Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art: Art line gets a true macro lens

Update: Sigma has confirmed that the 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art lens will be available with an SRP of £499.99 in the UK and $569.00 in the US. The Canon-fit option is set to be available later in May and the Sigma version will follow in June. A release date for the Sony FE version is still to be decided.

Just ahead of CP+, Sigma has added to its other lens announcements this morning by taking the wraps off the new 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art lens.

With a 1:1 reproduction ratio, this is the first true macro lens to join the Sigma Art series. It's been designed to prioritize optical performance above all else, with an extending, floating, two-group focus mechanism configured to minimise aberration. 

• See full Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art review

The lens uses a focus-by-wire system, which eliminates a direct mechanical connection between the focus ring and the focus drive. Sigma’s algorithms, together with a new coreless DC motor, do the job of acquiring focus with minimal noise, while full-time manual focus is also available during autofocus. This is ideal for macro shooters who may need to adjust focus to the millimetre, a function that's further aided by the focus ring’s large angle of rotation. 

The lens is constructed of 13 elements in 10 groups, and it uses a nine-bladed rounded diaphragm to create vivid bokeh. The optical design incorporates two FLD glass elements, two SLD glass elements, and one element with a high rate of anomalous partial dispersion and a high index of refraction, as well as two aspherical lens elements specifically for close shooting. According to Sigma, all of this adds up to a lens capable of razor-sharp, well-delineated focus with beautiful bokeh.

Encased in a dust- and splash-proof body, the 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is also compatible with specific functionality of the corresponding cameras. So, the Sony E-mount version can work with Sony’s continuous AF, for example, together with in-camera stabilisation and lens aberration correction, while the Canon-mount version is compatible with Canon’s Lens Aberration Correction functionality. 

Read more:
Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM A: Super-wide-aperture telephoto lens arrives
Best macro lenses

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Jon Stapley

Jon spent years at IPC Media writing features, news, reviews and other photography content for publications such as Amateur Photographer and What Digital Camera in both print and digital form. With his additional experience for outlets like Photomonitor, this makes Jon one of our go-to specialists when it comes to all aspects of photography, from cameras and action cameras to lenses and memory cards, flash diffusers and triggers, batteries and memory cards, selfie sticks and gimbals, and much more besides.  


An NCTJ-qualified journalist, he has also contributed to Shortlist, The Skinny, ThreeWeeks Edinburgh, The Guardian, Trusted Reviews, CreativeBLOQ, and probably quite a few others I’ve forgotten.