Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art

The Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art ($1,499) is an appealing standard zoom for creators who find a run-of-the-mill 24-70mm f/2.8 a little too short on coverage and work often enough in dim light to count out f/4 alternatives. We're fans of its excellent optical performance, fast focus action, and useful macro capabilities, along with its top-notch build quality. That said, the 28-105mm is both larger and pricier than the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II ($1,199), which remains our Editors' Choice winner for bright standard zooms on L-mount and E-mount systems thanks to its wider starting angle.

Design: A Bit Bulkier Than Average

At 6.3 by 3.5 inches (HD) and 2.2 pounds, the 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art is on the large side as far as standard zooms go, but I wouldn't call it massive. It's still lighter than a typical 70-200mm zoom and isn't too much to carry around for all-day excursions.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Midsized zooms like the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II (4.8 by 3.5 inches, 1.6 pounds) and Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II (4.7 by 3.5 inches, 1.5 pounds) are appreciably smaller and lighter. All three have a telescoping design, which means their optics extend to reach their longest focal lengths. For reference, the 28-105mm F2.8 reaches about 8.2 inches at 105mm.

The 28mm starting angle is tighter than what you get with many professional zooms and provides a little less breathing room for images of architecture, cityscapes, and interior spaces. But that's the trade-off Sigma opted for to deliver a reasonably sized (and priced) f/2.8 zoom that covers the longer focal lengths you need for portraiture and macro images. Canon proved that a 24-105mm f/2.8 isn't impossible with its RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z, but that lens is heavier (2.9 pounds) and much more expensive ($2,999). It's also not available for the same camera platforms as this Sigma.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The barrel primarily uses Sigma's Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) material (a sturdy polycarbonate) but opts for magnesium for the rear portion that abuts the camera body. It's fully weather-sealed and has an anti-smudge fluorine coat on the front element. I have no complaints about the lens' construction quality; Sigma's Art lenses are built to last.

The lens ships with front and rear caps, a reversible hood with a push-button lock, and a soft zippered carrying case. If you want to add a creative or protective filter, it uses an 82mm thread size.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Sigma sells versions of the 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art for the L-mount and Sony E-mount camera systems, the latter of which I received for review. The Sony version is a few grams lighter and a couple of millimeters longer, but the two variants are functionally similar. The L-mount edition works with USB Dock UD-11 ($59), which allows you to download firmware updates and fine-tune the autofocus. For the E-mount version, firmware updates happen via the camera body, and you can't adjust the focus response.

Competition: Worthwhile Alternatives for E- and L-Mount

The 28-105mm F2.8 is without a true peer among the systems for which it is available. Sony sells the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS ($1,299.99), and Panasonic markets a Lumix S Pro 24-105mm F4 ($1,299.99) for L cameras, but nothing for either mount quite covers this zoom range with an f/2.8 aperture. Alternatives are still worth considering, however.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

For L-mount, Sigma has the aforementioned 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II ($1,199), along with a slim 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary ($899). Panasonic sells the 24-105mm F4 and 24-70mm F2.8 ($1,999.99) zooms for the system. Leica offers a 24-70mm F2.8 ($2,995) and 24-90mm F2.8-4 ($5,895) in its L-mount catalog.

There are far more options in E-mount. All of Sigma's lenses are in play, along with those from Sony and Tamron. Sony's lineup includes the FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II ($2,299.99), FE 24-50mm F2.8 G ($1,099.99), and FE 20-70mm F4 G ($1,099.99). Tamron has an affordable 28-75mm F2.8 G2 ($899). The brand's standout 35-150mm F2-2.8 Di III VXD ($1,899) doesn't cover as wide an angle but makes up for it with extra telephoto punch and brighter optics, a winning combination for wedding and event photography.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Handling: Rife With Toggles and Control Rings

For testing, I paired the 28-105mm Art with the Sony a7R IV; the combination is a good fit for handheld photography in terms of balance. The lens doesn't include or work with a tripod collar, however, so it's somewhat front-heavy on a tripod. That said, I understand why Sigma omitted the collar. The lens isn't quite big enough to require one, and a collar would no doubt increase the size, weight, and cost.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The lens includes three distinct control rings: one for the aperture at the rear, one for zoom in the middle, and one for manual focus toward the front. Two copies of an assignable function button and a few switches are also present.

