Conclusion

Sigma continue to aggressively fill out their Art, Contemporary and Sports lens ranges, and the new 28mm F1.4 DG HSM is the latest optic to join the well-renowned Art family, slotting in between the existing 24mm and 35mm models.

As with those lenses, the 28mm F1.4 DG HSM is another very fast, tack-sharp prime lens which is capable of producing stunning results, both when stopped down and shooting wide-open at f/1.4. Given that this is a wide-angle lens, it's surprisingly capable of generating some lovely bokeh effects thanks to the fast aperture and 9-blade diaphragm. It exhibits low chromatic aberrations and very little barrel distortion, while usefully being able to focus as close as 28cm. Vignetting at wide-open apertures is the only real optical issue of note, being very apparent when shooting wide-open, but stopping down to f/4 solves the problem altogether.

Build quality is the same as all the other recent Art lenses that we've reviewed, that is to say, excellent, with the brass lens mount and sober all-black design adding to the high-quality feel, and Sigma generously include a very good lens hood and padded case. Auto-focusing proved to be quick on the Canon EOS 5DS R DSLR camera that we predominantly tested the lens with, and manual focus over-ride at any time is a great feature. There's no built-in vibration reduction, but the ability to shoot at f/1.4 partially compensates for this when shooting in very low-light.

Which brings us to the price, the only real fly in the ointment for the new Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM. £1099.99 / $1399.99 is a lot to ask for a 28mm prime lens, especially when Sigma's own 24mm and 35mm lenses can be found for about half the price if you look hard enough. Still, neither of those lenses offer the same focal length (obviously), so if you definitely want an outstanding 28mm prime lens, then the new 28mm F1.4 DG HSM certainly fits the bill.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	5
Value for money	4