Astrophotographers rejoice! Sigma has just announced the world's first mirrorless 14mm lens to feature an f/1.4 aperture. Available for E-Mount (Sony) and L-Mount (Panasonic/Leica/Sigma) – the Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG DN is now the world's fastest 14mm lens.
Sigma has specially designed this lens to be one of the best lenses for astrophotography, paying particular attention to optical aberrations and sagittal coma flare, which are two common concerns for night sky photographers, the optical design of the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 lens aims to ensure bright points in a photo remain sharp with the lens specially engineered for optical quality at infinity focus.
Using an optical design that includes 1 SLD (special low-dispersion), 3 FLD (fluorite low-dispersion), and 4 aspherical elements, the lens works in conjunction with camera's in-built aberration control profiles for correcting distortion or vignetting, while the optical elements of the lens offer additional reductions to corner softness and chromatic aberration. Sigma argues that using this combination has allowed them to reduce the overall size and weight of the lens but maintain optical performance.
The Sigma 14mm lens comes with a manual aperture control ring, which can also be set to auto, as well as locked so it doesn't slip during movement, this control ring can be de-clicked if you intend to use the lens for video work. A manual focus ring lock function also allows the focus to be locked, which is essential during long night sky exposures, when even the slightest knock can ruin the focus. The lens also comes with a tripod mount, to better balance the weight of the large and heavy optic.
In an effort to make this the perfect astrophotography lens, Sigma has also included some neat little features including a rear filter holder allowing sheet-type filters popular with astrophotographers to be mounted on the lens, the lens cap also has a separate internal storage area to hold two additional sheet filters when not in use. Finally, the front of the barrel is a Lens Heater Retainer to hold a heat strip in place and help prevent condensation build-up on the lens in cold conditions.
Lens construction: 19 elements, 15 groups (1 SLD, 3 FLD and 4 aspherical elements)
Angle-of-view: 114.2°
Number of diaphragm blades: 11 (rounded diaphragm)
Minimum aperture: F16
Minimum focusing distance: 30cm
Maximum magnification ratio: 1:11.9
Filter size: slot-in rear gel filter
Dimensions (max diameter x length): 101.4 x 149.9mm
Weight: 1170g
See our full Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art review
The lens will be available to purchase from 23 June 2023, with pre-orders open now, and it will cost £1399 at launch, with the US and worldwide pricing yet to be confirmed.
Find out more about the best lenses for astrophotography and the best cameras for astrophotography in our guides. You can also find more information in our guide for the best star tracker camera mounts for astrophotography.
