The f/1.8 aperture is a light-loving, bokeh-building favorite among many photographers, but it’s a specification that’s typically only available by sacrificing zoom and picking up a prime lens. That’s not the case with the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art, however, which is the first f/1.8 zoom to come to full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art arrived last year to well-deserved fanfare, earning a five-star review for the mix of the wide aperture, versatile zoom, and excellent image quality.
At nearly $1,500 at list price, however, the flexibility of zoom with a bright f/1.8 aperture comes at a price. Sigma’s beloved ultra-bright zoom lens, however, has just dropped to its lowest price ever. With $340 off, the lens has dropped to $1,149, a deal that’s available at several retailers and doesn’t require a Prime subscription.
According to Amazon price tracker camelcamelcamel.com, that puts the lens back down to its lowest ever price, despite Sigma’s recent tariff price hike. Sadly, the deal is only for the Sony E-Mount version of the lens, with the L-Mount variant remaining at list price.
The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 doesn’t go as wide or zoom in as close as the more traditional 24-70mm f/2.8 workhorse zoom. But what the lens lacks in flexibility, it makes up for in the aperture. The f/1.8 zoom will let in two-thirds of a stop more light, which can make a noticeable difference in low light, such as shooting indoors or at night.
That brighter aperture will also help create softer backgrounds. Bokeh is harder to create on a wide-angle lens than with a telephoto, but that f/1.8 helps make the subject pop from a soft background.
Prime lenses are notorious for being sharper than zoom lenses, but in DCW’s tests, the sharpness on the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 rivaled that of a prime lens, even keeping subjects sharp at the edges.
The biggest downside to the 28-45mm – besides not having quite the same flexibility as a 24-70mm – is that the lens is about as heavy as a standard 24-70mm f/2.8. Mixing such a bright aperture with zoom creates a larger lens, and while this Sigma isn’t unwieldy, there’s a noticeable weight savings when using a prime instead.
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Browse more Amazon Prime Day deals on cameras and accessories. Or, take a look at the best Sony E-Mount lenses.
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