Hello, this is Nagasaka from PalmTrees.
This time, I’d like to share my impressions of the SIGMA 50mm F2 DG DN Contemporary.
Build Quality
SIGMA’s CEO, Mr. Yamaki, once said:
“To be honest, we may have gone a little too far.”
That statement alone describes the build quality of the i series.
The moment you pick it up, you immediately understand what he means— the metal finish, the joy of owning it,
and the design that makes you want to go out and shoot.
It may sound a bit rude considering the price range, but this lens feels surprisingly premium.
Comparing it with the 24mm (left in the photo), which I purchased at the same time,
the hood shape and filter size differ slightly, but the overall build quality is essentially identical. (I’m planning to add the 35mm soon.)
Why I Bought It
I previously used the 24–70mm, and although it’s a stills lens,
the torque of the focus ring was excellent—great for video work. That experience is what led me to the i series again.
As mentioned earlier, the entire lineup is built to nearly the same standard:
- 24mm — 365g / 62mm filter
- 35mm — 325g / 58mm filter
- 50mm — 350g / 58mm filter
The weights aren’t identical, but the differences are small enough to be negligible.
What this means is simple:
When swapping lenses, you barely need to rebalance your setup. (Technically, only minor adjustments are needed.)
This makes shooting extremely smooth.
If the filter sizes were unified, it would be even better, but since switching to the α6700,
I no longer shoot in log, so I just use step-up rings when needed.
In short, even though these are stills lenses, having the 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm gives you a low‑budget, lightweight pseudo‑cine set.
Sample Photos
Sample Video
Impressions
As you can probably tell from the samples,
this lens is a classic SIGMA product—optically excellent and very well‑behaved.
With the aperture set at F2, the lens stays compact and lightweight.
If you want maximum background blur, the Art 50mm F1.4 will satisfy you more.
But since I mainly bought this for video work, what I wanted was:
- Not an overly “melty” background
- Solid three‑dimensionality
- High resolution
- And enough detail to understand what’s in the background
For people who want that kind of rendering,
this lens hits the mark perfectly. (I’m exactly that type.)
AF performance is also snappy and reliable—no stress at all.
Just as Mr. Yamaki said, “We may have gone too far.”
The cost‑performance is outstanding in every aspect.
I’m planning to add the 35mm next, and I’m also curious about the 20mm…
I have a feeling the collection will keep growing.
Thank you for reading. See you again.
PalmTrees
Nagasaka
PALMTREES INC.
https://www.palm-trees.co.jp/en/