The magnesium aperture ring supports silent, smooth operation for video or clicks at third-stop increments from f/2.8 through f/22. A nearby Click toggle switches between the two modes. The ring also has an A position that moves aperture control over to the camera body and an unmarked lock toggle that, when engaged, prevents you from moving between the A setting and manual control.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The zoom ring sits mid-barrel and has rubber ridges as on most lenses. It turns comfortably and stays in place without any wobble or looseness, at least with a fresh copy of the lens. There's always a chance that the zoom action will loosen over time with frequent use, so Sigma includes a zoom lock switch on the barrel. When engaged, the lock keeps the lens at its shortest 28mm position. As such, you won't have to worry about gravity making the zoom creep outward when your camera is hanging at your side.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The manual focus ring toward the front also features rubber ridges. The nonlinear manual focus response of the E-mount version I tested is quite useful for photography. The focus shifts dramatically with a quick twist of the ring, while slower turns provide subtle, minor shifts for precise focus. Videographers often prefer linear focus, in which the angle (not the speed) of rotation dictates changes in focus. That's not an option for the Sony version, but you can swap between those two modes on the L-mount variant.

Otherwise, the 28-105mm is an especially good choice for shots that rack focus from one subject to another for dramatic effect since its optics show almost no change in angle when the plane of focus changes (otherwise called focus breathing).

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

A pair of configurable function buttons are between the zoom and focus rings. They sit 90 degrees apart and serve the same function. Most bodies set the buttons to lock autofocus (AF-L) by default, but you can change their function on both Sony and L-mount systems. I prefer to use them as AF-ON controls instead, for example.

The 28-105mm F2.8 omits optical stabilization, so you need to rely on the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) systems that most compatible cameras offer. I had good luck stretching the shutter to 1/4-second with the Sony a7R IV; at that speed, I got handheld images with no evidence of blur from camera shake. At 1/2-second and longer, it's easy to spot blurred details, however. I recommend using a tripod for extra-long exposures.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Autofocus: Linear Focus Drives Without Delay

The 28-105mm F2.8 Art features High Linear Actuator (HLA) focus motors, the fastest type in Sigma's catalog. With the a7R IV, the lens drives and locks focus in an instant. The focus action is quiet, too. The lens shouldn't have any problem keeping up with revelers on the dance floor at an event or cars at the track.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

On L-mount bodies, the lens operates without any restrictions on focus or drive speed—that's up to 30fps with tracking on the Lumix S5 II. But Sony restricts Sigma and other third-party lenses to 15fps drive in AF-C on its a1 and a9 series cameras. You need to turn to a Sony lens to take advantage of the a9 III's 120fps focus and drive.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The zoom has an excellent macro focus capability. I count this as a positive for a zoom that you might use as an everyday carry since you never know when you will see something tiny that you want to capture with your lens. The 28-105mm maintains a 15.8-inch minimum focus distance throughout its entire range, which translates to 1:3.1 magnification at the maximum focal length. Wedding photographers should find this ability useful for grabbing a close-up of wedding bands without having to swap over to a dedicated macro prime.

