Lens Guides

Hands-on reviews, technical information, and advice on SIGMA Art, Sports and Contemporary lenses for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

Sigma Art Lenses for Razor Sharp Detail

Sigma Art lenses are renowned for razor-sharp detail on the focal plane, even at widest apertures.

The Perfect Air Show Lens: Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 | Sport

I was about 13 years old when I saw the USAF Thunderbirds air demonstration team for the first time. I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but alas, it was not meant to be. My eye sight wasn’t 20/20, which back in the 80’s meant that I was ineligible. Nevertheless, my passion for flight never dwindled and I make it a point to see every air show that I can. At this years Rochester International Air Show, I had the opportunity to photograph the Navy’s Blue Angels with Sigma’s 150-600mm Sport lens. Could this lens possibly be the best lens ever to photograph an air show?

Sigma 24-35mm F2 DG HSM | Art: Hands-On Sneak Peek

The Sigma 24-35mm F2 DG HSM | Art is the world’s first full-frame zoom lens with a constant F2 maximum aperture, and its 1.45x zoom range manages to bridge three of the most popular wide angle fixed focal lengths for lenses: 24mm, 28mm and 35mm. The zoom range is subtle, but the compositional effects are noticeable as the smooth zoom ring shifts the field of view from 24mm through to 35mm.

The SIGMA 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM for Outdoor Action Photography

Editor’s Note: This is an in-depth look at the SIGMA 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM lens — which has since been discontinued — by now SIGMA Ambassador, Liam Doran. For many photographers, their first camera is typically a crop sensor…

The SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary versus the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports

Last year, Sigma announced a pair of zoom lenses for full-frame cameras, the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports and 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary. With identical focal lengths and apertures, and advanced feature sets including the Sigma-exclusive lens customization, these two new champion zoom lenses share a significant amount of DNA. So, what is the difference between the Sports and Contemporary version of the Sigma 150-600mm zoom lenses?

Sigma’s Summer Gift Guide: Great Gear for Dads, Grads, and Everyone

Whether as a gift for your favorite dad, or recent grad, or for yourself before a big summer adventure, there’s great Sigma gear for everyone’s photographic style!

Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art: First Look

Patrick Santucci and I had a few days to check out the first sample of the new 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art lens to arrive in the US, right before it was shipped off to WPPI for the big…

Why Circular Polarizers Still Matter

Why circular polarizers still matter: A high quality circular polarizer is still one of the most important accessories for any photographer’s bag. And the new Sigma Weather-resistant Circular Polarizers offer incredible performance, weather-tough design, and a fantastically upgraded case with grip arcs that keep the filters from rattling around in the bag.

LENS EXPLORATION: 85mm F1.4 DG HSM

What’s bright, gives wonderful, round bokeh and is perfect for portraits, sports, street and product photography? Give up?

It’s Sigma’s 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens. This beauty fits on both full frame and cropped sensor cameras.

The ideal portrait focal length is said to be twice to two and a half times the normal focal length. So before diving into the 85 let’s take a look at focal length and what it means in regards to sensor size. First, here’s a definition or two.

A Long Look at Winter with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG HSM OS | Sports

Photography in winter can be a challenge. And when I say “winter”, I’m not talking of winter in the sense of majestic snowcapped peaks framed by freshly powdered pines with perfect golden light and firetone brushstroke clouds, I’m talking more of the winter of dirty refrozen slushpiles downtown three frigid days after a mid-January sleetstorm around 11:17 on a grey Tuesday morning when it seems there’s nothing magical left in the world worth getting out of warm car with a camera for.

Winter has its challenges, for sure, especially in the deciduous zones, where skeleton trees thrust bony fingers at the sky, and vistas and sweeping wild scenes are brushed widely with swaths of stingy browns and grays, instead of the festive pastels of spring, the lush greens of summer and the fall fireworks palette. But winter has it own charms and own rewards, and for photographers looking to challenge themselves and experiment, it can be a great time to get out and explore with a long lens, like the new 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG HSM OS | Sports lens.