Sigma 24mm F1 8 EX DG ASP Macro Review | 54 Data compared

The Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro is a budget-friendly wide-angle lens designed for full-frame cameras that offers a 35mm equivalent field of view on APS-C sensors. A major highlight of this lens is its macro capability, which delivers an impressive 0.37x magnification at a close-focusing distance of just 7 inches. When stopped down to f/2.8 or further, sharpness increases dramatically, creating a large, usable central sweet spot. It is also highly affordable, priced at around $550, making it a fraction of the cost of competing first-party glass from Canon and Nikon. Additionally, it features a solid build with a metal lens mount, and the front element remains stationary during focusing, which is ideal for filter users. However, the lens suffers from notable performance flaws when shot wide open at f/1.8, including severe corner softness and heavy vignetting exceeding a full stop on full-frame bodies. Chromatic aberration is quite high, showing both lateral color shifts in high-contrast corners and longitudinal green/magenta shifts near the focus plane. The autofocus system uses an older, noisy motor that takes about a second...

Based on the DXOMARK test database, the Sigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG ASP Macro Canon scores an overall DXOMARK score of 28 when mounted on the high-resolution Canon EOS 5DS R. A standout pro of this lens-camera combination is its strong sharpness performance, achieving a high sharpness metric of 21 P-Mpix. Additionally, it maintains excellent light transmission efficiency at a 2.1 T-stop, giving it a bright output that performs reliably under challenging indoor or dim lighting conditions. The lens also manages to control structural warping remarkably well for a wide-angle optic, exhibiting a low distortion rate of only 0.5%. Conversely, the evaluation highlights a few notable cons that impact its final score. The configuration displays pronounced light fall-off toward the corners of the sensor, suffering from a heavy vignetting measurement of -1.9 EV. While its overall performance peaks when stopped down slightly between f/24mm and f/2.8, shooting at its maximum f/1.8 aperture leads to typical wide-open softness, particularly away from the center of the frame. Despite these drawbacks, the lens offers unique versatility due to its unique macro capability, enabling...

The Sigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG ASP Macro is a discontinued, ultra-bright wide-angle prime lens designed primarily for full-frame cameras. It is a rectilinear lens that maintains straight lines without fisheye distortion, offering an 84-degree angle of view and a bright constant maximum aperture of f/1.8, which makes it ideal for low-light photography. A major highlight is its macro capability, boasting a minimum focusing distance of just 18cm and a maximum magnification ratio of 0.37x. The lens features an internal focusing mechanism, 9 aperture blades for smooth bokeh, and a 77mm filter thread, weighing in at 485g with dimensions of 83 x 80mm. While the reviewed version is built for the Sigma S mount, the lens was also manufactured for Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Four-Thirds, and Sony A mounts. In terms of performance and usability, the lens has distinct pros and cons. On the positive side, its fast f/1.8 aperture allows for excellent light gathering, and the Quick-Shift Autofocus system offers direct manual focus adjustments simply by rotating the focus ring. However, a significant drawback is the lack...

The OpticalLimits (PhotoZone) review of the Sigma AF 24mm f/1.8 EX DG (FX) lens paints a mixed but detailed portrait of this fast, wide-angle prime tested on a full-frame Nikon D3x. On the positive side, the lens delivers impressive, highly useful macro-like capabilities thanks to an exceptionally short minimum focusing distance of 0.18 meters, creating dramatic perspective opportunities. It features solid overall build quality across the main barrel, non-rotating front elements that easily accommodate polarizers, and a helpful clutch-style focus ring that allows for full-time manual focusing overrides. Optically, the lens exhibits excellent center resolution when stopped down to f/4 and displays remarkably well-controlled distortion for a wide-angle optic. However, the reviewer highlights several prominent drawbacks that may deter certain photographers. A significant flaw is the lens's disappointing border and corner resolution, which is poor wide open and only recovers to good levels starting at f/5.6, making it a weak choice for landscape shooters. Mechanically, the inner lens tube suffers from a notable wobble, and the lens lacks an internal autofocus motor, relying instead on a camera-driven screw system that...

The Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG lens features a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture for low-light scenarios and provides an impressive 1:2.7 maximum macro magnification, allowing for a close 7.1-inch minimum focus distance. Physically, the lens boasts solid EX-series construction, a non-rotating 77mm front element, and a useful, albeit dated, manual focus clutch mechanism. Conversely, the lens suffers from significant softness in the corners, particularly when shooting wide open, and requires substantial stopping down to achieve sharp, full-frame results. Additionally, it is relatively heavy for its size and lacks a modern Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for faster, quieter autofocusing.