Shootout: Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art vs Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon: Twenty Lakes Basin, View Towards Mt Conness Drainage (Sony A7R IV)
Related: Eastern Sierra, Mt Conness area, peak bagging, Sigma, Sigma FE, Sigma FE 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art, Sigma Lenses, Sony, Sony A7R, Sony A7R II, Sony A7R III, Sony A7R IV, Sony mirrorless, Zeiss, Zeiss Biogon, Zeiss Lenses, Zeiss Loxia, Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon, Zeiss mirrorless lenses
This series pits the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art against the Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon on a far-distance landscape scene on the 60-megapixel Sony A7R IV. Includes images from wide open to f/11 at up to full camera resolution.
The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art is a state of the art design for Sony mirrorless and by all measures might be deemed the sharpest 35mm lens ever produced, at least if a prime sample can be obtained. The sample tested here is much better than the first one tested, but still not very impressive at f/1.2 and f/2, so there might be a better one out there. Still, by f/2 it delivers exceptional performance.
The 35/2 Biogon is a quite old optical design with near-zero distortion which Zeiss has adapted from rangefinder days for Leica M to Sony mirrorless. Never designed for mirrorless, its performance wide open has clear limits. And yet its near-zero distortion and propensity to outshine just about every 35mm on Sony when stopped down pose an interesting question as to just how well it can do against the Sigma when stopped down to the f/4 to f/8 range.
As well, the Sigma 35/1.2 is a huge and heavy (1090g) lens, so this comparison might be of great interest to the photographer shooting at f/4 through f/11 in that the Loxia 35/2 is ultra compact and lightweight (340g) by comparison—less than 1/3 the weight and about 1/5 the bulk, easily fitting into a pocket.
Includes images from wide open to f/11 at up to full camera resolution, with crops and extensive analysis/discussion.
Sony A7R IV + Sigma FE 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art
ENV: Twenty Lakes Basin, altitude 10400 ft / 3170 m, 55°F / 12°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, +20 Shadows, USM {8,50,0}
[low-res image for bot]
