The Sigma 30 F1.4 DC DN | C is a great autofocus F1.4 option for Micro Four Thirds. While it doesn't take the top spot for sharpness, it offers good, consistent performance across the frame for much less price than the competition.

Portraits, subjects needing shallow depth of field;

The field of view is a bit too narrow to be a do-it-all prime;

While f/1.4 lenses are readily available for SLR systems, they're not as plentiful for mirrorless cameras, especially those that use smaller than full-frame sensors. The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary ($339) is a compact, bright, standard-angle lens, available for both Sony APS-C and Micro Four Thirds camera systems. It's a strong performer, capturing crisp photos and delivering strong control over depth of field. Design The 30mm F1.4 ($309.00 at Amazon) is fairly compact for an f/1.4 design. It measures 2.9 by 2.6 inches (HD), weighs just 9.4 ounces, and supports 52mm front filters. The barrel is a mix of metal and polycarbonate, but unlike the wider, pricier Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary, the lens is not sealed to protect entry of dust and moisture. You can buy the lens in an E-mount version for Sony cameras with APS-C sensors, or for Micro Four Thirds cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. The APS-C sensor is larger, so the lens acts like a 45mm full-fame lens when paire...

The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary is a bright, crisp, standard-angle lens for Sony and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras.

Bright aperture; Very sharp; Even illumination; Affordable

Some barrel distortion; Omits stabilization; Not weather-sealed

When you compare the results achieved by the Sigma C 30 mm f/1.4 DC DN and the Panaleica DG Summilux 25 mm f/1.4 ASPH. it seems the Panasonic company chose the wrong address. Instead of luring customers with a logo of a fading legend they would have fared much better if they had struck a deal with...

good quality of casing,, sensational image quality in the frame centre,, very good resolution on the edge of the frame,, slight lateral chromatic aberration,, moderate distortion,, very good coma correction,, moderate astigmatism,, blurry areas pleasing to the eye,, silent and accurate autofocus,,...

performance against bright light could have been better.

Should the new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 standard lens be top of the list for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount users? Richard Sibley finds out.

The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN C lens offers quite an unusual standard focal length of 45mm for APS-C compact system cameras and a slightly longer 60mm for Micro Four Thirds cameras. It offers acceptable sharpness wide-open at f/1.4 (at least in the centre), good build quality, nice bokeh and fast and...

A relatively new lens from Sigma’s much-acclaimed Global Vision range, the 30mm f/1.4 prime offers exceptional optical quality, and is the cheapest autofocus lens in test . At a very respectable 264g and a compact 74mm, it falls into the portable category well and fits into any traveller’s kit bag...

The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C is one of the sharpest lenses available for Sony E-mount, and costs less than many of the prime lenses it outperforms. Combine that with being one of the brightest autofocus lenses available as well, and the result is an excellent lens for anyone interested, whether...

A wide variety of shooting situations such as environmental portraits, low light, street shooting. Great as a standalone prime, or paired with a kit zoom.

High magnification/macro shooting, or shooters that prefer prime lenses with a wider field of view, or use in inclement weather.

The Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN is a standard lens for mirrorless cameras with 'cropped' sensors, available in the Sony E and Canon EF-M mounts, as well as for the smaller Micro Four Thirds format.

Reasonable size and weight, excellent image quality, large f/1.4 aperture, superior build quality and a good price all mean that the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN | C lens is worthy of the consideration of Sony E-mount users.

Given that Sony has been concentrating less on developing its APS-C lens line-up and more on augmenting its range of full-frame E-mount lenses, it is encouraging to see that Sigma has stepped up to the plate with an APS-C offering that’s hard to refuse: the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN.