Finally, some good DX glasses for Nikon Mirrorless: We review the Sigma DC DN Contemporary Trio

Nikon started making APS-C mirrorless cameras a few years ago, and they’re definitely worth a look. Their image quality is decent, the autofocus isn’t half as bad, and they certainly have fans. But they lack a reasonable selection of specialized glasses. That is finally changing.

Third party saves time

I’ve used zfc for a few weeks before it was officially announced, and I really enjoyed taking pictures with it. There’s just one major bug that I see that still hasn’t been fixed by Nikon. Specialized APS-C lenses are still only available as basic zooms with small apertures. Sure, they’re sharp and focus fairly quickly, but if you want to use prime lenses or anything brighter than f/3.5, you’ve got to get something in our line of full-frame directional S glasses. Nikon, these are great lenses, but a bit too big and expensive for the average APS-C hobbyist. That’s where Sigma comes in with the Contemporary line.

These three lenses are not anything we haven’t seen before. They have been in the market for the Sony E mount, as well as the Canon EOS M and MFT mounts for many years. Recently they were even released for the Fujifilm X mount. And now we can finally enjoy the same glasses on the Nikon Z mount. So why would you buy any of these. ? And what benefits will they give you over original Nikon lenses?

Build

Yes, they are plastic on the outside. Sigma calls this material TSC, which stands for Thermally Stable Composite. This polycarbonate promises many of the benefits of metal without the added weight and cost. I didn’t have any problems with it, other than you’re looking at the lens body by mistake and it’s scratched. Nothing important or clearly visible, just something to consider if you’re going to sell extra lenses.

There’s a rubber gasket around the mount that indicates the lens is weather-resistant, which is great since the Z fc as well as the Z 50 are said to be resistant to rain and dust. In the end, the lenses feel solid, well-made, and great value for money.

The widest and largest of the bunch, but still nothing too big or heavy considering the f/1.4 aperture. The lens weighs only 420 grams and is 94 mm long. The current APS-C sensors on the Nikon Z offer a maximum resolution of slightly more than 20 megapixels, so the standard of sharpness isn’t particularly high for these lenses. However, the lens provides and keeps the image nicely detailed through the frame. Even the edges aren’t too bad, except for one problem. Textures are definitely there, but nothing is irreparable. This is most evident when you are shooting at a wide distance. Reducing the aperture makes the vignetting essentially disappear.

Contrast is pleasant, as are out-of-focus areas. The chromatic aberration is not so obvious but still there. Especially when the lens is pointed directly at a strong light source with significant contrast in the corners. It’s not hard to fix, and I don’t think there were any lens configurations available at the time I used this lens, so Lightroom may not really know about the lens yet.

Sample

In the middle of the group, both in terms of focus as well as size and weight. Weighing in at 285 grams and 75 mm, it’s as compact and easy to carry around as your primary lens. The focal length is easy to use as it is neither too wide nor too narrow. The f/1.4 aperture can give you reasonable separation as long as you’re not too far away from your subject.

This is probably my favorite of the three due to its harmonious combination of light weight, good size, universal focal length and autofocus speed. I can imagine using this lens for general street photography or just as a travel lens for a vacation.

Optically, it performs very similarly to the aforementioned 16mm with the same vignetting characteristics. Nothing groundbreaking, but also nothing to be ashamed of considering the fairly friendly price tag.

Sample

The perfect focal length for a shy street photographer with lovely bokeh with a not-so-disappointing autofocus speed and a really compact size. 295 grams and 70 mm. The width would be the smallest of the bunch if it weren’t for the massive Nikon Z mount that spans all the lenses at the back to really fit the body. The bezel at the bottom of each lens looks a bit funny, but you barely notice it after attaching the lens.

I really enjoy using this. My favorite lens of all time is Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 — the old version as well as the new WR version. And this Sigma does not deliver. It makes the image unique. Files are sharp and have high contrast, even in direct sunlight. Chromatic aberration is well controlled, but like the two lenses mentioned above, is not eliminated.

Sample

internal

All three lenses feature a circular nine-blade aperture that delivers beautiful bokeh. The next similarity is in the autofocus drive. That is provided using a fairly silent and fast stepper motor. It’s not the best at tracking fast-moving subjects towards the camera, but chances are it’s the in-camera AF system and not the lens. One does not pull the other down.

Not bad, not expensive

If I were a Nikon Z 50, Z fc or Z 30 user, I would definitely consider buying a variety of these for my work. The lenses offer decent image quality with manageable aberrations at a reasonable price point. Build quality is definitely poor compared to Nikon’s metal alternatives like brilliant 35mmf/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8, but the price, brighter aperture, and size are worth the downgrade. I’m curious if Nikon is really planning to release their own versions of tailored DX-oriented glasses or are they just looking to third-party manufacturers to do it for them or hobbyists. spend extra money on lenses they never really finish taking advantage of. Are you considering any of these for your Nikon mirrorless camera?