Sigma’s New 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art Is 20% Lighter Than its Predecessor

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A black Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art camera lens is shown standing upright against a white background, displaying focus and aperture rings, switches, and lens branding.

Sigma has announced the 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art, a new fast wide-angle lens for full-frame E and L-Mount cameras. The lens offers excellent resolution in a compact, lightweight design.

The original Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art was not released all that long ago, hitting store shelves in April 2021 as a mirrorless successor to 2013’s Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art for DSLR cameras. The new 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art builds on an impressive, long-standing legacy and is even smaller and lighter than the original DG DN lens. Sigma has cut the lens’s length by about 14% and reduced its weight by approximately 20%.

A Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens with a focus mode switch, aperture ring, and ribbed focus ring, shown standing upright against a white background.

While smaller and lighter, the new 35mm f/1.4 II also promises improved optical performance, making it, as Sigma puts it, “a true upgrade.” The company says its new lens delivers the best optical performance ever in Sigma’s 35mm f/1.4 Art line. While not surprising, that’s still high praise.

The lens is built on Sigma’s latest optical technology and incorporates a completely redesigned 15-element, 12-group optical construction. The lens features all-new glass materials that were previously too challenging to process, and features four high-precision aspherical elements and a pair of SLD glass elements. Sigma says the lens “thoroughly suppresses aberrations,” including axial chromatic aberrations, a common issue for large-aperture lenses. The lens promises “outstanding resolution” across the entire frame, even when shooting at f/1.4.

A close-up side view of a black camera lens with a lens hood attached, showing focus and click switches, a focus mode dial, and detailed markings on the lens barrel.

Alongside a new optical formula with more sophisticated glass elements, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art also features a newly developed Advanced Amorphous Coating (AAC). This coating has a low refractive index, dramatically reducing internal reflections that cause ghosting and flare, resulting in cleaner, higher-contrast images in challenging lighting conditions.

Photographers seek fast-aperture primes like this in large part for their bokeh and strong subject separation. While the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art won’t deliver quite the same background blur as Sigma’s excellent 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art released last year, f/1.4 is still fast. The lens has an 11-bladed aperture diaphragm, the same as its predecessor, but Sigma says bokeh is cleaner, smoother, and more pleasing than before.

Top-down view of a digital camera with a large attached lens. The camera has the Sony logo and various control dials, while the lens is labeled "35mm F1.4 DG HSM | ART" and "SIGMA.

Thanks to its floating focus system, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, as mentioned above. The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art is about 96 millimeters (nearly 3.8 inches) long, while its predecessor is 111.5 millimeters (about 4.4 inches). The new lens weighs approximately 512 grams (18 ounces), while the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is about 640 grams (22.6 ounces), so that’s a significant weight difference. For what it’s worth, the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art lens, a stellar prime, weighs 755 grams (26.6 ounces) and is 111.4 millimeters (4.4 inches) long, which is impressive in its own right.

The weather-resistant lens features a pair of customizable AFL buttons, a dedicated aperture control ring (which can be locked and de-clicked), and a petal-shaped lens hood to protect the front element.

A black Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art camera lens stands vertically on a Sigma lens dock, with visible focus and aperture rings, switches, and lens hood attached.

When it comes to autofocus performance, the 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art employs a dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) system, the same one as is in the 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art, to drive its large focus group quickly and accurately. Sigma promises quick, quiet, and accurate autofocusing performance for both stills and video. The lens has also been designed to minimize focus breathing.

Sample Images

Close-up of an old, vintage bicycle with worn brown handlebars and faded black frame, set against a dark wooden background. The bike has beige tires and visible rust on the metal parts.

A coastal landscape with clear turquoise water, a sandy beach curving along the shore, and lush green vegetation in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

A group of people stand on a modern pier over calm water at sunset, with warm lights illuminating the structure and the sky glowing in shades of orange and blue. City lights are visible in the distant background.

A docked white boat in the foreground and a small boat on calm water at sunset, with a breakwater in the distance and a pastel-colored sky.

A serene beach scene at sunset, with gentle waves in the foreground and the sun setting behind distant mountains under a clear sky.

A butterfly with black and blue patterned wings rests on a small white and yellow flower, surrounded by green leaves, with a blurred green background.

01 sits on a polished wooden surface with blurred background elements and natural light coming through a window.

Close-up view of a large tree trunk and branches covered in textured bark and green leafy vines, with patches of blue sky and scattered clouds visible through the canopy.

A vintage black rotary telephone sits on a wooden table in a dimly lit room, with a blurred background and soft lighting highlighting the details of the phone.

A bunch of green bananas hangs from a wooden post in a sunlit outdoor area, with a bamboo screen and blurred background featuring stone walls and lush greenery.

Red and white construction cranes stand tall among modern glass office buildings under a partly cloudy blue sky, indicating an urban area undergoing development.

A person carefully paints designs inside a ceramic bowl with a small brush, using black and red paint. The bowl rests on a pottery wheel, and intricate patterns are visible inside the bowl.

Two deer stand close together in a forest with bare trees and a ground covered in dry leaves and rocks. The scene appears calm and natural, with muted earth tones dominating the winter landscape.

A pair of black boots lies abandoned on sandy ground, partially in the shadow of leafy trees, with a stone border visible at the bottom right corner.

Waves crash dramatically against a large rock on a pebbled beach, sending water droplets into the air under a cloudy sky at the edge of the sea.

A traditional red-tiled roof with a decorative shisa statue at the peak, set against a clear blue sky.

A ginger and white cat with green eyes sits on a sidewalk, looking alertly to the side. The background is a sunlit urban street with buildings and a blue sky.

A narrow paved path curves alongside a calm body of water, bordered by grassy fields and dense green hills under a clear sky with soft sunlight.

A ginger and white cat with a collar sits on a sunlit street, looking to the side. The background shows old buildings slightly out of focus under a clear blue sky.

A piece of driftwood lies on dark, rocky terrain near the shore, with patches of grass and sparse vegetation; the calm sea and distant land are visible in the background under a pale sky.

Two wooden chairs sit next to a small, rustic potted plant placed on a wooden block, set against a dark wall in a minimal, moody outdoor setting.

A calm river winds through dense green bushes and trees at sunset, reflecting clouds and warm light in the water. Distant hills are silhouetted against an orange sky.

Night view of a historic red-brick building with ornate architecture, illuminated by warm lights, surrounded by modern glass skyscrapers and city lights in the background.

A white lighthouse stands on a hilltop, surrounded by dark green foliage, under a dramatic, cloudy sky. The scene is moody, with diffused light highlighting the lighthouse against the overcast background.

Three modern glass and steel skyscrapers are photographed from below, converging towards a clear blue sky, creating a geometric and symmetrical composition.

Close-up of a large, green tropical leaf with sunlight shining through it, highlighting its veins and creating a vibrant contrast against the dark, blurred background of foliage.

People walk across a crosswalk, casting long shadows on the pavement in angled sunlight. The photo is taken from a low angle, focusing on their legs and feet.

A close-up of a red hibiscus flower with a prominent stamen, set against a background of green leaves in soft sunlight.

Pricing and Availability

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art is expected to launch on April 16 for $1,059, a slight increase over its predecessor’s $989 price tag. The new lens will be available in Sony E-mount and L-Mount versions.

Image credits: Sigma. Real-world sample photos by Takashi Shikano and Noriko Yamaguchi, provided courtesy of Sigma.

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