Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Art review

Summary

Highly Recommended award The Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Art is the showtime macro lense for Sigma's DN-series of lenses intentional specifically for mirrorless cameras with Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount. The fantabulous operation makes it a perfect match for high closure plangent-frame mirrorless cameras with E-mount Beaver State L-put on. It produces extremely penetrating images innocent of color aberrations and has a very good boast set - including the option to use teleconverters. It may be missing the optical pictur stabilisation of Sony's FE 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro just past for professional macro work you'd probably put it on a tripod anyway. All-in-all the 105mm f2.8 DG DN Big Art clearly earns a Highly Advisable! Let's hope that Sigma soon is able to offer their new lens with Nikon Z-mount and Canon RF-mount too.

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Check prices on the Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Art at B&A;H, WEX, or Calumet.de! Instead arrive yourself a transcript of my In Camera book or regale me to a umber! Thanks!

Sigma 105mm f2.8 Decigram DN Macro Art review

17th November 2020

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Intro

The Sigma 105mm f2.8 Decigram DN Macro Art is the first macro lens for Sigma's DN-series of lenses designed specifically for mirrorless cameras with Sony E-mount and Leica L-climb on. A popular focal distance for macro photography and general use, it features the same f2.8 focal ratio As Sigma's 105mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro from 2011 which was designed for DSLRs. Sigma has however developed a completely new optical design for their newest macro lens and also added any nice features look-alike a de-clickable aperture ringing and an additional button which can Be assigned AF-lock or other functions.

The Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Large Artwork is traded at 749 EUR / 799 USD / 699 GBP and is now the fifth lens of their Art serial publication which was specifically designed for mirrorless cameras. PS – if you're concerned in the other Sigma DG DN Artwork lenses check exterior our in-depth reviews: Sigma 35mm f1.2 DG DN Art review, Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Decigram DN Fine art limited review, Sigma 85mm f1.4 Decigram DN Art review. Thither's also piles of sample images in the Sigma 12-24mm f2.8 DG DN Art review-so-far.

Facts from the catalogue

Countenance's compare the Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Art ("Sigma Art" for short) to the Sony Fe 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro ("Sony") and Sigma 105mm f2.8 EX Decigram OS HSM Macro ("Sigma HSM") which can comprise used via Sigma's MC-11 mount-converter on a Sony mirrorless camera. As was common I've rated the features with a [+] (Oregon [++]), when it's improved than middling or even state of the art, a [0] if it's textbook or rightful normal, and [-] if there's a disfavour.

Size (diameter x length): At 75 x 136mm (3.0 x 5.4in.) plus 57mm for the crystalline lens hood (85mm diameter) the new Sigma Art is similarly moderate-size as the Sony at 79 x 131mm (without lens hood). The Sigma HSM is 78 x 126mm w/o lens bonnet – and you need to add 26mm in distance for the mount-converter. These all are not small lenses. [0]

Weight: 708g (25 oz.) asset 47g for the lens hood. The Sony is only 602g w/o lens hood, the Sigma HSM is 725g w/o lens hood plus an estimated 100g for the mount-converter. [0]

Optics: The Sigma Art is a pretty complex design with 17 elements in 12 groups including one special dispersion element. This is similar to the Sony (15 elements in 11 groups) and Sigma HSM (16 elements in 11 groups). The Sigma Art has fluorine-coating on the front constituent to force back water, junk, and dirt and make cleaning easier – which the Sony and Sigma HSM look to miss. [+]

Closest focus distance is 0.30m (0.97ft.) with a magnification of 1:1 which is what you bear on expect from a macro lens. This results in a on the job outdistance of lone 0.15m (0.5ft.). Both the Sony and Sigma HSM reach the same overstatement at similar working distances. The Sigma Artistry does not extend while focalization and a magnification of 1:10 is achieved at a length of 1.24m (4.1ft.) [+]

Use with teleconverters: Yes, Sigma offers two teleconverters Technetium-1411 and TC-2011 which multiply central distance and supreme magnification by 1.4x resp. 2x – but only for L-mount. From what I can see it seems that the Sigma Artistic production has plenty clearance on the rise-side that it in all probability could be used with Sony's teleconverters for E-mount (see infra). But I couldn't test my presumption so you fitter try before you buy. The Sony FE 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro cannot be used with teleconverters. [+]

Filter-thread: 62mm, just like the Sony and Sigma HSM. [+]

Image stabilization: The Sigma Artistic creation has nobelium optical stabilization. Simply the Sony A7 or Panasonic DC-S1 photographic camera bodies provide built-in sensor-shift stabilization. Both the Sony and Sigma HSM feature optical stabilisation built in. [0]

Machine focus: Built-in AF drive with hypersonic motor. Manual-focal point override is by just turning the holy focus ring – same as with the Sigma HSM. The focus ring of the Sigma Art has a variable gearing (like many lenses premeditated for mirrorless cameras) which allows for very precise manual rive when turned slowly which is a boon when shot macro photos. But it cannot atomic number 4 switched to linear gearing which makes smooth focus pulling for videographers pretty hard. The Sony has a dual MF mechanism: When you leave the focal point-anchor rin in the front position the lens has the usual focus-aside-wire functionality with variable gearing for rattling precise focus. But when you chock-full the focus ring posterior it switches to linear gearing which allows for faster center action. The Sigma HSM has the usual linear mechanical coupling that is typical for lenses organized for DSLRs – and shows the focus distance in a small window. The Sigma Art and the Sony also have an extra push button happening the lens which can be appointed many different functions e.g. AF-ringlet. All three lenses have a focalize limiter: the Sigma Fine art offering three position as you can see below. [+]

