Sigma 45mm F 2 8 DG DN Contemporary Review | 54 Data compared

The LensTip.com review concludes that the Sigma C 45 mm f/2.8 DG DN is an unconventional, full-frame mirrorless lens with an unusual design and untypical physical dimensions. It stands out for its high build quality and excellent optical properties, though its slow aperture and high launch price tag of nearly $500 left the reviewers somewhat unenthusiastic. LensTip.com The core findings of the multi-part review include a clear set of performance trade-offs: Pros: The lens features a very solid, weather-sealed casing, excellent image quality in the frame centre, and good-to-acceptable resolution across APS-C and full-frame edges. It controls optical flaws well, demonstrating very low lateral chromatic aberration, slight longitudinal aberration, sensible coma correction, moderate astigmatism, low APS-C vignetting, and reliable performance against bright light. LensTip.com Cons: On the downside, the autofocus performance is not especially accurate. Furthermore, it suffers from high vignetting on full-frame sensors, which unfortunately decreases very slowly even when stopping down the aperture. LensTip.com

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens for Sony E-mount is highly praised for its exceptional mechanical construction, which outperforms its "Contemporary" branding and matches or exceeds Sigma's premium ART series. Built with an all-metal body and a unique fluted metal lens hood, the lens features a highly smooth, dampened focus ring and a physical aperture ring. Its autofocus performance is fast and near-silent, and it includes a dust- and splash-proof mount. Optically, the lens delivers impressive results, with a center that is sharp at f/2.8 and reaches superb resolution at f/4 and f/5.6, while the edges and corners maintain a very good level of quality. Chromatic aberrations are also minimal, and out-of-focus highlights are rendered nicely without pronounced "cat eyes" or heavy "onion ring" artifacts. Despite these strengths, the lens has notable drawbacks, primarily its relatively slow maximum aperture of f/2.8, which limits its potential for creating a shallow depth-of-field. Additionally, its native design produces a relatively high medium pincushion distortion (~1.7%) and strong vignetting (a light fall-off of ~2.4EV at f/2.8), requiring users to rely heavily on...

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens is a highly versatile, compact, and lightweight option designed for L-mount and Sony E-mount systems. Built primarily from aluminum with a durable brass bayonet mount, it offers a solid construction that is both dust and splash-proof. Weighing only 215 grams and utilizing a small 55mm filter thread, it balances exceptionally well on larger bodies like the Leica SL, making it an ideal everyday choice for street, travel, and environmental portrait photography. The lens features a dedicated aperture ring with distinct clicks and a smooth focus ring, alongside a fast, quiet stepping motor that supports reliable autofocus and seamless face-detection tracking. Optically, the lens delivers fantastic image quality, marked by impressive center sharpness wide open at f/2.8 and near-perfect corner performance when stopped down to f/4. It is highly resistant to flare—even without its heavy, high-quality metal lens hood—and produces very smooth, pleasing bokeh via a 7-blade diaphragm, despite the f/2.8 maximum aperture limiting extremely shallow depth of field. The main cons identified are noticeable vignetting at f/2.8 (which requires stopping down to...

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens is a highly compact, weather-sealed, all-metal autofocus prime designed for Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount mirrorless cameras. The reviewer praises its 45mm focal length as a versatile "normal" lens option that sits perfectly between 35mm and 50mm lenses, capturing a highly natural perspective without exaggerating or compressing the frame. Key advantages highlighted include its fast autofocus performance, incredibly short minimum focusing distance compared to traditional rangefinder optics, and a smooth, classic bokeh that avoids the "busy" rendering artifacts seen in some competing Leica and Zeiss glass. Additionally, its highly practical price point of $549 ($499 at release) makes it a significantly more affordable option than manual-focus alternatives like the Zeiss 50mm ZM. However, the lens does come with specific compromises, most notably a distinct lack of sharpness when shooting wide-open at f/2.8. When utilized near its minimum focusing distance at f/2.8, the lens displays a noticeable veiling haze and prominent vignetting around the edges. While the reviewer notes this softness can be embraced as an intentional artistic choice or "feature" to soften...

This article reviews the compact Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens for L-mount full-frame cameras, highlighting its impressive craftsmanship and physical handling. Weighing just 215 grams, the lens serves as a lightweight alternative to hefty native Leica SL lenses, creating a highly balanced setup on bulky full-frame bodies like the Leica SL or Panasonic S1, as well as APS-C cameras like the Leica CL. Its standout physical attributes include a scratch-resistant, dust- and splash-proof metal body, white in-filled engraved graphics, a precise aperture ring featuring 1/3-stop clicks, and a dedicated all-metal lens hood. Optically, the reviewer notes that it punches well above its retail weight (£550/€569), delivering fast, silent autofocus performance alongside exceptional sharpness across the entire field of view that rivals premium Leica optics.

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a compact, full-frame prime lens that wins over the reviewer despite having several disadvantages on paper. On the negative side, its maximum aperture is relatively slow at f/2.8, which faces tough competition from standard zoom lenses covering the same range or cheaper, brighter primes like the Rokinon/Samyang 45mm f/1.8. When tested wide open, the lens is also not as sharp as its Rokinon competitor, requiring the user to stop down to f/3.2 or f/4 to satisfy strict pixel-peeping standards. Additionally, it is initially expensive at its standard $549 retail price, prompting the author to patiently track down a used copy instead. Despite these drawbacks, the lens stands out for its exceptional physical build and beautiful image rendering. Key advantages include a high-quality, Leica-like all-metal construction featuring a tactile metal hood, a built-in aperture ring, and an AF/MF switch that gives it an enjoyable vintage, rangefinder-like feel. In terms of performance, it delivers exceptionally smooth and creamy background bokeh, highly attractive Zeiss-like color rendering, and incredibly fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus. Its very...

