Inspiration
The Ultimate Camera Lens Gift Guide
The Ultimate Camera Lens Gift Guide by SIGMA
- SIGMA Stories
- Nov 06, 2020
This piece was originally created by SIGMA Corporation of America for blog.sigmaphoto.com
What is the perfect camera lens for my new Canon EOS Rebel camera for travel? What camera lens should I pair with my Nikon D3500 for family photography? What is the ultimate long-reach zoom lens for wildlife photography that also fits in a carry-on bag? What's a great zoom lens for my full-frame Sony E-mount camera?
At SIGMA, we hear questions like this every day. Here are some of our top tips for choosing the perfect lens for the photographers on your gift list! With over forty lenses in our lineup, from ultra-wide to super telephoto and everything in between, we've got the right lenses!
The Best Macro Lenses to Find Hidden Beauty Close to Home
The year 2020 has kept us closer to home in many ways, but that doesn't mean photographers can't be creative! Macro photography found renewed popularity this year, and our selection of lenses with 1:1 magnification, super close focusing and incredible detail reproduction have been helping photographers of all levels seek out amazing, rarely-seen views of all things great and small (but mostly small!).
The 70mm F2.8 DG Macro | Art is our first Art series macro lens, and is available for Canon EF, Sony E and L-mount. This lens offers incredible performance and a great focal length for both macro and portrait work.
Available exclusively for mirrorless systems - Sony E-mount and L-mount - the 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro | Art is perhaps SIGMA's sharpest lens ever, and features handy control options like a manual aperture ring (which is de-clickable), a focus limiter and a programmable AFL button, plus it's fully weather sealed!
Don't worry DSLR shooters, we got you covered! SIGMA's 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro is also an amazingly sharp close-up lens, and works perfectly on Canon and Nikon DSLR bodies.
The Best Prime Portrait Lens Exclusively for Mirrorless Cameras
The 85mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art is a favorite among portrait photographers, and for good reason. But SIGMA has redesigned this lens exclusively for mirrorless cameras (Sony E and L-mount) to make it smaller and lighter with even better performance.
The Best Compact Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera and Compact Prime Lens Combination
The SIGMA fp is the world's smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless camera available. Featuring a backlit 24.6MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, this camera is designed for the modern creator, working in both still and Cine-formats. With 4K filmmaking at up to 12Bit CinemaDNG (to an external drive) and up to 120fps at full HD in MOV-format, and a still format ISO range expandable from ISO6 to Iso 102, 400, this compact L-mount camera offers a rich feature set.
And it pairs perfectly with the new 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens, a compact, lightweight, metal-barreled compagt prime with a clickable aperture ring, to make an amazingly compact high-performance set. And the 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is also available for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras!
The Best Standard Zoom Lens for Canon EOS Rebel or Nikon DX Cameras
The SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC OS HSM | Contemporary is a compact, lightweight, fast-aperture zoom that will also close focus at 70mm for macro photography. With a very solid build and 100% image quality check at our Aizu factory in Japan, this lens outperforms the basic kit lens, elevating your everyday photography that's perfect for on-the-go memory making, portrait-taking, and little details that can tell big stories.
The Best Lens for the Aspiring YouTube-Star
The SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art lens is the world's first F1.8 zoom lens for APS-C cameras, and is a fan favorite among both still photographers and YouTube videographers. The super-fast maximum aperture allows for available light and low-light photography, with incredible focal plane sharpness and gorgeously blurred backgrounds. Pairing fast-aperture prime performance with zoom convenience, this lens will seriously level up your video work.
Need a full-frame version of this lens? The 24-35mm F2 DG OS HSM | Art covers three of the most popular wide angle focal lengths, 24mm, 28mm and 35mm in a very fast, constant aperture zoom, which can be best described as a zoomable wide-angle three-in-one prime lens!
