The Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Real World Review

Sigma has been building out its mirrorless lens lineup, and its latest APS-C Contemporary lens promises to give photographers and videographers one of the fastest, widest lenses that is nearly pocketable in size. The Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary boasts one of the fastest apertures at this focal length, making it a natural fit for astrophotography. Its compact design lends itself easily to travel photography. We had an opportunity to test this lens ahead of launch, so strap in and get ready for a Noisecast Review.

Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Key Features via Sigma

Focal Length: 12mm (Ultra-wide-angle lens)
Maximum Aperture: F1.4
Lens Construction: 14 lens elements in 12 groups; two SLD glass elements and three aspherical elements
Filter Size: 66mm
Mounts: Canon RF, Sony E, Leica L, and Fujifilm X-mount

One Month, One Lens: What Works in the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

It’s not the naming – it’s just too long to say, and one of the main reasons my video review was a lot harder to do. But outside of the cumbersome naming (that ALL camera and lens manufacturers seem to favor), there is a lot to like about the Sigma 12mm F1.4. A lens this wide is often a rather heavy piece of glass that you’re going to have to decide to carry or leave behind in favor of something lighter or more flexible. The Sigma 12mm is truly innovative by reducing the size and weight of the lens without compromising its fast, F1.4 aperture. Weighing a little over 8 ounces and just under 3 inches in length, the Sigma 12mm F1.4 is significantly more compact than the older 16mm F1.4 DC DN with a much wider field of view. The lens boasts a 14-element lens construction with three aspherical lens elements that are designed to cut down chromatic aberration and ensure high optical performance. Sigma even included dust- and weather-resistance, though it seems like it’s not fully “weather-sealed.”

Outside of the technical design of the lens, the Sigma 12mm F1.4 became my primary lens for the three weeks we loaned the lens. I used it mostly for street photography, walking around the city or even taking snaps during my daily drives. The lens is compact enough that it never felt like a bother to carry around, nor was it very conspicuous when shooting. For me, a wide-angle lens is a great way to experience a city like New York, giving each of the images you make a real sense of scale and highlighting the busyness of life. Being able to fill a frame with the energy of a neighborhood, or even to build visual elements that feel like a cinematic shot of your subject, makes the 12mm F1.4 DC DN a joy to use in a variety of scenarios. Whether shooting street, travel, architecture, or product and food, the Sigma 12mm does a fabulous job, allowing you to get in close and still have a real sense of the environment around your subject.

During my testing, I found the lens’s autofocusing abilities to be solid and reliable. I was able to find my subject easily, even at F1.4. The large maximum aperture helps make the most of poor lighting conditions, it helped me keep my ISO levels under 6400 during my cousin’s birthday celebration under the pretty poor lighting in the family dining room. For those times when you really don’t want to have to carry around a flash, the Sigma 12mm F1.4 Contemporary really helped me keep my bag light and still capture images that were pleasing and easy to share.

Who Should Buy the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN

Why lie? I love a great prime lens and having used the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN for almost a month, I’ve come to two conclusions: 1. The Sigma 12mm is a solid prime with a fast aperture and equally fast autofocusing. 2. It’s not a lens for everyone. While the pros are pretty obvious on a spec sheet, the reality is that the 12mm focal length (18mm in a 35mm equivalent) might lend itself to very specific applications versus being a daily-driver lens. I found the ultra-wide field of view to be a little jarring at times, but absolutely beautiful to have when wanting to shoot up close details without losing the atmosphere around my subject. While a macro lens might help you capture those details and blow them up, the lens allows you to get details in context. But not everyone is looking for a lens with this focal length for stills photography.

While I didn’t shoot much video with the lens, I did easily see where it may have a bigger following—vlog-style video creation. In this area, the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN will make a lot more sense for video creators looking to create establishing shots and handheld selfie videos. Between the 12mm focal length and very close minimum focusing distance, this Sigma lens is begging to be used in video creation.

Final Verdict

Although this is a pre-production lens, and although Lightroom is not fully supporting it as of this writing, we’re giving the Sigma 12mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens a four out of five for its solid construction and autofocusing ability. You can preorder one on Sigma’s website for $649 USD.