Sigma announces two more prime lenses for Canon cameras, but I’m still waiting for full-frame glass from third parties
- Sigma Launches Existing 16mm F1.4 and 23mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lenses for Canon RF Mount
- The lenses cost $439 / £389 / AU$617 and $549 / £479 / AU$817 respectively
- That makes six Sigma RF-S lenses, but less than one for full frame
Sigma has launched two fast aperture prime lenses for Canon mirrorless cameras; the 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary and 23mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary. They join four other Sigma lenses available for the Canon RF mount, all of which are designed for crop sensor (APS-C) models such as the Canon EOS R7 and Canon EOS R100.
The new lenses increase the total number of Sigma ‘RF-S’ lenses to six in total, and are the first large aperture prime lenses; the 16mm lens has an equivalent focal length of 24mm, while the 23mm lens has an equivalent focal length of 35mm.
Both lenses offer popular focal lengths with fast f/1.4 apertures, ideal for working in low light and shooting portraits with shallow depth of field. Personally, I relied on a 35mm f/1.4 Sigma lens for several years when doing documentary photography in East Africa.
Sigma has set the price of the 16mm F1.4 lens at $439 / £389 / $617, while the 24mm F1.4 costs $549 / £479 / AU$817. These are reasonable prices when you consider the proven optical performance of Sigma Contemporary lenses, plus the fact that Canon equivalents would likely be more expensive – should Canon ever launch them.
6 and counting, but what about full frame?
Canon kept its lens mount closed to third-party lens makers for longer than competing brands, a move that frustrated some fans, especially considering the number of lenses Canon has launched for its APS-C cameras. That all changed in April 2024 when Canon gave the key to the RF mount door to Sigma and Tamron, and we have already rolled out six existing Sigma lenses for the RF mount.
All of these lenses are for Canon’s APS-C cameras, which goes some way to addressing the biggest attack on entry-level Canon mirrorless models like the EOS R10: the limited lens choice.
Meanwhile, Canon has been very active in launching new lenses for its full-frame cameras, such as our 2024 Camera of the Year, the EOS R5 Mark II. However, we have yet to see full-frame lenses from Sigma and Tamron.
To us, it looks like Canon is taking care of its full-frame lenses and leaving the APS-C lenses to third-party manufacturers like Sigma. That’s not a bad approach; However, it’s only a matter of time before Canon fans demand that the likes of Sigma start making affordable full-frame lenses for Canon.