Lens Guides

First Look: SIGMA 17mm F4 & 50mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Lenses

When the SIGMA I series was officially launched in late 2020, many photographers weren’t quite sure what to make of these new, all-metal prime lenses. In a world of ultra-sharp, incredibly fast, bokeh-tastic, impossibly-engineered optics, combined with ever-advancing capabilities of camera systems, where does the I series fit in?

At SIGMA, we think the best place for I series lenses is in your hands. Try them. Then you’ll know why we built them.

The I series is more than just another bunch of lenses. These are more than just “throwbacks”. These are the pride of our lens designers and engineers, and the passion of all the long-time photographers from our headquarters in Japan to right here in the states. And that’s why we made two more!


Introducing the 17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary & 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary Lenses

The SIGMA I series has been slowly filling in with various focal lengths, from 20mm to 90mm, but for fans of these unique lenses, there were a couple needs that hadn’t been addressed just yet. Landscape shooters wanted something wider, and more compact for traveling ultra-light. And of course, we didn’t have a 50mm.

Thus, SIGMA has introduced two lenses that fill these gaps nicely. The SIGMA 17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary is the sharpest, most portable, packable landscape lens you’ll ever come across. And the SIGMA 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary is the 50mm that not only delivers brilliant images, but does so while looking absolutely stunning itself.


17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary: The ultimate portable landscape lens

The widest I series lens thus far, the 17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary might just be the landscape photographer’s new best friend. Not only does it feature the all-metal build, manual aperture ring and magnetic lens cap like other I series lenses, but it has some additional surprises, too!

It’s incredibly compact

The lens barrel is only 48.8mm long, and the lens weighs just 225g (L-Mount version). For landscape photographers, hikers, action sports photographers – anyone who wants to pack as light as possible – this lens gives you an angle of view that will capture everything without weighing you down.

It’s great for magnificent landscape shots

Landscape photographers and travelers will love this lens, because the super wide angle of view makes everything look absolutely epic, and the imaging performance is definitely more than you’d expect from such a tiny lens.

It’s great for close-ups

The 17mm F4 has a impossibly close focusing distance of 12cm, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.6. This allows users to photograph close up objects with an exaggerated perspective, while still capturing tons of background elements if desired. It’s a path to some really creative, unique images!

It’s great for selfies, vlogs and video too!

As if that weren’t enough, this an awesome lens to turn around on yourself for high-quality selfies and video content. And because it’s so compact, it balances on a gimbal easily, even when attached to a full-frame camera… perfect for video, no matter which way you’re aiming.


50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary: The classic prime redefined

No set of lenses is truly complete without a 50mm, and the I series was quite conspicuously missing this classic focal length. True, the 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary (sorta grandfathered in as the original I series lens) does come pretty close, but we decided to make one that was a little faster, and right on the 50mm button. Plus this one comes with the magnetic lens cap! Welcome to the SIGMA 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary.

It’s flat out gorgeous

Looks aren’t everything, but if you’re gonna buy a lens, why not get one that’s as much a piece of art as the photos you’ll create? Like all I series lenses, the 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary features an all-metal body, machined entirely from aluminum with a tough, matte black finish. But the F2 lenses have an extra special touch, with an arc-type focus mode switch and a sleek barrel ring that makes this lens stand out, no matter what camera it’s mounted to.

It’s the perfect size

At only 68mm long and a mere 350g, the 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary is an incredible 37% shorter and 48% lighter than its mirrorless cousin, the 50mm F1.4 DG DN | Art. And just like the similarly-sized mechanical 50mm lenses of days gone by, this prime just feels right on virtually any camera.

It’s fast and sharp

So while this lens is nearly half the size and weight of the aforementioned 50mm F1.4 DG DN | Art, its overall performance is far closer to our flagship prime mirrorless lens than you might expect!

Background blur is superb at F2, which is definitely a large enough aperture for almost every low-light situation. Furthermore, sharpness is outstanding. In fact, up until the far edges, this far smaller, more compact Contemporary lens is very comparable to the Art lens, which is a remarkable feat of optical engineering!

It’s the perfect balance

There’s just something about a compact 50mm prime lens – the natural angle of view, the sensible size, the versatility – it’s just the ideal balance. From street photography to portraits, family photos to action shots, if you have a 50mm lens, it’s almost always going to be a great choice.


Explore More with the entire SIGMA I series

There’s a lot to like about the SIGMA I series, and with the new 17mm F4 DG DN | Contemporary and 50mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary lenses, there’s even more. This all-metal lineup now offers 9 premium prime lenses, all entirely made in Japan, all with a 4-Year USA Warranty. Try one. You won’t be disappointed.

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