Sigma C 35 mm f/2 DG DN review - Summary

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Sigma C 35 mm f/2 DG DN

8 January 2021

Maciej Latałło

11. Summary

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Pros:

solid and metal casing,
excellent image quality in the frame centre,
very good image quality on the edge of the APS-C sensor,
good image quality on the edge of full frame,
moderate spherical aberration,
sensible correction of longitudinal chromatic aberration,
negligible lateral chromatic aberration,
decent correction of coma,
moderate vignetting on the APS-C/DX sensor,
silent and efficient autofocus,
two types of caps in the box.

Cons:

monstruous vignetting on full frame,
distortion could have been lower with such an angle of view.

Let's start with the flaws. Fortunately, they are not many of them and they are, more or less, to be expected from a Sigma C line lens. After all the producers have to compromise in order to maintain an appropriate balance between weight, physical dimensions, price, and optical properties. Such aberrations as distortion and vignetting are the easiest to correct by software of a camera – small wonder optics specialists often give them up. It's the lowest price to pay.

Of course if our assessment is to remain positive that kind of compromise must pay off - how does the situation look in the case of the Sigma C 2/35? We are pleased to say it looks well enough. The Sigma is not worse than the significantly more expensive Zeiss Batis 2/40 CF and when it comes to image sharpness it manages to defeat the Sony FE 1.8/35.

Some might complain about the starting price of the Sigma which, at $640, seems a tad too high for a C line instrument. On the one hand they are right because, after all, for $700 you can buy the Sigma A 35 mm f/1.4 DG HSM, a faster lens belonging to the higher line of products. On the other hand, though, the Sigma tested here can compete on equal terms with the Batis, a lens twice as expensive, and its performance is better than the performance of the Sony FE 35 mm f/1.8 which costs around $750. We think Sigma did their homework and they set the price in such a way that they are able to earn a nice profit without overexerting their producing capacities.