Hands-On: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens

We put our Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens on our Sony A7II, setting the camera to crop mode and shooting on Aperture priority.

With the new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens, mirrorless camera users can achieve beautiful bokeh effects previously unavailable in an affordable standard quality MILC lens.

I got a chance to test shoot the compact and impressively lightweight 30mm F1.4 DC DN. I used the lens on my Sony A7II in crop mode, and was delighted with the results.

Designed for the APS-C-format Sony E-mount, the 30mm F1.4 DC DN prime lens provides a 45mm equivalent focal length, creating an angle close to the human eye. In addition to creating stunning bokeh effect, this versatile prime lens is a great choice for street photography and expressive portraits.

ISO 100, 30mm, F/1.4, 1/2000. The subtle bokeh in the background helps add some depth and interest to this photo of tulips.

Thanks to the large-diameter lens with F1.4 brightness, the lens allows for a shallow depth of field, even in low-light situations. The 9-blade rounded diaphragm on the Sigma 30mm creates a stunning blur in all of the out-of-focus areas in the image.

ISO 200, 30mm, F/1.4, 1/2000. Thanks to the 9-blade aperture, the Christmas lights in the background of this image becomes transformed into a beautiful smooth bokeh effect.

In order to take advantage of the lens’ full wide aperture potential, I set my shooting mode to Aperture priority.   The fast lens, when combined with the incredible low-light capabilities of my Sony A7II created crisp close-up portraits in hand-held, dimly lit shooting situations

The lens packs light, and is compact; its portability combined with its versatility of shooting situations makes it a great choice for a travel lens.

ISO 100, 30mm, F/1.4, 1/2000. The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, doesn’t add much bulk to your camera, making it ideal if you only want to bring one lens with you and don’t want to miss a moment.  

Because of its light weight, I didn’t feel burdened by carrying the camera and lens around for long walks around the city. I was quite pleased with how easy it was to create eye-catching bokeh without too much fumbling around with this minimalist lens (there is no AF/MF switch on the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DC).

ISO 100, 30mm, F/1.4, 1/640. I loved using this lens for street portraits to get that nice out of focus background that really makes your subject stand out.

ISO 100, 30mm, F/1.4, 1/4000.  The focal length allows you to experiment with using different focus points, using background blurs to all levels of creative effect.

Thanks to the large-diameter of the lens with F1.4 brightness, there was no noise even in extremely low light situations.  The shallow depth of field created expressive portraits, and truly made my subjects stand out with artistic emphasis.  In the photo gallery samples above, you  can see that the 9-blade rounded diaphragm on the Sigma 30mm creates a stunning blur in all of the out-of-focus areas in the image.

At $339 this is an affordable, light-weight and versatile lens for professionals and enthusiasts alike looking to shoot wide open and create beautiful portraits at an angle very similar to the human eye.

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Liz Daza

Liz Daza is the former Managing Editor of the Adorama Learning Center.