The Best All-in-One Lens for Crop-Sensor DSLR Cameras
Looking for an incredibly compact high zoom ratio all-in-one plus macro for your Rebel or Nikon DX series camera? The 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary lens offers 16.6x xoom, plus 1:3 macro in a lens that's just a little bigger than a basic kit zoom, while offering way more creativity.
And if you especially enjoy macro photography, a close-up accessory allowing a 1:2 reproduction ratio has been developed exclusively for this lens, making it easier to get even more out of this incredibly versatile lens.
The Best All-in-One Lens for Safaris, and other Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventures
The full-frame SIGMA 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports lens offers and incredible 10x zoom ratio covering standard to supertelephoto, plus 1:3 macro at 200mm with close-focusing a foot in front of the lens. At six and a half pounds, it is a true all-rounder, ready for landscapes, distant wildlife and even close-ups.
Tip: Pair it with a SIGMA ultrawide prime or zoom for those serious sweeping skyscrapes, and you've got an amazing two-lens kit covering near to far, plus macro!
The Best Ultra-Telephoto Zoom lenses for Birding, Wildlife and Sports Photographers
There are two versions of the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens, the Contemporary and the Sports version. The Contemporary is the lighter of the two at just over four pounds (1930 grams). A larger front element, aluminum alloy body and full weather sealing make the Sports version weigh a few pounds more (2860 grams). Both feature advanced optical design, focus limiters, customization via the exclusive USB Dock. Optical Stabilizer means you can skip the tripod and still keep shots sharp at slower shutter speeds. Zoom versatility lets you recompose and reframe in an instant. Both versions are easily packed in carry-on bags, making both of these perfect for safari and travel photography. Which one is right for you?
150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary (left) and 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports (right)
Want all of these features in a smaller, lighter supertelephoto zoom lens? The 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary lens packs a 4x zoom with SIGMA's exclusive customization into a compact lens weighing in at just over two pounds (1160 grams). Perfect for on-the-go adventures, hiking, backpacking, touring, without adding a ton of weight.
SIGMA 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary (for Canon & Nikon)
This incredible zoom range is also available in a completely redesigned mirrorless-only version - the 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary - for Sony E-mount and L-mount cameras.
SIGMA 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary (for Sony & L-Mount)
The Best F2.8 Telephoto Zoom Lenses for Photojournalists, Sports and Event Photographers
The 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports is the go-to F2.8 tele zoom for photographers who need a fast, sharp short tele zoom lens. The optical formula includes 10 Low-Dispersion glass elements for incredible edge to edge sharpness, while 11 rounded aperture blades create gorgeous bokeh. AF function buttons on the lens barrel, 3-zone focus limiter and is built like a tank.
And the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports offers even longer reach, with performance comparable to a 300mm F2.8 Prime, with zoom versatility, perfect for sidelines in twilight and under the lights for nightside action. Both pair perfectly with the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters for longer reach. And the USB Dock recognizes the 70-200mm and 120-300mm Sport lens, and the lens-plus-extenders, as distinct items to be customized for the ultimate in-lens personalization.
The Two Best Wide-Angle and Standard F2.8 Zoom Lenses for Photojournalists, Wedding/Event and Travel Photographers
Designed for DSLRs, the SIGMA 14-24mm DG HSM | Art is an ultra-wide, ultra-sharp lens with ultra-straight lines and amazing edge-to-edge clarity that truly shines for wide-angle architecture, landscape, people photoraphy and more.
Shooting mirrorless? The SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN | Art is a pound lighter and more compact than the version designed for DSLRs. With aa rounded aperture blades and SIGMA's exclusive Nano-porous lens coatings, it delivers esceptional edge-to-edge sharpness. Available for Sony E-mount and L-mount.
The SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art sets a new standard for the wide-to-short tele fast-aperture zoom lens. It is a great lens for the on-the-go pro who needs a rock-solid standard zoom for Canon or Nikon DSLR systems.
