Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Review:
For those looking for an APS-C lens that is L mount for say a Leica CL, Sigma has three that are currently out. I reviewed the 56mm f1.4, which you can find here, and I’ll be writing a review for the 30mm soon. Sigma also has a wide angle currently out, it’s the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens. I had a chance to test it on a CL for a while, and here’s what I think of it.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Build Quality:
Let’s first start off with the overall build quality. The 16mm f1.4 is made of TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), comes with a brass bayonet mount, and has a textured rubberized focus ring for easy grip. There’s also rubber sealing on the mount for a dust, and splash resistant construction. Overall, this is a very solid feeling lens that impresses, and it matches the CL perfectly.
↑ The Leica CL with the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens.
The current price of this lens is $449 (currently $399 with rebate), and I feel the build compares very favorably to lenses costing much more, such as, the Fuji XF 16mm f1.4 I reviewed a long time ago. The only issue that I can think of is it does not have image stabilization but that’s not uncommon for a fast prime. The Fuji doesn’t have IS either, for example. Plus, lack of image stabilization is never a deal breaker for me, and I think with a wide angle lens, image stabilization just isn’t needed as much unless maybe if you’re concentrating a lot on video. Lastly, besides coming in L mount, the 16mm f1.4 also comes in Canon EF-M, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E mount.
As for overall size, the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is the largest of the three current Sigma APS-C lenses out. However, with that said, it’s part of the Contemporary line of lenses by Sigma, which means it’s designed to be lighter, more compact, and just easier to use for more general photography. So, for a 16mm f1.4, it’s not really that huge. At 415 g, it’s also not heavy at all resulting in a lens that feels nicely balanced on the CL. It definitely isn’t front heavy either.
↑ Top view of the CL with the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens.
The 16mm f1.4 equates to a 24mm equivalent focal length when factoring in the APS-C crop factor, so this means it’s great for street photography, landscape, and travel. With those areas of photography, you want something that you can carry around all day without feeling fatigue. I’m happy to say that this lens along with the other two current Sigma APS-C lenses are more than up for the job.
It’s also worth noting that the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens comes with a lens hood. I tried it for a few days but truthfully, I shot without it most of the time. The 16mm f1.4 performs great without it, and I generally like to carry less, if I can get away with it.
↑ The CL with the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary and lens hood.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Autofocus:
As for the autofocus, the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens uses a stepping motor, which I found to be fast and near silent. I didn’t really encounter any major issues in terms of autofocus when I attached this lens to the CL. It worked quite well.
I’m also happy to say that the autofocus was very accurate. I rarely experienced missed shots, and this is important, especially when you consider the 16mm is an f1.4 lens, so sometimes, the depth of field can be pretty shallow, especially when you’re shooting closer.
Systems like face detection also worked really well with the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens. During the time I reviewed this lens, there was a rise in covid cases, so I was limited to what I could really shoot. I didn’t go out as much. However, I did manage to do two shoots right before this uptick, and I did try the 16mm with my model. I used only face detection and the results were excellent. You could see all the little details even in the eyelashes. I shoot a lot of boudoir (you can find it on my Instagram), and often times, I use only available light to get that moody look. Some of the areas in my studio space are dimly lit, and I’m also a big fan of using hard light and shadows. These types of set ups can often cause some difficulty with autofocus systems but I’m happy to report that I was quite happy with the overall performance.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Image Quality:
The 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is a fantastic lens overall with a lot of great features but I must admit that one of its strongest characteristics is its image quality. The images that this lens produces are superb.
↑ Here’s one taken at f8 and 100 ISO.
↑ Here’s a shot taken at f5.6 with the camera set at 100 ISO.
↑ Here’s a photo of Stephanie (Instagram) that was taken with 100 ISO at the lens set at f1.4.
