Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Review
Ultra-wide lenses are speciality tools that often come with large price tags, especially if you want one that captures sharp detail right to the edge of the frame. The Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art ($1,599) is wider than most zooms with full-frame coverage, and about half the price of its closest competitor, the $3,000 Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM. It's not quite as wide as the Canon, but competes with it in sharpness, and betters it at the edges. If you want a wide, wide lens for your full-frame SLR it's a stellar performer, and an Editors' Choice pick.
Design
The 12-24mm ($1,499.00 at Amazon) is a big, heavy lens. It measures 5.2 by 4 inches and weighs 2.5 pounds. You can't use front filters—the front lens element is bulbous—and the hood is integrated into the barrel. Sigma includes a slip-on lens cap, which slides over the hood to protect the lens.
Zooms of this type are typically weighty. Wide-angle SLR lenses must be designed to accommodate the mirror box that separates the lens ...
The Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art is a full-frame zoom lens with an ultra-wide field of view and f/4 aperture. It's very sharp, and it's less expensive than competing lenses.
Ultra-wide lens with zoom capability; Very sharp; Solid edge performance; Available for multiple camera systems
Big and heavy; Doesn't support front filters; Barrel distortion at wider angles; Dimmed corners at 12mm