Aperture: The lens has an aperture ring with 1/3 intercept clicks. There is a switch to turn the clicks off thusly that the aperture sack make up operated continuously, smoothly, and disturbance-free. Information technology as wel comes with a dedicated lock exchange to prevent accidental shifting between aperture control from the ring or the camera. The Sony and Sigma HSM have no aperture ring. Focusing does non change the aperture-value of the lens, so even at a enlargement of 1:1 the lens still shows f2.8 although it clearly darkens past 2 EV. That way that the effective aperture of the lens is f2.8-f22 at eternity and f5.6-f44 at marginal object distance. [+]

Lens profile: The Lens comes with a lens visibility for vignette-, CA- and deformation-recompense which can be controlled from the camera. That's the same as with the Sony. With the Sigma HSM you have to rely connected the profiles supplied e.g. in Adobe brick's software. [+]

Covers full frame/FX or smaller. Cookie-cutter with the Sony and Sigma HSM. [+]

Cost: 749 EUR (incl. 19% VAT) / 799 USD / 699 GBP. The Sigma HSM currently goes for 380 EUR / 570 USD / 340 GBP and the Sony costs 960 EUR / 1100 USD / 850 GBP. [0]

The genus Lens comes with a soft pouch but no straps. The plastic lense hood is included and is reversible for send off. [+]

Sigma's table service can change the mount of the lens betwixt Sony's E-mount and L-mount (at a cost). This is a unique sport that no other manufacturer offers. [++]

Waterproofing: yes, a India rubber cringle at the lens-mount plus further specialized brave-sealing throughout the construction, just like the Sony. The Sigma HSM has no special weather sealing. [+]

The score in the "features-department" is 0[-]/4[0]/12[+]. The new Sigma 105mm f2.8 Decigram DN Macro Art offers a pleasant feature set and the single alternative to get the lens-mount swapped. Plus information technology allows the consumption of teleconverters (at least for L-mount) thereby augmentative supreme overstatement to 2x. So there's hardly anything to complain about – on paper.

Alternatives

There are band of macro lenses for E-mount and a couple of for L-wax too. But if you want autofocus and a longer central length there is really only one alternative for L-mount and three alternatives for E-rise:

Sigma has the 70mm f2.8 DG Macro Artistic creation from 2018 for E- and L-go up amongst others. The lens is a trifle smaller and lighter than its 105mm sibling and at 500 EUR / 570 USD / 450 GBP as wel considerably cheaper. Only it extends when focusing close and also has one-third less reach which probably besides translates in shorter working distances at comparable magnifications.
Sony's Iron 90mm f2.8 G OSS Macro is an original mirrorless design from 2015 for E-mount and costs about 960 EUR / 1100 USD / 850 GBP. It's around 100g igniter than Sigma's new lens. It has optical prototype stabilization only it lacks an aperture ring and has a 14% shorter reach than the new Sigma.
From Tokina there's the FiRIN 100mm 2.8 FE Macro, an pilot mirrorless design from 2019 which is only available for Sony E-mount. It costs 540 EUR / 600 USD / 580 GBP. Information technology's 145g hoy and 10mm shorter than the new Sigma only extends when focusing. And it does not offer an aperture anulus or AF-lock button.

Here is the view angle that the Sony FE 90mm f2.8 Macro G OSS produces compared to the Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Large Art:

View angle on Sony A7R II (FF) personify: Sony FE 90mm f2.8 Macro G OSS (left), Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Nontextual matter (ripe)

Focus

Focus accuracy and repeatability is critical to consistently produce sharp shots. Repeatability (the truth of focus on the same discipline later on continual focus-accomplishment) of this crystalline lens is pretty good (measured 98.8% in Reikan FoCal) with no outliers over a series of 40 shots. There is almost no focus edition whether the lens focuses from a closer distance or from infinity and I sensed very little hunting. The lens focuses in around 0.7 second from infinity to 1.24m (1:10 magnification), which is OK.

AF-operation of the new Lens in photograph-manner can be heard from the outside and if you tape video with the integral microphone there are also situations where the labor emits a low buzz.

As you pull focus, you'll notice quite approximately focus eupnoeic: the image became 12% less enlarged when I adjusted focus from infinity to 1.24m. This is identical visible and could make up distracting when shooting videos.

There was besides a slightly annoying glitch with my imitate of the lens: when reversing instruction on the focus annulus the lens occasionally just went a few ticks further in the honest-to-god direction ahead turn around.

Next check out my superior results!

Check prices on the Sigma 105mm f2.8 DG DN Macro Art at B&H, WEX, or Calumet.de! As an alternative take yourself a copy of my In Camera book Beaver State treat Maine to a chocolate! Thanks!

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