Sigma Announces 16-28mm Wide Zoom For Sony E-Mount And L-Mount

Sigma today introduced a new wide angle zoom for Sony E-Mount and L-Mount (Sigma/Leica/Panasonic) full-frame mirrorless systems. The Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is an internal zoom design, meaning that its exterior length doesn’t change as you move throughout the zoom range. At 4 inches in length and 3 inches in diameter, it’s relatively compact for a wide angle zoom with a fast, constant maximum aperture and weighs just under one pound.

The lens can focus on objects as close as 9.9 inches for landscape compositions with prominent foreground elements and uses a stepping motor for autofocus that Sigma states is both “fast and silent,” the latter being especially important for video work.

The editors at our sibling publication Imaging Resource had the opportunity to shoot with the new lens prior to announcement. Read their hands-on preview.

Availability of the Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is expected in “late June” with a list price of $899. For more details, see the press release below.

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SIGMA Announces 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary Lens, a Wide-Angle Zoom with Uncompromising Optical Performance in a Compact Body

Ronkonkoma, NY – June 1, 2022 – SIGMA Corporation of America, the US subsidiary of SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki. Headquarters: Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan) is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, the latest high-performance zoom lens in the SIGMA Contemporary line, and a perfect companion to the current 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C.

The new 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is designed to achieve optimal balance for a wide-angle zoom lens. An expressive ultra-wide angle of view, incredibly sharp optics, bright constant aperture, and robust yet lightweight construction all come together in one easy-to-use package.

Available for Sony E-mount and L-Mount systems, this full-frame, mirrorless zoom lens is equally suitable for both still photography and video use. With inner zoom and focusing mechanisms, a high-speed stepping motor, and a convenient front filter thread, this lens offers premium imagery and video quality in a compact, balanced body, ideal for use on a gimbal.

Paired with the similarly compact 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens (sold separately), users have the flexibility to handle a wide variety of compositions, all at F2.8 brightness, and all with outstanding clarity, contrast, and focusing performance.

The SIGMA 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens will be available in the U.S. at SIGMA Authorized Dealers for a retail price of $899 in late June 2022.

Exclusively for mirrorless cameras | Compatible with full-frame cameras

C | Contemporary

SIGMA 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN

Effortless freedom.

A high performance compact ultra-wide zoom with a constant F2.8 aperture.

Uncompromising optical performance within a compact body
Convenient form-factor allowing more freedom and usability
Exceptional build quality with intuitive ergonomics

Supplied accessories: Petal-type lens hood (LH756-01), Front Cap (LCF-72 III), Rear Cap (LCRII)

Available mounts: L-Mount, Sony E-mount

* The appearance and specifications of the product are subject to change.

* This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation.

* L-Mount is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.

The full-frame SIGMA 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary combines exceptional optical quality, a bright F2.8 constant aperture and a robust and lightweight body, opening up new possibilities for L-Mount and Sony E-mount shooters who need professional results in a compact package.

With its excellent field curvature correction, the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is able to achieve exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness, which is essential for most wide-angle applications. It boasts five FLD elements and four aspherical lens elements to ensure optimal image quality with minimal aberrations. The lens has an inner zoom mechanism that keeps overall length consistent throughout the entire zoom range, helping it feel balanced in the hand. The inner zoom also means the lens’ center of gravity stays fairly constant, so it’s perfect for gimbal use. A front filter thread allows filters to be attached more easily.

The lens boasts an exceptionally compact form-factor, weighing in at just 450g and measuring just 100.6mm in length*, which makes it a highly practical optic that is portable enough for everyday shooting. It’s especially appealing for landscape, wedding and travel photographers who need to carry their kit for long periods. *size and weight measurements given for L-Mount version

Lightweight, versatile and extremely capable, SIGMA’s 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary offers photographers effortless freedom at the ultra-wide end.

[Key Features]

Uncompromising optical performance within a compact body

Optimized with the latest optical design technology, the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is a high-performance optic that delivers exceptional image quality despite its compact size. The two large-diameter aspherical lens elements and five ideally arranged FLD glass elements (whose characteristics mirror that of fluorite) keep the lens light and compact while effectively suppressing the lateral and vertical chromatic aberrations that often diminish the image quality of other ultra-wide lens designs. The lens also utilizes the advanced digital correction capabilities of modern cameras to enable it to achieve such impressive image quality from such a small body.

An F2.8 constant aperture gives a shallow depth-of-field for blurry out-of-focus areas, which is especially useful when shooting close-ups. The bokeh is smooth and circular thanks to the nine rounded diaphragm blades, which means the background never distracts from the in-focus subject.

SIGMA has also taken extensive measures to counter ghosting and lens flare, which are caused by reflections inside the lens barrel. The Super Multi-Layer Coating ensures that the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary delivers punchy, high contrast results even in the most difficult of backlit conditions.

Convenient form-factor allowing more freedom and usability

The new 16-28mm has a front filter thread built in, which allows neutral density and polarizing filters to be attached more easily. This is especially useful for landscape photographers and film-makers.

By using a stepping motor to control the AF actuator, the autofocus of the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is both fast and silent, making it ideal for shooting photography and video in quiet environments.

The inner zoom mechanism allows the lens to maintain the same length throughout the entire zoom range and with almost no shift to its balance point. The resulting stability will be appreciated by anyone looking to use the lens with a gimbal, or for hand-held or vlog-style video shoots. The inner zoom mechanism also greatly contributes to the lens’ favorable physical dimensions: at a length of 100.6mm, a diameter of 77.2mm and a weight of only 450g*, its compactness rivals wide-angle zooms with slower maximum F4 apertures. *size and weight measurements given for L-Mount version

Paired with the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, photographers are able to cover ultra-wide to medium telephoto focal lengths with only two lenses. Their combined weight of only 920g makes for an extremely versatile, compact lens system with uniform F2.8 brightness.

Exceptional build quality with intuitive ergonomics

The lens is constructed using specially selected lightweight materials including Thermally Stable Composite (TSC), a polycarbonate with a thermal contraction rate similar to that of aluminum. This enables the lens to function at peak performance even in environments with harsh temperature differences, as the metal and plastic parts contract and expand at similar rates.

The precision of each individual component and the simple beauty of the finished product are made possible thanks to the craftsmanship and expertise of SIGMA’s staff, the company’s unparalleled manufacturing technology and the rigorous quality control at SIGMA’s only production base in Aizu, Japan.

Compact and lightweight, the 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens is a sophisticated but versatile photographic tool that offers photographers and film-makers the perfect blend of portability and performance.

[Additional Features]

Lens construction: 16 elements in 11 groups, with 5 FLD and 4 aspherical lens elements
Inner zoom
Inner focus system
Compatible with high-speed autofocus
Stepping Motor
Compatible with front filter (72mm)
Compatible with Lens Aberration Correction
- Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections and auto correction functionality may vary depending on the camera model.
- On cameras where lens aberration correction is controlled with “ON” or “OFF” in the camera menu, please set all aberration correction functions to “ON” (AUTO).
Support for DMF and AF+MF
Super Multi-Layer Coating
Focus Mode switch
Petal-type lens hood (LH756-01)
Mount with dust and splash-resistant structure
Support for switching between linear and non-linear focus ring settings (L-Mount only)
Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately; L-Mount only)
Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
9-blade rounded diaphragm
High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount
“Made in Japan” craftsmanship
Every single lens is evaluated with SIGMA’s proprietary MTF measuring system