If you need an E-mount or L-mount version, never fear! Our SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art lens was redesigned to meet the needs of mirrorless shooters, with lighter weight, smaller dimensions and the sharpness and optical quality needed to resolve the tiniest details on high-megapixel sensors.
Want a bit more reach in a full-frame standard zoom?
The 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art - available for Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras - adds more tele reach, while still offering a fast F4 constant aperture, plus optical stabilizer for excellent hand-holdability (it that's even a word).
The Best Ultra-Bright, Fast-Aperture Prime Lenses
All available for Canon EF mount, Nikon F, Sony E and L-mount, SIGMA's fast-aperture Art prime lenses are renowned by photographers for focal plane sharpness, even wide open at maximum apertures!
SIGMA's lineup of fast-aperture prime lenses have become legendary among photographers for the combination of exceptional focal plane sharpness and gorgeous background bokeh rendering. Designed for excellent imaging performance, even at widest apertures, these are the lenses designed for the most demanding pros and enthusiast. And yet, all are priced incredibly competitively for photographers ready to up their game. From 14mm to 135mm, the fast-aperture Art prime lenses have changed the game for photographers who want sharp, fast primes in their kit.
The Best Prime Lenses for Crop-Sensor Sony E-Mount, Canon EF-M (EOS M), Micro Four Thirds and L-Mount Cameras
This trio of compact F1.4 prime lenses for Sony E-Mount, Canon EF-M, Micro Four Thirds and L-Mount cameras combine SIGMA's renowned wide-open sharpness with whisper-quiet stepping motors for great performance for both still and video. Nine rounded aperture blades make the bokeh lovely both wide open and when stopped down a touch. A spectacular trio of near-perfect compact fast-aperture primes for the mirrorless camera crowd: 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary, 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary and 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary.
Also keep in mind that while these lenses feature a crop-sized image circle, the E-mount and L-mount versions can be attached to full-frame cameras, and are particularly useful as a set of compagt, affordable video lenses for handheld shooting, filming on a gimbal, when streaming pretty much any application. They can even be used for still photography in "crop mode" for when you just want to pack light (it helps to have a high-megapixel camera body for this).
SIGMA 16mm, 30mm & 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Lenses
The Art Series Zoom with the Widest Angle Field of View
With a sweeping 120º field of view at 12mm, the SIGMA 12-24mm F4 DG HSM | Art lens is a full-frame constant aperture ultrawide zoom lens designed for super-resolution DSLRs. Perfect for travel, landscapes, architecture and outdoor adventure, this is the ultimate full-frame ultrawide zoom lens!
The Strongest, Toughest Lens Protector Filters for any Camera Lens
The SIGMA WR Ceramic Filters are incredibly tough - much tougher than even tempered and treated glass. These clear ceramic glass filters are designed to withstand impacts that will crush the competition, and protect your lens investments.
Buying tip: Look for the Filter Thread diameter in the lens specifications. On SIGMA lenses, it is right on the box.
The Most Film-Like Camera with a Semi-Secret Superpower
The SIGMA sd Quattro camera offer incredibly nuanced color and unsurpassed detail thanks to the stacked architecture of the Quattro generation Foveon sensor. The feel of the color images this camera produce is like a classic chrome film image, and monochrome images are simply stunning as well. And unique to the sd Quattro camera, the Infrared cut filter is easily removable, for through-the lens Monochrome Infrares capture with autofocus! And, of course, the full line of SIGMA SA-mount lenses in the Art, Sports and Contemporary lines are designed to work with this amazing mirrorless camera!
The Compact Camera for the Imaging Purist
The SIGMA dp Quattro cameras offer incredile imaging in a distinctive, compagt design.
The dp Quattro series of cameras combine outstanding still imaging quality with distinctive design. Designed for the imaging purist, the sharpness and color fidelity produced by the pairing of a SIGMA prime dp lens and the Foveon Quattro sensor must be seen to be appreciated. Offered in four focal lengths from 14mm to 50mm, the dp Quattro series stands for utmost image quality in a sleek, compact camera.
