Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Review
I Bought a Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN for Travel. Will it Meet Expectations?
It has been three months since I got a Leica SL2-S and I have been getting by using only manual focus Voigtländer lenses until very recently.
In a few days, I leave for a trip to France and Italy, and while I am quite pleased with my manual focus lenses, I also want to relax, and not worry about manual focusing. Hence the purchase of a Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN lens.
I have the 28mm, 50mm, and 75mm focal lengths covered with my Voigtländer lenses so the Sigma should fit nicely. All of these lenses are fairly lightweight, yet I am debating if it may be overkill to bring all four. I had also considered the new Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art II lens but this is quite a bit heavier and costlier.
This initial take on the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN was written a week after I got the lens and I plan for a follow-up when I return from my trip where I will let you know if adding this lens to my kit was a good decision.
Introduction
The Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary was introduced in December 2020. It is part of a long list of DG DN Contemporary series prime lenses from Sigma and there are also several zoom lens options in this series.
The Contemporary Series lenses are known for portability and good build quality. Think of the Contemporary Series as one tier below from the Art series which is Sigma’s top-of-the-line lenses.
The Sigma lenses offer an affordable alternative, especially to Sony GM and Leica SL lenses. Here is a list of current Sigma DG DN Art prime lenses.
17mm f/4 DG DN
20mm f/2 DG DN
24mm f/2 DG DN
24mm f/3.5 DG DN
35mm f/2 DG DN
45mm f/2.8 DG DN
50mm f/2 DG DN
65mm f/2 DG DN
90mm f/2.8 DG DN
When this review was posted the retail price of the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary was $639.00.
Specs and Handling
I reviewed the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art and my overall impressions of this lens were favorable but at 22.6 oz / 640 g it is a bit too bulky and heavy for my upcoming trip. At about half the weight, the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN comes in at 11.5 oz / 325 g and with manageable dimensions of 2.8 x 2.6" / 70 x 65.4 mm.
The Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN has an aperture ring with perfectly dampened clicks. This along with a solid and beautifully designed lens-hood are highlight for me. The overall build quality feels very solid.
The lens takes 58mm filters, has three aspherical elements, one SLD element, a rounded 9-blade diaphragm, and is dust and splash-resistant. As for autofocus, it has a stepping motor AF system.
The minimum focusing distance is 10.6" / 27 cm. On the side of the lens barrel, you will find an MF/AF switch but unlike some Art Series lenses, the aperture ring is not de-clickable.
Design-wise the Sigma 35mm f/2 is a very good fit for my Leica SL2-S and it balances perfectly with this camera. This was one of the main selling points for me.
A beautiful metal lens is included with the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary, L-Mount, shown on a Leica SL2-S
In Action
The stepping motor autofocus works without a hitch for me and is silent and accurate. The contrast-detect autofocus on my SL2-S is fast enough for the style of photography you will see in this review. Admittedly I have yet to do any demanding AF tracking and will report back if I get a chance on my trip.
Compared the the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, the 35mm f/2 is easier to lug around for extended periods. I took it out for a bike ride and walked around Vancouver for a street photography session and from the first few outings it feels like a good start.
Photography gear is also about ergonomics, touch, and feel, and the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN does not disappoint on this front despite a lower price point than native Leica SL lenses. It also feels more solid than the Panasonic lenses I have tried.
Image Quality
Compared to the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, the 35mm f/2 version falls a little behind. The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art has the obvious advantage of f-stops down to f/1.4 and this opens up a higher degree of creative control in regards to photos with a more shallow depth of field and the ability to capture images in low light.
Images captured with the Sigma 35mm f/2 are still okay and the two lenses are not miles apart in performance. The 1.4 version is currently on sale and only another $160.00 more and I do feel it offers more bang for your buck when it comes to pure image quality. It does however come with considerably more bulk and weight.
I was never bothered by the vignetting on the 35mm f/2 and most often I prefer images without using the Lightroom profiles. Please see the two images below, one captured at f/2 and one at f/4.
Please make sure to click on the sample images to view sizes up to 2500 pixels depending on your monitor size or pinch zoom if on your mobile phone.
Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary @ f/2
Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary @ f/4
Conclusion
The conclusion for the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary is not fully baked at this point and yet I wanted to get this first impression review online before my trip to Europe as I already had several sample images ready to share.
I will get back with an update after my trip where I will put the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN through its paces for its intended use.
Despite my gripes that the Sigma 35m f/2 may not fully live up to the f/1.4 version when it comes to sheer image quality, it delivers on many other fronts, portability and build quality being the main assets.
I would be interested in hearing from other Leica SL photographers in regards to your favorite 35mm lens options for the L-Mount. There are so many options, especially if you count adapted M lenses.
After my trip, I will reaccess the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN, and other options are already on my radar, albeit in many cases these will come at a much higher cost. Here are a few of the lenses that I would love to review.
Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f/2
Leica Apo-Summicron-SL 35mm f/2
Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8
Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2
Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 FLE
Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 III
Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 35mm f/1.5
Update: August 2024
In my conclusion above I mentioned I would have an update of the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN lens upon my return from my trip to France and Italy.
Unfortunately for the completion of this review, I made a last-minute decision while packing for my trip and decided not to bring the Sigma 35mm f/2. This decision was very much based on a desire to travel as light as possible and I only brought two lenses, both from Voigtländer.
In the period leading up to my travels, I had grown quite fond of the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 and also the 28mm focal length, and when push came to shove, I picked the Voigtländer 28mm.
Please see more sample images below.
Price / Availability
Thank you for reading my review. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so, at no additional cost, by using the affiliate link below. A small commission goes to us and helps us keep the wheels turning at 5050 Travelog.
Check the current price at B&H Photo
Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN at B&H Photo
Thank you for being supportive.
Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Sample Images
Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Lightroom. Some photos are slightly cropped.
Please click to view larger images.
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Leica SL2-S
Leica SL2-2 First Impressions
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Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 IV
Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8
Panasonic Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 Macro
Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8
Panasonic Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
Voigtländer Nokton 21mm f/1.4 VM
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