SIGMA 20mm f/1.4 DG DN ART Lens for Sony E-Mount
Excellent optical performance, perfect for astrophotography
Even compared to the world's first* full 20mm F1.4 bodysuit (the existing SIGMA 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art), the lens achieves exceptional optical performance with its design particularly focused on peripheral performance. The lens is particularly well-suited to astrophotography not only because of its wide angle of view and ultra-bright aperture, but also because it has better control of the sagittal beam and flare, which means that stars remain sharp points of light at all apertures, even in the extreme corners of the frame
* From July 2022 by SIGMA
The perfect Lens for Astrophotography has arrived!
The rear filter holder allows the attachment of a leaf-type filter.
There are many situations in astrophotography that require the use of a gentle filter, which has the effect of reducing the appearance of smaller stars and emphasizing the apparent size of brighter stars.
In addition, using a soft filter on the front side of an ultra-wide-angle lens can cause any star at the edge of the image frame to take on an oval shape, so the ability to attach a filter to the back side is a great advantage for astrophotography.
By taking advantage of the short flange and an optical design that works in conjunction with in-camera corrections to control distortion and vignetting*, the lens was able to achieve both high optical performance and compact size.
* For Sony E-mount camera users: some aberration corrections can be turned off by default.
MFL switch( MFL function)
A new MFL function is available to disable focus ring operation. When the MFL switch is set to "LOCK", focus ring operation will be disabled.
In the case of astrophotography, the distance to the subject does not change and it is necessary to fix the focus after manual focus adjustments have been made. This is to prevent the focus ring from being accidentally shifted, which would cause blurry images.
In the past, it was left to the user's non-ways to achieve this, such as using duct tape to hold the focus ring in position. This was not ideal, as the adhesive force of the tape decreases when temperatures drop. The MFL function solves this inconvenience.
Heater Retainer function to prevent condensation
To make it easier to use a lens heater to prevent condensation, the lens has a rim on the front. This prevents a vignetting effect caused by the lens heater overlapping the front element.
To help photographers using a lens heater in colder weather conditions, and to prevent condensation from forming on the front element, a lip has been incorporated to prevent the heater from bouncing off the front to cover the lens and appear in shot.
Since astrophotography and nightscape photography are captured in darker environments, it is difficult to detect unwanted subjects that appear slightly in the frame during shooting, and in some cases it is only noticeable when displaying images on a computer.
The Heater Retainer is a useful feature that will help any photographer looking to use a lens heater and provide peace of mind knowing that it won't show any unwanted shadows or vignettes in the photograph.
Exceptional optical quality rendering with crisp and clear for perfect photos
By using a concave double-sided aspherical lens, which requires a high degree of precision manufacturing, to correct for sagittal beam and flare as well as image curvature, the lens achieves optical performance comparable to, or even superior to, F1.8 lenses from other manufacturers.
In addition, SIGMA has adopted a φ60mm-class double-sided aspherical lens as the first optics, which contributes to the improvement of performance. The size of this element is close to being one of the largest optics of its kind in SIGMA's history. Axial chromatic aberrations are effectively corrected through the optimal arrangement of each glass material, such as SLD glass. The performance, especially on the periphery, is remarkable. This lens can be recommended with great confidence to professionals and users who demand high performance.
Perfect for videos
The lens incorporates the 35mm and 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art. Focus breathing occurs but is relatively controlled, and a stepper motor ensures near-silent operation. With the 20mm angle of view, the lens is great for vlogging and streaming filming.
The 20mm F1.4 lens with the ability to attach a front filter as well as a leaf-type filter can be used simultaneously on the back
Since a front filter can be attached, it can be used in combination with a leaf-type filter attached to the rear side. This is especially useful in astrophotography. A possible combination could be that the front side can be fitted with a light pollution cut-off filter and the back side can be fitted with a soft filter, allowing for greater versatility and expression. The rear filter holder is located at the base of the lens.
Compact size for a 20mm F1.4 lens
While it's difficult to reduce the diameter of the front element of an ultra-wide-angle lens, the overall length and diameter of the operating unit are almost the same as those of the 35mm F1.4 DG DN | Art. By keeping the diameter of the lens tube to a minimum and extending it as far forward as possible, a compact size was achieved for a lens of this specification (20mm F1.4).
Effective for photographing pieces of architecture, fashion photography, and low-light scenes such as live events
The Art line's high performance and creative rendering expands the range of expression when shooting architecture, fashion and other subjects, taking advantage of the dynamic nature of the ultra-wide angle. In addition to astrophotography, the brightness of F1.4 combined with the angle of view will allow you to capture impressive moments when shooting in dimly lit environments, such as live events and indoor photography. In addition, the ability to get as close as 2cm to the tip of the lens hood allows you to enjoy a large, perspective bokeh effect in close-up photography.
Build quality with the aim of creating a sense of unity with the current DG DN Art F1.4 line
In order to unify the look and handling of the lens with the current DG DN Art F1.4 lens range, the diameters of the aperture ring and focus ring have been aligned with those of the 35mm F1.4 lens, creating a sense of high-quality operation between the lenses. Features such as the aperture ring click switch, the aperture ring lockout switch, and the petal-type lens hood with pigtail could be retained. There were no inhibitions in the attention to detail of the four lenses in the lineup, ensuring the highest quality across the range, making it very appealing to have a complete set.
What's in the box:
1x Art Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Lens for Sony E
1x Sigma lens hood for 20mm f/1.4 Art DG DN lens
1x Sigma LCF-82 III 82mm Lens Cap
1x Sigma LCR II Rear Lens Cap for Sony E
1x GP-21 Guide Plate