Image Quality: Crisp Optics, With Some Flaws in the Bokeh

I matched the 28-105mm F2.8 Art with the 60MP Sony a7R IV to test it both inside our studio and outdoors in the real world. The lens scores well in the lab. At 28mm, Imatest reports excellent resolution toward the center (4,900 lines), with some loss of contrast and soft results toward the edges and corners. Resolution ticks up a bit at f/4 but isn't dramatically better in the center (5,300 lines) and edges (3,700 lines) until f/5.6. The sharpest results from center to edge come in at f/8. For landscapes, architecture, and other subjects in which edge performance is meaningful, aim for an f/5.6-11 aperture at any focal length, but especially at 28mm.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Resolution is relatively steady as you zoom in, and the soft edges visible at 28mm give way to decently crisp results. The lens shows very good results (3,900 lines) across the frame at 50mm and f/2.8, and it climbs into excellent territory from f/4-11 (4,400 lines). It's a bit sharper at 70mm (4,500-4,800 lines f/2.8-8) and 105mm (4,700-4,900 lines f/2.8-8). Results are softer at f/16-22 at all focal lengths, an unavoidable consequence of optical diffraction. Light particles scatter—or diffract—as they pass through a very small iris, which detracts from clarity.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

That said, there's still some reason to set the aperture down to f/22. The same diffraction effect that softens photos also works to draw tiny specks of light as multi-point sunstars, an effect landscape photographers often use to great effect. The 28-105mm F2.8 uses an uncommon 12-blade aperture design, a choice that results in 12-point starbursts with tines that split into two distinct spokes.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

This is in contrast to most modern lenses that use an odd number of aperture blades and draw stars with more even separation between their tines; a lens with an 11-blade aperture renders 22-point stars, for example. I very much like the look of the 28-105mm's starbursts, but you might not. In any case, the lens does a good job of suppressing false color from ghosting stopped down.

It's certainly possible to get some purple blobs of color if the sun hits the lens from a specific angle, but a slight shift in frame eliminates them in many instances. The lens provides excellent flare resistance on the whole; at wider apertures, it's possible to make images right into the sun without any signs of false color from reflections.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Without correction, the optics show some distortion effects throughout the range. Straight lines bulge outward (barrel distortion) at 28mm and turn inward (pincushion distortion) at longer lengths, for instance. I also note darkened corners from f/2.8-4. Compatible cameras apply automatic corrections for JPGs and movie recordings. However, if you opt for Raw image capture, you need to apply corrections in software. Adobe Lightroom or Lightroom Classic will soon provide an automatic correction profile, but your mileage may vary with other image processors.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

One of the reasons to pick an f/2.8 zoom (or a full-frame camera system, for that matter) is to get photos with soft, defocused backgrounds. The 28-105mm delivers on that promise. Its focal range, close-focus capability, and aperture work together to capture images with a shallow depth of field and plenty of bokeh behind subjects. The bokeh is free of false color, and I couldn't spot any sign of false purple and green color (longitudinal chromatic aberration, or LoCA) in the falloff between focus and blur. Still, defocused highlights show a little bit of onion skin texture and have slightly hard edges. This combination can sometimes lead to busy backgrounds. Scenes with dewy grass or leafy trees in the background, for instance, tend to have more frenetic bokeh with this lens compared with those that draw highlights with softer edges—the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II and Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II render smoother backgrounds in these situations.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The 28-105mm Art does a better job of suppressing LoCA than the 24-70mm Art II but isn't entirely immune to the effect. I spotted some purple and green around specular highlights just off the plane of focus in my torture test for LoCA (a close-up of the Godox Lux Elf's reflector dish lit by another flash), but it took pixel-level examination to spot them. I don't count it as a serious problem; aside from this test scene, I didn't spot any LoCA in real-world photos.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Verdict: A Capable Standard Zoom With Extra Reach

The Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art has ample appeal for photographers who have long sought the extra telephoto reach of lenses like the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS but still need the background-blurring power of f/2.8 optics in dim environments. Highlights include high-end construction, fast focus motors, convenient macro capabilities, and excellent resolving power on high-pixel cameras. Both everyday photographers who lean toward longer focal lengths and professionals who cover weddings and events should find the 28-105mm F2.8 versatile enough to handle just about anything they might encounter. However, we still think the wider starting angle, more manageable size, and lower price of the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art II give it an edge, so it remains our Editors' Choice winner for both E-mount and L-mount systems among mid-priced f/2.8 standard zooms.