Alpha 7R V mirrorless camera is $400 off for Black Friday
sony alpha 7r v mirrorless camera deal best buy november 2023 release render

If you're thinking about getting a new mirrorless camera from this year's Black Friday deals, here's an offer that you shouldn't pass up -- the Sony Alpha 7R V for $3,500, following a $400 discount from Best Buy on its sticker price of $3,900. It's still not affordable with the savings, but this mirrorless camera will quickly prove that it's worth every single penny. We're not sure how much time remains before its price goes back to normal though, so if you don't want to miss out on what we think will turn out to be one of the most popular Sony camera Black Friday deals, you know what to do -- add it to your cart and check out immediately.

Why you should buy the Sony Alpha 7R V mirrorless camera
Among the benefits of a mirrorless camera is they're less bulky because of the absence of the mirror found in a DSLR, so instead of an optical viewfinder, you'll compose your shots on an electronic viewfinder or an LCD screen, according to our digital camera buying guide. You'll get these with the Sony Alpha 7R V and more, as it's capable of recording 8K 24p/25p and 4K 60p/50p video, and taking 61MP photos. It's powered by the Bionz XR image processor, which can process massive amounts of image data while reducing latency.

Read more