It starts out with the 16mm f1.4’s sharpness, which is outstanding by the way. The photos come out just so crisp and with such nice depth. Center sharpness at f1.4 is excellent with the edges holding up quite well. As you stop it down, sharpness overall improves, especially the edges. The 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens simply captures every little detail. However, if you are after the absolute maximum sharpness from this lens, I would say shoot around f5.6. to f8. Still, don’t be afraid to use this lens throughout its aperture range because it will give you superb results at pretty much any setting. The optics are just so good.
↑ This was taken at 160 ISO with the lens set at f8.
↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.
↑ Here’s another shot of Stephanie (Instagram) taken at f1.4 with the camera set at 100 ISO.
↑ This was taken with 1250 ISO. The Sigma 16mm f1.4 was set at f8.
Of course, there are other great features in the optical department besides sharpness. For instance, color and contrast rendering are excellent. There is some vignetting at f1.4, which is to be expected but stopping down does help. By f2.8, most of it is gone. As for flare, I found it to be highly resistant to it, since I didn’t experience much at all while I was testing it. Lastly there is a little barrel distortion but this isn’t something that is out of the ordinary for a wide angle lens.
↑ Here’s another shot taken at f8. The Leica CL was set at 320 ISO.
↑ This was taken with 400 ISO. The lens setting was f8.
↑ This was taken at f8 with 200 ISO.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Bokeh:
Now, I realize this is an f1.4 lens but keep in mind that this is still a wide angle, so the depth of field isn’t going to be as shallow as say the 56mm f1.4 that I reviewed before. Truthfully, I stop down most of the time when I’m shooting anything that is a 35mm or wider. If I have one with a large maximum aperture, such as, this one, I usually only use the large aperture to help me shoot in dim lighting, and not so much for creating a thin depth of field. Still, its rounded nine-blade diaphragm produces bokeh that is very smooth and pleasing. There isn’t anything harsh or uninviting in the bokeh. I have found Sigma lenses (at least the ones that I’ve tested) to produce some amazing bokeh, and the 16mm f1.4 is certainly no exception to the rule.
↑ Here’s another shot of Stephanie (Instagram) taken at f1.4. 100 ISO was used here.
↑ Here’s another shot taken at f1.4 with the camera set at 100 ISO.
Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Pros And Cons:
Pros:
- The Sigma 16mm f1.4 is well-built.
- Compact and light considering it’s focal length and maximum aperture.
- Balances beautifully on the Leica CL.
- Fast and accurate autofocus.
- Superb image quality.
- Very sharp lens.
- Great Bokeh.
- Lens sells for a fantastic price.
Cons:
- Lack of image stabilization but I don’t think this is so important with a wide angle lens.
Verdict:
If you’re looking for a fast wide angle prime for an APS-C camera, such as, the Leica CL, the Sigma 16mm f1.4 is hard to beat. It’s built well, the overall size of the lens is decent, the autofocus is great, and the image quality is superb.
↑ Here’s another taken at f8 and 160 ISO.
The best part is that the 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is just $449 (currently $399 at B&H Photo), which in my opinion, makes this lens a real bargain. I can easily see this lens competing with lenses like the Fuji XF 16mm f1.4 R WR Lens, which by the way, currently retails for $999. I’ve reviewed the XF 16mm f1.4, and it’s an excellent optic. There’s no doubt about that but I also feel that this Sigma lens compares quite favorably.
↑ This was taken at f8 using 160 ISO.
If you’re a CL owner, and you’re in need of a wide angle prime, this to me is a must buy. It’s such a great match with the camera, and as of now, Leica has no other option similar to this except maybe the Elmarit-TL 18 mm f2.8 ASPH. I’m actually a huge fan of the 18mm because it’s so great to carry around all day, since it is a pancake lens. However, the focal length is a bit different: the 18mm is actually a 27mm equivalent, which is similar to a 28mm. Plus, you lose two stops, which can be a huge difference. Lastly, the 18mm is currently $1,495.
So overall, the Sigma 16mm f1.4 is really just a fantastic option, and I’m so glad it is available for L mount now. If you’re in the market for a brilliant wide angle lens, I highly recommend you taking a closer look at it.
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