Hands On: Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8

With the 18-35mm f/1.8 , Sigma launched a very wide-aperture zoom lens over 10 years ago, which is still used today by many photographers, but especially by videographers. The Lens developed for APSC sensors was simply unique on the camera market, because: No other manufacturer had such an open aperture and at the same time sharp and compact Lens. The lens became particularly popular with filmmakers, which is why it is still often seen on Canon, RED or Blackmagic cameras today.
Sigma is now continuing this successful concept with the new 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN ART, which this time has been designed for mirrorless full-frame cameras. We were able to take a first look at the new lens and tell you in this blog post what makes it so special and for whom it could be particularly interesting.

Size and weight

As you would expect from a full-frame zoom lens with a continuous aperture of f/1.8, this Lens cannot necessarily be described as compact. Nevertheless, we were pleasantly surprised when we held the Lens in our hands for the first time: Even though it really isn't small and light, weighing a proud 959g, with a length of 15cm and a filter diameter of 82mm; for a lens with such an open aperture and 18 lens elements, this is still within reason.

Functionality and image quality

With its new 28-45, Sigma has once again incorporated an internal zoom, which makes filmmakers especially happy. This means that the lens can also be used on a gimbal, but this is still accompanied by a considerable shift in weight when zooming - so the gimbal still needs powerful motors.

However, let's move on to the optical quality: the continuous open aperture simply gives the image a pleasantly soft look - without affecting the sharpness of the image. In addition, the look is relatively clean and natural, which gives you the flexibility to change the image with filters or in post-processing to suit the scene.
This really enormous advantage, coupled with the zoom range, makes the lens a great choice for filmmakers for whom frequent lens changes are simply not an option, e.g. in the documentary sector.

Focus on film?

You can clearly see from the design that this Lens was developed primarily for filmmakers: Both the zoom ring and the focus ring are comfortable to operate. The focus throw is extremely wide, which results in a little more cranking, but also enables very smooth focus progressions. If you use a Panasonic camera, you can also switch the focus ring between linear and non-linear.

The aperture ring is also perfect for filming: Declickt allows the aperture to be adjusted continuously and extremely smoothly.
In addition, Sigma has installed two individually assignable buttons on the new 28-45mm, which is super useful for quickly controlling various functions.
And while we're on the subject of focus: Sigma has been able to reduce the closest focusing distance of this Lens to 30cm; at least that's true for the wide angle. Since the Lens is not parfocal, the focus shifts minimally when zooming, which is of course noticeable at close range.
The autofocus is optimal though! In video mode, we have a fast and, above all, precise focus transition across the entire focal length range. At the same time, focus breathing is minimal.

Conclusion

All in all, Sigma's new 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art is above all a great all-rounder for filmmakers. However, the new Lens still comes in the usual "photo lens" design and is therefore not only interesting for videographers, but also for photographers. For example, the open aperture could also be of great interest to some astrophotographers.

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