The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art ($899) is a mirrorless update to the very first Art series lens, the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art for SLR systems from 2013. This version is made for L-mount and Sony full-frame cameras, and is one of the most affordable F1.4 primes for either system. It blurs backgrounds just as well as the high-end Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM, and is built just as solidly for $500 less, making it a clear Editors’ Choice winner for shutterbugs sticking to a budget.

Sigma's Middle-Child 35mm Prime

The 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is one of three made-for-mirrorless Sigma lenses in the focal length. It sits in between the 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary ($639) and the 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art ($1,499) in size, f-stop, and market position.

The lens is on the large size for a prime, but balances well on the full-frame Sony a7R IV camera that we used to test the lens. It comes in at 4.4 by 3.0 inches (HD), weighs 1.4 pounds, and supports 67mm front filters. It's a lighter lens to carry versus the Sigma 35mm F1.2 (5.4 by 3.5 inches, 2.4 pounds), and just a little bulkier than Sony's $1,400 FE 35mm F1.4 GM (3.8 by 3.0 inches, 1.2 pounds).

It's a better built lens than those from true budget brands, and you won't spend much more to get it versus one like the Rokinon 35mm F1.4 AF. Unlike the Rokinon, Sigma includes dust and splash protection here, so you can take the lens out in inclement weather without worry. The front element has an anti-smudge protective coating, one that makes it easy to wipe away water droplets and stray fingerprints. The barrel is a mix of metal and polycarbonate.

A lens hood is included, made from polycarbonate material. It's well engineered, with a push-button lock system to keep it in place, and is reversible for storage. Front and rear caps are included, too.

There are several control surfaces on the lens itself, beyond the standard manual focus ring. The lens includes a toggle switch to swap between manual and autofocus modes, an aperture ring with support for third-stop clicks or silent operation, and a customizable function button.

Autofocus is quick and quiet, but the lens does show a visible breathing effect, a change in its angle of view, when setting focus. It's something to worry about if you're using the lens for video, notably for shots where focus racks from one focal point to another, but not a practical concern for still photographers.

Manual focus response is nonlinear, something I appreciate for photography, but that isn't great for video. Turning the ring slowly nets minute, fine adjustments to focus, while a quicker action shifts the focus point dramatically. For still imaging, the flexible response can come in handy—but a linear response, with focus changes based on how far you turn the control ring, not how quickly, are preferred for most video work.

The view gets a little tighter when focusing up close, netting 1:5.4 magnification at the nearest 11.8-inch focus distance. It's in line with some direct competitors—the Sigma 35mm F2 Contemporary and F1.2 Art just about match it, and are available for both E- and L-mount cameras.

If you use a Sony camera, you can look to the high-end Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM for closer focus, to 9.8 inches for 1:3.8 results. Budget shoppers can turn to the Tamron 35mm F2.8, only available in E-mount—it nets 1:2 macro results and is a bargain at around $200.

In the Lab

I paired the 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art with the 60MP Sony a7R IV for testing, and used Imatest software to check its resolution. It delivers good performance wide open (around 3,600 lines) on the a7R IV's demanding sensor. Resolution ticks up quickly, though. It's very good at f/2 (4,000 lines) and excellent at f/2.8 (4,600 lines).

Edges lag behind the center at bright f-stops, but you'll enjoy crisp edge-to-edge results from f/4 through f/11, where the lens shows resolution just shy of outstanding (4,950 lines). Digital systems lose resolution at very small f-stops, and we see an expected loss of contrast at f/16 (4,000 lines).

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Wide aperture resolution lags behind some other lenses we've tested on the 60MP a7R IV sensor. Sony's FE 35mm F1.4 GM is a better fit for a high-resolution camera body; it delivers slightly clearer results wide open and stopped down. I wouldn't put too much thought into it for 24MP cameras, though—the character differences between the Sigma and Sony 35mm F1.4 primes are more apparent than any difference in clarity.

The F1.4 prime blurs backgrounds with ease when shot wide open, and for many photographers the look of the blur (the bokeh) is an important aspect of imaging. The Sigma 35mm Art renders backgrounds with soft, pleasing defocus when used at bigger f-stops. Defocused highlights take on a distinct cat's eye shape with the aperture at f/1.4 as you look away from the center of the frame. Rounded blades form circles at f/2, even at the corners. It's a good look, the only real slight being that the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM does a bit better at rounding out oblong highlights.

Without correction, images show a little bit of barrel distortion, as well as a modest vignette at f/1.4 and f/2. If you use your camera in JPG mode, you'll enjoy effective, automatic compensation for both (as long as you don't turn it off). If you use Raw capture you can apply adjustments yourself, or rely on a lens profile. Adobe Lightroom Classic has one for the lens already.

Another Awesome 35mm Prime

The 35mm angle is beloved by many photographers, so it's no surprise that there are so many quality lenses in the focal length. The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art comes into the crowded space and sets itself apart by offering quality, F1.4 optics and strong construction quality, all for less than you'll pay for a top-end lens like the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM or Sigma's own 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art.

In L-mount it competes mainly against other Sigma lenses, the 35mm F1.2, and the slimmer I Series 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary. Panasonic hasn't yet released a 35mm prime, and the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm F2 is priced out of reach of most hobbyists at $5,195.

Sony system owners have more options. We recommend buying the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art over true budget lenses like the Rokinon 35mm F1.4 AF; Sigma's autofocus is more reliable and it's a better made lens to boot. You may find the Sony FE 35mm F1.8 more compelling if you value a smaller, lighter kit (the Sigma 35mm F2 also works there).

But an F1.8 or F2 lens is a little shy of the blurred-background look you can get with an F1.4 lens. The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art brings it home, for $500 less than Sony's FE 35mm F1.4 GM. Sony's lens is a little lighter, focuses a bit closer, and nets sharper results on high-end sensors, and is still the one to get if it's within your means.

We're naming the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art an Editors' Choice winner as well. It's a compelling alternative for anyone who wants to spend less, and for L-mount photographers looking for the best all-around 35mm for the system.