Sigma Contemporary 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Review

This Sigma 23mm f/1.4 is a fantastic lens for Canon APS-C shooters who want a fast, sharp prime for portraits and low-light work. It's a bit of a one-trick pony, but it does that one trick incredibly well. The one thing you need to know is that it delivers stunning image quality and beautiful bokeh, but it's heavy and not built for a day of walking around.

The optical performance is what really stands out. It scores in the 91st percentile for bokeh and 88th for aperture, and you can feel that in the images. The f/1.4 aperture gives you creamy background blur and lets in a ton of light. The autofocus, sitting in the 47th percentile, is the only real letdown. It's fine for portraits, but don't expect it to keep up with fast-moving subjects.

At around $650, it's a good value if your main goal is portrait quality. You're paying for the optics, not the features. If you need fast AF or a lightweight walk-around lens, look elsewhere.

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is a direct, cheaper competitor. It's lighter and has decent optics, but its build and autofocus are a step down. The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is another option if you want a slightly longer portrait focal length, and it's built like a tank, but it's also heavy. This Sigma sits in the middle: better optics than the Viltrox, but more specialized and heavier than both.

Buy this lens if you shoot a Canon APS-C camera and want the best possible image quality for portraits and low-light work. It's a specialist, not a generalist. Skip it if you need fast autofocus for action, want a lightweight travel lens, or need weather sealing.