Photographers using an APS-C Canon R system body are finally about to have more options for affordable wide lenses, as Sigma continues its rollout of RF-S mount optics. The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary and Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary will begin shipping on January 23, the company has announced. The launch opens up more ultra-bright aperture, wide-angle prime options for Canon’s crop-sensor RF cameras, with both optics sitting under $600 / £500 (Australian pricing to follow).
While both lenses were previously announced, today’s news confirms the official availability date for the wide-angle lenses. Last year, Sigma revealed that it would begin bringing its crop-sensor lenses to the RF mount. The news signaled that Canon had given the go-ahead for third-party autofocus lenses, albeit only for APS-C cameras. The crop sensor series now has third-party autofocus lenses available from multiple third-party brands, including Sigma and Tamron.
The key advantage of opening up the mount to third-party optics? Price. Canon’s APS-C cameras are designed to be more budget-friendly. But while Canon’s full-frame primes will also work on those crop-sensor cameras, the brand has no primes for its crop sensor series aside from the expensive Dual Fisheye VR lens.
The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, with an effective focal length of 25.6mm, is the most affordable of the two new releases at $489 / £389. The lens is designed to balance that price with portability and performance, offering a wide aperture in a wide-angle lens that weighs just over 400g. When we reviewed the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary on Canon EOS-M mount, we gave the lens five stars for its mix of image quality and compact design.
The Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN, on the other hand, gives crop-sensor shooters a 35mm equivalent lens for $599 / £479. The company calls the lens a versatile but standard focal length prime that’s geared towards street photography, landscapes, weddings, travel and even portraits. Like others in the Contemporary series, it's designed to be compact and lightweight at about 340g. With limited mount options one of the cons in our initial review, the launch will likely make many Canon RF crop sensor shooters happy.
Both lenses are available for pre-order, with shipping slated to begin on January 23.
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