SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN

A review and photo example of the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN L mount.

Gallery

Sample photos taken with the LEICA SL typ601.

Review

Lens Overview
Usage
Competitive Comparison

1.Lens overview

The SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN1 is a compact, standard focal length prime lens that covers 35mm full-frame sensors with autofocus (AF) for mirrorless cameras released in 2019. As of 2024, it is available for Sony E and Leica L mounts.

Sigma lenses only list their specifications, and the notation is easy to understand, so it is easy to make mistakes when minor changes or lenses with similar specifications are released.
The official name of this lens is SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, with Sigma-made, focal length 45mm, maximum aperture F2.8, DG = 35mm full-frame, DN = short flange back for mirrorless cameras, and Contemporary = low-priced line lens.

The lens is equipped with a focus ring, aperture ring, and AF/MF switch.
The minimum shooting distance is 0.24m.

The lens configuration consists of 8 elements in 7 groups, all with aspherical lenses, and is designed to take advantage of the characteristics of mirrorless cameras, with the rear lens located very close to the sensor.

2.Usage

When this lens was released in 2019, there were few AF lenses that could be used with the Leica L mount, so it was a valuable lens. I liked its compact appearance and purchased it immediately after its release.

The size balance is not too bad when attached to the LEICA SL, but when attached to the LEICA T, it becomes a compact single-focus camera, so it was useful as a walking camera. The AF speed and accuracy were absolutely no problem for general shooting. AF struggles over fences and bushes, which are difficult to do, but that is also a problem with the camera.

Looking at the results, it was a lens that could be used with confidence, with good correction of each aberration and no noticeable peripheral light falloff.

The lens barrel has a sharp design that combines slits and straights, and the paint has a luxurious feel and the appearance looks better than it costs. As for the depiction, as long as you are careful about camera shake, it depicts images that are completely problem-free for a modern lens.

With the LEICA SL typ6012 and LEICA T typ7013 that I used, the aperture ring on the lens was just decorative, and the aperture value had to be set on the camera. This may have been improved with a firmware update, but that was the case when I used it.

You can get a used one for around 30,000 yen, so I think it’s a lens worth having.

3.Competitive Comparison

A typical lens with a focal length of 45mm would be the Tessar 45mm4 from Yashica Contax. As the name suggests, it is a Tessar format lens with 3 groups and 4 elements, so there are many compromises in the correction of aberrations.

The thickness of the Tessar is 18mm, but when attached to an L mount, the thickness of the mount adapter of 25.5mm is added, making it 43.5mm, which is not much different from the lens’s thickness of 46.2mm.

The Tessar 45mm is a rimless lens and I have never used it, but it was available for about 10,000 yen at one time, so it is a lens that I wish I had used once. As of 2024, the used price is about 30,000 yen, so if you are going to pay this price for an old lens, there is no doubt that Sigma’s latest lens will produce better images.

Sigma has a rich lineup of nine affordable prime lenses ranging from 19mm to 90mm.
There are five DG DN lenses that are all set with an aperture value of F2, and four that are all set with a filter diameter of 55mm.
The lenses in the line that are all set with 55mm filters have different maximum apertures, but the uniformity of the lenses as a group achieved by having the same lens thickness makes them look good when lined up in a humidity-controlled cabinet.

Sigma is a company that does not hesitate to supply lenses for cameras with a large market share, so they may also be supplied for the EOS-R and NIKON-Z in the future.

Specification

Items	Value	Note
Focal length(mm)	45	Image circle is 35mm full size
Max aperture	2.8
Min aperture	22
Leaf blade	7
Lens Construction	8emelent in 7groups
Min distance(m)	0.24
Lens length(mm)	46.2
Max diameter(mm)	64
Filter Size(mm)	55
Weight(g)lens only	215
Release date	2019/07/26
Price(Yen/No-tax)	75,000	Change to open price from 2023.07

SIGMA DG DN（Not F2）Variations

Focal length(mm)	17	24	45	90
Max aperture	4	3.5	2.8	2.8
Min aperture	22	22	22	22
Leaf blade	7	7	7	7
Lens Construction	9emelent in 8groups	10emelent in 8groups	8emelent in 7groups	11emelent in 10groups
Min distance(m)	0.12	0.11	0.25	0.5
Lens length(mm)	48.8	48.8	46.2	59.7
Max diameter(mm)	64	64	64	64
Filter Size(mm)	55	55	55	55
Weight(g)(lens only)	225	225	215	295
Release date	2023/04/21	2021/01/22	2019/07/26	2021/09/24
Edition Number	C023	C021	C019	C021
Price(Yen/No-tax)	89,000	67,000	75,000	78,000