Ted's Guide to Sigma Art Lenses

Have you ever caught yourself wondering, "Just how good are Sigma lenses?" These titans of third-party optics have long been seen as a name that photographers can trust, and with this Art range, they deliver pro-grade sharpness, creamy bokeh, and build quality that laughs at the weather forecast.

If you're on the hunt for a new lens for your mirrorless camera, here's why a Sigma Art lens should be at the top of your wishlist.

A lens that Sigma considers worthy of the Art lineup, offers excellent imaging and build quality. Often, these lenses are as good as or even better than what the major manufacturers are offering, and all this, at a reasonable price.

Sigma Art lenses generally feature fast maximum apertures, so they are versatile enough to work in all lighting conditions, and they enable creative exploration with different depth-of-field effects.

As a third-party lens manufacturer, Sigma produces lenses in a variety of different mounts, so whether you are looking for a Sigma Art lens for Canon, Fuji, Nikon or another major mount, there is sure to be a lens of your dreams waiting to help you capture your next works of art.

• Telephoto Prime Lens
• F1.4 Maximum Aperture
• HSM AF Motor
• Best Uses: Portraiture

With a bright f1.4 maximum aperture and short telephoto focal length, the Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art lens is taking you with it to the next level of portrait photography greatness. With its terrific optical design, this prime lens is ideal for making the most of your digital camera's high megapixel count, while it is also designed to be a winner physically. With a dust and splash-resistant structure and thermally stable composite materials used in its design, the 85mm Art is not only durable but also lightweight, so it feels at home, whether in the studio or on the road.

• Standard Prime Lens
• F1.4 Maximum Aperture
• HSM AF Motor
• Best Uses: Portraiture, Street Photography & More

Sigma's take on the classic nifty fifty, this Sigma 50mm f1.4 prime lens is used for general-purpose photography - this means it can accompany you to your next portrait session, but also stay mounted on your camera as you head into town for some candid street photography. Just like the 85mm, this 50mm prime lens includes an ultra-bright f1.4 maximum aperture, so delicious background blur is easy to produce. With its Hyper Sonic Motor, this Sigma lens is notable for its quick and quiet focus performance; users find this handy when working with live subjects or in sensitive environments - it means you won't draw too much attention to yourself as you work!

• Wide-Angle Zoom Lens
• F2.8 Constant Max Aperture
• HSM AF Motor
• Best Uses: Landscape Photography

While many Sigma art lenses are prime options, they are not afraid to throw their hat into the ring and produce high-quality zoom lenses, like this 14-28mm f2.8 DG DN Art. Just like the prime options we have highlighted, this lens delivers premium image quality, while a dust and splash-resistant structure is joined by a water and oil-repellant coating, making it great for use in outdoor conditions.

You may have heard somewhere that wide-angle zoom lenses are bad for lens flare and ghosting. Thankfully, Sigma has treated this wonderful lens with specialised Nano Porous Coating, which addresses these issues, leaving you to enjoy sharp and detailed images in all conditions.

So, what is a wide-angle zoom lens good for? Namely, landscape photography! This Sigma zoom allows you to easily frame the broadest and most dynamic sceneries at its widest end, while the 2x zoom range provides versatility and creativity when it comes to framing.

• Standard Zoom Lens
• F2.8 Constant Max Aperture
• HSM AF Motor
• Best Uses: Portraiture, Landscape & Daily Photography

Another zoom lens for you to consider, this 24-70mm option falls into the standard zoom category, which means it offers much more magnification than the previous entry, lending it to portraiture, as well as everyday snapshot photography and much more. As this is a zoom lens with a constant aperture, users can keep working in low-light conditions and produce pleasing bokeh, whether they are using the wide or the tele side of the zoom range.

As camera shake is often more prevalent as you zoom, this lens includes an optical stabiliser, keeping all of your images sharp and blur-free, and allowing you to forget your worries and just shoot. This Sigma lens with stabilisation must be considered if you want one lens to do it all, and to deliver world-class results.

• Wide-Angle Prime Lens
• F1.4 Max Aperture
• HSM AF Motor
• Best Uses: Landscape & Astrophotography

With an ultra-wide focal length and ultra-fast maximum aperture, the 20mm f1.4 Art is the best Sigma Art lens for astrophotography. While it displays remarkable comfort when framing the night skies, this Sigma lens also shines when it is focusing down on land, where its wide field of view can do justice to all of the natural wonders of the world.

Ultra-wide lenses often suffer from distortions, so Sigma has designed this lens using exclusive low-dispersion glass to help minimise these effects, and they have also reduced flare and ghosting using their super multi-layer coating. Once again, a Hyper Sonic Motor is on board to deliver speedy and silent autofocus performance, while users are free to take matters into their own hands and tweak the focal point at any time, thanks to full-time manual focus override.

Unleash your artistic vision with Sigma Art lenses. Their exceptional optics, premium build, and competitive price point make them a perfect choice for any photographer seeking an edge. Ready to explore their potential? Visit your nearest Ted's Cameras and discuss your needs with our expert staff.

Do you have help understanding Sigma lens terminology? Have a read through our Sigma lens decoder.