Sigma releases a wide

Aug 27, 2023

The 23mm f/1.4 and 100-400mm f/5-6.3 have been available for other mounts, but are now ready for Fujifilm X-mount.

By Abby Ferguson | Published Aug 31, 2023 1:35 PM EDT

Camera and lens makers have been busy lately with consistent releases this week. Tamron announced the development of one lens and preorders of another, Sony announced two cameras and a lens, and now Sigma is getting in on the action. The third-party lens maker has just announced two new lenses for Fujifilm X-mount. Both of these lenses have already been available for Sony E-mount, so it is nice to see the lens mount options expanding. The 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS marks the second zoom lens for X-mount, while the 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary is the fourth prime lens, rounding out the total number of Sigma options for Fujifilm users to six.

Thus far, Sigma’s prime lens offerings for Fujifilm cameras included the 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary, 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary, and 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary lenses. The company already made a 23mm f/1.4 for Sony E-mount cameras, and now it is coming to Fujifilm X-mount. It offers a 35mm equivalent angle of view and rounds out Sigma’s set of fast f/1.4 lenses for Fujifilm users.

Sigma designed the lens with 13 elements in 10 groups. That includes three SLD (special low dispersion) glass elements and two aspherical lens elements for sharper, clearer results. It’s designed to minimize flare and ghosting as well. Sigma claims that it will result in high-resolution images even when using the maximum aperture. And that wide aperture, in combination with the rounded nine-blade diaphragm, should result in attractive bokeh as well.

In terms of autofocus, the lens features a high-speed stepping motor. This will provide fast and quiet autofocus that is able to keep up with tracking features in Fujifilm cameras, such as one of our favorites, the X-T5. It can focus as close as 9.8 inches, enabling dramatic closeup shots.

Fujifilm cameras with APS-C sensors are fairly compact, and luckily, Sigma built these lenses to fit well on those smaller bodies. The 23mm f/1.4 weighs only 11.8 ounces, and it is just 3.11 inches long, which is tiny. It would be a great travel, hiking, or street photography lens as a result. It uses a filter diameter of 52mm. It features a mount with dust and splash-resistant structure, though isn’t fully weather-sealed. The focus is internal, though, which helps protect the lens somewhat.

The Sigma 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary will be available on September 21 for a suggested retail price of $549.

Sigma released the original 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary in 2020 for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It’s a versatile lens that is also extremely affordable for the focal length range. It offers a full-frame equivalent angle of view of 150-600mm, making it ideal for wildlife, sports, or event photography.

Despite the reach that this telephoto zoom provides, it is quite compact. It weighs 2.5 pounds and is 7.8 inches long. It utilizes an 86mm filter. Sigma built the lens with 16 elements in 22 groups, with one FLD and four SLDs, to correct aberrations and distortion. Sigma promises superb image quality from edge to edge at every focal length.

Unfortunately, Sigma didn’t include a tripod socket on the lens. But, it does make one that you can purchase separately, and it made the area that the socket would attach out of magnesium alloy for strength and durability. The lens mount features a dust and splash-resistant structure, and it utilizes an inner focus system just like the 23mm.

Like the 23mm, the 100-400mm features a stepping motor for fast and quiet autofocus. This lens also has the advantage of five stops of image stabilization, making it easier to obtain sharp images. There are two modes for stabilization. Mode 1 is for general photography, while Mode 2 is intended for motorsports and other panning situations. Beyond stabilization settings, the 100-400mm offers a handful of other lens controls. That includes an AF/lock/AF activation switch, focus limiter switch, and zoom lock switch.

The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS will also be available on September 21 for $949.

Abby Ferguson is the Associate Editor for Gear and Reviews at PopPhoto, joining the team in 2022. She has been involved with the photography industry in various capacities since her undergraduate training at the University of Kentucky, with work ranging from client photography to program development and management of the photo department at Evolve, a vacation rental company.