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary, a full-frame prime lens for L and E-mount, is highlighted for its excellent build quality, responsive manual controls, and versatile documentary-style shooting capabilities. It features a swift autofocus system and a 9-inch (24cm) minimum focusing distance that allows for detailed close-up photography, accompanied by impressive image quality and depth-of-field separation. However, the lens is limited by its maximum f/2.8 aperture, which offers less low-light flexibility than wider, competing prime lenses. Additionally, the lack of built-in image stabilization and a non-declickable aperture ring may restrict its appeal for specific videography needs.

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a compact, lightweight (215 grams), and weatherproof standard prime lens designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras using E-mount or L-mount systems. Built entirely of metal, including its lens hood, it features a unique "back to basics" design with physical focus and aperture rings. The lens delivers outstanding image quality with sharp results at full aperture that become excellent when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6. Its autofocus relies on a fast, quiet, and highly accurate stepper motor that boasts a 1% repetition accuracy and a short minimum focusing distance of 0.24 meters. The review highlights several pros and cons regarding the lens's design and optical performance. On the positive side, it offers outstanding overall image quality, clean files free of chromatic aberrations, a solid all-metal build, and beautiful bokeh despite the modest maximum aperture. On the negative side, its f/2.8 maximum brightness is considered relatively low for a prime lens, the manual focus ring lacks hard stops, and the physical aperture ring cannot be switched to a clickless mode for video shooting. Additionally,...

Users on the Fred Miranda forum discuss the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens, highlighting its exceptional, professional-grade build quality and aesthetically pleasing design suitable for various camera bodies. The lens is praised for producing very capable image quality and rendering, particularly for close-up portraiture. However, the review notes that the lens has inconsistent optical performance, with rendering characteristics that vary depending on shooting distance, causing it to lag behind competitors in certain scenarios. Due to these optical trade-offs, users find it challenging to choose this lens, forcing a balance between its high-quality construction and uneven, distance-dependent image results.

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is described as a compact, all-metal "artistic" lens, offering a 45mm focal length ideal for environmental portraits with creamy bokeh and smooth focus transitions. It is lauded for its superb build quality and character, allowing for flattering, non-clinical subject separation. Conversely, the lens has a maximum aperture of only f/2.8, which may limit performance in low-light conditions or for those seeking extreme, narrow depth-of-field. Additionally, the lens exhibits a softer, vintage aesthetic when shot wide open, which may disappoint users prioritizing maximum, corner-to-corner sharpness. YouTube ·

The Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a compact, beautifully crafted full-frame prime lens for Sony FE and Leica L mounts that departs from typical Sigma design by prioritizing smooth bokeh over maximum sharpness. Built entirely of metal alloys, including a matching metal lens hood, the lens features premium physical controls like a dedicated aperture ring with one-third stop detents and an AF/MF toggle switch. It utilizes a stepping focus motor that provides fast, quiet, and reliable autofocus tracking, making it highly effective for both video capture and Eye AF performance. Additionally, the lens offers a useful 0.25x maximum magnification for close-up shooting and includes a weather-sealing gasket at the mount. However, its optical performance is highly nuanced and presents significant compromises at wide-open apertures. The primary downside is its low contrast and resolution at F2.8 when focusing closely, requiring users to stop down to F4 or narrower to achieve excellent corner-to-corner sharpness. It also faces stiff competition from lenses like the Samyang 45mm F1.8, which is sharper at its wider F1.8 setting than the Sigma is at F2.8....

The Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a compact, robustly built, and highly capable prime lens featuring a durable metal barrel with a premium, vintage aesthetic. Ideal for street photography and video, it features a near-silent stepping motor, a physical aperture ring, and a responsive focus ring. However, the lens lacks built-in optical stabilization and offers only partial weather sealing, which may require in-body image stabilization (IBIS) for optimal performance. While the maximum f/2.8 aperture is more pedestrian compared to faster alternatives, it provides a smooth, classic rendering, with minor vignetting that is easily managed.

The Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a lightweight, all-metal prime lens designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras, emphasizing robust build quality and a vintage aesthetic over extreme technical specifications. It features a heavily baffled lens hood, an integrated aperture ring, and excellent manual focus damping. The lens is praised for its pleasing bokeh and natural rendering, yet it is limited by its relatively slow f/2.8 aperture and moderate wide-open softness at close distances, opting for character over clinical sharpness. Its compact 215g design and 55mm filter thread make it an ideal everyday walkaround lens.

The Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens features a completely updated metal build that delivers a premium, retro-inspired aesthetic in a compact and lightweight package, weighing just over 250 grams. It stands out with highly responsive, near-silent autofocus, a dedicated tactile aperture ring with 1/3 stop increments, and weather sealing for dust and splash protection. Sharpness is generally good when shooting wide open at f/2.8 from distances over two metres, peaking in contrast and performance between f/5.6 and f/8. Additionally, chromatic aberrations and barrel distortion are virtually non-existent, making it an enjoyable choice for street photography. However, the lens suffers from noticeable optical flaws that make its $530 price tag difficult to justify for general users. Its most significant drawback is extreme softness when shooting wide open at f/2.8 at closer distances or at its minimum focus distance of 23cm, requiring the user to step down to f/4 or f/5.6 to achieve sharp results. Videographers may find the lack of a de-clicking option on the aperture ring restrictive, and the focus ring is awkwardly narrow and positioned too close...