Sigma Sigma Contemporary Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary Lens (FUJIFILM X) Review

If you're shooting with a Fujifilm X-mount camera and you've ever wished for a lens that's both incredibly wide and incredibly fast, the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 DC Contemporary is basically your wish granted. This thing gives you an 18mm full-frame equivalent field of view, which is perfect for getting everything in the frame, but it pairs that with an f/1.4 aperture that lets in a ton of light. That combo is pretty rare, especially in a lens that weighs just 235 grams.

This lens is really for photographers who work in low light or love that shallow depth-of-field look, even on a wide angle. Think street photographers shooting at dusk, or someone doing environmental portraits indoors where you want to separate your subject from a busy background. Its best scores are in portrait and street categories, which makes sense because that fast aperture lets you get creative with focus and light.

What's interesting here is that Sigma managed to pack 14 elements into this lens to control distortion and aberrations, but still kept it surprisingly compact. It's not weather-sealed, which is a bummer, and it doesn't have stabilization, but for a fast prime that you'll probably use on a gimbal or with a fast shutter speed, those might be trade-offs you can live with for the size and price.

Let's talk about what that f/1.4 aperture and 85th percentile optical ranking actually mean. In real terms, this lens is sharp, especially when you stop it down a bit from wide open. The bokeh quality is in the 90th percentile, which is wild for such a wide lens. You can get genuinely creamy, out-of-focus backgrounds even at 12mm, which is a trick most wide-angle lenses just can't pull off. That's a huge part of its high portrait score.

Now, the autofocus is the clear compromise. Sitting in the 47th percentile means it's adequate, but not class-leading. The stepping motor is quiet, which is great for video, but it might not be the snappiest for tracking fast-moving subjects. If you're primarily a stills shooter in controlled or predictable environments, it's fine. But if you need lightning-fast, reliable AF for sports or wildlife, this probably isn't your first choice. The lack of stabilization (39th percentile) also means you'll need to keep your shutter speed up or rely on your camera's IBIS if it has it.

At around $579, this lens sits in an interesting spot. You're paying for that rare combination of width and speed. Compared to Fujifilm's own first-party lenses, you often get more aperture for your money with Sigma. But you are giving up things like weather sealing and possibly some AF integration.

The value really depends on how much you need f/1.4. If you shoot a lot in dim light or love that bokeh, the premium over a slower f/2 or f/2.8 wide-angle is probably worth it. If you're mostly shooting landscapes stopped down to f/8 in daylight, you could save money and maybe get a sharper, more versatile zoom instead.

The most direct competitor is probably the Sony 15mm f/1.4 G for E-mount, but that's for a different system. For Fuji X, you're looking at lenses like the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 or even Fuji's own 14mm f/2.8. The Viltrox is a bit wider and also fast, often for less money, but Sigma typically has an edge in optical consistency and build. The Fuji 14mm is smaller and has classic Fuji rendering, but it's two stops slower at f/2.8, which is a massive difference in low light.

Then there's the versatility question. A lens like the Meike 35mm f/1.8 (roughly 50mm equivalent) is a more standard focal length and might be more useful everyday, but it's not wide. The Sigma 12mm f/1.4 is a specialist. You choose it because you specifically want a wide, fast prime. If you need one lens to do everything, look at a standard zoom. But if you want to excel at wide-angle portraits, street, and low-light interiors, this Sigma has a very strong argument.

For the Fuji shooter who craves speed and width, this lens is an easy recommendation. Its optical quality, compact size, and that glorious f/1.4 aperture make it a unique and powerful tool for street photography, environmental portraits, and astrophotography. Just be ready to work with its average autofocus and lack of stabilization.

If your work involves a lot of run-and-gun video where stabilization is key, or if you shoot in wet conditions often, the lack of weather sealing and IBS is a deal-breaker. Also, if you're a landscape purist who always shoots at f/8 or f/11 on a tripod, you're paying for an aperture you won't use. But for everyone else who wants to shoot wide open, in the dark, and with beautiful background separation, the Sigma 12mm f/1.4 is a fantastic piece of glass.