Recommended by genre
Whether shooting towering skyscrapers with ultra-wide-angle lenses or candid portraits through coffee shop windows, most urban and street photographers prefer compact lenses that are light enough to carry around all day and inconspicuous enough to keep them under the radar.
In the Sigma range there are plenty of powerful but compact primes and zooms to choose from, most of which sit in the Contemporary line, which are designed with portability in mind. All have very fast and quiet AF, and image quality is comparable to Art-line lenses.
Recommended by genre
Whether shooting towering skyscrapers with ultra-wide-angle lenses or candid portraits through coffee shop windows, most urban and street photographers prefer compact lenses that are light enough to carry around all day and inconspicuous enough to keep them under the radar.
In the Sigma range there are plenty of powerful but compact primes and zooms to choose from, most of which sit in the Contemporary line, which are designed with portability in mind. All have very fast and quiet AF, and image quality is comparable to Art-line lenses.
Prime lenses are often favoured for street and urban photography. Not only do they tend to be more compact than an equivalent zoom, but they usually have a wider maximum aperture for faster shutter speeds and blurrier backgrounds. Traditionally, primes are also slightly sharper than zooms, but this is now less true owing to advanced in optical technology. Sigma’s I series primes are perfect for urban photography thanks to a robust all-metal build, an aperture ring, small and light form factor and ultra-sharp optics.
20mm F1.4 DG DNÂ
Although not as light as the 20mm F2 DG DN | C, this tack-sharp prime has an F1.4 aperture, ideal for interior and after-dark photography where fast shutter speeds are important.
50mm F2 DG DN
Weighing just 345g, this portable full-frame prime for mirrorless cameras has fast AF, an all-metal body and an F2 aperture. Its standard focal length makes it ideal for street photography.
90mm F2.8 DG DN
This mid-telephoto prime is very sharp, beautifully built and very discreet at only 295g. Its focal length is ideal for candid portraits and small vignettes within an urban landscape.
Zooms undoubtedly offer more versatility than a prime, so may suit photographers who like to recompose quickly without changing lenses. Sigma has two very compact full-frame wide-angle mirrorless zooms – the 16-28mm and 28-70mm – and two similar lenses for crop sensor cameras – the 10-18mm and the 18-50mm. All four lenses have an F2.8 constant aperture and all weight less than 500g.
18-50mm F2.8 DC DNÂ
Sigma’s smallest standard zoom is designed for crop-sensor mirrorless cameras and is extremely light at just 290g. Its versatile focal length is perfect for street photography.
16-28mm F2.8 DG DN
Ideal for architecture, interiors, and general urban photography, this versatile and portable full-frame zoom offer a fast F2.8 aperture, razor-sharp optics and fast autofocus.
28-70mm F2.8 DG DN
At 470g, this versatile full-frame standard zoom is a very portable option for street photography. It boasts fast AF, a constant F2.8 aperture and a sleek and robust build.
Get an insight into street photography with professional photographer Stewart Weir. Stuart uses the 50mm F1.4 DG DN | Art for mirrorless cameras, which boasts an ultra-fast HLA (High-response Liner Actuator) motor, an AFL button and a lockable and de-clickable aperture ring.
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