Others perceive the image quality as I do a lens that is practically sharp enough for most all purposes but adds character into the process. Some people clearly love the “resolution at all costs” approach, and are thus disappointed by this lens. I’ve already released a detailed image quality breakdown video on my YouTube channel, and reactions vary. I’m not actually wowed by the sharpness, but I pretty much love the rendering from the lens. If I didn’t own the Milvus, I would probably own the 135 ART, as it is a pretty special lens, but…Īs we will see in this review, however, the 24-70 ART is a Sigma aberration. The recent S igma 135mm f/1.8 ART lens went a long way in improving that, but when I compared it to the Zeiss Milvus APO Sonnar 135mm f/2 that I own (which has that quality of rendering that I speak of), I often instinctively just liked the images from the Milvus better. That analogy perhaps overstates my feelings, but I can say that I have rarely loved the rendering (the global “look” of images) from a Sigma ART lens without some processing. To the audiophile those formats are cool and detached, less inviting, and thus less desirable. Some audiophiles love vinyl because it has a warm, organic sound which they feel is lost in the ultra clean digital formats.

In my opinion, however, that has sometimes come at a penalty – while I love the sharpness of the lenses, I’m less impressed by the rendering, which tends towards being somewhat “clinical”. There are some variations, of course, but for the most part the ART series lenses (particularly the primes) have prioritized resolution above all things and are often either the sharpest or near to it in the class.

I’m even in the process of reviewing some of the glass for Sony E-Mount right now, and use their MC-11 adapter to test lenses like this on a Sony body. I’ve reviewed most all of Sigma’s recent releases over the past four years. People are very interested in the 24-70 ART! Today there are few lenses than create more fervor on my YouTube channel or in this space than a new ART series lens release, and my coverage thus far of the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | ART has been no different. They were (are) cheaper in most cases than first party lenses, but they compete more on merit than on price. The ART lenses were big, sleek, and optically powerful. That all changed with their company reboot. Before the launch of the 35mm f/1.4 ART, Sigma was the “budget company” for those who couldn’t afford better glass, with a few lenses that were cult favorites but little cache in the photography world. Sigma’s existing EX 24-70mm f/2.8 was a carryover from its “pre-Global Vision” company reboot. For years I’ve traveled different places in the world often carrying a sling bag with a 24-70mm mounted on a full frame body with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS as a telephoto companion, and shot dozens of weddings and events with a 24-70 + 70-200mm f/2.8 combination. They also make for compelling travel options because you can take 90% of your travel shots (maybe all of them, if you don’t need any telephoto shots) with the focal lengths covered in a 24-70mm f/2.8. Amateurs who are looking for a big optical upgrade (and don’t mind the extra weight and cost) will often replace their kit lens with a 24-70mm f/2.8. Professionals love them because of that versatility in framing added to the fact that often these lenses offer sharpness and image quality that is competitive with prime lenses. 24-70mm is an extremely versatile focal length, covering wide angle (24mm), standard/normal (35/50mm), and short telephoto for portraiture (70mm).

There are few lenses more important to a manufacturer’s lineup than a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, making Sigma’s 24-70 ART one of their most significant releases this year.

Sigma 24 70 2.8 sony review