Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens (Canon EF-M)

The first of the series is the standard lens 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary, and the second is the wide-angle lens 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary. The third addition is this smallest mid-tele lens in its class, 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary. While retaining the compact, lightweight, and outstanding image quality concepts of the Contemporary line, thanks to SIGMA’s leading-edge technology, this lens provides the amount of bokeh and admirable brightness expected from F1.4 lenses even in the mid-tele range. This addition completes the large aperture series comprised of portable wide-angle, standard, and telephoto lenses.

* The smallest in its class among F1.4 mid-tele lenses for APS-C mirrorless cameras

* About the lens name

SIGMA lenses with “DC” in the name are designed for optimal performance on cameras with APS-C image sensors. When a DC lens is used with a camera with a full-frame image sensor, vignetting will occur. Photographers are advised to adjust image area settings for optimal image results. SIGMA lenses with “DN” in the name are designed for optimal performance on cameras with a short flange back distance.

The combination of optical design for video AF and use of the stepping motor enables smooth and quiet autofocus. This lens is also compatible with the Sony E-mount Fast Hybrid AF, achieving precise AF tracking. By using the face recognition or eye AF functions of cameras, focus will continuously be on the face or the eye even if the subject moves during the shoot.

The mount features a special sealing to make the lens an excellent choice in a wide variety of conditions.

*Except for Canon EF-M mount

The brass mount combines high precision with rugged construction. Its treated surfaces and enhanced strength contribute to the exceptional durability of the lens.

To achieve such a compact construction, lens design is considered based on the capabilities of the camera body function to correct peripheral light amount and distortion. Moreover, axial color aberration, which is difficult to eliminate by image processing, is efficiently corrected by incorporating an SLD glass element. A compactness and lightweight construction combined with superb image quality is achieved.

From an early stage in the lens design process, flare and ghosting have been measured to establish an optical design resistant to strong incident light sources such as backlighting. SIGMA’s Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting to help photographers produce sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions. The included lens hood can be attached to block out extraneous light, which can have a negative effect on rendering performance.

The lens benefits from an open aperture of F1.4 to achieve sufficient amount of bokeh and admirable brightness even with APS-C size cameras which tend to have smaller bokeh effects compared to 35mm full size systems. Its compact and lightweight body is perfect for daily use, capable of capturing various scenes ranging from portraits to snapshots, as well as night view.

The 9-blade rounded diaphragm creates an attractive blur in the out-of-focus areas of the image.